In this live television play, a Harley Street physician forms a criminal gang to study the underworld from the inside.
Dr. Clitterhouse (Hugh Sinclair), a man of science and medicine, believes his research into the criminal mind is incomplete. To remedy this, he decides to gain practical experience by becoming a master thief himself. He assumes control of a small gang of professional criminals, including the shady Benny Kellerman (Richard Caldicot) and the alluring Daisy (Susan Shaw). From the safety of his consulting room, Clitterhouse meticulously plans a series of robberies. His cool-headed efficiency proves successful, but his activities eventually draw the unwanted attention of Detective-Inspector Charles (Jack Lambert).
This was the BBC’s second television adaptation of Barre Lyndon’s popular stage play, produced just four years after the first. The decision to revisit the material so soon indicates the play’s enduring appeal and the repertory nature of early television drama, where successful stories were frequently remounted with new casts. This version is notable for starring Hugh Sinclair in the title role, an actor who would return to play the character for a third and final time in the BBC’s 1957 production. As with all dramas of the period, the programme was broadcast live from the studio, a technically demanding format that relied on the theatrical discipline of its cast.
Broadcast: BBC Television, 2 Performances, Sunday 27 May and Thursday 31 May 1951
Written by: Barre Lyndon
Producer: Harold Clayton
Settings: Barry Learoyd
Main Cast: Hugh Sinclair (Dr. Clitterhouse), Helen Cherry (Nurse Ann), Jack Lambert (Detective-Inspector Charles), Richard Caldicot (Benny Kellerman), Charles Farrell (‘Pal’ Green), Susan Shaw (Daisy), Edward Evans (Sergeant Bates), Alexander Field (‘Oakie’), Wyndham Goldie (Sir William Grant)
