The Old Man in the Corner
Encyclopedia
Created by Baroness Orczy
, author of the famous Scarlet Pimpernel
series, The Old Man In the Corner was one of the earliest armchair detective
s, popping up with so many others in the wake of the huge popularity of the Sherlock Holmes
stories.
The Old Man In the Corner (U.S. edition: The Man In the Corner) is one of three books of short stories featuring Bill Owen, Orczy's armchair detective (unnamed until after 'The Mysterious Death in Percy Street'), published after The Case of Miss Elliot
; the last book in the series is Unravelled Knots
.
The Man in the Corner first appeared in The Royal Magazine
in 1901 in a series of six "Mysteries of London". The following year he returned in seven "Mysteries of Great Cities" set in large provincial centers of the British Isles. These were all narrated by Miss Polly Burton, a young journalist who related the narrative of the 'man in the corner', while eating at the Aërated Bread Company
. For the 1909 book, twelve of these mysteries were rewritten in the third person. The Glasgow Mystery (the first of "The Mysteries of Great Cities") was not reprinted until all seven were collected in Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1978).
The Old Man relies mostly upon sensationalistic "penny dreadful" newspaper accounts, with the occasional courtroom visit. He narrates all this information, while tying complicated knots in a piece of string, to a female Journalist who frequents the same tea-shop (the ABC
Teashop on the corner of Norfolk Street and the Strand
). They enjoy an antagonistic relationship, as the Journalist attempts to cut the Old Man's ego down to size and the Old Man trumps her every time.
The mysteries themselves are typical of Edwardian crime fiction, resting on a solid foundation of unhappy marriages and the inequitable division of family property. Other aspects of the time are illustrated by a murder in the London underground system; murder of a female doctor; and two cases involving artists living in "bohemian" lodgings. Another new and noteworthy feature of these cases: no one is ever brought to justice, and in fact most of the villains cannot be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The mysteries included in this volume are
Film Company in 1924, written and directed by Hugh Croise and starring Rolf Leslie as The Old Man and Renee Wakefield as journalist Mary Hatley (Polly Burton in the book). These featured mysteries from each of the three collections:
In the early 1970s Thames TV
presented The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
based on the anthologies by Hugh Greene
. The second series (1973) began with "The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway" featuring Judy Geeson
as Polly Burton.
The radio series The Teahouse Detective was broadcast on BBC Radio 4
starring Bernard Hepton
as "The Man in the Corner" and Suzanne Burdon as Polly Burton. The stories in the series were adapted for radio by Michael Butt and included:
1998
2000
Baroness Orczy
Baroness Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála "Emmuska" Orczy de Orczi was a British novelist, playwright and artist of Hungarian noble origin. She was most notable for her series of novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel...
, author of the famous Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
series, The Old Man In the Corner was one of the earliest armchair detective
Armchair detective
Armchair detective is a term used for a fictional investigator who does not personally visit a crime scene or interview witnesses; instead, he or she either reads the story of the crime in a newspaper, or has it recounted to him by another person. As the armchair detective never sees any of the...
s, popping up with so many others in the wake of the huge popularity of the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
stories.
The Old Man In the Corner (U.S. edition: The Man In the Corner) is one of three books of short stories featuring Bill Owen, Orczy's armchair detective (unnamed until after 'The Mysterious Death in Percy Street'), published after The Case of Miss Elliot
The Case of Miss Elliot
The Case of Miss Elliot was Baroness Orczy's first collection of detective stories which appeared in 1905 and featured the first of her detective characters, The Old Man In the Corner, who solves mysteries without leaving his chair....
; the last book in the series is Unravelled Knots
Unravelled Knots
Unravelled Knots, by Baroness Orczy, author of the famous Scarlet Pimpernel series, contains thirteen short stories about the Old Man in the Corner, Orzy's armchair detective who solves crimes for his own entertainment...
.
The Man in the Corner first appeared in The Royal Magazine
The Royal Magazine
The Royal Magazine was a monthly British literary magazine that was published between 1898 and 1939. Its founder and publisher was Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet....
in 1901 in a series of six "Mysteries of London". The following year he returned in seven "Mysteries of Great Cities" set in large provincial centers of the British Isles. These were all narrated by Miss Polly Burton, a young journalist who related the narrative of the 'man in the corner', while eating at the Aërated Bread Company
Aerated Bread Company
The Aerated Bread Company Ltd was founded in the United Kingdom in 1862 by Dr. John Dauglish. Its aim was to mass produce healthy, additive-free breads using a new bread leavening technology invented by the company's founder...
