Hercule Poirot

 

 

"It is the brain, the little gray cells on which one must rely.

One must seek the truth within - not without."

 

Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters: he appeared in 39 novels and 50 short stories.

He finds English habits and humour incomprehensible. However, Poirot has an excellent command of the English language and at times uses his "foreignness" as an advantage. The Belgian detective states the greatest tool for crime solving is the mind, thanks to the "little grey cells". He prefers to sit quietly and think when he solves crimes, for he believes all crimes are psychological and having clues is not everything.

Poirot finishes every case with a dramatic dŽnouement which confirms once again that he is "the greatest mind in Europe". His love of elegance, beauty and precision and eccentric mannerisms were often ridiculed by the local bumbling policemen, but it is always Poirot who has the last word.

 

Poirot began his radio career in 1939 when Orson Welles' Campbell's Playhouse presented the classic Poirot tale: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - this 50 minute excursion cast Welles as both the Narrator & Poirot!

Poirot was then heard as a weekly series in 1945 with Harold Huber playing Christie's enigmatic sleuth for the Mutual Broadcasting System. Of interest here is that Agatha Christie welcomed the listening audience herself via a short-wave radio link.

Poirot's next appearance on radio wasn't until 40 years later (in 1985) when BBC commenced what many believe to be the definitive series. These were either half hour continuing or 90 minute self-contained presentations. Maurice Denham played Poirot in the first of the series, a 6 part adventure: The Mystery of the Blue Train whilst Peter Sallis took over the role for the next: Hercule Poirot's Christmas.

 

But it wasn't until the third of the series, 1987's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, that we were able to hear Poirot being played by the person who was to become forever identified as the sleuth's radio voice: John Moffatt.

Moffatt has played the role for 20 years to great acclaim across fourteen multi-part continuing (30 or 45 minute) mystery presentations, ten 90 minute and one 45 minute stand-alone plays.

 

Want to check this great title out?

Why not download the 30 minute Documentary: The Little Grey Cells Of Hercule Poirot

 

It can be freely downloaded to your computer - just right button click on any link below and chose "Download Linked File" (or words to that effect). The file is on an average about 22Mb - download time will depend on your (broadband) speed.

 

BBCRD_1999-05-25 The Little Grey Cells Of Hercule Poirot.mp3

 

These four MP3 CDs consist of all 27 BBC Poirot dramatizations: the 90 minute presentations have been broken in 3 parters with individual lengths between 25 and 35 minutes. The "breaks" have been chosen in a sympathetic way and coincide with scene changes. Each part has been "topped and tailed" with the appropriate introduction and conclusion so that the resulting 3 parters play just like the 4, 5 or 6 parter continuing mysteries.

Also included is a 30 minute documentary titled The Little Grey Cells Of Hercule Poirot in which Professor Jeffrey Richards discusses Poirot on Radio, TV and film.

Rounding out this excellent collection is the 9 surviving 30 minute self contained mysteries from 1945 as well as Orson Welles' 50 minute Campbell's Playhouse presentation of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd from 1938.

All elements of this collection have been carefully restored & presented - beautiful sound with no hiss!

          

A.         Documentary (30 mins)

1.     BBCRD_1999-05-25 The Little Grey Cells Of Hercule Poirot.mp3

 

B.         The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.     BBCMRA_1987-12-24 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.     BBCMRA_1987-12-24 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.     BBCMRA_1987-12-24 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

C.         Murder on the Links (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCML_1990-09-15 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCML_1990-09-15 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCML_1990-09-15 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

D.         Lord Edgware Dies (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCLED_1992-03-18 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCLED_1992-03-25 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCLED_1992-04-01 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCLED_1992-04-08 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCLED_1992-04-15 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

E.         Sad Cypress (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCSC_1992-05-14 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCSC_1992-05-21 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCSC_1992-05-28 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCSC_1992-06-04 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCSC_1992-06-11 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

F.          Halloween Party (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCHWP_1993-10-30 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCHWP_1993-10-30 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCHWP_1993-10-30 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

