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Ellery Queen Mysteries (2010)

Jim Hutton , David Wayne , David Greene  |  NR |  DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (236 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Jim Hutton, David Wayne, Tom Reese, John Hillerman, Nina Roman
  • Directors: David Greene
  • Format: Box set, Color, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (Mono)
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 6
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Entertainment One
  • DVD Release Date: September 28, 2010
  • Run Time: 1176 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (236 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B003RHZ6CK
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,689 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "Ellery Queen Mysteries" on IMDb

Special Features

Series pilot "Too Many Suspects,” Ellery Queen interview with co-creator William Link, collectible booklet with essays and episode summaries

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The case of the missing TV series has finally been cracked, but why Ellery Queen lasted only one season (1975-76) and fell into obscurity is a real mystery. Based on the evidence in this six-disc set, this loving homage to the classic murder mystery created by Richard Levinson and William Link was, like their Columbo and Murder, She Wrote, nonviolent and intelligent television of the first order. Set in the 1940s, Ellery Queen stars boyishly charming Jim Hutton, one of the screen's most likable leading men, as the famed mystery writer and sleuth who helps his father, Inspector Richard Queen (David Wayne), solve the most baffling of cases. The pleasures this series affords are anything but guilty. Each intriguing episode begins with the preview of a murder, a roundup of the suspects (Was it the jealous wife? The dictatorial director?), and an irresistible challenge to viewers to "match wits with Ellery Queen and see if you can guess whodunit." Before revealing the killer, Ellery breaks the fourth wall to ask if we amateur sleuths at home have the mystery figured out, offering last-minute clues such as, "Once you figure out how, you'll know who." As with Burke's Law, each episode of Ellery Queen is packed with enough Hollywood legends, venerable character actors, and TV faves to fill The Love Boat. "The Adventure of Veronica's Veils" features George Burns as the victim ("I didn't die of natural causes," he announces via a filmed presentation following his demise), William Demarest, Don Porter, comedian Jack Carter, Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie), and John Hillerman in his recurring role as radio detective Simon Brimmer, forever trying to one-up Queen. Queen himself makes it a point "to be observant and pay attention to details," particularly for that "dying clue which makes absolutely no sense." You'd be advised to do the same. The intricately plotted stories turn on the most arcane of clues and circumstances, as in the pilot episode "Too Many Suspects," in which solving a fashion designer's murder hinges on the reenactment of a TV news broadcast (maybe that explains the one-season run). An interview with Link, not very lively, but interesting, is included as a bonus feature. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

From the creators of Columbo and Murder, She Wrote… Match wits with Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton) in all 22 digitally restored, uncut and unedited episodes of this classic NBC series following the exploits of the famed writer as he assists his father, Inspector Richard Queen (David Wayne), in solving the mysteries that baffle the New York City police force.

Guest Stars include: Don Ameche, Dana Andrews, Tom Bosley, George Burns, Joan Collins, Troy Donahue, Anne Francis, Eva Gabor, Larry Hagman, June Lockhart, Robert Loggia, Roddy McDowall, Ed McMahon, Sal Mineo, Donald O'Connor, Dean Stockwell, Dick Van Patten, Vincent Price, Cesar Romero, Betty White, and many more!


Customer Reviews

David Wayne and Jim Hutton are perfect as Detective Richard Queen and Ellery Queen. Cylb  |  53 reviewers made a similar statement
I still find myself wondering who I really like better. William J. Irvin  |  43 reviewers made a similar statement
This is a very nice box set and well worth adding to your collection. Dennis R. Engle  |  32 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
369 of 382 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Put On Your Thinking Hats, Friends! June 15, 2010
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The 1975 Cult-Classic TV whodunit Ellery Queen starring the brilliant Jim Hutton is finally being released on DVD in its entirety, thanks to E1 Entertainment.

The series was based on the popular classic Ellery Queen mystery books from the 1930's. The show lasted only one season on NBC, but has remained a fan favorite.

