PURSUIT
(CBS)
-------------
1949 - 1952
By: Stewart Wright
Initial Compilation: 11/16/2002
Revised: 06/04/2004
Copyright 2002 by Stewart Wright
Audition Show: 1
First Show: 10/27/1949
Last Show: 03/25/1952
Number of Shows: 64
Length: 30 minutes
AUDITION SHOW:
PURSUIT had its roots in a CBS series that did not come to fruition.
An audition show, "You Take Ballistics," was produced for the proposed
series THE HUNTERS. A new production of "You Take Ballistics," was
later used for the first episode of the PURSUIT series.
The opening and closing of the audition show imply that THE HUNTERS
would be a crime anthology series with a different star every week.
No other episodes of THE HUNTERS other than the audition show seem to
have been produced.
SERIES DESCRIPTION:
PURSUIT was a detective series that presented the cases of
the fictional Scotland Yard Inspector Peter Black. (The
leading character was called Inspector Harvey in the
audition show and the first episode.) The Inspector was a
dedicated policeman, a man hunter, who once on the case,
would not rest until the wrongdoer was brought to justice.
Black was assisted in cases by Sgt. Moffet.
The series was unusual in that it featured dual narration.
Starting in the Spring of 1950, Bill Johnstone provided the
opening and closing narrations and sometimes, bridges
between commercials. Inspector Black furnished the change
of scenes and overall case narrations.
Standard Opening:
Spoken by the Narrator:
"PURSUIT. "A criminal strikes and fades quickly back into
the shadow of his own dark world. . . and then, the man
from Scotland Yard, the famous Inspector Peter Black, and
the relentless, dangerous pursuit. . When man hunts man!"
Standard Closing:
Spoken by Inspector Black at the end of each case:
"Pursuit! And the pursuit is ended."
Spoken by the Narrator:
". . . We invite you to join us next week at this same time
when PURSUIT will bring you another dramatic story of the
famous Inspector Peter Black from Scotland Yard relentlessly
hunting down those whose disordered passions breed violence
and murder. . . another story of man hunting man when we
bring you PURSUIT."
Starting with the Summer, 1951 run, PURSUIT had a
distinctive opening for the series. The chiming of Big Ben
alternating with a similar chord played by Eddie Dunstedter
on the organ, was combined with Bill Johnstone's compelling
opening narration.
SCHEDULING:
During it's only extended scheduling in a single time slot,
the 1951-52 season, PURSUIT faced formidable competition:
FIBBER McGEE and MOLLY on NBC and MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER on
Mutual.
SPONSORSHIP:
10/27/1949 - 05/02/1950:
Two shows sponsored by Ford (01/06/1950 and 04/18/1950);
otherwise, Sustaining.
07/01/1950 - 07/22/1950:
Wrigley's Gum.
7/10/1950 - 08/21/1951:
Wrigley's Gum.
09/18/1951 - 03/25/1952:
Sterling Drug - various products: Haley's M-O, Dr. Lyons
Tooth Powder, Ironized Yeast, Molle Shave Cream, Double
Danderine, and Engerine Cleaning Fluid.
CAST AND CREW:
CAST:
Ted de Corsia as Inspector Harvey (10/27/1949 episode only)
As Inspector Peter Black:
Ted de Corsia (11/03/1949 - 04/18/1950)
John Dehner (04/25/1950, and 07/01/1950 - 07/22/1950)
Herb Butterfield (05/02/1950)
Ben Wright (07/10/1951 - 03/25/1952)
Raymond Lawrence as Sergeant Moffet
Bill Johnstone as Chief Inspector Harkness/Narrator
GUEST CAST:
(In descending order of frequency of appearance.)
