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Dr. Morelle #6
Dr. Morelle and Destiny
ERNEST DUDLEY is an English author known to millions of crime fiction addicts for his weekly Armchair Detective radio broadcasts, and also for the Doctor Morelle series of stories (and radio plays) in which the shrewd detective-psychiatrist solved countless mysteries with the aid of his assistant, Miss Frayle. Dudley has revealed that Dr. Morelle has his genesis in a coal cellar in Bristol in 1940, where the author (who already worked for the BBC Variety Department) sat out German air-raids. "The character of Dr. Morelle," Mr Dudley has remarked, "was finally evolved from my memories of the silent film star Erich von Stroheim - who incidentally nearly played the part years later in a film version - and whom Hollywood used to bill as 'The Man You Love to Hate.' In order to point up the self-opinionated biting sarcasm of Dr Morelle, I gave him as a foil a pretty feather brained secretary, Miss Frayle. And so, Dr Morelle was let loose on millions of unsuspecting listeners, the first fictional character, I think, whom people hated so much they simply had to tune in and listen to him."
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
About the author
Ernest Dudley
87 books2 followersBorn Vivian Ernest Coltman-Allen was born in Dudley near Wolverhampton, England but he grew up in Cookham, Berkshire where his father owned a public house and he was educated at Taplow School, which was run by nuns. The artist Stanley Spencer lived next door to Ernest and his friends included writers and actors such as Ivor Novello and Jack Buchanan and it was the latter who steered young Ernest toward acting (in later life Ernest was to write a stage show for him.)
At 17 Ernest ran away to become an actor, joining a company performing Shakespeare in various Irish towns. Ernest was later to say he only went into the theatre to meet girls and in 1930 he married Jane Grahame, who for several years played one of the Lost Boys in 'Peter Pan'. Jane's connections propelled Ernest to the West End, where his good looks secured him juvenile roles: he shared stages with Charles Laughton, Madeleine Carroll and Fay Compton. And Jane and Ernest took the leads in the first British touring production of Noel Coward's 'Private Lives' by which time their only child, a daughter named Susan, had been born.
Considering himself only a mediocre actor he moved into journalism and as "Charles Ton", a 'Daily Mail' showbusiness gossip columnist, he frequented the Embassy and the Café de Paris, where he got to know many Soho people and even met Fred Astaire when he was starring in 'The Gay Divorcee' at the Palace Theatre.
He later covered boxing for 'The People' and then his first novel 'Mr Walker Wants to Know' (1939) came along; it was a spin-off from a radio series he scripted. He also wrote scripts for Twentieth Century Fox and British International Pictures, but by the outbreak of war he and Jane were working fulltime on live weekly shows for BBC Light Entertainment..
He was not considered fit enough for active service so he continued to work for the BBC before, in 1942 his famous creation, the sinister and sarcastic Dr Morelle, debuted on the magazine-cum-anthology show Monday Night at Eight. His first Dr Morelle novel, 'Meet Dr Morelle' followed in 1943', the first of 15 novels starring the doctor, who it was said was based on film actor and director Erich von Stroheim, whom Ernest had met briefly in Paris in the 1930s. With his secretary Miss Frayle - a part written specially for Jane - Dr Morelle featured in novels, short stories, a film - 'The Case of the Missing Heiress' (1949), a play and three radio serials.
In 1942 Ernest also got his own hugely popular 'Armchair Detective' series, and in 1952 came a film of the Armchair Detective, featuring Ernest. Ernest crossed easily to television and in the late 1950s came Judge for Yourself - trials where the audience was the jury.
Historical and detective novels were followed by works such as 'Confessions of a Special Agent' (1957), featuring the exploits of Jack Evans; 'The Gilded Lillie' (1958), a biography of Lillie Langtry; and 'Monsters of the Purple Twilight', (1960) a history of the Zeppelin. Then he started on true stories of various animals.
Amazingly, in his late 60s Ernest took up marathon running, which, he claimed, helped with his depression. He ran four in London, two in New York and his book 'Run for Your Life' (1985) described these experiences and his training methods. It is said that he was still jogging in Regents Park as late as 2005!
He was a lifetime member of Equity, and he was a founder member of the Crime Writers Association in the 1950s.
In his mid-90s his career was revitalised by a new agent, and American and Canadian publishers were reprinting his work of the 1950s and 60s. He was also working on a new book - 'Dr Morelle and the LapDancer' - which subsequently did not materialise.
Apparently he was a shy man and he was happy alone (his wife Jane died in 1981) in his tiny, book-littered Marylebone flat. He had not a single comfortable armchair but had two desks, 70 years' worth of diaries and lots of pictures (several his own work), many
At 17 Ernest ran away to become an actor, joining a company performing Shakespeare in various Irish towns. Ernest was later to say he only went into the theatre to meet girls and in 1930 he married Jane Grahame, who for several years played one of the Lost Boys in 'Peter Pan'. Jane's connections propelled Ernest to the West End, where his good looks secured him juvenile roles: he shared stages with Charles Laughton, Madeleine Carroll and Fay Compton. And Jane and Ernest took the leads in the first British touring production of Noel Coward's 'Private Lives' by which time their only child, a daughter named Susan, had been born.
