The Vise
British detective drama TV series (1955–1957)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Vise (later known as Saber of London, also known as Mark Saber) is a British detective TV drama series starring Donald Gray as Mark Saber.[4] It was produced by the Danzigers and broadcast on ABC (1955–1957) and then moved to NBC (1957–1960). The series is a reboot of the ABC Mystery Theater radio and television series.[5] It mostly ran during prime time in the late 1950s.
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| The Vise | |
|---|---|
| |
| Also known as | |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Written by | Mark Grantham, Brian Clemens |
| Starring | Donald Gray |
| Music by | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 7 |
| No. of episodes | 221 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 1955 – 1957 |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | 1957 – May 15, 1960 |
| Related | |
| Mystery Theater | |
Background
ABC had originally broadcast a radio and television series called ABC Mystery Theater from 1951 to 1954. In the television series, Mark Saber was played by Tom Conway, a British detective working in an American homicide department, with James Burke as his assistant, Tim Maloney.[6]
The series ended in June 1954. The sponsor, Sterling Drug, had shown repeats of Inspector Mark Saber the previous year and had kept the Friday 9:30 p.m. slot on ABC-TV for the fall, so a new series was needed.[7]
The Danziger brothers began making the new series in England for Sterling Drug, to fill the Friday 9:30 p.m. slot on ABC-TV.[8] It was originally called "Action", their second television series after Mayfair Mystery House, and was renamed The Vise in September 1954.[9]
Cast
Per listing in The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present[5] and Encyclopedia of Earth Television Crime Fighters:[10]
- Donald Gray as Mark Saber
- Michael Balfour as Barney O'Keefe, Saber's assistant (1955–56)
- Teresa Thorne as Judy (1958)
- Diana Decker as Stephanie Ames, Saber's secretary and assistant (1956–57)
- Neil McCallum as Pete Paulson, Saber's assistant (1957–58)
- Gordon Tanner as Larry Nelson, Saber's assistant (1958)
- Robert Arden as Bob Page, Saber's assistant (1958–1960)
- Colin Tapley as Inspector Parker (1957–1960)
Production
The series was produced by Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger as a half-hour anthology. The first season, then called Action, was set up at M-G-M British Sudios in Borehamwood, with shooting to start August 16, 1954, with David MacDonald directing,[11] on a further order of 26 telefilms for Sterling Drug.[12] The first 12 episodes were finished by September 22, 1954,[13] and the majority of season 1 was made at M-G-M British.
The second season continued as an anthology but was made at other studios as the Danzigers rented space around London. "Death Walks by Night" was made at Brighton Studios,[14] and in March 1955 the trade noted "Newcomers to Pinewood Studios are the Danziger Brothers who are making a series of 20 minute shorts."[15] "Bond of Hate" (production 45) was made at Twickenham Studios in April 1955.[16]
In 1955, coinciding with the construction of their own studio, the Danzigers changed the format of The Vise from an anthology series to a standard format mystery series completely dedicated to the Mark Saber stories.[17] They rebooted the Mark Saber drama and television series that was running on ABC in the US. Saber, portrayed by Donald Gray, was now a one-armed private detective in London and would be solving mysteries occurring in the UK as well as in Paris and the Riviera. Instead of Maloney, Saber had various assistants.[5] Gray himself was also an amputee.[17]
Screenplays were written by Mark Grantham, Brian Clemens, and others. Episodes were formatted for the half-hour time slot, with two episodes shot every five days.[18] In an interview with Wheeler Winston Dixon, Clemens said that in the four years he wrote for the show, he only went on set with the Danzigers about eight times. The budgets for the episodes were about £17,000 for a feature, and shooting took about 8–10 days.[19] Donald Gray told the press in 1957: "We turn out each film in 2½ days. Sometimes, we're so pressed for time, we film the rehearsals."[20]
The Danzigers moved on to another series while still in production on Saber of London. In late 1958 they were filming Caesar Smith—Interpol Agent[21] with a batch of 39 reported in January 1959.[22] The February 1959 second feature The Great Van Robbery, with Denis Shaw as "Caesar Smith, an Interpol detective from Scotland Yard,"[23] served as pilot, before the project was expanded as The Man from Interpol with Richard Wyler in mid-1959.[24] The series was also bought by Sterling Drug and ran on NBC, Saturdays at 10:30 p.m., from January 30, 1960.[25]
British quota registration
Like the Danziger's Calling Scotland Yard / Adventure Theater, The Vise, an anthology produced for US television, episodes were registered with the Board of Trade as British quota films and released theatrically in the UK as supporting shorts and as two-part and three-part compilation features.