Joe Kearns, Byron Kane, Lou Krugman, Charles Davis, Jay
Novello, Bill Johnstone, Ben Wright, Paul Frees, Tudor
Owens, Irene Tedrow, Ramsay Hill, Herb Butterfield, John
Dehner, Jeanette Nolan, Betty Harford, Terry Kilburn, Doris
Lloyd, Eric Snowden, Larry Dobkin, Eileen Erskine, Dan
O'Herlihy, Joan Banks, Alec Harford, Junius Mathews, Ted
Osborn, Norma Varden, Peggy Webber, Lillian Buyeff, Virginia
Gregg, Alma Lawton, Steve Roberts, and John Stephenson.
CREW:
PRODUCERS: 10/27/1949 - 12/23/1949:
William N. Robson
01/06/1950 03/25/1952:
Elliott Lewis.
DIRECTORS: 10/27/1949 - 12/23/1949:
William N. Robson.
01/06/1950 03/25/1952:
Elliott Lewis, with the following exceptions:
Norman Macdonnell (01/31/1950)
Antony Ellis (02/07/1950 & 02/14/1950)
WRITERS: 10/27/1949 - 01/06/1950:
Various writers including Robert L. Richards,
Morton Fine and David Friedkin, John and Gwen
Bagni, Louis Vittes, E. Jack Neuman, and Les
Crutchfield
01/13/1950 - 07/22/1950:
Gil Doud and Antony Ellis
07/10/1951 - 03/25/1952:
Antony Ellis
MUSIC: 10/27/1949 - 07/22/1950:
PURSUIT used an orchestra; Leith Stevens,
Martin Skiles and others did music
arrangements during this time period.
07/10/1951 - 03/25/1952:
An organ, played by Eddie Dunstedter, was used
in place of an orchestra.
ANNOUNCERS: Larry Thor and others during 1949-50 run.
Then Bob Stevenson from 07/17/1951.
SOUND
EFFECTS: 10/27/1949 - 05/02/1950:
Clark Casey? and Berne Surrey?
07/10/1951 - 03/25/1952:
Gus Bayz, Ralph Cummings, Ross Murray, Gene
Twombly, and others.
LOG:
PURSUIT experienced several broadcast day and time changes
during its run. The log is divided into sections with the
day and time of broadcast listed at the beginning of each
section. All airing dates, times, and titles are from the
series scripts. All times are for the Eastern Time Zone.
Episode titles were usually announced. In some cases,
collectors have made their own titles. Short plot summaries
are provided to help resolve discrepancies between the
titles contained in this log and collector titles.
Episodes with an # following the title are known to be in
circulation.
Audition Show - Proposed series THE HUNTERS
Date Title
You Take Ballistics #
unverified Inspector Harvey matches wits with murderer
Clarence Coleman.
(Audition show for the unsold series, THE
HUNTERS, starring Victor Jory. Same script
was used for first episode of PURSUIT.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THURSDAY - 10:30 TO 11:00 PM
Date Title & Plot Summary
10/27/1949 You Take Ballistics
Inspector Harvey matches wits with murderer
Clarence Coleman.
11/03/1949 Pre-empted
11/10/1949 Three For All
A series of WWII veterans are murdered. The
motive may be revenge.
11/17/1949 The Double Faced Killer
Black pursues a 9-fingered murderer.
11/24/1949 The Veiled Hat
A constable sees a young woman fall into the
river. Suicide or a cover for murder?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FRIDAY - 10:00 TO 10:30 PM
Date Title & Plot Summary
11/25/1949 The Tear Of Siva
Five men are killed on the ship Malacca
Crescent.
12/02/1949 Pattern for Homicide
A murder suspect fakes his own death to throw
Black off the trail.
12/09/1949 Death Is A Memory
A stolen body with a false identity leads to
murder.
12/16/1949 Murder Is The Cargo
A ship's steward who is a suspect in an
investigation is murdered.
12/23/1949 Five Pound Killer
A murdered man has counterfeit five-pound
notes on his person.
12/30/1949 Pre-empted
01/06/1950 The Tall Man #
A dying shopkeeper shot during a jewelry store
robber, tells the Inspector that the killer
was a 'tall' man.
