Sexton Blake

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Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake.jpg
First appearanceThe Missing Millionaire (20 December 1893)
Created by Harry Blyth (as Hal Meredeth)
Portrayed by Langhorn Burton
George Curzon
David Farrar
Geoffrey Toone
William Franklyn
Laurence Payne
Jeremy Clyde
Simon Jones
In-universe information
GenderMale
OccupationDetective
FamilyHenry Blake (brother)
Nigel Blake (brother)
NationalityBritish

Sexton Blake is a fictional character, a detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. [1] Sexton Blake adventures were featured in a wide variety of British and international publications (in many languages) from 1893 to 1978, comprising more than 4,000 stories by some 200 different authors. Blake was also the hero of numerous silent and sound films, radio serials, and a 1960s ITV television series.

Contents

Publication history

Cover of the first Sexton Blake tale Missing millionaire.jpg
Cover of the first Sexton Blake tale

The first Sexton Blake story was "The Missing Millionaire". Written by Harry Blyth (using the pseudonym Hal Meredeth), it was published in The Halfpenny Marvel number 6, on 20 December 1893, a story paper owned by the Amalgamated Press. [2] Blyth wrote six more Sexton Blake tales, three for the Marvel and three for The Union Jack a story paper launched in April 1894. [2]

The Amalgamated Press purchased the copyright to Blake along with the first story Blyth had submitted and from 1895 onwards several authors began to pen Blake tales. [2] From August 1905 Blake became the resident character in Union Jack, appearing in every issue until its transformation into the Detective Weekly in 1933. [2] Blake continued as the main feature until Detective Weekly ended in 1940.

Blake's popularity began to grow during the Edwardian era, and he appeared in a number of different story papers. These appearances included serials in the tabloid sized Boys' Friend (1905), complete tales in the pocket-sized Penny Pictorial (from 1907 to 1913 (when that magazine ended), and short stories in Answers, (1908–1911) one of the Amalgamated Press' most popular papers. [3] Writers from this era include: William Murray Graydon, Maxwell Scott, Norman Goddard, Cecil Hayter, D. H. Parry, E. W. Alais, W. J Lomax, and Michael Storm.

In the second decade of the 20th century, new writers joined the ranks and created the formidable master criminals that matched wits with Blake. These include Andrew Murray, Anthony Skene, Robert Murray Graydon, Edwy Searles Brooks and George Hamilton Teed.

Blake gets his own title

Longer tales of 60,000 words or so appeared in The Boys' Friend Library and the success of these led to the creation of The Sexton Blake Library in 1915. [4] This digest-sized publication specialized in longer tales, and at the height of its popularity was published 5 times a month. [4] It ran for just under 50 years.

The majority of Sexton Blake Library covers (prior to editor William Howard Baker's 1956 revamp of the character) were painted by master Sexton Blake illustrator Eric Parker

Writers who worked on Sexton Blake stories throughout this 53-year span included Charles Henry St. John Cooper, [5] John Creasey, Jack Trevor Story, John G. Brandon [6] Michael Moorcock, and (allegedly) Brian O'Nolan (aka Flann O'Brien and Myles Coppaleen.)

In 1959 Fleetway Publications acquired the rights to Sexton Blake adventures and published The Sexton Blake Library until the title's demise. The final tale, The Last Tiger, was published in June 1963. [7]

In 1965, Blake editor William Howard Baker licensed the rights of the Sexton Blake character. He published the fifth series of The Sexton Blake Library independently via Mayflower-Dell Books, which ran until 1968. He then issued a final series of four Sexton Blake novels, using his Howard Baker Books imprint, in 1969. [7] From 1968 to 1971 Valiant published new comic strips in the style of the Knockout strips from decades earlier. [7] Blake's last original appearance was in Sexton Blake and the Demon God “a period thriller with ancient curses and cliff-hanger endings” in 1978. [7]

Comic strips: 1939–1979

Blake comic strips featured in The Knock-Out Comic (later Knock-Out Comic & Magnet and, finally, simply Knockout ) from 1939 to 1960. The Blake strip was illustrated originally by artist Jos Walker and then by Alfred Taylor, who illustrated Blake's adventures for ten years. The undoubted highlight of Blake's 21-year run in Knockout was a 14-part 1949 strip drawn by Blake's greatest illustrator Eric Parker, entitled The Secret of Monte Cristo. This was Parker's only contribution to Blake's comic strip adventures.

There was one Super Detective Library story about Blake: issue 68 (published November 1955), featuring a comic strip entitled Sexton Blake's Diamond Hunt.

