CTVA US Crime - "Mark Saber Mystery Theatre" (Roland Reed/ABC) (1951-54) starring Tom Conway

CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - US Crime Series

"The Vise:Mark Saber"(UK) (1955-57)     "Saber of London" (UK) (1957-59) starring Donald Gray
Mark Saber Mystery Theatre  (US)(1951-54)
(a.k.a. "Inspector Mark Saber: Homicide Squad") (season 2 title?)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
John King, Sal Crisanti, Robert B. Huggins (ep #2.04)
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive

---------------------------
MARK SABER MYSTERY THEATRE
-------------------------
Roland Reed Productions
for
ABC (Fridays 8:00 pm EST) (Season 1, Oct51-Apr52)
ABC (Wednesdays 9:30 PM EST) (16Apr52-Sep52)
ABC (Mondays 8:00 pm EST) (Season 2, 1952-53)
ABC (Wednesdays 7:30 pm EST) (Season 3, 1953-54)
Executive Producer Roland D. Reed
Produced by J. Donald Wilson

US Detective series 1951-54 78 ? episodes x 30 min bw film
(possibly 3 x 26)
5Oct51 -30Jun54
Starring
Tom Conway as Mark Saber
James Burke as Sgt. Tim Maloney

Premise:
The exploits of Mark Saber, a plainclothes detective with the
Homicide Division of the N.Y.P.D.


DIRECTORS INCLUDED: HOWARD BRETHERTON, EUGENE FORDE, GEORGE BLAIR [SC]

WRITERS INCLUDED: BUCKLEY ANGELL,ROBERT C. DENNIS,LEE LOEB,
AL MARTIN, WARREN WILSON [sc]

CINEMATOGRAPHERS INCLUDED: WALTER STRENGE AND PAUL IVANO [SC]

######## Mark Saber Mystery Theatre ##########
############## season 1 1951-52 ##############
##############################################
ABC Fridays 8:00 pm EST

1.01 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF CARRIE'S COFFIN
05Oct51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Mark Saber and Sgt. Tim Maloney attempt to prevent a
suicide when a woman orders her own coffin and states the time
and place of her death. [JK]

1.02 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DART OF DEATH
12Oct51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A game of darts turns into murder at a theatrical producer's
reading of his new play. [JK]

1.03 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE THREE BLIND MICE
19Oct51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Business partners decide to start a fire in order to cover the
evidence of their embezzlement. A killer defies Inspector Saber
to him again for a murder for which he has already served. [JK]

1.04 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MISSING GUN
26Oct51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Saber searches for the gun that killed a glamorous
night club entertainer during her performance. [JK]

1.05 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE TOAST TO MURDER
02Nov51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Saber investigates the death of an attractive interior
decorator, who, on the eve of her departure for Europe, drinks
a lethal dose of Martinis. [JK]

1.06 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE PURSE (?) OF DEATH
09Nov51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Mark Saber delves into a baffling murder case. A famous
movie star is beaten to death with a poker. Saber has 3 supects. [JK]

1.07 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE SILENT ALIBI
16Nov51 ABC Fri (Network rerun 26Jan53)
Synopsis:
Two apparently unrelated events; an attack on a political leader and
the murder of a young actress provide Saber with a dangerous puzzle. [JK]

1.08 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE CROWN HILL MURDER
23Nov51 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
An ex-convicts pencil drawing helps Inspector Saber solve a difficult case. [JK]

1.09 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE VANISHING COUPLE
30Nov51 ABC Fri (Network rerun 09Feb53)
Synopsis:
A woman reports her husband missing from a place he doesn't work. [JK]

1.10 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE LIVING CORPSE
07Dec51 ABC Fri
Directed By Howard Bretherton [SC]
Teleplay By Al Martin [SC]

Synopsis:
A beautiful woman reports her husband is missing. [JK]
(Similar synopsis to previous episode?)

