INTERPOL CALLING

Full Name:	Paul Duval
Series Name:	Interpol Calling
Nationality:	Unknown
Organization:	Interpol
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Leonard Fincham
Time Span:	1959 - 1960

ABOUT THE SERIES

Paul Duval is an agent with Interpol.

Each of the over three dozen recorded adventures start with the same explanation given us by the narrator: "Crime knows no frontiers. To combat the growing menace of the international criminal, the police forces of the world have opened up their own national boundaries. At their headquarters in Paris, scientifically equipped to match the speed of the jet age, sixty-three nations have linked together to form the International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL!"

While that organization has a large number of operatives on its staff, the adventures we are shown all detail the activities of Inspector Paul Duval, assisted ably by his friend and partner, Inspector Mornay. While Mornay is an important part of each mission, there is no doubt that the senior partner is Duval.

The description for this series of televised adventures shown on IMDB is very informative: "When Interpol's Inspector Paul Duval is on the case, international criminals are on the run. Tracking his targets from searing sand dunes near the equator to icy peaks at the ends of the earth, the unstoppable investigator risks his life daily in a global race against time. He has the persistence of Columbo and the style of Holmes and not even the most elusive fugitive can hide when he is on the case....."

Duval is obviously a police officer at heart, he just has a much larger patch to 'patrol' than normal. Each assignment is likely to take him to any of the large number of member nations. This highly experience and dedicated official is likely in his late 40s or early 50s. If the man has any family or homelife, we never get any indication as he seems to be constantly either in his Paris headquarters office or on the road. While no one would ever use the word handsome in describing this crag-faced individual, Duval does project an aura of determination and grit.

TELEVISION


Number of Episodes:	39
First Appearance:	1959
Last Appearance:	1960
Network:	ITV

REGULAR CAST
Charles Korvin	Paul Duval [ 1 ]
Edwin Richfield	Jean Mornay [ 1 ]

Produced by the Rank Organization for airing on the British ITV network, this series of 39 episodes, each black & white broadcast lasting 30 minutes, depicted cases supposedly based on true events.

Note: the dates and plots are taken from the Wikipedia entry on this series.


1	The Angola Brights Episode S1-1, first aired 09/14/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Larry Forrester When eight men are killed in an Angolan diamond mine to cover the theft of uncut diamonds the trail leads to South Africa, a non-Interpol country requiring local help to catch the killer.

2	The Thirteen Innocents Episode S1-2, first aired 09/21/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: David Chantler A trading company in Istanbul is a cover for opium smuggling to Vienna but when Duval finds the couriers are racing Pigeons, how can he track them?

3	The Money Game Episode S1-3, first aired 09/28/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Lewis Davidson A journalist is tricked into reporting the false death of a financier throwing the world stock markets into turmoil. When the journalist is murdered Duval follows the money to find the killer.

4	The Sleeping Giant Episode S1-4, first aired 10/05/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Larry Forrester A huge unexploded world war two bomb lies at the base of a Scottish dam and the bomb disposal team need information on how to defuse the bomb. Duval has to locate a Nazi war criminal who helped to build the bomb and the trail leads to a whaling fleet in the south Atlantic.

5	The Two-Headed Monster Episode S1-5, first aired 10/12/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: David Chantler A ruthless racketeer is deported, on completion of a prison term, from New York to his home near Naples and continues his protection racket against the local wine growers. Bringing in other notorious gangsters from Spain, France, and Germany brings him to the attention of Interpol.

6	The Long Weekend Episode S1-6, first aired 10/19/1959 Director: Charles Frend Writer: David Chantler Duval's weekend is spoiled when a murdered seaman is washed up off the English coast when he was reported missing overboard in the Mediterranean Sea near Marseilles 2000 miles away seven days previously. Duval and Mornay solve the crime without leaving Interpol headquarters in Paris.