A final Sexton Blake comic strip (initiated to tie in with the 1967–1971 television show) featured in IPC's weekly boys' anthology Valiant, from January 1968 to May 1970.

A seven-part Blake comic strip featured in IPC's comic Tornado from March 1979 to May 1979. A contract dispute (subsequently resolved in IPC's favour) caused the Tornado editorial team to rename Blake "Victor Drago" (and Tinker & Pedro "Spencer & Brutus") for the duration of this strip.

Other publications

A series of 160-page Sexton Blake annuals, featuring old stories and new material, began in 1938 and lasted till 1941.

Four hardbacks designed for the younger market were published by Dean & Son Ltd during 1968. The third of these, Raffles' Crime in Gibraltar, portrayed Blake contending with A. J. Raffles, E.W. Hornung's amateur cracksman.

There were a few anthologies and reprints in the 80s and 90s.

In 2009, IPC's information manager, David Abbott, signed licenses to publish two Blake omnibus archive editions: The Casebook of Sexton Blake, published by Wordsworth Editions, and Sexton Blake, Detective published by Snowbooks.

In 2009 Wordsworth Books published the casebook of Sexton Blake and Snowbooks published Sexton Blake Detective.

In 2013, Obverse Books licensed the character and published The Silent Thunder Caper by Mark Hodder, the first book in a proposed sixth series of the Sexton Blake Library, [8] [9] The imprint had previously published a collection of short stories featuring Blake villain Zenith the Albino. [10]

2018 saw an uptick in Sexton Blake reprints, with the first print novels published by Stillwoods Publishing, a Canadian publisher out of Nova Scotia.

In 2020 ROH Press began publishing Sexton Blake tales with Sexton Blake The Early Years, [11] a collection of Blake's first cases.

That same year British publishers Rebellion Developments released a Sexton Blake special under its Treasury of British Comics imprint. [12] They also produced four anthologies in 2020-21, each introduced by Blakeologist Mark Hodder. [13]

Sexton Blake bibliography

The Sexton Blake is so extensive it has been divided into four sections. For a list of titles from the different Blake eras check out the links below.

1893–1911: The Victorian/Edwardian Era Sexton Blake bibliography
In this era Blake works solo and with a variety of partners and detectives. In 1904 he acquires a sidekick, a young boy named Tinker. The following year he moved to Baker Street and acquired a dog named Pedro and a landlady named Mrs Bardell.

1912–1945: The Master Criminals Era Sexton Blake bibliography part 2: 1912–1945
From 1913 onwards the master criminals reigned supreme, regularly matching with Blake.

1946–1978: The Post War Era Sexton Blake bibliography part 3: 1946–1978
The era of the New Order saw Blake become more of a James Bond type. It also saw the end of the Sexton Blake Library in 1963. There were a few attempts at bringing him back, but the last original Sexton Blake story was published in 1978.

1979–present: Revivals and Republications Sexton Blake bibliography part 4: 1979–present
Various publishers issued Blake novels and anthologies, collections of some of his most popular adventures.

Blake's evolution

As the years passed, Blake's character experienced various permutations. The first descriptions and illustrations of him showed him to be "a middle-aged Victorian gentleman dressed in the typical clothing of the era and carrying a heavy walking stick". [14]

At the start of his career in 1893 he was partnered with Jules Gervaise a French detective who was also his mentor. By early in 1894 Blake was solving cases solo. During the remainder of the Victorian era he worked with various assistants Griff (half-man and beast) and a Chinese boy named We-Wee. [15] He lived in a variety of places including Norfolk Street, Strand, New Inn Chambers, and Wych Street. [15]

In The Lamp of Death (1894) Sexton Blake met Muriel Lane a woman who would eventually become his wife. His wife was referred to again in the Union Jack Christmas Number for 1901 then disappeared from the Blake canon forever. Blake remained a strict bachelor for the rest of his career. [14]

In 1904 Blake moved to Baker Street, acquired an assistant named Tinker, a landlady named Martha Bardell and a dog named Pedro. Blake began more and more to resemble Sherlock Holmes. Blake was tall, lean, strong limbed, with hair receding at the temples, and with a high intellectual forehead. When indoors at Baker Street he wore a red dressing gown, smoked a briar pipe and had a favourite chair. [15]

Throughout the Edwardian era he worked undercover at variety of jobs: reporter, cab driver, laundryman, sailor, cowboy all of which were reflected in the titles of his adventures. In Sexton Blake KC it was disclosed that he was a fully trained lawyer, in "The Tattooed Eye" (21 November 1908) he says he is a duly qualified medical man but has never practised medicine.

Throughout his career Blake also visited many countries in North America, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. Blake spoke a variety of languages and often disguised himself as a local.

