Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

6.7
197325m

Production

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Orson Welles' Great Mysteries was a British television series The series was an anthology of different tales. Each episode was introduced by Orson Welles, who was the only regular actor in the series. In the opening titles, Welles would be shown in silhouette as he walked through a hallway towards the camera, smoking a cigar and outfitted in a broad-brimmed hat and a huge cloak, the outfit itself being a nod to his having provided the voice of The Shadow in the radio program. When he actually appeared on-screen to introduce the episodes, his face would be all that would be shown, in extreme close-up and very low lighting.

Seasons

26 Episodes • Premiered 1973

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 1: Captain Rogers

1. Captain Rogers

The respectable owner of a quiet inn in 18th century England is blackmailed by a grubby stranger, who knows he is secretly the notorious pirate Captain Rogers.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 2: The Leather Funnel

2. The Leather Funnel

When a young man discovers a curious funnel made of leather, he has a presentiment that it was once used as an instrument of torture

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 3: A Terribly Strange Bed

3. A Terribly Strange Bed

Charles Faulkner, a young American gambler in Paris, should have left the casino after striking it lucky. Why the devil did he accept to sleep in the casino's guest bed? This was to be the most horrible night he had ever lived.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 4: La Grande Breteche

4. La Grande Breteche

1.0

A Spanish officer, captured by the French during the Peninsular War, is imprisoned at the country house of an elderly aristocrat with a bored young wife - whose lover he becomes, with deadly consequences.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 5: The Dinner Party

5. The Dinner Party

Blake is a brilliant accountant, but does he deserve a promotion to the board of directors? It all depends on the suitability of his wife. His bosses attend a small dinner party given by the Blakes to check her out.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 6: Money to Burn

6. Money to Burn

A French girl in London finds herself in the awkward position of owing money to a Soho crime boss. But when she pays him off, he contemptuously sets fire to the money. Why?

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 7: In the Confessional

7. In the Confessional

An old tramp takes refuge in a church, and, concealed within the confessional, overhears things of great interest.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 8: Unseen Alibi

8. Unseen Alibi

Dean Stockwell stars as the victim of an elaborately staged murder frame centering around a lover's rendezvous.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 9: Battle of Wits

9. Battle of Wits

A psychological drama pitting a brilliant headmaster against a vengeful actor in a deadly game.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 10: A Point of Law

10. A Point of Law

A lawyer cannot stop a middle-aged spinster from making a fool of herself with a young fortune-hunter, but he can stop the fellow from getting his hands on her money.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 11: The Monkey's Paw

11. The Monkey's Paw

An old army sergeant, back in England after long service in India, shows some old friends a strange possession he's acquired - a monkey's paw which can make wishes come true.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 12: The Ingenious Reporter

12. The Ingenious Reporter

Reporter Harry Langley pretends to be the murderer of unidentified women to boost sales with a special report from prison. But once arrested, the authorities seem to be convinced that he is indeed the killer.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 13: Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl

13. Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl

A jealous wife faces complications stemming from her artist husband's obsession with his ex-wife.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 14: For Sale - Silence

14. For Sale - Silence

Businessman Pennington is bribed by a Mr. Briggs due to an extramarital affair. But it seems that Briggs has underestimated his opponent and the tables might be turning.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 15: The Inspiration Of Mr. Budd

15. The Inspiration Of Mr. Budd

How did Mr. Budd become a top-class West End hairdresser after such humble origins in a suburban barbershop? Well, one day, a stranger came in for a shave and a haircut.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 16: An Affair of Honour

16. An Affair of Honour

India: After secret plans for the defence of a harbour are secretly copied, British General Sanderson tasks officers Bruce and Rolfe with convincing the apparent traitor Fanshaw to "save his honour" by committing suicide.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 17: Farewell to the Faulkners

17. Farewell to the Faulkners

The masquerade is over when a murdered man turns up alive in the guise of his wife.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 18: The Power of Fear

18. The Power of Fear

A handyman, finding that a number of middle-aged housewives require him for rather more than his professional services, turns to blackmail.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 19: Where There's a Will

19. Where There's a Will

A letter opened in error provides rather dangerous knowledge concerning a murder case.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 20: A Time to Remember

20. A Time to Remember

Zigorin, a top Russian spy, has defected to the West. But is he really Zigorin or an impostor?

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 21: Ice Storm

21. Ice Storm

An "Ice Storm" traps a woman with a potential thief masquerading as one of three experts invited to view a collection of valuable manuscripts.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 22: Come Into My Parlour

22. Come Into My Parlour

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 23: Compliments of the Season

23. Compliments of the Season

A penniless man tries to claim a reward from a millionaire at Christmas, and finds it's not as easy as he thought it would be.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 24: Under Suspicion

24. Under Suspicion

A pianist on an international tour is forced to spy for the secret police to avoid being detained.

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 25: Trial for Murder

25. Trial for Murder

During a murder trial in 19th-century England, one of the jurors begins to have mysterious hallucinations - has he seen a ghost?

Still image for Orson Welles' Great Mysteries season 1 episode 26: The Furnished Room

26. The Furnished Room

A young man's month-long search for a missing girl ends in a haunted room of a boarding house.

Cast

Photo of Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Self - Host

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