7	You Can't Die Twice Episode S1-7, first aired 10/26/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Barbara Hammer, Leonard Fincham A seaman accidentally killed in New York has the identity of a man shot dead in Hamburg. Duval investigates concentration camp refugees and a brutal people smuggling operation. Duval employs an undercover policeman to infiltrate the gang from refugee camp to New York.

8	Diamond S.O.S. Episode S1-8, first aired 11/02/1959 Director: Charles Frend Writers: Tony O'Grady, Leonard Fincham A girl posing as well known celebrities to steal from jewellers all over Europe fools Duval twice, to the amusement of Mornay, when he thinks he is about to arrest her. Duval's only clue is the couture dresses she has left behind.

9	Private View Episode S1-9, first aired 11/09/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Robert Stewart Six old master's paintings are stolen from a secure private collection in London and the main suspect is a Swedish art dealer. Duval is called to London and his investigation leads to a refugee and his artist daughter, a Camera obscura, a commission to supply paintings for a ship but the main suspect has already left for New York with six paintings.

10	Dead on Arrival Episode S1-10, first aired 11/16/1959 Director: Max Varnel Writers: Max Marquis, Phillip Chambers A NATO courier is found dead on the Istanbul-Paris express. Duval puts his life on the line when he retraces the exact movements of the courier and discovers the courier had met a Paris vice madam whose boyfriend is a notorious Istanbul killer needing to get to Paris to kill a witness in a vice trial.

11	Air Switch Episode S1-11, first aired 11/23/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Gil Winfield, Leonard Fincham Tetracycline is being switched for water in transit from the American manufactures and the World Health Organisation depot in Sweden and almost immediately sold on to third world countries. Duval enlists the police of the countries the shipment passes through to discover where the switch takes place.

12	The Chinese Mask Episode S1-12, first aired 12/07/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Lewis Davidson When an airliner is hijacked and landed on a disused wartime airstrip in Burma and its cargo of platinum stolen, the trail leads to Hong Kong and a mysterious Chinese man with many identities who seems to have been killed fleeing the police.

13	Slave Ship Episode S1-13, first aired 12/14/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Gil Winfield, Geoffrey Orme,, Edwin Richfield When a sinking dhow is brought into Mombasa, Kenya, by the Royal Navy, with 16 locals, 14 dead from the plague and 2 shot dead, Duval investigates the slave trade of pilgrims from Mombasa to Mecca, who end up in the slave markets of Oman.

14	The Man's a Clown Episode S1-14, first aired 12/21/1959 Director: Charles Frend Writer: Robert Stewart Counterfeit dollars are turning up all over Europe and Duval's plan to go to Rome and act as a buyer to flush out the forger goes wrong, but a clue leads to convent school and a clown in a travelling circus.

15	Last Man Lucky Episode S1-15, first aired 12/28/1959 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Neville Dasey A gang member is killed by his colleagues in Paris and dumped in the Seine has among his papers a list with initials and dates of four murders throughout Europe. Duval suspects a Murder Incorporated gang and there is a fifth initial and date of a murder yet to be committed.

16	No Flowers for Onno Episode S1-16, first aired 01/04/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Robert Stewart An English writer is murdered in Amsterdam and his notes, regarding the S.S. wartime execution of a Dutch resistance hero and a British army major delivering 300,000 guilders to the resistance, are stolen. Duval follows the end of war records of money being exchanged for new currency to a thriving business with offices in Holland and Germany run by the S.S. officer who carried out the execution.

17	Mr George Episode S1-17, first aired 01/11/1960 Director: Charles Frend Writer: David Chantler Mr George' is a clever firebug blackmailing a London insurance company by burning down a Hamburg warehouse. Duval urges the insurance company to pay up knowing George would have difficulty changing hot money even in non-Interpol countries forcing him to use the black market in Tangiers where he can lay a trap.

18	The Thousand Mile Alibi Episode S1-18, first aired 01/18/1960 Director: George Pollock Writers: John Kruse, Leonard Fincham When a woman is murdered in Paris and the suspect is being chased across Europe. Duval believes the husband has the greatest motive but he is taking part in the Mille Miglia, a one thousand mile endurance race in Italy, with his brother witnessed by thousands of spectators.