| Title | Board of Trade registration | Length | Compilation | Registered by / Made by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Yellow Robe | 31 Jan 1955 | 4555 ft | The Yellow Robe + Set a Murderer | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[26] |
| The Final Column | 2 Mar 1955 | 4562 ft | The Final Column + Dr. Damon's Experiment | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[27] |
| Three Cornered Fate | 4 Mar 1955 | 6822 ft | The Cruel Test + The Fair and the Fallen + Death on the Boards | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[28] |
| The Eavesdroppers | 12 Mar 1955 | 2318 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Benevolent Burglar | 12 Mar 1955 | 2367 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Dress Rehearsal | 15 Mar 1955 | 2287 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Triple Blackmail | 15 Mar 1955 | 6813 ft | Behind the Mask + The Deception + Broken Honeymoon | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[29] |
| The Gamblers | 19 Mar 1955 | 2337 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Secret Place | 19 Mar 1955 | 2335 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Eighth Window | 19 Mar 1955 | 2296 ft | single | Paramount Film Services Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[30] |
| Let Murder Be Done | 25 Mar 1955 | 2414 ft | single | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[31] |
| The Corpse in Room 13 | 15 Mar 1955 | 2264 ft | single | Renown Pictures Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Lucky Man | 15 Mar 1955 | 2414 ft | single | Renown Pictures Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Price of Greed | 31 Mar 1955 | 6363 ft | The Rattan Trunk + The Serpent Beneath + The Better Chance | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Diamond Expert | 31 Mar 1955 | 4438 ft | Gabriel's Choice + The Diamond Expert | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Man in Demand | 31 Mar 1955 | 4394 ft | Man in Demand + Price of Vanity | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Homing Chinaman | 31 Mar 1955 | 2265 ft | single | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Double Pay Off | 31 Mar 1955 | 2141 ft | single | United Artists Corp. Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Death Walks by Night | 31 Mar 1955 | 2272 ft | single | Republic Pictures International Inc. (Gt. Britain) / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Very Silent Traveller | 31 Mar 1955 | 2343 ft | single | Republic Pictures International Inc. (Gt. Britain) / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Stranglehold | 31 Mar 1955 | 2252 ft | single | Republic Pictures International Inc. (Gt. Britain) / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Murder of a Ham | 31 Mar 1955 | 2221 ft | single | Republic Pictures International Inc. (Gt. Britain) / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Diplomatic Error | 31 Mar 1955 | 2307 ft | single | Republic Pictures International Inc. (Gt. Britain) / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Count of Twelve | 1 Apr 1955 | 4583 ft | Count of Twelve + Blind Man's Bluff | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| One Just Man | 1 Apr 1955 | 4551 ft | One Just Man + Death Pays no Dividends | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Week-End Guest | 1 Apr 1955 | 2284 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Imperfect Gentleman | 1 Apr 1955 | 2275 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Account Closed | 1 Apr 1955 | 2275 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Fame and the Fury | 1 Apr 1955 | 2265 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| The Schemer | 1 Apr 1955 | 2241 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd. |
| Ring of Greed | 1 Apr 1955 | 2204 ft | single | Associated British-Pathe Ltd. / Danziger Productions Ltd.[32] |
United Kingdom television
In the United Kingdom the 61 episodes of the first two seasons of The Vise, were syndicated under two titles, The Crooked Path and Tension.
The Crooked Path
26 episodes were shown on British television as The Crooked Path. These comprised most of season 2, excluding The Corpse in Room 13, which had been sold to Renown Pictures for theatrical release, and Dead Man's Evidence, which has not been traced in British newspaper listings. All five theatrical releases purchased by Republic Pictures were included, including The Very Silent Traveler and Murder of a Ham from season 1.[33]
Tension
35 episodes were shown as Tension. comprising 34 episodes from season 1 and The Corpse in Room 13 from season 2.[34]
Four episodes have not been traced in British newspaper listings under either title – The Eavesdropper, The Yellow Robe and Account Closed from season 1, and Dead Man's Evidence from season 2.[35]
Mark Saber
Seasons 4 and 3 were screened in the United Kingdom as Mark Saber, Season 4 first, in June 1957,[36][37] followed by Season 3.
Saber of London
The Saber of London episodes, seasons 5 -7, were broadcast under that title.[38][39]
United States Broadcast
For the U.S. 1955-56 television season, The Vise aired on ABC at 9:30 p.m. EST on Fridays.[5] It also aired at the same time for the 1956–57 season.