. For the 1909 book, twelve of these mysteries were rewritten in the third person. The Glasgow Mystery (the first of "The Mysteries of Great Cities") was not reprinted until all seven were collected in Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1978).
The Old Man relies mostly upon sensationalistic "penny dreadful" newspaper accounts, with the occasional courtroom visit. He narrates all this information, while tying complicated knots in a piece of string, to a female Journalist who frequents the same tea-shop (the ABC
Aerated Bread Company
The Aerated Bread Company Ltd was founded in the United Kingdom in 1862 by Dr. John Dauglish. Its aim was to mass produce healthy, additive-free breads using a new bread leavening technology invented by the company's founder...
Teashop on the corner of Norfolk Street and the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
). They enjoy an antagonistic relationship, as the Journalist attempts to cut the Old Man's ego down to size and the Old Man trumps her every time.
The mysteries themselves are typical of Edwardian crime fiction, resting on a solid foundation of unhappy marriages and the inequitable division of family property. Other aspects of the time are illustrated by a murder in the London underground system; murder of a female doctor; and two cases involving artists living in "bohemian" lodgings. Another new and noteworthy feature of these cases: no one is ever brought to justice, and in fact most of the villains cannot be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The mysteries included in this volume are
- The Fenchurch StreetFenchurch StreetFenchurch Street is a street in the City of London home to a number of shops, pubs and offices. It links Aldgate at its eastern end with Lombard Street and Gracechurch Street to the west. To the south of Fenchurch Street and towards its eastern end is Fenchurch Street railway station...
Mystery - The Robbery in Phillimore Terrace
- The York Mystery
- The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway
- The Liverpool Mystery
- The Edinburgh Mystery
- The Theft at the English Provident Bank
- The Dublin Mystery
- An Unparalleled Outrage (The Brighton Mystery)
- The Regent's ParkRegent's ParkRegent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
Murder - The De Genneville Peerage (The Birmingham Mystery)
- The Mysterious Death in Percy Street
Film and other media
The Old Man in the Corner was featured in a series of twelve British two-reel silent films, made by the StollOswald Stoll
Sir Oswald Stoll was an Australian-born British theatre manager and the co-founder of the Stoll Moss Group theatre company...
Film Company in 1924, written and directed by Hugh Croise and starring Rolf Leslie as The Old Man and Renee Wakefield as journalist Mary Hatley (Polly Burton in the book). These featured mysteries from each of the three collections:
- The Affair at the Novelty Theatre
- The Brighton Mystery
- The Hocussing of Cigarette
- The Kensington Mystery (?)
- The Mystery of Brudenell Court
- The Mystery of Dogstooth Cliff
- The Mystery of the Khaki Tunic
- The Northern Mystery (?)
- The Regent's Park Mystery
- The Tragedy at Barnsdale Manor
- The Tremarne Case
- The York Mystery
In the early 1970s Thames TV
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
presented The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (television series)
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes is a British television series that was co-produced by Thames Television and originally broadcast on the ITV Network...
based on the anthologies by Hugh Greene
Hugh Greene
Sir Hugh Carleton Greene KCMG, OBE was a British journalist and television executive. He was the Director-General of the BBC from 1960―1969, and is generally credited with modernising an organisation that had fallen behind in the wake of the launch of ITV in 1955.-Early life and work:Hugh was born...
. The second series (1973) began with "The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway" featuring Judy Geeson
Judy Geeson
Judith Amanda "Judy" Geeson is an English actor.-Early life:Geeson was born in Arundel, Sussex, England on 10 September 1948. She came from a middle class family; her father edited the National Coal Board magazine. Her sister, Sally Geeson, is also an actress and is known for her roles in British...
as Polly Burton.
The radio series The Teahouse Detective was broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
starring Bernard Hepton
Bernard Hepton
Bernard Hepton is a British actor of stage, film and television.Hepton is known as a particularly versatile character actor. He trained at Bradford Civic Theatre school under Esme Church along with actors such as Robert Stephens...
as "The Man in the Corner" and Suzanne Burdon as Polly Burton. The stories in the series were adapted for radio by Michael Butt and included:
1998
- The Metropolitan Line Murder (The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway)
- The York Murder
- The Body in the Barge (The Fenchurch Street Mystery)
- The De Genneville Peerage
2000
- The Dublin Mystery
- The Edinburgh Mystery
- The Brighton Mystery
- The London Mystery (The Regent's Park Murder)