The Candle of Darkness cover art

The Candle of Darkness

A Classic BBC Radio Full-Cast Thriller

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The Candle of Darkness

By: Edward Boyd
Narrated by: Douglas Murchie, Effie Morrison, Isobel Gardner, Moultrie R Kelsall, Teddy Johnson, full cast
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About this listen

Teddy Johnson stars in this atmospheric six-part radio thriller.

Korean War veteran and hip Londoner Steve Gardiner arrives in a small Scottish seaside resort, looking for his old friend Jimmy Morton. But he's picked the wrong time for a reunion. The sleepy town is being terrorised by a homicidal maniac dubbed 'the Kind Man', and panic stalks the streets.

Stepping off the train after dark, Steve is almost lynched by a terrified crowd, and at the gloomy Morton house he finds Jimmy and his father, Wilfred, behaving strangely. Then, waking in the night, he hears a voice whispering verses in his ear....

Jimmy's heard the voice too. He claims it belongs to a dead man: Francis Lennox. A local poet and his close friend, they were in the same prison camp in Korea - but only Jimmy made it home. But what really happened there, and could it be linked to the killings?

Can the Kind Man be caught before he strikes again?

First broadcast in 1954, this Chandleresque mystery was written by Edward Boyd, whose radio credits include Castles in Spain and The Same River Twice. Singer Teddy Johnson stars as Steve Gardiner, with Jimmy Logan as Jimmy Morton.

Produced by Eddie Fraser.

Cast

Steve Gardiner - Teddy Johnson

Mrs McGann - Helen Norman

Stella - Isobel Gardner

Albert - Paul Young

Railway porter - Eric Wightman

Miss Wylie - Marjorie Dalziel

PC Mackenzie - John Young

Police Sergeant/PC Robertson - Kalman Glass

Detective Inspector Gordon - Moultrie R Kelsall

Tramp/Romilly Foster - Douglas Murchie

Delia Dewar - Effie Morrison

Wilfred Morton - Leonard Maguire

Jimmy Morton - Jimmy Logan

Librarian - Leslie Blackater

Lindy Marshall - Hannah Gordon

Old lady - Jean Taylor-Smith

Drunk - Phil McCall

Bill Williams - Glenn Michael

Diana Wheeler-Sproat - Eileen McCallum

Mr Dunnsmuir - Michael Elder

Louisa Matthews - Nancy Mitchell

First broadcast BBC Home Service, 29th March - 3rd May 1954

©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Horror Suspense Thriller & Suspense Classic Horror Radio

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All stars
Most relevant  
A well written radio thriller, and good performances from the cast bring the story to life. A good way to spend a few hours.

Enjoyable thriller

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Was very listenable enjoyed it but I'm not sure I need fifteen words for this

Good easy listening

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