01/13/1950 The Pursuit Of The Wyemouth Killer
Scotland Yard is asked to aid in the solution
of a double murder.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TUESDAY - 10:00 TO 10:30 PM
Date Title & Plot Summary
01/17/1950 The Pursuit Of The Wormwood Scrubs Murderer
Inspector Black pursues a murderer in a rural
area.
01/24/1950 The Pursuit Of The Elusive Ransom
Black goes to France to catch a team of jewel
thieves that has turned to murder.
01/31/1950 The Pursuit Of The Lady In Waiting
Black pursues a poisoner and finds much more.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TUESDAY - 10:30 TO 11:00 PM
Date Title & Plot Summary
02/07/1950 The Pursuit On Lundy Island
Black goes on holiday and finds murder.
02/14/1950 The Pursuit Of The Wickham Killer
A call from an old friend leads Black into a
murder investigation.
02/21/1950 The Pursuit Of The Fourty-Fourth Passenger
An airliner is destroyed and murder is
suspected.
02/28/1950 Pre-Empted On 2/28/1950
03/07/1950 The Pursuit Of The Firebird
Black looks for a murderer and finds more than
one. An important clue is on a phonograph
record.
03/14/1950 The Pursuit In the Kingdom of Rossiter
Black and Moffett go to Africa to arrest a
murderer.
03/21/1950 Pre-empted - 3/21/1950
03/28/1950 The Pursuit In Hammond Towers
An English nobleman is murdered.
04/04/1950 The Pursuit Of The Hollywood Killer
A young woman is found murdered in the
Hollywood Cinema.
04/11/1950 Pursuit - And The Man Who Confessed #
A man gives himself up after committing a
murder. Or did he?
04/18/1950 Pursuit In Bassett Marsh
A corpse is found near a small fishing
village.
04/25/1950 The Pursuit Of The Commando Killers
A series of brilliantly-planned robberies
results in murder. (Script was later used for
a new production as "Pursuit Of The Commando
Killers" on 02/19/1952 with different cast and
crew members.)
05/02/1950 Pursuit Of The Man Who Smiled
An explosion covers a murder.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SATURDAY - 8:00 TO 8:30 PM
(Summer replacement for THE GENE AUTRY SHOW)
Date Title & Plot Summary
07/01/1950 Pursuit Of The Man Who Couldn't Go Home
A man jumps from a building. Suicide or
murder?
07/08/1950 Pursuit Of The Masked Five
A robbery suspect is killed by an accomplice
while under custody of Black and Moffet.
07/15/1950 Pursuit Of The Limehouse Killers
Investigation of a narcotics ring leads to the
murder of a policeman.
07/22/1950 Pursuit In the North Sea
A black market operation leads to a smuggling
ring of War veterans and pursuit on the high
seas.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TUESDAY - 9:00 TO 9:30 PM
(Summer replacement for LIFE WITH LUIGI)
Date Title & Plot Summary
07/10/1951 Pursuit In Petticoat Lane
During a jewelry store robbery, a clerk is
killed.
07/17/1951 Pursuit At Dunster Fair
Black and Moffet travel to Taunton to
investigate an attack that leaves the victim
dying.
07/24/1951 Pursuit Of The Killer Who Wasn't There
A man is shot to death and his body in found
in the trunk of a car.
07/31/1951 Pursuit Of The Lonely Heart #
Many people suspect a man of killing his wife,
but no one can find the body.
08/07/1951 Pursuit . . . And The Boy Who Was Late
A bomb explodes at Scotland Yard.
08/14/1951 Pursuit Of The Knife Boys #
A gang of young toughs attacks a couple. The
husband identifies one of his attackers and
then recants his identification.
08/21/1951 Pursuit At The Vicarage #
Someone is trying to kill a Vicar. Inspector
Black is requested to investigate.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TUESDAY - 9:30 TO 10:00 PM
Date Title & Plot Summary
09/18/1951 Pursuit And the Ladies of Farthing Street #
A series of anonymous notes tells the
Inspector that the writer knows about a
murder. Unfortunately, the sender is found
dead.
