Colonel March Investigates

Colonel March Investigates is a 1953 British film consisting of the three pilot episodes of the TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard that were filmed in 1952, starring Boris Karloff.[1][2][3] These episodes were "Hot Money", "Death in the Dressing Room" and "The New Invisible Man".[4]

Colonel March Investigates
Directed byCy Endfield
Produced byDonald Ginsberg
Screenplay byLeo Davis
StarringBoris Karloff
Music byJohn Lanchbery
Edited byStanley Willis
Release date
1 July 1953
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUK
LanguageEnglish

Boris Karloff and his wife Evelyn sailed to England in July, 1952, where Karloff filmed three different pilot episodes of the Colonel March series to show to British TV executives. In 1953, when the show was green lighted, Karloff returned to England to film 23 more episodes, making a total of 26 in all, then returned to Hollywood to film Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953). The three pilots were later compiled into the 1953 feature film called Colonel March Investigates (aka Colonel March of Scotland Yard), so that they could be shown theatrically.[3] Karloff filmed pieces of onscreen introduction narration to help stitch the three stories together and these shots are exclusive to this compilation film.

The Colonel March TV series premiered on ITV London on 24 September 1955.[5] After the second ITV region (Midlands) was launched in February 1956, Associated began a run of Colonel March on Wednesday, 22 February, beginning at 10pm.[6] The rest of Britain only saw it when it premiered on the BBC in September, 1956.[3]. The series was also shown in the United States in February 1956, five months after the British premier. (It was broadcast from 1 February 1956 to 1 April 1957, which included a number of re-run episodes.)

Plot

Karloff, in black eye patch and cloak, is Colonel March: head of the Department of Queer Complaints at Scotland Yard. He is an investigator of unusual criminal cases and activities. The film sees him solve a bank robbery (for which an innocent man was framed) and two murders involving complex tricks and disguises.[7]

Cast

Critical reception

TV Guide wrote, "the scripts are nothing special, but Karloff is a joy to watch, as usual." [7]

References
  1. Colonel March Investigates at New York Times
  2. Stephen Jacobs, Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster, Tomahawk Press 2011 p 362-365
  3. "Colonel March Investigates | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  4. "Action TV – Colonel March of Scotland Yard episode guide". Startrader.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  5. "Radio and TV Programmes: Saturday and Sunday", The Manchester Guardian (24 September 1955): 11.
  6. "Broadcasting", The Times (22 February 1956): 4.
  7. "Colonel March Investigates Trailer, Reviews and Schedule for Colonel March Investigates | TVGuide.com". Movies.tvguide.com. Retrieved 2014-05-07.


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