In 1957, the show was moved to NBC and retitled Saber of London, when it aired at 7:30 p.m. EST on Fridays.[5] In the 1957–58 season, it competed against Leave It to Beaver on CBS and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin on ABC. The Vise was also shown as The Vise: Mark Saber on ITV companies in Europe.[17]
In the 1958–1959 season, Saber of London switched to 7 p.m. Sundays,[5] opposite CBS's Lassie. In its last year, 1959–1960, it was moved a half-hour earlier just outside prime time to 6:30 p.m EST on Sundays, just outside prime time.[5]
In syndication as Detective's Diary on NBC Saturdays at 12:30pm, reruns of Saber of London ended 7 January 1961 and were replaced by reruns of Man from Interpol from 14 January 1961.[40]
Series overview
Episodes
Season 1 (1954–55) made as The Vise
Season 1 was made and first broadcast as The Vise. It was an anthology series presented by Australian actor Ron Randell on ABC, Fridays 9:30 p.m. The series was a 30-minute made-in-Britain thriller filmed in England by the Danzigers.[41]
Each episode opened with Randell emerging from the shadows of an alleyway at night to address the camera: "How do you do, the story we are going to tell is about people caught in the jaws of a vise, in a dilemma of their own making. We will start this story in a moment." Randall would return after the sponsor break with an introduction scripted for the episode.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "One Just Man" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 1 October 1954 |
| 2 | 2 | "Set a Murderer" | David MacDonald | James Eastwood | 8 October 1954 |
| 3 | 3 | "Let Murder Be Done" | David MacDonald | Unknown | 16 October 1959 |
| 4 | 4 | "Dr. Damon's Experiment" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 22 October 1954 |
| 5 | 5 | "Death Pays No Dividends" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 29 October 1954 |
| 6 | 6 | "Gabriel's Choice" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, Paul Tabori | 5 November 1954 |
| 7 | 7 | "The Diamond Expert" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 12 November 1954 |
| 8 | 8 | "The Secret Place" | David MacDonald | Unknown | 20 November 1954 |
| 9 | 9 | "The Fair and the Fallen" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 26 November 1954 |
| 10 | 10 | "The Eavesdropper" | David MacDonald | Unknown | 3 December 1954 |
| 11 | 11 | "The Very Silent Traveler" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 10 December 1954 |
| 12 | 12 | "The Yellow Robe" | David MacDonald | George St. George | 17 December 1954 |
| 13 | 13 | "Lucky Man" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 24 December 1954 |
| 14 | 14 | "The Gamblers" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, Paul Tabori | 31 December 1954 |
| 15 | 15 | "Count of Twelve" | Paul Dickson | Rex Rienits | 7 January 1955 |
| 16 | 16 | "The Final Column" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 14 January 1955 |
| 17 | 17 | "The Benevolent Burglar" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 21 January 1955 |
| 18 | 18 | "Blind Man's Bluff" | Paul Dickson | Paul Tabori | 28 January 1955 |
| 19 | 19 | "The Eighth Window" | David MacDonald | George Tabori | 4 February 1955 |
| 20 | 20 | "Broken Honeymoon" | Paul Dickson | Elizabeth Berridge, Reginald Moon | 11 February 1955 |
| 21 | 21 | "Death on the Boards" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 18 February 1955 |
| 22 | 22 | "Behind the Mask" | Paul Dickson | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 25 February 1955 |
| 23 | 23 | "Dress Rehearsal" | David MacDonald | James Eastwood | 4 March 1955 |
| 24 | 24 | "Cruel Test" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 11 March 1955 |
| 25 | 25 | "The Deception" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 18 March 1955 |
| 26 | 26 | "Week-End Guest" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 25 March 1955 |
| 27 | 27 | "The Fame and the Fury" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 1 April 1955 |
| 28 | 28 | "Ring of Greed" | David MacDonald | Frank Atkinson, Mabel Constanduros | 8 April 1955 |
| 29 | 29 | "The Imperfect Gentlemen" | David MacDonald | James Eastwood | 15 April 1955 |
| 30 | 30 | "The Schemer" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 22 April 1955 |
| 31 | 31 | "Double Pay-Off" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 29 April 1955 |
| 32 | 32 | "Account Closed" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 6 May 1955 |
| 33 | 33 | "The Serpent Beneath" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley | 13 May 1955 |
| 34 | 34 | "The Price of Vanity" | David MacDonald | Richard Wade, John Wiles | 20 May 1955 |
| 35 | 35 | "Man in Demand" | David MacDonald | E.C. Tubb | 27 May 1955 |
