Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

The story

Orson Welles’ Great Mysteries is a British television anthology series produced by Anglia Television for the ITV network and broadcast between 1973 and 1974. The series presents standalone adaptations of classic mystery, crime, and supernatural stories drawn from literary sources including Dickens, Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Balzac, Maugham, O. Henry, and others.

Each episode is framed by original introductory and closing sequences performed by Orson Welles, who serves as the series’ host and sole recurring on-screen presence. These segments, written and directed by Welles (uncredited), function as stylized narrative framing devices rather than dramatic participation in the stories themselves. The dramatic content of each episode is performed by separate casts and directors, with no continuing characters or serialized narrative, establishing the series as a unified television anthology rather than a collection of standalone films.

Cast

O Orson WellesSelf - Host J Joan CollinsJane Blake I Ian BannenGregory Dean D Daphne HeardDeborah Crabbe M Milo O'SheaFather Crumlish P Patrick MageeSergeant Morris G Glyn OwenDet. Inspector Cumberland R Rupert DaviesLemerie S Susannah YorkCountess Josephine D Dean StockwellJerry Norton A Alec McCowenJames Addishaw A André van GyseghemJudge

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D Donald PleasenceCawser V Victor BuonoSam Adelbert B Brewster MasonRichard Lumsden M Morag HoodRosalie M Megs JenkinsMrs. White A Anton RodgersEdmund Blake J Jane SeymourVeronique d' Aubray J Julie Dawn ColeVera May Barton C Colin BakerGeorge Barclay C Christopher LeeArnaud E Edward AlbertFaulkner K Kevin StoneySurgeon Day P Phil DavisJohnny Sheeham P Paul AntrimPaul M Michael ElphickGorenflot A Anthony SharpJ.J. McGill R Robert JamesMr. Granger S Shane RimmerPolice Sergeant Warren C Cyril CusackMr. White R Ralph ArlissPriest P Peter CushingCount Gerard De Merret W Willoughby GoddardSir Thomas M Michael KitchenHerbert White M Marc ZuberDon Feredia L Lewis WilsonPolice Sergeant D Don MurrayJack Stanley N Natalie KentJenny G Gennie NevinsonSuzanne H Hugo de VernierCroupier C Carol LynleyElizabeth Ann Zachary F Francesca AnnisNicole Zachary L Liam TaggartPolice Sergeant A Anne StallybrassJanet Belcito J Jack ShepherdDavid Belcito J John Le MesurierSidney Goldsmith J Jon LaurimoreDetective Inspector Roberts S Stephan ChasePaul Zachary J Joss AcklandDetective Inspector Hud A Anna MasseyKate Daubernoon M Michael PetrovitchRalph Mason D David BirneyHarry Langley G Geoffrey BayldonMagistrate R Ronald RaddLeduc P Peter MaddenJudge J Jack CassidyPennington E Ed DevereauxHamilton Briggs R Rona Newton-JohnThe Woman H Hugh GriffithThe Man D Donal DonnellyMr. Budd A André MaranneFrench Inspector G Gino MelvazziItalian Policeman C Carlos DouglasSpanish Policeman G Guy DeghyGerman Policeman H Harry AndrewsGeneral Sanderson J Jeremy ClydeMajor Frank Bruce M Michael GambonMajor Rolfe K Keith BaxterPhilip Faulkner J Jane BaxterHarriet Faulkner J James GroutSgt. Fred Mullins S Shirley KnightMargot Brenner S Sarah MarshallRhoda Forbes R Richard JohnsonBruce Sexton H Hannah GordonPhyllida Marjoram B Bill MaynardDetective Superintendent Marker S Sheila RaynorTheresa Prentice P Patrick MacneeCharles Foster C Charles GrayMikail Zigorin P Patrick BarrGeneral Fox