Set in the post-WWII 1947, the show closely followed the format of the Ellery Queen mystery novels, which carefully laid out the clues before the reader/audience and invited them to attempt to solve the mystery before Ellery Queen presented the solution.

The show premiered March 23, 1975 with a telepilot, "Too Many Suspects," which was adapted from the book, The Fourth Side of the Triangle. Beloved veteran character actor, David Wayne, portrayed Ellery's crusty but loveable father, Inspector Richard Queen throughout the series. Wayne perfectly delivered folksy dialog ostensibly from the 1940's like, "Why don't we cut all the banana oil?"

Hutton (the father of actor Timothy Hutton) played Ellery to perfection, blending absent-minded goofiness with genuine emotional depth and boyish charm. Together, he and Wayne had the perfect on-screen chemistry, creating an authentic charm that remains undiminished after all of these years.

In all, 22 fun one-hour episodes followed beginning on Sept. 11, 1975, the last show airing on April 4, 1976.

In the early Queen books, just prior to the presentation of the solution to the mystery, a "Challenge To The Reader" was issued during which the suspects and clues were reviewed and the reader challenged to guess the solution to the crime.

This tradition was preserved in the series, when Hutton as Ellery turns from the scene to the camera and speaks directly to viewers. This occurs prior to the commercial break that led into the final act. Ellery provides a brief recap, then invites the audience to add up the clues, and to identify the guilty party.

The final act always employed the time-honored detective cliché of calling all of the suspects together (it was made famous by Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, who often gathered the crowd in together in the drawing room) with Ellery presenting the solution to the group, frequently upstaging and skewering the solution proposed by whichever rival sleuth was also in the episode.

Rounding out the cast was John Hillerman, who portrayed Radio Mystery Master, Simon Brimmer. Brimmer constantly tried to upstage the Inspector and also embarrass Ellery by solving the crime first -- and he always failed.

In addition, Ken Swofford portrayed yellow journalist Frank Flannigan; Tom Reese, as the stalwart and stone-face Lt. Thomas Velie, the Inspector's right-hand man; and Nina Roman, who portrayed the Inspector's secretary, Grace, in seven episodes.

The show as also known for its clever opening montage, in which an announcer relays that this so-and-so is about to be murdered. Who is guilty? Is it ...? Next, each suspect (guest star) is shown in a brief clip, speaking a short humorous phrase. It ends with, "Match wits with Ellery Queen and see if you can guess whodunit!"

The series was created by the writing/producing team of Richard Levinson and William Link, who also created the Classic TV mystery/police shows Mannix, Columbo and Murder, She Wrote.

"Too Many Suspects," the pilot episode, IS included in this six-disc complete series boxed set entitiled: "Ellery Queen Mysteries." The other 22 episodes included are: The Adventure of Auld Lang Syne; The Adventure of the Lover's Leap; The Adventure of the Chinese Dog; The Adventure of the Comic Book Crusader; The Adventure of the 12th Floor Express; The Adventure of Miss Aggie's Farewell Performance; The Adventure of Colonel Niven's Memoirs; The Adventure of the Mad Tea Party; The Adventure of Veronica's Veils; The Adventure of the Pharaoh's Curse; The Adventure of the Blunt Instrument; The Adventure of the Black Falcon; The Adventure of the Sunday Punch; The Adventure of the Eccentric Engineer; The Adventure of the Wary Witness; The Adventure of the Judas Tree; The Adventure of the Sinister Scenario; The Adventure of the Two-Faced Woman; The Adventure of the Tyrant of Tin Pan Alley; The Adventure of Caesar's Last Sleep; The Adventure of the Hard-Hearted Huckster; and The Adventure of the Disappearing Dagger.

In addition to these fabulous episodes, which have been completely remastered, E1 Entertainment has included a special collector's book in the set.