| 36 | 36 | "The Homing Chinaman" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 3 June 1955 |
| 37 | 37 | "Rattan Trunk" | Francis Searle | Kate Barley, Paul Tabori | 10 June 1955 |
| 38 | 38 | "Murder of a Ham" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 17 June 1955 |
| 39 | 39 | "The Better Chance" | David MacDonald | Paul Tabori | 24 June 1955 |
Season 2 (1955–56) made as The Vise
The series was renewed, in the same format with Randell as host, by Sterling Drug for the 1955–56 season and broadcast again on ABC in the same Friday 9:30 p.m. slot.[42]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1 | "Diplomatic Error" | David MacDonald | Stanley Miller | 1 July 1955 |
| 41 | 2 | "Strangle Hold" | Ernest Morris | Unknown | 8 July 1955 |
| 42 | 3 | "The Corpse in Room Thirteen" | David MacDonald | John Roeburt | 15 July 1955 |
| 43 | 4 | "Death Walks by Night" | David MacDonald | Brian Clemens | 22 July 1955 |
| 44 | 5 | "The Verdict" | David MacDonald | John Roeburt | 29 July 1955 |
| 45 | 6 | "The Bargain" | David MacDonald | Unknown | 5 August 1955 |
| 46 | 7 | "Death in White" | David MacDonald | Stanley Miler | 19 August 1955 |
| 47 | 8 | "The Broken Link" | David MacDonald | Brian Clemens | 26 August 1955 |
| 48 | 9 | "Never Let Me Die" | David MacDonald | Brian Clemens | 2 September 1955 |
| 49 | 10 | "Bond of Hate" | David MacDonald | Robert Barr, Paul Tabori | 9 September 1955 |
| 50 | 11 | "The Death Mask" | Ernest Morris | Robert Hirst | 16 September 1955 |
| 51 | 12 | "Side Entrance" | David MacDonald | Gid Howe | 23 September 1955 |
| 52 | 13 | "The Search for Martha Harris" | Ernest Morris | Elizabeth Berridge | 30 September 1955 |
| 53 | 14 | "Money to Burn" | David MacDonald | John Roeburt | 7 October 1955 |
| 54 | 15 | "Two of a Kind" | David MacDonald | Brian Clemens | 14 October 1955 |
| 55 | 16 | "Cross Channel" | Ernest Morris | James Eastwood | 21 October 1955 |
| 56 | 17 | "Death Takes No Holiday" | David MacDonald | James Eastwood | 28 October 1955 |
| 57 | 18 | "Dead Man's Evidence" | Ernest Morris | Kent Taylor | 4 November 1955 |
| 58 | 19 | "Stranger in Town" | David MacDonald | Unknown | 11 November 1955 |
| 59 | 20 | "By Persons Unknown" | Ernest Morris | Unknown | 18 November 1955 |
| 60 | 21 | "Killer at Large" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 25 November 1955 |
| 61 | 22 | "Wrong Time Murder" | Ernest Morris | Unknown | 2 December 1955 |
| 62 | 23 | "Gift from Heaven" | Ernest Morris | Ken Taylor | 9 December 1955 |
| 63 | 24 | "Second Sight" | Ernest Morris | Unknown | 16 December 1955 |
| 64 | 25 | "Good Name Murder" | Ernest Morris | George Mikes | 23 December 1955 |
| 65 | 26 | "Snapshot" | Ernest Morris | Unknown | 30 December 1955 |
For its second-run syndication in the United States, The Vise was retitled The Pendulum. Under a barter arrangement reported in August 1955, sponsor Sterling Drug distributed the series to stations in exchange for spot availabilities rather than cash, the same type of deal previously used to place Inspector Mark Saber in over 100 markets. Distribution was handled by the Thompson-Koch agency. The network version introduced by Ron Randall had that footage removed for the reruns and new instructions with John Bentley inserted. While The Vise was still running on ABC-TV Friday 9:30-10 p.m., The Pendulum had already been picked up by 40 stations.[43]
Episodes of The Pendulum were introduced by John Bentley with a pendulum clock swinging in the background: "The pendulum swings and destiny weaves a pattern. This is the story of people who tried to change that pattern, and found they could not stop the pendulum." After the break, Bentley would continue with an episode-specific introduction.
Season 3 (1955-56) made as The Vise
In May 1955 Broadcasting reported that Sterling Drug had renewed The Vise, Fridays, 9:30-10:30 p.m. on ABC-TV.[44]
Although Season 3 was made and first broadcast as The Vise, the format was changed, coinciding with the move to the Danziger's New Elstree Studios.[45] After more than a year seeking a detective hero, the producers introduced Mark Saber, a dashing, gray-at-the-temples ex-police inspector who solves crimes Scotland Yard is unable to handle.[46]
The series now starred Donald Gray as Saber, with Michael Balfour as Barney O'Keefe and Teresa Thorne as his "girl Friday".[46]
Although missing from many surviving prints, each episode began with the same introduction from Gray, as Saber: "How do you do. The story we are going to tell is about people caught in the jaws of a vise. We will begin our story in a moment." Each episode finished with Saber saying, "See you again to tell you another story of those who are caught in the jaws of a vise."