09/25/1951 Pursuit Of The Romeo And Juliet Killers
Black is on the trail of two jewel thieves.
10/02/1951 Pursuit And the Man Died Late
A body of a recently deceased man is brought
into the morgue; several months after he is
shot in the brain.
10/09/1951 Pursuit Of The Soviet Embassy Killer
Black tries to prevent the assassination of
Soviet officials.
10/16/1951 Pursuit Of The Parcels of Death
A killer is sending bombs in packages.
10/23/1951 Pursuit Of The Thief Who Had a Conscience
A dying career criminal has information on a
long unsolved case for Black.
10/30/1951 Pursuit Of The Swindon Killer
A policeman is found dead in the Thames.
11/06/1951 Pursuit And the Portrait Of The Young Lady
Black investigates a theft at a famous art
gallery.
11/13/1951 Pursuit And the Woman Who Died Alone
A woman is found murdered in a room with the
door locked from the inside.
11/20/1951 Pursuit On The Night Ferry
Black tries to prevent an attack on the Night
Ferry Express.
11/27/1951 Pursuit Of The Epsom Downs Killer
A man staggers onto the track during a horse
race.
12/04/1951 Pursuit Of The Man Named Wong
A trunk with a body in it is found on a dock.
12/11/1951 Pursuit Of The Loch Ness Killers #
Black and Moffet go to Scotland to investigate
a car bombing.
12/18/1951 Pursuit Of The Musical Killers
An aircraft designer is kidnapped and
murdered.
12/25/1951 Pursuit Of The Chief Inspector's Guest
Black's Christmas guest doesn't show up.
01/01/1952 Pursuit In The English Manor
Inspector Black's car breaks down on his way
to a Holiday Party.
01/08/1952 Pursuit Of The Willesden Terrors
A neighbor says a man is being murdered by the
man's wife and sister-in-law.
01/15/1952 Pursuit And the Wandsworth Prisoner
A man in prison for assault says he has
committed a murder.
01/22/1952 Pursuit Of The Counterfeit Killers
Black is on the trail of a gang of bank note
forgers.
01/29/1952 Pursuit And the Belsen Motive
A jeweler is savagely beaten to death and his
partner is missing.
02/05/1952 Pursuit Of The London Terror
Black tracks down a serial killer of young
women.
02/12/1952 Pursuit Of The Thames Pirates #
The police are after a gang of dangerous
waterfront thieves and Black is captured by
them.
02/19/1952 Pursuit Of The Commando Killers
A series of brilliantly-planned robberies
results in murder. (Script was previously
used as "The Pursuit Of The Commando Killers"
on 04/25/1950 with different cast and crew
members.)
02/26/1952 Pursuit Of The Woman In Gray #
A woman prison inmate has been attacked 3
times and the Prison Governor thinks these
attacks might lead to murder.
03/04/1952 Pursuit In Clynewidd Mine #
A man is murdered during a mine accident and
Black investigates when he caught in another
cave-in.
03/11/1952 Pursuit Of The Asiatic Killers #
A man insists that he was poisoned before he
died and claimed his wife knew who did it.
03/18/1952 Pursuit And the Man From M. I. Two
Black's visit with his nephew is interrupted
by the murder of a British agent.
03/25/1952 Pursuit Of The Man With The Gun
A man calls Scotland Yard to report that he
has just killed his wife.
INFORMATION SOURCES:
PURSUIT Scripts and other documents pertaining to the
series.
KNX Collection
American Radio Archives
Grant R. Brimhall Library
Thousand Oaks, CA
http://www.tol.lib.ca.us
New York Times 1949-52 Radio listings.
2002 correspondence with Jim Cox and Arlene Osborne.
Please send error corrections or additional
information to:
Stewart Wright
stewwright@att.net