1.11 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE INVISIBLE DEATH
14Dec51 ABC Fri (Network rerun 09Mar53)
Synopsis:
Inspector Saber clashes with a killer who uses a death-dealing radioactive
waves. [JK]

1.12 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE SNOWMAN MURDER
21Dec51 ABC Fri
Starring: Tom Conway (as Mark Saber) with: James Burke (Sgt. Maloney)
Guest Cast:
Willie Best.
Synopsis:
A prizefighter threatened with death is murdered. Saber questions a big
shot gambler, a fight manager, and the fighter's sweetheart. [JK]

1.13 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE SILENT GUEST
28Dec51 ABC Fri (Network rerun 23Feb53)
********** No synopsis available *************

1.14 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE SECOND DEATH
04Jan52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Mark Saber investigates the death of an apparently penniless old lady
who has lent a bookie $10,000. [JK]

1.15 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE LOCKED ROOM
11Jan52 ABC Fri
Starring: Tom Conway (as Mark Saber) with: James Burke (Sgt. Maloney)
Synopsis 1:
A dead man wearing an overcoat in a room heated to 95 degrees poses the
question of murder or suicide? [JK]
Synopsis 2:
Why would a man with a new wife and everything to live for commit
suicide in a locked room? Mark Saber unwinds the complicated murder
plot. [JK]

1.16 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE CORPSE IN THE CANYON
18Jan52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A dead girl is found in a smashed car at the bottom of canyon. A pretty maid,
a jealous husband and a private secretary are the elements that add up to
murder. [JK]

1.17 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE FINGER MAN
25Jan52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Mark Saber is confronted with the perfect crime when a safe is robbed
and a murder is committed by a supposedly dead safecracker. [JK]

1.18 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE FATAL PASSION
01Feb52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A perfume bottle is the vital clue in the solution of the murder of a beautiful
dancer. [JK]

1.19 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE SPIRIT WORLD (aka "Ghost Trapper")
08Feb52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
When a seance brings up the subject of stock market speculation, a woman suspects
it is a hoax. Later she is found murdered. [JK]

1.20 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF MURDER ON THE HOUR
15Feb52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A public official is found dead shortly after testifying before a government
committee. [JK]

1.21 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE HIDDEN CLUE
22Feb52 ABC Fri (Network rerun 04May53)
Synopsis:
A killer writes a period to a gossip columnist's career. [JK]

1.22 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DEADLY DREAM
29Feb52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A woman dreams that she has murdered her sister, which becomes a reality.
She claims that she did not commit the murder. [JK]

1.23 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MISSING HEADS
07Mar52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Inspector Mark Saber uses two beautiful models and a group of portraits
to solve the murder of a famous artist. [JK]

1.24 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DATE WITH MURDER
14Mar52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A producer is shot and killed while Mark Saber waits to see him in another
room. [JK]

1.25 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH
21Mar52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
A prominant society girl is murdered. [JK]

1.26 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE IDOL OF DEATH
28Mar52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Members of a commission from India visiting Los Angeles, are murdered,
all in the manner of the Indian "thug" fraternity. Inspector Saber
investigates these weird deaths by strangulation. [JK]

1.27 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DEADLY DERRINGER
04Apr52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
An art collector is murdered by the same Derringer that was supposedly
was used to kill President Abraham Lincoln. [JK]

1.28 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF DESIGN FOR MURDER
11Apr52 ABC Fri
Synopsis:
Mark Saber is asked to find out whether the death of a noted fashion
designer was suicide or murder. [JK]

-----------------------------------
Moves to ABC Wednesdays 9:30 PM EST (16Apr52-Sep52)
-----------------------------------

1.29 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE RESTLESS CORPSE
16Apr52 ABC Wed
Synopsis:
A financial wizard is brutally murdered in a dimly lit sidestreet
liquor show. When Inspector Saber arrives the corpse has disappeared

1.30 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF BORROWED CORPSE
23Apr52 ABC Wed
Synopsis:
Inspector Saber takes on the difficult job of talking a confessed murderer
out of his confession. [JK]

1.31 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF CHINESE MEDALLION
30Apr52 ABC Wed
Synopsis:
The mysterious stabbing of a beautiful Chinese girl leads Saber into a
gun battle with a gang of hoodlums. [JK]

1.32 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MISSING FINGER
07May52 ABC Wed
Synopsis:
Mark Saber investigates the murder of a fish monger and probes fish
business that smells of smuggling. [JK]

1.33 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE HAUNTED CASTLE
14May52 ABC Wed (Network rerun 29Dec52)
Synopsis:
A beautiful crime reporter joins Mark Saber in the search for a killer,
following a grotesque murder at a deserted castle. [JK]

1.34 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MARKED MAN
21May52 ABC Wed (Network rerun 06Apr53)
Synopsis:
A fingernail scratch is an important clue in tracking down the murderer
of a successful interior decorator. [JK]