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 1 | "A Lady Is Missing" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 23 December 1955 |
| 67 | 2 | "Diamond Cut Diamond" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 30 December 1955 |
| 68 | 3 | "The Night Has Secrets" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 6 January 1956 |
| 69 | 4 | "The Captive Brain" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 13 January 1956 |
| 70 | 5 | "The Girl from Rome" | Ernest Morris | James Eastwood | 20 January 1956 |
| 71 | 6 | "Manhunt" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 27 January 1956 |
| 72 | 7 | "The Big Snatch" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 3 February 1956 |
| 73 | 8 | "Walk Softly for Murder" | Ernest Morris | Gwen Davies | 10 February 1956 |
| 74 | 9 | "Death Has Three Faces" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 17 February 1956 |
| 75 | 10 | "The Sally Ankens Story" | Ernest Morris | Gwen Davies | 24 February 1956 |
| 76 | 11 | "No Reply from Room 17" | Ernest Morris | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 2 March 1956 |
| 77 | 12 | "Collector's Item" | Ernest Morris | Ken Taylor | 9 March 1956 |
| 78 | 13 | "Hear No Evil" | Ernest Morris | Gwen Davies, Brian Clemens | 16 March 1956 |
| 79 | 14 | "Killer on the Prowl" | Splinter Deason | Brian Clemens | 23 March 1956 |
| 80 | 15 | "Shroud for a Lady" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 30 March 1956 |
| 81 | 16 | "Murder by Design" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 6 April 1956 |
| 82 | 17 | "Frame-up Without Gloves" | Ernest Morris | Gilbert Winfield | 13 April 1956 |
| 83 | 18 | "The Tall Dark Man" | Ernest Morris | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 20 April 1956 |
| 84 | 19 | "Vanishing Witness" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 6 February 1959 |
| 85 | 20 | "A Coffin for Johnny" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 27 April 1956 |
| 86 | 21 | "Deadline for Murder" | Ernest Morris | Gwen Davies | 18 May 1956 |
| 87 | 22 | "Find a Body" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 25 May 1956 |
| 88 | 23 | "Murder for Gain" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 1 June 1956 |
| 89 | 24 | "There's Danger in Beauty" | Ernest Morris | Gilbert Winfield | 8 June 1956 |
| 90 | 25 | "Blood in the Sky" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 15 June 1956 |
| 91 | 26 | "Death Needs No Cane" | Splinters Deason | Gilbert Winfield | 22 June 1956 |
Season 4 (1956-57) Made as The Vise
Renewed for a third year on ABC-TV (Fridays, 9:30 p.m. EDT) for Sterling Drug,[47] with Diana Decker taking over as assistant Stevie Ames.[48][49][50]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92 | 1 | "File It Under Murder" | Ernest Morris | Ken Field | 28 September 1956 |
| 93 | 2 | "If This Be Murder" | Ernest Morris | Ken Field | 5 October 1956 |
| 94 | 3 | "Safe for Murder" | Charles Eldridge | Brian Clemens | 12 October 1956 |
| 95 | 4 | "Sing Softly, Sister" | Ernest Morris | Ken Field | 19 October 1956 |
| 96 | 5 | "Holiday for Heatherton" | Ernest Morris | Ken Field | 26 October 1956 |
| 97 | 6 | "Receipt for Murder" | Kieron Moore | Gilbert Winfield | 2 November 1956 |
| 98 | 7 | "Kill Me, My Love" | Kieron Moore | Ken Field | 9 November 1956 |
| 99 | 8 | "A Cage of Fear" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 16 November 1956 |
| 100 | 9 | "Dram of Death" | Charles Eldridge | Ken Field | 23 November 1956 |
| 101 | 10 | "Cry Wolf" | Charles Eldridge | Brian Clemens | 30 November 1956 |
| 102 | 11 | "A Return to Danger" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 7 December 1956 |
| 103 | 12 | "The Very Last Witness" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 14 December 1956 |
| 104 | 13 | "A Hatful of Trouble" | Ernest Morris | Carol Warner Gluck | 21 December 1956 |
| 105 | 14 | "Corpse in the Cellar" | Charles Eldridge | Brian Clemens | 28 December 1956 |
| 106 | 15 | "The Wrong Face" | Charles Eldridge | Brian Clemens | 4 January 1957 |
| 107 | 16 | "Corpse with a Sword" | Charles Eldridge | Brian Clemens | 11 January 1957 |
| 108 | 17 | "Tough Part" | Ernest Morris | Gilbert Winfield | 18 January 1957 |
| 109 | 18 | "The Root of Evil" | Ernest Morris | Gilbert Winfield | 25 January 1957 |
| 110 | 19 | "Short Cut to Murder" | Ernest Morris | Kate Barley | 11 November 1955 |
| 111 | 20 | "Find Harry Clay" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 8 February 1957 |