Considering himself only a mediocre actor he moved into journalism and as "Charles Ton", a 'Daily Mail' showbusiness gossip columnist, he frequented the Embassy and the Café de Paris, where he got to know many Soho people and even met Fred Astaire when he was starring in 'The Gay Divorcee' at the Palace Theatre.
He later covered boxing for 'The People' and then his first novel 'Mr Walker Wants to Know' (1939) came along; it was a spin-off from a radio series he scripted. He also wrote scripts for Twentieth Century Fox and British International Pictures, but by the outbreak of war he and Jane were working fulltime on live weekly shows for BBC Light Entertainment..
He was not considered fit enough for active service so he continued to work for the BBC before, in 1942 his famous creation, the sinister and sarcastic Dr Morelle, debuted on the magazine-cum-anthology show Monday Night at Eight. His first Dr Morelle novel, 'Meet Dr Morelle' followed in 1943', the first of 15 novels starring the doctor, who it was said was based on film actor and director Erich von Stroheim, whom Ernest had met briefly in Paris in the 1930s. With his secretary Miss Frayle - a part written specially for Jane - Dr Morelle featured in novels, short stories, a film - 'The Case of the Missing Heiress' (1949), a play and three radio serials.
In 1942 Ernest also got his own hugely popular 'Armchair Detective' series, and in 1952 came a film of the Armchair Detective, featuring Ernest. Ernest crossed easily to television and in the late 1950s came Judge for Yourself - trials where the audience was the jury.
Historical and detective novels were followed by works such as 'Confessions of a Special Agent' (1957), featuring the exploits of Jack Evans; 'The Gilded Lillie' (1958), a biography of Lillie Langtry; and 'Monsters of the Purple Twilight', (1960) a history of the Zeppelin. Then he started on true stories of various animals.
Amazingly, in his late 60s Ernest took up marathon running, which, he claimed, helped with his depression. He ran four in London, two in New York and his book 'Run for Your Life' (1985) described these experiences and his training methods. It is said that he was still jogging in Regents Park as late as 2005!
He was a lifetime member of Equity, and he was a founder member of the Crime Writers Association in the 1950s.
In his mid-90s his career was revitalised by a new agent, and American and Canadian publishers were reprinting his work of the 1950s and 60s. He was also working on a new book - 'Dr Morelle and the LapDancer' - which subsequently did not materialise.
Apparently he was a shy man and he was happy alone (his wife Jane died in 1981) in his tiny, book-littered Marylebone flat. He had not a single comfortable armchair but had two desks, 70 years' worth of diaries and lots of pictures (several his own work), many
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 17, 2017
Having enjoyed the recent Radio 4 Extra's outing for the early BBC radio series of Dr Morelle, featuring the wonderfully fruity tones of Cecil Parker, I thought I'd try some of the original stories. Unfortunately, I think I may have picked one of the weaker and more dated of the crop. The eponymous Destiny turns out to be gangster Johnny Destiny, a dead-eyed, heartless American gangster of the most cliched kind who arrives in England on the trail of a former colleague, ace forger, Danny Boy. Crossing the channel he happens to meet a beautiful (aren't they all) English girl, Erica Travers, who just happens to be a friend of the long suffering Miss Frayle, utterly devoted secretary to our hero, Dr Morelle, a man who makes Sherlock Holmes appear playful.
Coincidence upon coincidence, this is 1950s British pulp fiction at possibly its worst misuse of the English language. Endless sentences open with pronouns and are ridiculously short statements of fact. No characters are well drawn or even engaging, and the ending is straight out of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Interestingly, an early episode in the story forms the basis of an entire radio play which is a far better and more atmospheric tale than any of this nonsense. It just goes to show how clever the radio writers and adaptations actually were in breathing life into this ridiculous rubbish. Perhaps the short stories are better. Here's hoping...
Coincidence upon coincidence, this is 1950s British pulp fiction at possibly its worst misuse of the English language. Endless sentences open with pronouns and are ridiculously short statements of fact. No characters are well drawn or even engaging, and the ending is straight out of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Interestingly, an early episode in the story forms the basis of an entire radio play which is a far better and more atmospheric tale than any of this nonsense. It just goes to show how clever the radio writers and adaptations actually were in breathing life into this ridiculous rubbish. Perhaps the short stories are better. Here's hoping...
April 10, 2020
Dr. Morelle's secretary, Miss Frayle is off on holiday for two weeks. A holiday with her friend Erica Travers on her Aunt Ediths' houseboat in Essex. But first she must meet Erica from her holiday in Paris.
Meanwhile Johnny Destiny, hardened criminal and murderer, is on his way to London from France wanting one more job. What could go wrong.
My first Dr Morelle story, but he seems not to feature much in the mystery.
Meanwhile Johnny Destiny, hardened criminal and murderer, is on his way to London from France wanting one more job. What could go wrong.
My first Dr Morelle story, but he seems not to feature much in the mystery.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews