Francis Durbridge

Francis Henry Durbridge (25 November 1912 - April 11, 1998) was a British playwright and author born in Hull.

Television series

In the mid-1960s, several mini-series based on Paul Temple novels appeared on TV in Europe, especially in England and Germany.

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The later 64 part 1969 - 1971 television series is notable for the fact that the first 52 parts comprised the very first international television co-production. It was made by the BBC with the German station ZDF. Paul Temple was played by English actor Francis Matthews (Dracula, Prince of Darkness, Captain Scarlet), with Ros Drinkwater as Steve.

Related Topics:
BBC - ZDF - Francis Matthews - Dracula, Prince of Darkness - Captain Scarlet - Ros Drinkwater

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Besides the serials several mini-series were made in Europe after Durbridge's novels, running in England, the Netherlands and Germany, featuring other characters including "Tim Frazer" or "Harry Brent" and having nearly 80% of all TV-viewers watching them (mostly due to the fact that, at that time, most countries in Europe only had one TV station each). National uproar in Germany occurred in 1962 when a comedian, Wolfgang Neuss, revealed in a newspaper who was to be the murderer in the last part of the mini-series "Das Halstuch" (The Scarf).

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