| 112 | 21 | "Signature for Murder" | Charles Eldridge | Gilbert Winfield | 15 February 1957 |
| 113 | 22 | "Man on a Cliff" | Ernest Morris | Franklin Burton | 22 February 1957 |
| 114 | 23 | "Murder by Error" | Ernest Morris | John Roeburt | 1 March 1957 |
| 115 | 24 | "Back Track to Murder" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 8 March 1957 |
| 116 | 25 | "Death Wears a Coronet" | Harry Lee Danziger | George Lowther | 15 March 1957 |
| 117 | 26 | "The Sound of Death" | Charles Eldridge | Franklin Burton | 22 March 1957 |
| 118 | 27 | "Diamond Jubilee" | Kieron Moore | Gilbert Winfield | 29 March 1957 |
| 119 | 28 | "A Coin's Worth of Murder" | Harry Lee Danziger | Brian Clemens | 5 April 1957 |
| 120 | 29 | "The Hostage" | Richard Lester | Charles W. Peck Jr. | 12 April 1957 |
| 121 | 30 | "Farewell to Mrs. Forrest" | Harry Lee Danziger | Albert G. Miller | 19 April 1957 |
| 122 | 31 | "Bullets for Saber" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 26 April 1957 |
| 123 | 32 | "Death in a Flask" | Richard Lester | Stanley Miller | 3 May 1957 |
| 124 | 33 | "Against the Ropes" | Ernest Morris | Gilbert Winfield | 10 May 1957 |
| 125 | 34 | "Hi-Jacked" | Richard Lester | Albert G. Miller | 17 May 1957 |
| 126 | 35 | "The Pink Scarf" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 24 May 1957 |
| 127 | 36 | "Bishops Sometimes Bite" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 31 May 1957 |
| 128 | 37 | "Short, Dark and Handsome" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 7 June 1957 |
| 129 | 38 | "The Sucker Game" | Richard Lester | John Roeburt | 14 June 1957 |
| 130 | 39 | "You Only Live Twice" | Richard Lester | Ken Fields | 21 June 1957 |
Syndication
39 episodes produced as The Vise for Seasons 3 and 4, were repackaged by Thompson-Koch from May 1956 for station syndication as Uncovered – described as reruns of the 39 films in The Vise on ABC-TV Friday 9:30-10 p.m. that season.[51] The series used a new introduction with Donald Gray as Saber for all the episodes: "Covering crime is a reporter's business. Covering up crime is bad business. Uncovering crime is my business... I'm Mark Saber, private investigator. Stick around."[52]
Season 5 (1957-58) Made as Saber of London
![](#/media/File:"Saber_of_London"_title_card.jpg)
In May 1957 sponsor Sterling Drug was reported to have been displaced from its longtime Friday ABC slot by the Frank Sinatra Show and to have moved to NBC's Friday 7:30 slot for the fall with a new run of Inspector Mark Saber shows.[53]
First-run on NBC as part of the network's expanded suspense-adventure schedule for Fall 1957 alongside Dragnet and The Thin Man.[54]
After their network first-run as Saber of London, episodes entered the Saturday daytime rerun pool as Detective's Diary.[55]
Saber was initially aided in his case by new assistant, Pete Paulson (Neil McCallum)[56] , who was replaced by Larry Nelson (Gordon Tanner) for the last 13.[57] Each episdoe was introduced by Saber introducing himself with: "Good evening, I'm Mark Saber, and this is London".
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 131 | 1 | "The Captain and the Killers" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 13 September 1957 |
| 132 | 2 | "Hands Across the Sea" | Ernest Morris | Eldon Howard | 20 September 1957 |
| 133 | 3 | "Deep in the Heart of Chelsea" | Ernest Morris | Eldon Howard | 27 September 1957 |
| 134 | 4 | "Death by Delayed Payment" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 4 October 1957 |
| 135 | 5 | "The Missing Hours" | Ernest Morris | Brian Clemens | 11 October 1957 |
| 136 | 6 | "The Penny Black" | Max Varnel | Kate Barley | 18 October 1957 |
| 137 | 7 | "Girls and Diamonds" | Ernest Morris | Eldon Howard | 25 October 1957 |
| 138 | 8 | "Murder Shall Speak" | Godfrey Grayson | George St. George | 1 November 1957 |
| 139 | 9 | "The Baby-Sitter" | Ernest Morris | Kate Barley | 8 November 1957 |
| 140 | 10 | "Hour of Decision" | Max Varnel | John Roeburt | 15 November 1957 |
| 141 | 11 | "Luger for Chesser" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 22 November 1957 |
| 142 | 12 | "The Law and the Lawless" | David MacDonald | George St. George | 29 November 1957 |
| 143 | 13 | "Hidden Money" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 6 December 1957 |
| 144 | 14 | "Fast Cars and Girls" | Ernest Morris | Eldon Howard | 22 December 1957 |
| 145 | 15 | "Strong Man Out" | Max Varnel | Stanley Miller | 29 December 1957 |
| 146 | 16 | "Saber's Bow and Arrow" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 5 January 1958 |