19	Act of Piracy Episode S1-19, first aired 01/25/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Edwin Richfield, John Kruse A phoney U.S. patrol boat intercepts a Danish cargo ship in the Caribbean and steal a million dollars of platinum killing the crew. Duval's investigations via Mexico City leads to Andros in the Bahamas and an ex wartime patrol boat and its owner but he has never left the island and the patrol boat was wrecked three months before.

20	Game for Three Hands Episode S1-20, first aired 02/01/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Robert Stewart At an Interpol conference in Montreal Duval spots a man he suspects is a wife strangler that escaped from him twenty years ago when he was a young detective in Paris. The murderer had a tattoo on his right forearm but the suspect has a false metal right arm in place of his own arm lost when he was a lumberjack.

21	The Collector Episode S1-21, first aired 02/08/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Wilton Schiller, David Chantler Small time businessmen, shopkeepers, and pedlars all Sicilians throughout the world have been holding money for an American gangster and when he dies they feel safe to start spending the money. They reckon without 'The Collector', an associate of the gangster who has killed in New York, Rome, and Paris when they cannot pay what they owe.

22	The Heiress Episode S1-22, first aired 02/15/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Leonard Fincham, David Chntler The father of an heiress asks Duval to intervene when his daughter falls under the charms of man known to Interpol for living by his wits and off wealthy women, but no crime has been committed. Duval discovers the man's first wife died in a car accident and his second was nearly killed in another car accident.

23	Payment in Advance Episode S1-23, first aired 02/22/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Larry Forrester Schroder, a Nazi, has to be released from prison after ten years when the man he had supposed to have murdered turns up in hospital badly injured after escaping from East Germany where he had been a prisoner. Schroder who hates the man feels he can kill him because he has already paid the price.

24	Finger of Guilt Episode S1-24, first aired 03/07/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writers: Robert Stewart, Tom Hutchinson , Ernie Player Fingerprints found on a safe at a robbery in Amsterdam belong to Irish safecracker Sash Moran but he is in a London prison awaiting release. Moran knows how his fingerprints got there and heads to Amsterdam under Duvals nose to pull off the biggest robbery ever from a diamond house.

25	The Girl with Grey Hair Episode S1-25, first aired 03/14/1960 Director: Charles Frend Writers: Leonard Fincham, Michael Hankinson,, Robert Stewart After reports of his suicide in Italy, the price of paintings by artist Hugo Ballard begin to soar. So why at an auction in Paris would his widow Anita slash one of her husband's paintings, 'The Girl with Grey Hair', with a knife claiming it to be fake. Duval goes to Italy to search for the girl in the painting at a village near the place the artist died.

26	Trial at Cranby's Creek Episode S1-26, first aired 03/21/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Larry Forrester Duval goes to the Western Australian outback to a small town to collect a prisoner wanted for murder in Belgium only to find he is on trial in a 'kangaroo court' for shooting the local police trooper in the back.

27	Ascent to Murder Episode S1-27, first aired 03/28/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writer: Larry Forrester Duval is in a Northern Kashmir mountain hotel at the request of the US Treasury to interview Clyde, a financier whose companies have gone bust in America and Europe. Duval is nearly killed by a booby trap meant for Clyde and has a hotel of suspects.

28	Slow Boat to Amsterdam Episode S1-28, first aired 04/04/1960 Director: Bill Lewthwaite Writer: Lindsay Galloway Duval's car breaks down in a small canalside village in Northern France and when a piece of platinum is found on the body fished out of the canal Inspector Duval links a diamond robbery in the South of France and the canals of France Belgium and Holland.

29	White Blackmail Episode S1-29, first aired 04/11/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writer: Robert Stewart A possible organised blackmail racket in a Swiss ski resort is uncovered when two wealthy businessmen commit suicide. Posing as wealthy banker Duval arrives in Switzerland and is befriended by a British girl giving him his first lead until she is murdered.

