Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

A cosy, theatrical parade of literary mysteries, each framed by a cigar-smoking host whose velvet menace makes the short tales feel like whispered secrets.

Created by

Orson Welles

Genres

Mystery, Drama

Starring

Orson Welles, Joan Collins, Ian Bannen

Overview

Orson Welles’ Great Mysteries is a British television anthology series produced by Anglia Television for the ITV network and broadcast between 1973 and 1974. The series presents standalone adaptations of classic mystery, crime, and supernatural stories drawn from literary sources including Dickens, Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Balzac, Maugham, O. Henry, and others. Each episode is framed by original introductory and closing sequences performed by Orson Welles, who serves as the series’ host and sole recurring on-screen presence. These segments, written and directed by Welles (uncredited), function as stylized narrative framing devices rather than dramatic participation in the stories themselves. The dramatic content of each episode is performed by separate casts and directors, with no continuing characters or serialized narrative, establishing the series as a unified television anthology rather than a collection of standalone films.

How it feels

Measured and needs your attention.

About

Mystery, deception, guilt, fate

Content

Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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