I Killed the Count
| I Killed the Count | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Alec Coppel |
| Date premiered | 10 December 1937 |
| Place premiered | Whitehall Theatre, London |
| Original language | English |
| Setting | London |
I Killed the Count is a 1937 play by Alec Coppel. Its success launched Coppel's career.[1]
Cast of Original Production
Eric Maturin (Count Victor Mattoin), Athole Stewart (Viscount Sorrington), Alec Clunes (Detective Raines), Anthony Holles (Samuel Diamond), Kathleen Harrison (Polly), George Merritt (Divisional Inspector Davidson), Meriel Forbes (Renee La Lune), Barbara Francis (Louise Rogers), Edward Petley (Johnson), Hugh E. Wright (Mullet), Anthony Bushell (Bernard K. Froy), John Oxford (PC Clifton), and Frederick Cooper (Martin).
1942 Broadway Production
The play was produced on Broadway in 1942.[2]
1939 Novel adaptation
A novelisation of the play was published in 1939.[3]
1939 Film adaptation
| I Killed the Count | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Frederic Zelnik |
| Starring | Ben Lyon |
Production company |
Grafton Films |
Release dates | 1939 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
I Killed the Count is a 1939 British, black-and-white, comedy, crime, mystery film, directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Ronald Shiner as Mullet, Ben Lyon, Syd Walker, Terence De Marney, Barbara Blair and Athole Stewart.[4]
It was produced by Grafton Films.
Synopsis
Cockney comedian Syd Walker plays it more or less straight as Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Davidson, at present trying to determine who murdered the much-hated Count Mattoni (Leslie Perrins). The dilemma isn't that the Detective is suffering from a lack of witnesses. In fact, four different people come forth to confess to the killing – each of them with plenty of motive and opportunity.
Cast
- Ben Lyon – Bernard Froy
- Syd Walker – Detective Inspector Davidson
- Terence De Marney – Detective Sergeant Raines
- Barbara Blair – Renée la Lune
- Athole Stewart – Lord Sorrington
- Antoinette Cellier – Louise Rogers
- Leslie Perrins – Count Mattoni
- David Burns – Diamond
- Ronald Shiner – Mullet
- Aubrey Mallalieu – Johnson
- Kathleen Harrison – Polly
- Gus McNaughton – Martin
Release
Originally released in the US by Grand National Films Inc. in 1939, I Killed the Count was reissued the following year as Who is Guilty? by Monogram Pictures in America.[5]
Radio Adaptations
The play was adapted for Australian radio in 1941. Max Afford did the adaptation.[6][7]
It was also adapted for BBC radio in 1945.[8]
1948 BBC TV Adaptation
A second adaptation I Killed the Count was made by the BBC in 1948.[9]
1956 ITV TV Adaptation
The play was adapted by ITV in 1956.[10]
1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Version
The play was also adapted as a three-parter on TV's Alfred Hitchcock Presents[11][12]
1959 Belgian TV Version
The play was adapted for Belgian TV in 1959.[13]
References
- ↑ Stephen Vagg, "Alec Coppel : Australian playwright and survivor", Australasian Drama Studies, 56, April 2010, 219-232
- ↑ "I Killed the Count". IBDB. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
- ↑ Novel version at AustLit
- ↑ 1939 film version at AustLit
- ↑ Sandra Brennan. "Who Is Guilty? (1940) - Fred Zelnick | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
- ↑ 1941 radio adaptation at AustLit
- ↑ "I KILLED THE COUNT". Barrier Daily Truth. XXXIII, (9888). New South Wales, Australia. 21 February 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 11 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ 1945 Radio adaptation at AustLit
- ↑ 1948 TV Adaptation at AustLit
- ↑ 1956 TV Version at AustLit
- ↑ Hal Erickson. "I Killed the Count (1939) - | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
- ↑ 1957 TV Version at AustLit
- ↑ 1959 Belgian TV version at AustLit
External links
- I Killed the Count (1939) at AllMovie
- I Killed the Count adaptations at AustLit
- Who Is Guilty? (1940) at AllMovie
- I Killed the Count at the British Film Institute's Film and TV Database
- I Killed the Count at the Internet Movie Database
- I Killed the Count at AusStage
- Who is Guilty? review at Motion Picture Daily
- Who is Guilty? review at Film Daily
- Original play at AustLit