In 1908 Blake matched wits with George Marsden Plummer, the first of what would become a long line of master criminals. He was followed by Count Ivor Carlac in 1912, then Professor Kew, Prince Wu Ling, Zenith the Albino and many others.

The 1920s and early 1930s are considered Blake's Golden Age, a time when he matched wits with some of his greatest foes. By the mid 1940s most had disappeared.

Many of Blake's writers had been men of adventure who had travelled the world. When World War II started, they enlisted, leaving just a small group of writers behind (with the addition of the occasional guest writer). Consequently, the standard of Blake's stories suffered.

In November 1955, William Howard Baker became editor of the Sexton Blake Library and, during 1956, introduced a successful update of the Blake formula. The Sexton Blake Library found new popularity with faster-moving, more contemporary stories (often influenced by American pulp fiction).

Blake, who had been relocated a number of times over the years, was relocated to a suite of plush offices in Berkeley Square (while retaining lodgings at Baker Street) and acquired a secretary, Paula Dane, who became a not-quite-love interest for Blake. [15]

Tinker was no longer a boy assistant, but a mature young man who went by his full name Edward Carter. [15] Blake's office receptionist, Marion Lang, was introduced as his female counterpart. [15]

Covers, which had become rather staid during the early 1950s, became much more dynamic and a new group of authors was commissioned. [16]

Baker remained as editor until 1963 (his last story was "The Last Tiger") before becoming Blake's licensor/publisher and continuing to oversee Blake's print adventures until January 1970. [17]

There were a few reprints in anthologies in the 1970s and 1980s. The new millennium has seen an uptick in reprints.

Blake's associates

Blake's first associate from The Halfpenny Marvel No. 6 ("The Missing Millionaire") is the Frenchman Jules Gervaise, who gives him the first recorded case. [18] By issue No. 7 ("A Christmas Crime"), they initiate an investigative company together. [19] In the third story of issue No. 11 ("A Golden Ghost"), Gervaise is not mentioned. [20] [21]

Blake's team

In Union Jack number 53, in a story titled "Cunning Against Skill" (1904), (written by W. J. Lomax under the pen-name of Herbert Maxwell), Blake picked up a wiry street-wise orphan as an assistant who was known only as Tinker until the 1950s. With the popularity of school stories during the early 1900s, Tinker's schooldays were chronicled in issues 229 and 232. Over the years, Tinker changed from a boy and good fighter to a rugged and capable young man. As well as assisting the "guv'nor", as he called Blake, Tinker kept Blake's crime files up to date with clippings from the daily newspapers, in addition to assisting Blake in his fully equipped crime laboratory. The Edwardian British private detective Herbert Marshall was a friend of one of the Blake authors', Charles Henry St John Cooper (1869–1926), and stated that Cooper had based the character of Tinker on Marshall's own teenaged assistant Henry Drummond. Drummond sold newspapers in Northumberland Avenue in order to support his widowed mother until, aged just 14, [22] he was offered a job by Marshall. Drummond died in around 1905 from tuberculosis, aged 19. [23]

In 1905, Blake's bustling housekeeper Mrs Bardell (created by William Murray Graydon, who also created Pedro the bloodhound), was introduced and remained until the end. Her misuse of the English language was legendary in stories – she was a gifted cook and would always be on hand if a client needed food or a cup of tea. Mrs Bardell even featured as the main character in stories such as: "The Mystery Of Mrs Bardell's Xmas Pudding" in 1925 and "Mrs Bardell's Xmas Eve" in 1926.

In Union Jack number 100 (9 September 1905), a story entitled "The Dog Detective" introduced Blake's faithful, wise and ferocious bloodhound, Pedro. Pedro was originally owned by Rafael Calderon, ex-president of a South American state, but after performing various services for Calderon, Blake was given Pedro by Calderon, using the guise of "Mr. Nemo". Pedro tracked many villains to their lairs in subsequent stories.

Another notable non-human associate (and almost a character in itself) was Blake's bullet-proof Rolls-Royce, named The Grey Panther (introduced at a time when most other sleuths were still taking cabs). For a short while, Blake also flew a Moth monoplane (also called The Grey Panther and designed by Blake himself).

Blake's enemies

Sexton Blake had a large rogues gallery of supervillains from around the globe. Some of the most famous included:

The type of villain Blake opposed changed with the times (as did Blake himself). After World War II, his opponents became more ordinary, their personalities and motives less fantastic. Veteran writers John Hunter and Walter Tyrer excelled at this type of writing, but others failed to maintain their standards.