1.35 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DEADLY QUEEN
28May52 ABC Wed (Network rerun 12Jan53)
Synopsis:
A chess game leads to murder when professional jealousy drives a laboratory
assistant to create a fiendish murder device. Mark Saber hopes to checkmate
the killer. [JK]

1.36 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MISSING BRIDE
04Jun52 ABC Wed (Network rerun 18May53)
Synopsis:
A man returns home after a sales trip, to find his wife missing, and a
stranger occupying his house. [JK]

1.37 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE EMIGRANT ? OF DEATH
original airdate not known
Synopsis:
Wealthy and beautiful Donna Bedford is murdered. A semi-circular wound
and a few grains of sawdust are Mark Saber's only clues

1.38 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE ARTFUL MURDERS
original airdate not known (Network rerun 20Apr53)
Synopsis:
The formal unveiling of a statue and the informal unveiling of a corpse
land Mark Saber in the middle of a murder case. [JK]


######## Mark Saber Mystery Theatre ##########
############## season 2 1952-53 ##############
##############################################
ABC Mondays 8:00 pm EST

2.01 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
06Oct52 ABC Mon


2.02 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE STAR TATTOO
13Oct52 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
Mark Saber seeks a suspect with a star tattoed on his right hand, in
connection with the brutal murder of an elderly shopkeeper. [JK]

2.03 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
20Oct52 ABC Mon


 2.04 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE HAIR OF THE DOG
27Oct52 ABC Mon
Source: "TV's Greatest Detectives," Falcon Picture Group DVD - Catalog # 2009 [RBH]
Producer: J. Donald Wilson / Associate Producer: Guy V. Thayer, Jr.
Director: Howard Bretherton
Screenplay: Wallace Bosco
Starring:
Tom Conway (as Inspector Mark Saber)
and: James Burke (as Sgt. Tim Malony)
Guest Cast:
John Doucette .......... Louis
Larry Blake ............ Griff
Christine McIntyre ..... Lanie [DVD] /Blaine Winters [SC]
James Craven ........... Morrie
Philip Van Zandt ....... Red
Louis Nicoletti ........ Snuffy
Ed Clark ............... Hotchkiss
Synopsis:
A wealthy racketeer is murdered and Insp. Mark Saber suspects the lovely
blonde owner of a pekinese. [JK]
Note:
The episode on this DVD contains an original commercial for Phillips'
Milk of Magnesia. [RBH]


2.05 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE WRESTLER'S CORPSE
03Nov52 ABC Mon
*********** No Synopsis ************

2.06 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MIDNIGHT MURDER
10Nov52 ABC Mon [JK] / 24Mar52 [SC]
Directed By Howard Bretherton [SC]
Teleplay By Buckley Angell [SC]
Starring:
Tom Conway (as Inspector Mark Saber)
and: James Burke (as Sgt. Tim Malony)
Guest Cast: [SC]
Lee Patrick............as Mrs.Gaunt
Theo Van Eltz............as Mr.Gaunt
Frank Scannell............as Kennedy
Rod Barclay............as Harold
Charles Hardy............as Harris
Daryl Hickman............as Ted
Dick Monahan............as Pete
Ralph Brooke............as Johnny
Helen Millard............as Mabel
Arthur Gould Porter............as The Butler
Synopsis:
A toothache helps Mark Saber solve a murder. [JK]

2.07 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE ECCENTRIC HEIRESS
17Nov52 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
Mark Saber suspects murder in the death of a wealthy old woman who
who slumps to the floor while posing for a portrait. [JK]

2.08 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE LOST FACE
24Nov52 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
Don Peter's roommate is murdered. Peter's only albi is a photgraph
taken at a bar at the time of the murder. [JK]

2.09 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
01Dec52 ABC Mon


2.10 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MURDEROUS MUSIC BOX
08Dec52 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A cat, five $10,000 bills, and a music box lead Inspector Saber to
the discovery of a double murder. [JK]

2.11 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE MOUSE
15Dec52 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A timid bookkeeper is suspected of murdering the office heel, a
celebrated painter. [JK]

2.12 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
22Dec52 ABC Mon


[--] 29Dec52 - rerun of "Case of the Haunted Castle" (first aired 14May52)

2.13 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE FASHIONS OF DEATH
05Jan53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
The plan of a fashion designer to sell photos of forthcoming Paris
fashions backfires when a model steals them for he own use. [JK]

[--] 12Jan52 - rerun of "Case of the Deadly Queen" (first aired 28May52)

