The Fantastic Case of The Four Specialists

Last updated
Wireless Weekly 8 Oct 1937 Fantastic Case.png
Wireless Weekly 8 Oct 1937

The Fantastic Case of the Four Specialists is a 1937 Australian radio play by Max Afford. [1] The play was one of Afford's best known. [2]

Contents

It was the first Australian play to be translated into Polish. [3] The plahy also sold to Canada. [4]

Wireless Weekly thought the play "promised well, but finished by being dreary... The idea was a good one. The producer and the players did the best they could, but the play did not click. It was too long, and the speeches were too long." [5]

The play was produced again in 1938 [6] and 1940. [7]

Premise

A wealthy reviewer of detective books is found dead in his library. His niece and her fiance are accused of murder. Four famous detectives of fiction - Sherlock Holmes, Philo Vance, Hercule Poirot and Father Brown - step out of their books to discover the real criminal.

Related Research Articles

Edmund Piers Barclay was an English-Australian writer known for his work in radio drama. Radio historian Richard Lane called him "Australian radio's first great writer and, many would say, Australian radio's greatest playwright ever." Frank Clelow, director of ABC Drama, called him "one of the outstanding radio dramatists of the world, with a remarkable technical skill and ability to use the fade-back without confusing the audience."

Daybreak is a 1938 Australian play by Catherine Shepherd.

For the Term of His Natural Life is a 1935 Australian radio serial based on the novel of the same name by Marcus Clarke.

<i>An Antarctic Epic</i> 1933 Australian radio drama by Edmund Barclay

An Antarctic Epic is a 1933 Australian radio drama by Edmund Barclay about the Scott Expedition to Antarctica. It was the first radio drama script by Barclay who went on to become arguably Australia's leading radio writer.

The Girl with the Tattered Glove is a 1938 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay. It was one of Barclay's most highly regarded works.

<i>Shanghai</i> (radio serial) 1936 Australian radio serial by Edmund Barclay

Shanghai is a 1936 radio serial by Edmund Barclay. It ran for 26 weeks.

Khyber is a 1935 Australian radio serial by Edmund Barclay set in the north west frontier of India. According to contemporary reports "Undoubtedly it has proved one of the most successful serials ever broadcast in Australia or any part of the world."

<i>Pas de Six</i> 1936 Australian operetta

Pas de Six is a 1936 Australian operetta that aired in November 1936. It went for an hour and was recorded in Melbourne.

<i>The Mysterious Mr. Lynch</i> 1930 Australian radio drama

The Mysterious Mr. Lynch is a 1939 Australian radio serial by Max Afford. It starred Peter Finch as its detective hero, Jeffrey Blackburn.

Henry Lawson Stories was a name given to a series of 1937 Australian radio plays on the ABC where Edmund Barclay adapted stories of Henry Lawson.

Into the Light is a 1938 Australian radio serial by Edmund Barclay. It followed on from this success with As Ye Sow.

Dead or Alive is an Australian radio serial by Edmund Barclay. The series was a follow up to Barclay's successful serial Khyber.

Singapore Spy is a 1939 Australian radio drama serial from Edmund Barclay set in Singapore. It was an adventure serial in the vein of his earlier works Khyber and Shanghai.

Valley of the Sky is a 1937 Australian novel by Tarlton Rayment that was based on the life of Angus McMillan.

The Search for the Golden Boomerang is a 1941 Australian radio serial for children from George Edwards Productions.

<i>The House of a Thousand Whispers</i> 1936 radio play by Edmund Barclay

The House of a Thousand Whispers is a 1936 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay.

The Resignation of Mr. Bagsworth is a stage play by Lionel Shave.

A Sirius Cove is a 1935 Australian comedy play by Lionel Shave.

The Twelve Labours of Hercules is a 1938 Australian radio serial by Max Afford based on the legend of Hercules.

Silver from Satan is a 1937 Australian radio play by Max Afford.

References

  1. Australasian Radio Relay League. (October 8, 1937), "TUESDAY [OCT. 12]", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 30 (15), nla.obj-718836630, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove
  2. Australasian Radio Relay League. (September 28, 1940), "PLAYWRIGHTS OF AUSTRALIA. LEADING RADIO DRAMATIST", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 35 (39), nla.obj-720714449, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove
  3. Australasian Radio Relay League. (August 12, 1938), "mr and mrs. max aftord", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 32 (7), nla.obj-714563749, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove
  4. "Australian radio plays". The Canberra Times . 14 August 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  5. Australasian Radio Relay League. (14 October 1938), "SOUD DNDISE A Criticism of Plays and Players BY THE RADIO SCORPION", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 32 (16), nla.obj-713121562, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove
  6. Australasian Radio Relay League. (April 8, 1938), "WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 31 (14), nla.obj-714393776, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove
  7. Australian Broadcasting Commission. (30 March 1940), "TUESDAY—April 2", ABC Weekly, Sydney: ABC, 2 (13), nla.obj-1326804987, retrieved 26 October 2023 via Trove{{citation}}: Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)