30	A Foreign Body Episode S1-30, first aired 04/18/1960 Director: Norman Harrison Writer: Robert Stewart When the London police find the body of a French girl in the boot of an impounded American car Interpol is called in. Although everything points to car owner, American, Ben Stack as the murderer Duval is not convinced and he discovers the girl was a nightclub hostess and the owner was deported from America on vice charges.

31	In the Swim Episode S1-31, first aired 04/25/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writers: Robert Stewart, Connery Chappell Lars Lukas, a Finnish cross channel swimmer is shot dead when he comes ashore in England and his last words lead Duval to the swimmer's trainer who regularly travels between France and England following his swimmers by boat. Duval discovers drugs but how and to who are they being transferred. John Horsley, Dorinda Stevens, and Jack Lambert.

32	The Three Keys Episode S1-32, first aired 05/02/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writers: Robert Stewart, Connery Chappell, Paul Erickson A forger thinks he has the perfect plan when he substitutes his forgeries for payroll cash in safes in Barcelona and Zurich but Duval links the safes to a London company and an employee who has left with ill health.

33	Eight Days Inclusive Episode S1-33, first aired 05/09/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writer: Robert Stewart A Paris jewel robbery is linked to four others throughout Europe and then another in Geneva when one of the robbers is shot and wounded and a dropped glove gives Duval a clue to an eight-day coach tour.

34	Dressed to Kill Episode S1-34, first aired 05/16/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writers: David Chantler, Robert Stewart By tricking a seamstress of a Paris fashion house an American photographer plots to steal designer Bernarde's new collection. Bernarde asks his friend Duval to assist him in protecting his designs and Duval installs a private investigator as a model.

35	Cargo of Death Episode S1-35, first aired 05/23/1960 Director: Pennington Richards Writers: Michael Connor, Leonard Fincham Thieves steal a consignment of live cholera vaccine from Chandra Laboratories of Karachi. It is enough to infect 50,000 people and start an epidemic. Duval flies to Delhi, when deaths occur in Bengal, and to the distributors of an American cholera vaccine to account for their stocks.

36	Desert Hijack Episode S1-36, first aired 05/30/1960 Director: Jeremy Summers Writers: Robert Stewart, Harold Orton Duval investigates raids on Foreign Legion arms trucks in North Africa and sold to the local rebels. The main Interpol suspect was killed a few weeks earlier in Marseilles but Duval is not convinced he is dead.

37	Pipeline Episode S1-37, first aired 06/06/1960 Director: David MacDonald Writer: Larry Forrester Duval arrives in the middle of a South American state's civil war to pick up an American oil technician wanted for murder. Duval has to travel to a remote pumping station only to find his man alone struggling to stop the pumps exploding and polluting a river.

38	The Absent Assassin Episode S1-38, first aired 06/13/1960 Director: Robert Lynn Writer: Larry Forrester Four international judges from the Nuremberg war trials receive death threats and when the first is killed by a radio controlled bomb in New York Duval heads to Spandau prison and discovers a Nazi war criminal with expertise in boobytraps has recently been released.

39	Checkmate Episode S1-39, first aired 06/20/1960 Director: Bill Lewthwaite Writer: Sam Neuman Using his girlfriend as a distraction David Baker robs and kills two security guards in Tel Aviv and they flee to Madrid because Spain has no extradition treaty with Israel and are untouchable. Duval makes it impossible for Baker to exchange the stolen money and devises a plan to force him out of Spain.

MY COMMENTS

The shows were first broadcast only in the UK and I was only 7 at the time so I never saw them then and would not have been interested if I had the chance. Now many years later, I was pleased to find them available streaming; unfortunately, after the first couple, I felt I had seen enough and did not spend any more time with Inspector Duval. I may some day but ... probably not.

The fact that the producers did not get the opportunity to continue the show past the initial year shows me that others had the same ho-hum attitude as I would decades later.

GRADE

My Grade: B-

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