| 147 | 17 | "Man About to Die" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 19 January 1958 |
| 148 | 18 | "Saber at Sea" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 26 January 1958 |
| 149 | 19 | "Cheating Cheaters" | Max Varnel | John Roeburt | 2 February 1958 |
| 150 | 20 | "6 Months to Talk" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 9 February 1958 |
| 151 | 21 | "The Case of Mr. Shore" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 16 February 1958 |
| 152 | 22 | "The Maid Was Curious" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 23 February 1958 |
| 153 | 23 | "Four Against Three" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 2 March 1958 |
| 154 | 24 | "Code to Murder" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 9 March 1958 |
| 155 | 25 | "Calling Charlie - Emergency" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 23 March 1958 |
| 156 | 26 | "The Visitor" | Max Varnel | James Eastwood | 30 March 1958 |
| 157 | 27 | "Field Goal" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 6 April 1958 |
| 158 | 28 | "The Man Who Was Twice" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 13 April 1958 |
| 159 | 29 | "Dead Man's Hands" | Max Varnel | Stanley Miller | 20 April 1958 |
| 160 | 30 | "Power of Suggestion" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 27 April 1958 |
| 161 | 31 | "Diamond Follies" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 4 May 1958 |
| 162 | 32 | "A Diplomatic Affair" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 11 May 1958 |
| 163 | 33 | "Black Pawn, White Pawn" | David MacDonald | Kate Barley | 18 May 1958 |
| 164 | 34 | "Lillies for Lucas" | Max Varnel | Albert Miller | 25 May 1958 |
| 165 | 35 | "The White Cane" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 1 June 1958 |
| 166 | 36 | "Beyond Fear" | Max Varnel | George St. George | 8 June 1958 |
| 167 | 37 | "Don't Lose Your Shirt" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 15 June 1958 |
| 168 | 38 | "Weakness Doesn't Pay" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 22 June 1958 |
| 169 | 39 | "The Corpse That Cried Murder" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 29 June 1958 |
Season 6 (1958–59) Made as Saber of London
Renewed for a second season under the Saber of London title, premiering Sunday, October 19, 1958, 7-7:30 p.m. EDT on NBC with "The Killer and the Kid," featuring Donald Gray as Mark Saber with Robert Arden as his assistant, Bob Page.[58]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 170 | 1 | "Death at His Fingertips" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 19 October 1958 |
| 171 | 2 | "Paid Off" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 26 October 1958 |
| 172 | 3 | "Trap for Murder" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 2 November 1958 |
| 173 | 4 | "A Night on the Town" | Max Varnel | Gilbert Winfield | 9 November 1958 |
| 174 | 5 | "Background for Murder" | Max Varnel | Unknown | 16 November 1958 |
| 175 | 6 | "Where There's a Will" | Godfrey Grayson | Unknown | 23 November 1958 |
| 176 | 7 | "A Toast to Death" | Max Varnel | George St. George | 30 November 1958 |
| 177 | 8 | "It Walks at Night" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 7 December 1958 |
| 178 | 9 | "The Lady Doesn't Scare" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 21 December 1958 |
| 179 | 10 | "Uncle William" | Max Varnel | Patricia Hill | 28 December 1958 |
| 180 | 11 | "Curse of Death" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 4 January 1959 |
| 181 | 12 | "The Killer and the Kid" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 11 January 1959 |
| 182 | 13 | "Hour of Reckoning" | Max Varnel | John Roeburt | 25 January 1959 |
| 183 | 14 | "Dilemma for Harry" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 1 February 1959 |
| 184 | 15 | "The Black Widow" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 8 February 1959 |
| 185 | 16 | "Dangerous Meeting" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 15 February 1959 |
| 186 | 17 | "Platinum Murder" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 22 February 1959 |
| 187 | 18 | "Operation Arson" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 1 March 1959 |
| 188 | 19 | "Death Hides Out" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 8 March 1959 |
| 189 | 20 | "Time Alibi for Murder" | Godfrey Grayson | John Roeburt | 15 March 1959 |
| 190 | 21 | "Murder for Revenge" | Unknown | Stanley Miller | 22 March 1959 |
| 191 | 22 | "Double Take" | Max Varnel | Stanley Miller | 5 April 1959 |