2.14 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE JAPANESE KNIFE
19Jan53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A stingy old man is murdered with a Japanese hari-kari knife. Everthing
points to his foster son, until Mark Saber makes and odd discovery. [JK]

[--] 26Jan53 - rerun of "Case of the Silent Alibi" (first aired 16Nov51)

2.15 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
02Feb53 ABC Mon

[--] 09Feb53 - rerun of "Case of the Vanishing Couple" (first aired 30Nov51)

2.16 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DOOR OF DEATH
16Feb53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A criminal is blown up as he opens his bedroom door. His partner-in-crime is
the next man killed. But it's a Great Dane that helps Saber solve the two
unusual murders. [JK]

[--] 23Feb53 - rerun of "Case 0f the Silent Guest" (first aired 28Dec51)

2.17 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE HANGING HUSBAND
(aka "Case of the Frightened Husband" ?)
02Mar53 ABC Mon
Starring: Tom Conway (as Mark Saber) with: James Burke (Sgt. Maloney)
Synopsis 1:
A man tells Mark Saber that his wife is trying to murder him. Saber
feels that his fears are exagerated - until the woried husband
is found murdered' [JK]
Synopsis 2:
A husband tells Mark Saber his wife is trying to kill him. When the
husband is found hanging in the shower, Saber is the only one who
can figure out what really happened.

[--] 09Mar53 - rerun of "Case of the Invisible Death" (first aired 14Dec51)

2.18 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE FIRE OF DEATH
16Mar53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A woman is burned to death in a hunting-lodge fire. The verdict is
accidental death, until an autopsy report indicates cyanide. [JK]

[--] 23Feb53 - another rerun of "Case of the Silent Alibi" (first aired 16Nov51)

2.19 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE DEAD MAN'S PUZZLE
30Mar53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A chemist who anticipated his own murder, leaves a cryptic message which
leads Inspector Saber to the killer. [JK]

[--] 06Apr53 - rerun of "Case of the Marked Man" (first aired 21May52)

2.20 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE CHAMBER OF DEATH
13Apr53 ABC Mon
Guest Cast: [SC]
Tom Keen
Synopsis:
Inspector Saber has a narrow escape from death while investigating a murder
in which the victim was killed with poison pellets. [JK]

[--] 20Apr53 - rerun 0f "Case of the Artful Murders" (first aired - Summer 1952?)

2.21 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE FATAL RUBY
27Apr53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
A well-mannered girl's involvement with a ring of known gem thieves captures
the attention of Inspector Saber. [JK]

[--] 04May53 - rerun of "Case of the Hidden Clue" (first aired 22Feb52)

2.22 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: - no details
11May53 ABC Mon

[--] 18May53 - rerun of "Case of the Missing Bride" (first aired 04Jun52)

2.23 Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE TRIPLE MURDERS
25May53 ABC Mon
Synopsis:
The urbane Saber resorts to a risky ruse to run down a killer. [JK]

######## Mark Saber Mystery Theatre ##########
############## season 3 1953-54 ##############
##############################################
ABC Wednesdays 7:30 pm EST

******** NO SEASON 3 DETAILS ************

######## Mark Saber Mystery Theatre ##########
############## miscellaneous ###############
##############################################

x.xx Mark Saber Mystery Theatre: THE CASE OF THE BRAZEN BRIDE
03Jan56 CH 11 NYC 10:30PM - syndicated rerun
Synopsis:
Saber doubts that a young woman has died from natural causes. [JK]


######## Mark Saber Mystery Theatre ##########
################## the end #################
##############################################

Have you any comments, corrections, episode titles, air dates, production numbers, directors, writers, story/synopsis, guest stars, cast lists, etc?
Have you any old videos, or tv guides? Dust them off and let us know if you have any information on this series or any other tv series from the
Golden Age of TV, which is missing from any episode guides on the web. Perhaps a certain episode of a particular series coincided with a key
moment in your life, or in world events - and or has left a vivid memory of when it was shown. Let us know. Would you like to see any other
tv series guides on this site? If so please e-mail The Classic TV Archive - see Feedback below.
This guide may be distributed and copied freely, in its entirety, for personal use. All original author and copyright information must
remain intact. Any sales or other uses of this document are expressly forbidden, without the specific consent of the author(s).
Copyright © The Classic TV Archive. All rights reserved.

 
Return to the Classic TV Archive Home Page
   Feedback  -  Crime Forum