Man of Mystery

[Jay Bass]

Hi
i Remember Man Of mystery Being the Theme tune to
The edgar wallace Mysteries. 1960's
Written by Michael carr (Kon tiki, South of the border)
i dont think it was the shadows version used as the opening theme?
i have a feeling it was Bert Weedons Version .
does anybody have anymore info?

regards
Jay

[George Geddes]

Pretty sure it wasn't the Shads - or Bert Weedon for that matter.

George

[strongbow]

Believe it was Norrie Paramor.

[stratmantd]

It definitely wasn't The Shads or Bert Weedon. Hard to find out who it was as the only reference I can find naming a band is on Wiki where they say it was the Shads. If anyone has a recording it would be interesting to hear again so that we might be able to work it out (if a recognisable player) from the style of playing. I'm sure that someone can resolve this mystery.

[d jones]

Hi all i've not heard the theme tune so i'am not saying it is but i have a version of mom by Chet Atkins which for all the world could be mistaken for Bert Weedon!

Dave

[Squier Ken]

This is from www.imdb.com:

Did The Group 'The Shadows' Record the Theme Tune?
Yes they did, it was a top ten hit called 'Man Of Mystery'. However this was not the version used in the series as is widely thought today. The several versions used in the series were created by the show's musical team.

All we need to do now is find out who was on the show's musical team!!!

Ken

[JimN]

I have a recording of the version used in the film series. It was credited to the Bernard Ebbinghouse Orchestra (which should not be taken as meaning that the whole orchestra was on it).

By the way, would it be possible to lay to rest the old chestnut about the "Man Of Mystery" series having been made for television? It was not! The films were shown as second features on the ABC circuit, though they were later shown as cheap time-filler material on some of the old ITV stations. As a matter of fact, I remember seeing one of the series as part of the supporting programme for "The Young Ones" in early 1962. This was at the old Majestic Cinema at (what used to be) the junction of London Road, Prescot Street, Moss Street, Daulby Street and Boundary Place in Liverpool. Boundary Place was later obliterated from the map.

I saw most of the Cliff / Shadows films (including "Rhythm And Greens") for the first time at the Majestic. "Finders Keepers" was a Gaumont-chain release.

JN

[Bruce Cramley]

I found this version of Man of Mystery on Youtube, purportedly Bert Weedon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fgMh4V52ko

There was a different version played as the backing to the "Edgar Wallace - Marriage of Convenience", it was on Youtube a couple of years ago but it has been removed.

bruce, Sydney

[David Martin]

I remember hearing this exactly as Jim suggests... at a cinema as the intro to the B film...

But my recollection is that, although it sounded like The Shadows (i.e. Stratty and full of echo) it was played at 25% of the speed of The Shads track...

[JimN]

That version of Michael Carr's Man Of Mystery (referenced on YouTube) by Bert Weedon certainly isn't anything to do with the film series. That one (I'm fairly sure) is from the best-selling album of cover versions that Bert did in the mid-seventies (the sleeve i shown in the accompanying video). It was made as a cover of The Shadows' version, whereas the Bernard Ebbinghouse recording made for the films was very probably made some time before the Shadows record was cut in 1960.

There is a certain amount of information at:

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ask-film-question/22546-edgar-wallace-film-series.html and

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/film-music/2346-edgar-wallace-mysteries.html#post16023

JN