This 30-minute British television series, broadcast over six Saturday nights, has the distinction of being the first thriller serial aired by the BBC.
The Broken Horseshoe featured John Robinson (who would go on to star as Professor Bernard Quatermass in Quatermass II) as public-spirited doctor Mark Fenton, who becomes reluctantly involved with a horse-doping gang when he gives shelter to young Della Freeman (Barbara Lott) who is a witness to a murder carried out by the syndicate.
The mystery starts when a man called Charles Constance (Michael Yannis) is knocked down by a car, taken to one of London’s hospitals, and operated on by Fenton.
As was common in those days the episodes went out live and no telerecording was made. The following year a film was made based on the series starring Robert Beatty.
Mark Fenton
John Robinson Inspector George Bellamy
John Byron Dr Duncan Craig
Andrew Crawford Felix Galegos
Robert Adair Sister Rogers
Elizabeth Maude Della Freeman
Barbara Lott Jackie Leroy
Daphne Maddox Superintendent Crayson
Tristan Rawson Charles Constance
Michael Yannis
Episodes
Mr Constance | Mr Felix Galegos | Miss Jackie Leroy | Mr Ernest Carrel | Mr Mark Fenton | Operation Horseshoe
