Strange Experiences

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Strange Experiences
Strange Experiences.png
Genre Crime, Drama, Fantasy, horror
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes29
Production
ProducerDerick Williams
Running time5 Minutes
Production company Associated Television
Original release
Network ITV
Release24 September 1955 (1955-09-24) –
15 June 1962 (1962-06-15)

Strange Experiences is a British fantasy, horror TV series starring Peter Williams as a storyteller who talks about the strange things that have happened during his life. The series aired on ITV from 24 September 1955 to 15 June 1962. [1] [2] The series also included performances from Peter Sallis, Michael Shepley, Theodore Bikel, John Wood, Elspet Gray, Hugh Latimer, Josephine Griffin, Arthur Howard, and Ian Whittaker.

Contents

Plot

A storyteller named Peter talks about the strange events that have happened during his daily life routine such as uncanny, supernatural or otherwise "strange" goings-on happening across every place he has visited in England.

Cast

Episodes

The series ran for a total of 29 episodes that aired on ITV, Associated Television from 24 September 1955 to 15 June 1962. [3] All the episodes of this series survive. [4] 22 of the episodes are available to watch at the British Film Institute and additionally selected episodes are available to view on YouTube. [5]

No.Title Original airdate
1"The Pickpocket"24 September 1955 (1955-09-24)
2"The Identical Twins"1 October 1955 (1955-10-01)
3"Portrait of Paula"8 October 1955 (1955-10-08)
4"Hold-Up Man"15 October 1955 (1955-10-15)
5"The Sleepwalker"22 October 1955 (1955-10-22)
6"Halloween Party"29 October 1955 (1955-10-29)
7"Two-Faced Murder"5 November 1955 (1955-11-05)
8"Fortune Teller"12 November 1955 (1955-11-12)
9"The Sleeping Girl"19 November 1955 (1955-11-19)
10"Queer Customer"26 November 1955 (1955-11-26)
11"Grandpa's Portrait"3 December 1955 (1955-12-03)
12"Safe and Sound"1 January 1956 (1956-01-01)
13"The Trial"8 January 1956 (1956-01-08)
14"Kleptomaniac"15 January 1956 (1956-01-15)
15"The Knife Thrower"22 January 1956 (1956-01-22)
16"Old Silas"29 January 1956 (1956-01-29)
17"The Well"5 February 1956 (1956-02-05)
18"The Clocks"12 February 1956 (1956-02-12)
19"The Laughing Clown"19 February 1956 (1956-02-19)
20"The Writing in the Sky"26 February 1956 (1956-02-26)
21"The Mirror"4 March 1956 (1956-03-04)
22"The Ventriloquist"11 March 1956 (1956-03-11)
23"The Inveterate Gambler"25 March 1956 (1956-03-25)
24"The Idol"1 April 1956 (1956-04-01)
25"A Matter of Luck"8 April 1956 (1956-04-08)
26"Dunkirk"15 April 1956 (1956-04-15)
27"The Talisman"22 April 1956 (1956-04-22)
28"The Unknown Warrior"29 April 1956 (1956-04-29)
29"The Comet"15 June 1962 (1962-06-15)

Production

Before the series premiered two of the episodes from the series were shown in the 1955 TV movie/TV play Fcb TV Show No.1. The episodes "Safe and Sound" and "The Knife Thrower" were shown in the TV movie/TV play to give some idea of how an evening's viewing might appear on the forthcoming I.T.A. channel in London. Both of the episodes where eventually given a separate release on television by themselves for the series Strange Experiences. [6] [7]

Critic reviews

The series itself received very positive ratings and reviews from critics with one critic calling it a good but strange series. [8]

Home media

The episodes "Grandpa's Portrait" and "Old Silas" were included on a British Film Institute Blu Ray titled Short Sharp Shocks: Volume 3 which was released on 9 October 2023. [9] [10] Another two episodes of the series were also included on another British Film Institute Blu Ray, those being the episodes "Halloween Party" and "The Laughing Clown" where included on a Blu Ray titled Short Sharp Shocks: Volume 4 which was released on October 13, 2025. [11] [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Strange Experiences (1955)". britishnewspapersrchive.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "The News of Cumberland County · 01 Oct 1955". newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Daily Mirror 15 June 1962".
  4. ↑ "Strange Experiences (1955-1962)". tvbrain.info.
  5. ↑ "Strange Experiences". collections-search.bfi.org.uk.
  6. ↑ "Fcb TV Show No.1". player.bfi.org.uk.
  7. ↑ "Fcb TV Show No.1". collections-search.bfi.org.uk.
  8. ↑ "Hull Daily Mail · 01 Oct 1955". newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Short Sharp Volume 3 DVD Review". cineoutsider.com.
  10. ↑ "Short Sharp Shocks Vol.3 (Flipside #47) (2 x Blu-ray)". amazon.co.uk.
  11. ↑ "Strange Experiences (TV) (Blu-ray) (1955-1956)". dvdcompare.net.
  12. ↑ "Short Sharp Shocks Vol. 4 (Flipside #52)". amazon.co.uk.
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