| 192 | 23 | "Cooked-Up Murder" | Max Varnel | Unknown | 12 April 1959 |
| 193 | 24 | "Dark Moments" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 19 April 1959 |
| 194 | 25 | "Out of the Past" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 26 April 1959 |
| 195 | 26 | "Silent Accusation" | Godfrey Grayson | Stanley Miller | 3 May 1959 |
Season 7 (1959–60) Made as Saber of London
Renewed for a third season under the Saber of London title for the 1959-60 season on NBC, sponsored by Sterling Drugs through Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample,[59] premiering Sunday, October 11, 1959, 6:30 p.m. on NBC with "Under Suspicion." Saber was assisted by Robert Arden as Bob Page and Jennifer Jayne as Anne.[60]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 196 | 1 | "Under Suspicion" | Max Varnel | Eldon Howard | 11 October 1959 |
| 197 | 2 | "Come Out Fighting" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 18 October 1959 |
| 198 | 3 | "The Opportunists" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 25 October 1959 |
| 199 | 4 | "Switch to Murder" | Godfrey Grayson | Stanley Miller | 1 November 1959 |
| 200 | 5 | "Silence for Sale" | Godfrey Grayson | Mark Grantham | 8 November 1959 |
| 201 | 6 | "One Thousand Alibis" | Godfrey Grayson | Mark Grantham | 15 November 1959 |
| 202 | 7 | "Jockey Missing" | Godfrey Grayson | Mark Grantham | 22 November 1959 |
| 203 | 8 | "Dead Before Arrival" | Godfrey Grayson | Mark Grantham | 29 November 1959 |
| 204 | 9 | "Fire!" | Godfrey Grayson | Gilbert Winfield | 20 December 1959 |
| 205 | 10 | "Arena for Fraud" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 27 December 1959 |
| 206 | 11 | "A Date with Trouble" | Unknown | Unknown | 3 January 1960 |
| 207 | 12 | "Incident in Soho" | Godfrey Grayson | Eldon Howard | 10 January 1960 |
| 208 | 13 | "Full Moon" | Godfrey Grayson | James Eastwood | 24 January 1960 |
| 209 | 14 | "The Florentine Madonna" | Godfrey Grayson | Stanley Miller | 31 January 1960 |
| 210 | 15 | "The Last Chapter" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 7 February 1960 |
| 211 | 16 | "Murder with Make-Up" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 14 February 1960 |
| 212 | 17 | "Broken Journey" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 28 February 1960 |
| 213 | 18 | "The Big Stone" | Godfrey Grayson | Kate Barley, James Eastwood | 6 March 1960 |
| 214 | 19 | "Ordeal of Fear" | Max Varnel | Brian Clemens | 13 March 1960 |
| 215 | 20 | "Damages" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 27 March 1960 |
| 216 | 21 | "Cousin from Montreal" | Godfrey Grayson | Mark Grantham | 3 April 1960 |
| 217 | 22 | "Scream in the Night" | Godfrey Grayson | George St. George | 17 April 1960 |
| 218 | 23 | "Kill and Run" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 24 April 1960 |
| 219 | 24 | "A Boxful of Tragedy" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 1 May 1960 |
| 220 | 25 | "Lost and Found" | Godfrey Grayson | Gilbert Winfield | 8 May 1960 |
| 221 | 26 | "Sweetheart, Beware!" | Godfrey Grayson | Brian Clemens | 15 May 1960 |
Archive status
Out of a total of 221 episodes, 22 are currently missing:[61][62][63][64]
- Season 1 Episode 03 "Let Murder Be Done"
- Season 1 Episode 13 "Lucky Man"- One or more sequences exist, but the complete programme is lost.
- Season 1 Episode 29 "The Imperfect Gentleman" – One or more sequences exist, but the complete programme is lost.
- Season 1 Episode 30 "The Schemer"
- Season 2 Episode 11 "The Death Mask"
- Season 2 Episode 13 "The Search for Martha Harris" – Picture only exists – there is no sound.
- Season 2 Episode 21 "Killer at Large" – Picture only exists – there is no sound.
- Season 3 Episode 03 "The Night has Secrets"
- Season 3 Episode 09 "Death has Three Faces"
- Season 4 Episode 17 "Tough Part"
- Season 4 Episode 20 "Find Harry Clay"
- Season 4 Episode 24 "Back Track to Murder"
- Season 4 Episode 32 "Death in a Flask"
- Season 4 Episode 39 "You Only Live Twice"
- Season 5 Episode 02 "Hands Across the Sea"
- Season 5 Episode 34 "Lilies for Lucas"
- Season 6 Episode 03 "A Night on the Town"
- Season 6 Episode 16 "Dangerous Meeting"
- Season 6 Episode 23 "Cooked-Up Murder"
- Season 7 Episode 05 "Silence for Sale"
- Season 7 Episode 11 "A Date with Trouble"
- Season 7 Episode 15 "The Last Chapter"
On 14 May 2025 the Film Is Fabulous project announced the recovery of six episodes: "The Wrong Face, "The Bargain", "The Broken Link", A Toast to Death", "Arena for Fraud" and "The Yellow Robe".[65]