Blake's allies

Sexton Blake also teamed up with a variety of police officers, private detectives and other assorted crime fighters from time to time. Some of the most popular include:

Other associates included Derek "Splash" Page of the Daily Radio; Ruff Hanson, a tough American investigator (both created by Gwyn Evans), and Blake's friends at Scotland Yard: Chief Detective Inspector Lennard, and Superintendent Venner.

Bibliography

Stories

Manuscripts

Collections

The Criminals' Confederation series

Adaptations

Stage

There were several Sexton Blake stage plays:

Movies

Silent movies

YearFilm titleStarringDirected byNovelNotes
BlakeTinker
1909Sexton BlakeCharles Douglas CarlileCharles Douglas CarlileFive Years After by William Murray Graydon [26] 12 minutes [27]
1909The Council of ThreeS. Wormald
1910 serial [28] Lady Candale's Diamonds
The Jewel Thieves Run to Earth by Sexton BlakePossibly The Jewel Thieves by Ernest Sempill?
1914Sexton Blake Vs Baron KettlerHugh Moss [28] Hugh MossPossibly The Adventure of the Lady Typist? [29] [30]
1914The Clue of the Wax VestaArthur DeanThe Vengeance Series by George Hamilton Teed. The title is drawn from a clue in Teed's The Missing Guests.30 minutes [31]
1914 serial [28] The Mystery of the Diamond BeltPhilip KayLewis Carlton Charles Raymond The Mystery of the Diamond Belt by Lewis Carlton [29] [32] Manufactured in England by F. Bernard Davidson. Exclusively controlled by The Kinematograph Trading Co. Sexton Blake vs George Marsden Plummer
The Kaiser's Spies
Britain's Secret TreatyThe Case of the German Admiral [33] by Andrew Murray
1915 serial [28] The Stolen Heirlooms Harry Lorraine Bert RexPossibly The Case of the Missing Heirlooms by Cecil Hayter?
The CounterfeitersThe Counterfeiters by J.W. Bobin
The Great Cheque FraudThe Great Cheque Fraud
The Thornton Jewel MysteryPossibly The Marfield Jewel Mystery?
1919Further Exploits of Sexton Blake: The Mystery of the S. S. Olympic Douglas Payne Neil Warrington Harry Lorraine The Mystery of the S. S. Olympic by Robert Murray Graydon [29]
1922The Doddington Diamonds Jack Denton Possibly The Conniston Diamonds by G. H. Teed?
1928 serial [34] The Clue of the Second Goblet Langhorne Burton Mickey Brantford George A. Cooper The Clue of the Second Goblet by G. H. Teed [35]
Blake the Lawbreaker
Sexton Blake, Gambler George J. Banfield
Silken ThreadsLeslie Eveleigh
The Great Office MysteryThe Great Office Mystery by Jack Lewis (Lewis Jackson)
The Mystery of the Silent DeathLeslie EveleighPossibly The Menace of the Silent Death by E. J. Murray?

There was also a spoof film titled Sexton Pimple (1914), starring the comedian Fred Evans. [29]

Talkies

Radio

Television

Sexton Blake (1967–71)

ITV broadcast Rediffusion/Thames Television's Sexton Blake featuring Laurence Payne as Blake and Roger Foss as Tinker from Monday 25 September 1967 to Wednesday 13 January 1971. In keeping with Sexton Blake's classic print adventures, Payne's Blake drove a white Rolls-Royce named "The Grey Panther" and owned a bloodhound named Pedro. The show was produced originally by Ronald Marriott for Associated Rediffusion, with Thames Television assuming production in 1968.

Pedro was played by one or more bloodhounds (bitches), which doubled as 'Henry', for Chunky dog food advertisements with Clement Freud, and were owned by the then secretary of the Bloodhound Club, Mrs Bobbie Edwards.

During rehearsals for the show in 1968, Laurence Payne was blinded in his left eye by a rapier.

Typical of the TV series's sometimes-fantastic storylines (all of which lasted 2–6 episodes) was 1968's "The Invicta Ray" in which a villain dressed in a costume and hood of sackcloth-like material and, under the rays of The Invicta Ray, became invisible so that he could commit crimes without being seen.

Of 50 episodes, only the first episode is thought to exist still.

