An anthology of suspense plays presented by ABC as a genre-specific companion to its celebrated Armchair Theatre strand.
This anthology series, originally introduced by host Donald Pleasence, presented a weekly standalone play of mystery or suspense. The stories ranged from psychological thrillers to straightforward whodunits. A typical entry was “Eye Witness”, in which Stella Lambert (Diana Wynyard) is rendered speechless and paralysed after seeing her daughter-in-law murdered. Unable to recall the details of the attack, she struggles to piece together her memory while her concerned family, including her sister Meg (Jean Anderson) and the victim’s husband Mark (Paul Daneman), watch over her, unaware if one of them might be the killer.
Armchair Mystery Theatre was ABC’s attempt to spin a popular genre out of its prestigious Sunday night drama slot. The first series was positioned as a summer season replacement, using the considerable brand recognition of Armchair Theatre to launch a strand dedicated to suspense and crime. The series was inaugurated by actor Donald Pleasence, who served as host and occasional star, lending his sinister charm to the proceedings. The plays were designed to be taut, atmospheric productions, distinct from the broader social-realist concerns of the parent programme. After its initial run in 1960, the strand was revived for two further series in the mid-1960s, continuing to attract notable writers and performers to its self-contained tales of tension.
Broadcast: ABC, 3 Series, 5 June 1960 – 26 September 1965
Producer: Leonard White (Series 1)
Introduced by: Donald Pleasence (Series 1)
Writers include: Leslie Sands, John Glennon, Royston Morley, James Mitchell, Robert Kemp, Elaine Morgan, Richard Harris
Guest Cast includes: Donald Pleasence, Diana Wynyard, Paul Daneman, Patrick Barr, Madge Ryan, John Gregson, Maurice Denham, John Le Mesurier, Nyree Dawn Porter, Ronald Fraser
