Did you know horror legends Vincent Price and Peter Lorre made a pilot for a TV show back in 1958? A TV show about two crime-solving antique dealers? I sure didn’t, not until just two days ago.
I’ve always adored both actors separately and together. If you’ve never seen their hilarious team-up in Roger Corman’s 1963 version of The Raven (with young Jack Nicholson, no less!) you are missing out.
It became a moral imperative for me to seek out this show and I was thrilled to find it in three parts on YouTube. The video-quality is not great, but you can see that this was a pretty-high budget production. The acting is terrific, the sets look pretty good, and the action… well… as much action as you’re likely to get from Price and Lorre. They’re better at dialogue that throwing punches. It’s still well worth a watch. That’s why I’m embedding the three YouTube videos for your viewing pleasure. Here’s part 1:
Part 2:
Now, for the thrilling conclusion:
Unfortunately, this program was never picked up for a regular series. One can imagine the network executives viewing this and asking, “Just who is the audience for a show about mystery-solving antique dealers?” or “Where’s the scary stuff?” The audience, it turns out, is definitely me. The scares might come in the form of worrying if Lorre will fall and break a hip. I still loved every minute of it. I hope you enjoyed it as well.
Now I’m off to ponder the possibilities of crime-solving antique dealers in the late 1950s and horror-starts turned detectives for my next books.
Cyn – I always said you were the best, didn’t I? This retrospective is by far a greater treasure than “The Hand of David.” Thank you so much for a glimpse of one of my all time favorite actors, Peter Lorre . I just turned 86 and I can’t help wondering how many are living today who can remember Vincent Price, let alone Peter Lorre. By the way, your scannow tip did reveal corrupted files on my computer. I consider you a treasure as well. Seriously!
Cordially and sincerely,
Fred Brenner