Guest stars truly included the cream of 1970's acting talent on the small and big screens, including: Kim Hunter, Ray Milland, Tim O'Connor, Gail Strickland, Joan Collins, David Doyle, Ray Walston, Anne Francis, Don Ameche, Susan Strasberg, Orson Bean, Dee Wallace, Lynda Day George, Tom Bosley, Pat Harrington Jr., Eve Arden, Bert Parks, Betty White, Robbert Loggia, Rene Auberjonois, Pernell Roberts, Jim Backus, Larry Hagman, George Burns, Hayden Rorke, June Lockhart, John Larroquette, Eva Gabor, Dean Stockwell, Tab Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Susan Stafford, William Schallert, Robert Alda, Arthur Godfrey, Ed McMahon, Bobby Sherman, Dick Van Patten, Tricia O'Neil, Cesar Romero, Dick Sargent, Bill Dana, Diana Muldaur, Noah Beery Jr., Troy Donahue, Vincent Price, James Sikking, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Edward Mulhare, Vera Miles, Victor Buono, Polly Bergen, Ken Berry, Norman Fell, Edward Albert, Kevin Tighe, Bibi Besch, Bob Crane, Juliet Mills, Gary Burghoff, Ronny Cox, and Walter Pidgeon.

(Important FYI: Here's a quick word about the "real" Ellery Queen in the literary world. "Ellery Queen" is actually the pseudonym used by two cousins, Frederick Dannay and Manfred B. Lee to write detective fiction. Some of the later Ellery Queen novels were ghost-written by Theodore Sturgeon, Jack Vance, and other prominent writers.

In their successful series of novels, Ellery Queen is not only the name of the author, but also the detective-hero of the stories. The writing team also wrote four novels under the name of Barnaby Ross about a Shakespearian actor/detective named Drury Lane. These novels were later reiussed under the Ellery Queen byline.

For a while in the 1930s "Ellery Queen" and "Barnaby Ross" staged a series of public debates in which one cousin impersonated Queen and the other impersonated Ross.

The early Queen novels encouraged the reader to attempt to solve the puzzle, with an explicit note in the text when the reader had all the necessary information.

There were many paperback novels written by "Ellery Queen" in the 1960s that did not feature the detective Ellery Queen. For instance, three novels featuring the governor's "troubleshooter" Mike McCall - The Campus Murders (1969, written by Gil Brewer); The Black Hearts Murder (1970, written by Richard Deming); and The Blue Movie Murders (1972, written by Edward D. Hoch) -- were published under the "Ellery Queen" byline. Jack Vance also wrote four of these book.)
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117 of 125 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The writing team of Manfred B. Lee and Frederic Dannay, were cousins who collaborated together, and under the pseudonym "Ellery Queen", produced mystery novels featuring a detective of the same name. Their first novel featuring Ellery Queen, was published in 1929, and the detective would be featured in books for the next forty years.

Running just one season, the television series Ellery Queen Mysteries (1975-76) was based on the fictional detective, and was produced by William Link and Richard Levinson, the same team responsible for Columbo, and later Murder She Wrote. The series was set in New York sometime after the end of World War II, and opened with a provocative introduction and Elmer Bernstein's catchy theme.

The casting was simply stellar, as Jim Hutton (The Green Berets) and David Wayne in the lead roles, had wonderful chemistry together. Hutton was marvelous as Ellery Queen, a writer of mystery novels, with some odd personality quirks. Ellery shared an apartment with his father Inspector Richard Queen (Wayne), the NYPD's chief of detectives. It was through this connection, that the younger Queen often became involved in bizarre and challenging cases, mostly involving the upper crust of society. The cast also included Queen's muscular right hand man, Sergeant Velie (Tom Reese). Ken Swofford was slick reporter Frank Flanagan. And a pre-Magnum P.I. John Hillerman was the uppity detective Simon Brimmer, host of the radio program The Casebook Of Simon Brimmer, who often attempted to match wits with Ellery.

Dannay's and Lee's intricate mysteries were typically set in the times they were written, and the character evolved through the decades. A device found in the early novels was the "reader challenge", where at a certain point, the reader was informed that all the necessary clues to solve the mystery had been provided, and the reader was invited to solve the case, before Ellery revealed the solution. This same device was made a part of the Ellery Queen radio dramas in the 1940's, and then also carried over to the television series, as Jim Hutton would break character, and looking straight into the camera, review key points and ask the audience if they knew the solution to the case.

