10 Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Dramas

Personal Column

A series of intriguing vintage dramas from 1967, which read between the lines of typical entries found in the personal columns of newspapers. 
 
Personal Column is a captivating collection of original radio dramas conceived by the esteemed writer Philip Levene, known for his work on 19 episodes of ITV's The Avengers, including the iconic "The Cybernauts." 
 
Each drama in this series offers a gripping narrative with unexpected twists, showcasing the talents of various writers and actors. From a story in which a seemingly simple lost-and-found ad leads to a complex tale of blackmail and deceit, to a dodgy insurance broker who takes drastic measures, to a couple who get more than they bargained for when they try to sell some old jewellery and find them themselves part of a crime scene, Personal Column is a treasure trove of suspenseful and thought-provoking dramas from the golden age of radio. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A series of intriguing vintage dramas from 1967, which read between the lines of typical entries found in the personal columns of newspapers. 
 
Personal Column is a captivating collection of original radio dramas conceived by the esteemed writer Philip Levene, known for his work on 19 episodes of ITV's The Avengers, including the iconic "The Cybernauts." 
 
Each drama in this series offers a gripping narrative with unexpected twists, showcasing the talents of various writers and actors. From a story in which a seemingly simple lost-and-found ad leads to a complex tale of blackmail and deceit, to a dodgy insurance broker who takes drastic measures, to a couple who get more than they bargained for when they try to sell some old jewellery and find them themselves part of a crime scene, Personal Column is a treasure trove of suspenseful and thought-provoking dramas from the golden age of radio. 
 
©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

14 Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Crime Dramas

Destination – Fire!

Robert Beatty stars as Quentin Barnaby: Fire Investigator in Philip Levene’s gripping 1960s crime series 
 
A prolific writer for radio and TV, Philip Levene scripted numerous crime dramas and serials for the BBC in the 1960s. One of the most popular was Destination – Fire!, inspired by his fascination with the varied motivations of those who commit arson. Intrigued by ‘the puzzle of the charred remains of a burnt out building’, he came up with the idea of an investigator who would work out how a fire was started, by whom, and why. 
 
Starring Robert Beatty, who was well known for playing Irish detective Philip Odell on BBC radio, Destination – Fire! ran for three series on the Light Programme between 1962 and 1966. Of the original 33 episodes, 19 have sadly been lost, but the remaining 14 are all included here. Among the cases tackled by the tenacious ‘Q’ Barnaby are a blaze in a cinema, a fire aboard ship, the destruction of a theatre, an incident in a recording studio involving a pop singer, and a double arson insurance fraud which sparks murder… 
 
These thrilling standalone dramas feature a full cast of established actors, including Gudrun Ure as Valerie Chrane, Duncan McIntyre as Inspector Hackett and Anthony Hall as Alec Groves. 
 
Produced by Martyn C. Webster 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Robert Beatty stars as Quentin Barnaby: Fire Investigator in Philip Levene’s gripping 1960s crime series 
 
A prolific writer for radio and TV, Philip Levene scripted numerous crime dramas and serials for the BBC in the 1960s. One of the most popular was Destination – Fire!, inspired by his fascination with the varied motivations of those who commit arson. Intrigued by ‘the puzzle of the charred remains of a burnt out building’, he came up with the idea of an investigator who would work out how a fire was started, by whom, and why. 
 
Starring Robert Beatty, who was well known for playing Irish detective Philip Odell on BBC radio, Destination – Fire! ran for three series on the Light Programme between 1962 and 1966. Of the original 33 episodes, 19 have sadly been lost, but the remaining 14 are all included here. Among the cases tackled by the tenacious ‘Q’ Barnaby are a blaze in a cinema, a fire aboard ship, the destruction of a theatre, an incident in a recording studio involving a pop singer, and a double arson insurance fraud which sparks murder… 
 
These thrilling standalone dramas feature a full cast of established actors, including Gudrun Ure as Valerie Chrane, Duncan McIntyre as Inspector Hackett and Anthony Hall as Alec Groves. 
 
Produced by Martyn C. Webster 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Philip Levene

Barry Foster

Timothy West

Joan Sanderson

Mary O’Farrell

Fraser Kerr

Frederick Treves

James Thomason

Nigel Graham

Full Cast

Rolf Lefebvre

Betty Huntley-Wright

Margot Boyd

Eileen Derbyshire

15 Full-Cast Vintage BBC Radio Dramas

A collection of intriguing thrillers by Philip Levene 
 
Philip Levene was a prolific radio dramatist who also penned 19 episodes of ITV’s The Avengers, which won him a Writers’ Guild Award. While many of his works have unfortunately been lost, this collection of surviving recordings showcases his exceptional talent. Produced between 1957 and 1973 and arranged in chronological order, they range from murder mysteries to psychological dramas with unexpected twists and turns, and feature full casts including Rolf Levebvre, Timothy West, Joan Sanderson, Frederick Treves, Betty Huntley-Wright, Margot Boyd and Eileen Derbyshire. 
 
Suspicious Mind centres on a thriller-loving old lady with a vivid imagination; while in Torment, a troubled young student claims to have committed a murder. Did it really happen, or is he just fantasising? In False Witness, a chip-shop owner finds that a murder case hangs on his identification of the perpetrator, and in Trump Card, an unhappy husband becomes infatuated with the maid and decides to take action. Murder in Mind finds beekeeper Herbert determined to stop his wife from selling their house, The Nightwatchman revolves around a mystery man admitted to hospital following an accident at a frozen food company, and The Ears of Dr Jeremy features a sharp-eared doctor who becomes concerned about the strange sounds emanating from a patient. 
 
A sensitive composer is forced to commit a terrible act in The Invader, and in Cold Storage, a man is accidentally locked in a cold store – and finds his imagination running wild. Obsessed with his prize-winning lawn, a retired stockbroker’s pride turns to paranoia in The Velvet Carpet, and in The Birthday Present, an antique paperweight sparks disturbing thoughts in the mind of a psychologist. A lecturer is murdered at a police training college in Murder is My Subject. All the witnesses are professionals – but so are all the suspects… Question of Guilt finds Peter Harris in prison for killing his landlady, but he swears he’s innocent. If he didn’t do it, who did? Three people whose close relatives had met with accidental death attend a séance in Murder Beyond. When a murder occurs, suspicion falls on each of them. And in Guardian Angel, ex-prisoner Ernie applies for a job as a security guard. Will it be his lucky day? 
 
With thanks to Keith Wickham of the Radio Circle for supplying the audio recordings. 
 
© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Philip Levene

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