  • Season One: The Find-The-Lady Affair. 4 episodes. Monday 25 September 1967 to Monday 16 October 1967.
  • Season One: Knave of Diamonds. 5 episodes. Monday 23 October 1967 to Monday 20 November.
  • Season One: The Great Tong Mystery. 4 episodes. Monday 27 November 1967 to Monday 18 December 1967.
  • Season One: The Vanishing Snowman. Christmas Special. Monday 25 December 1967.
  • Season One: House of Masks. 4 episodes. Monday 1 January 1968 to Monday 22 January 1968.
  • Season One: The Invicta Ray. 4 episodes. Monday 29 January 1968 to Monday 19 February 1968.
  • Season Two: The Case of the Gasping Goldfish. 2 episodes. Thursday 14 November 1968 to Thursday 21 November 1968.
  • Season Two: Return of the Scorpion. 2 episodes. Thursday 28 November 1968 to Thursday 5 December 1968.
  • Season Two: The Great Train Robbery. 2 episodes. Thurs 16 January 1969 to Thurs 23 January 1969.
  • Season Two: The Great Soccer Mystery. 3 episodes. Thurs 30 January 1969 to Thurs 13 Feb 1969.
  • Season Three: Sexton Blake and Captain Nemesis. 3 episodes. Wed 8 Oct 1969 to Wed 22 Oct 1969.
  • Season Three: Sexton Blake verses The Gangsters. 3 episodes. Wed 29 Oct 1969 to Wed 12 Nov 1969.
  • Season Three: Sexton Blake and the Frightened Man. 2 eps. Wed 19 Nov 1969 to Wed 26 Nov 1969.
  • Season Three: Sexton Blake and the Undertaker. 3 episodes. Wed 3 Dec 1969 to Wed 17 Dec 1969.
  • Season Three: Sexton Blake and the Toy Family. 2 episodes. Wed 23 Dec 1969 to Wed 30 Dec 1969.
  • Season Four: Sexton Blake and the Puff Adder. 6 episodes. Wed 9 Dec 1970 to Wed 13 January 1971.

The cast:

Sexton Blake and the Demon God (1978)

Simon Raven's Sexton Blake and the Demon God was a six-part television serial produced by Barry Letts for the BBC in 1978. The serial was broadcast by BBC One at tea-time from Sunday 10 September 1978 until Sunday 15 October 1978 and was directed by Roger Tucker.

Jeremy Clyde played Blake, with Philip Davis appearing as Tinker and Barbara Lott playing Mrs Bardell. [49]

The Sexton Blake Library (Obverse Books) )

  • Sexton Blake and the Silent Thunder Caper by Mark Hodder (2014)
  • Zenith Lives! (2012)

Other Blake appearances

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexton Blake bibliography</span> List of cases featuring Fictional British detective Sexton Blake

Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels, and dramatic productions since 1893. He was featured in various British publications from 1893 to 1978 in a variety of formats: single-issue adventures, short stories, serials, and comic strips. In total, Blake appeared in more than 4,000 stories by over 200 different authors. During its golden age (1920s–1940s), Blake's adventures were widely read and translated into at least twenty different languages, including Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French, Arabic, Hindi, and Afrikaans.

Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels, and dramatic productions since 1893. He was featured in various British publications from 1893 to 1978 in a variety of formats: single-issue adventures, short stories, serials, and comic strips. In total, Blake appeared in more than 4,000 stories by over 200 different authors.

During its golden age (1920s–1940s), Blake's adventures were widely read and translated into at least twenty different languages, including Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French, Arabic, Hindi, and Afrikaans.

Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels, and dramatic productions since 1893. He was featured in various British publications from 1893 to 1978 in a variety of formats: single-issue adventures, short stories, serials, and comic strips. In total, Blake appeared in more than 4,000 stories by over 200 different authors.

Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels, and dramatic productions since 1893. He was featured in various British publications from 1893 to 1978 in a variety of formats: single-issue adventures, short stories, serials, and comic strips. In total, Blake appeared in more than 4,000 stories by over 200 different authors.

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  35. The Clue of the Second Goblet. BFI. 1928. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018.
  36. "Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle (1936)". Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  37. "Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  38. "Meet Sexton Blake (1945)". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017.
  39. "The Echo Murders (1945)". Archived from the original on 27 January 2018.
  40. "Murder at Site Three (1959)". Archived from the original on 27 January 2018.
  41. "Sexton Blake – English Radio Detectives". englishradiodetectives.com.
  42. "Search Results – BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
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  44. "Graham Hoadly, Radio". www.hoadly.co.uk.
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  47. "The Adventures of Sexton Blake (Unabridged) by Dirk Maggs – Download The Adventures of Sexton Blake (Unabridged) in iTunes". iTunes.
  48. "The Hunt for Sexton Blake – BBC Radio 2". BBC.
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  50. Pinaki, Roy (2008). The Manichean Investigators: A Postcolonial and Cultural Rereading of the. Sarup & Sons. ISBN   9788176258494 . Retrieved 22 October 2017.

Further reading