The series pilot "Too Many Suspects" (included in the set), did well enough to justify greenlighting the series in the fall of 1975. Well-written and produced with the Levinson and Link touch, the Ellery Queen Mysteries is great fun for lovers of classic whodunits. The relationship between the two Queens is a key element, and David Wayne plays a great straight man to his eccentric and absent minded son. The stories are compelling, and the presence of Frank Flanagan, and the snooty Simon Brimmer, adds some humor, and helps to keep things lively. Originally a look back some thirty-five years to the 1940's, the series is now even more of a period piece in 2010. Like many mystery dramas, it is a showcase for a multitude of well known stars of the era, including Vincent Price, Vera Miles, Ray Milland, Carolyn Jones, Howard Duff, Ida Lupino, George Burns, June Lockhart, Jim Backus, Eva Gabor, Bob Crane, Troy Donahue, Joan Collins, Dana Andrews, Kim Hunter, John Dehner, Lloyd Bochner, Ken Berry, Stuart Whitman, and Ed McMahon, just to name a few.

Still fondly remembered by fans, this official release will introduce Ellery Queen to a whole new generation, some who may even be encouraged to explore the original novels. Jim Hutton, was a very talented actor, who somehow never landed the leading roles he probably should have. At six foot five, and with a likeable onscreen persona, he was often cast in supporting roles. Hutton the father of actor Timothy Hutton, passed away from cancer in 1979, at the age of 45. Highly recommended to mystery and detective story lovers, The Ellery Queen Mysteries provides an opportunity to see this gifted performer, doing some of his best work.
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103 of 119 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Its about time! June 23, 2010
Format:DVD
Arguably one of the best whodunit series ever put on television, Ellery Queen with Jim Hutton and David Wayne has only been available via fair to middling quality bootlegs for years. I'm glad to see Universal has finally come to their collective senses and finally released this gem of a TV show.

Created by the same team responsible for other quality mystery series like Columbo and Murder She Wrote, Ellery Queen features top flight casts and equally entertaining plots.

Can't wait for 9/28. Pre-Order is on the way.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT * FUN * MIND CHALLENGING *
You must be sharp to get all the clues. Would have liked to had more seasons of this Great Show.
Published 4 days ago by tink
5.0 out of 5 stars Jim Hutton is great!
The Ellery Queen mysteries are the best - not showing gruesome scenes and then adding that natural charm that Jim Hutton oozes with. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Jo
5.0 out of 5 stars Ellery Queen Mysteries
Ellery Queen Mysteries I have read and enjoyed the books and watched the series on TV, Both were excellent. Well done.
Published 10 days ago by Ellen Spain
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Watch it all the time. Old time who donnits. Easy viewing with the kids. Not to worry t and a.
Published 16 days ago by Jim Lorentzen
4.0 out of 5 stars Old but fun
The DVD quality is fine and it is pretty easy to get to the menu quickly.

The show is old and the episodes rather slow, but I enjoy most of them. Read more
Published 20 days ago by J. Burt
1.0 out of 5 stars Won't download to the device
Have not been able to get it to download to my kindle so I am not a fan It was a total waste of money
Published 1 month ago by joni
5.0 out of 5 stars Jim Hutton is the best!
Jim Hutton is the best Ellery Queen ever! This is what TV could be like today, if we didn't let teenagers run the world!
Published 1 month ago by Terri Myers
5.0 out of 5 stars This goes on to the shelf next to the Nero Wolfe DVDs
These are great looking, my copies were VCRs with the station info in them. I'm so glad to have clean, complete copies. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Marcus A. Tillman
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Enjoyed the set, good quality! If you liked the series it's great to have it all to watch at one time.
Published 1 month ago by mysteryfan
5.0 out of 5 stars Ellery Wueen Mysteries
even tho this is an older show andthe acting is not greatest in the world, I love this show. I can almost figure out who done it and still miss. Read more
Published 1 month ago by kay smith
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