G.         Murder on the Orient Express (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCMOE_1993-12-28 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCMOE_1993-12-29 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCMOE_1993-12-30 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCMOE_1993-12-31 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCMOE_1994-01-01 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

H.         Five Little Pigs (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCFLP_1994-06-18 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCFLP_1994-06-18 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCFLP_1994-06-18 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

I.                Murder in Mesopotamia (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCMM_1994-12-26 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCMM_1994-12-27 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCMM_1994-12-28 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCMM_1994-12-29 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCMM_1994-12-30 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

J.                Death on the Nile (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCDN_1997-12-01 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCDN_1997-12-08 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCDN_1997-12-15 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCDN_1997-12-22 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCDN_1997-12-29 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

K.         Evil Under the Sun (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCEUS_1998-04-06 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCEUS_1998-04-13 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCEUS_1998-04-20 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCEUS_1998-04-27 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCEUS_1998-05-04 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

L.         After the Funeral (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCAF_1999-08-28 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCAF_1999-08-28 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCAF_1999-08-28 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

M.         The ABC Murders (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCABCM_2000-04-22 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCABCM_2000-04-22 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCABCM_2000-04-22 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

N.         Peril At End House (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCPEH_2000-11-20 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCPEH_2000-11-27 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCPEH_2000-12-03 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCPEH_2000-12-11 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCPEH_2000-12-18 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

O.         Appointment With Death (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCAD_2001-08-25 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCAD_2001-08-25 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCAD_2001-08-25 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

P.          Cards on the Table (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCCT_2002-05-04 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCCT_2002-05-04 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCCT_2002-05-04 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

Q.         Three Act Tragedy (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCTAT_2002-07-08 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCTAT_2002-07-15 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCTAT_2002-07-22 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCTAT_2002-07-29 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCTAT_2002-08-06 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

R.         Death In the Clouds (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCDC_2003-05-03 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCDC_2003-05-03 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCDC_2003-05-03 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

S.          Taken at the Flood (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCTF_2003-10-13 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCTF_2003-10-20 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCTF_2003-10-27 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCTF_2003-11-03 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCTF_2003-11-10 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

T.         One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCOTBMS_2004-08-30 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCOTBMS_2004-09-06 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCOTBMS_2004-09-13 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCOTBMS_2004-09-20 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCOTBMS_2004-09-27 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

U.         The Mysterious Affair at Styles (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCMAS_2005-09-05 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCMAS_2005-09-12 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCMAS_2005-09-19 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCMAS_2005-09-26 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCMAS_2005-10-03 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

V.         Elephants Can Remember (3 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCECR_2006-01-07 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCECR_2006-01-07 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCECR_2006-01-07 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

W.        Mrs McGinty's Dead (5 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCMMGD_2006-03-03 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.      BBCMMGD_2006-03-10 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCMMGD_2006-03-17 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCMMGD_2006-03-24 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCMMGD_2006-03-31 Episode No. 5.mp3

 

X.         Dumb Witness (2 x 45 mins)

1.       BBCDW_2006-12-08 Episode No. 2.mp3

2.       BBCDW_2006-12-07 Episode No. 1.mp3

 

Y.         Dead Man's Folly (4 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCDMF_2007-08-06 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.      BBCDMF_2007-08-13 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCDMF_2007-08-20 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCDMF_2007-08-27 Episode No. 4.mp3

 

Z.         The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding (1 x 45 mins)

1.       BBCAMP_2007-12-25 The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding.mp3

 

Z1.        The Mystery of the Blue Train (6 x 30 mins)

1.       BBCMBT_1985-12-29 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCMBT_1986-01-05 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCMBT_1986-01-12 Episode No. 3.mp3

4.       BBCMBT_1986-01-19 Episode No. 4.mp3

5.       BBCMBT_1986-01-26 Episode No. 5.mp3

6.       BBCMBT_1986-02-02 Episode No. 6.mp3

 

Z2.        Hercule Poirot's Christmas (3 x approx 30 mins)

1.       BBCHPC_1986-12-24 Episode No. 1.mp3

2.       BBCHPC_1986-12-24 Episode No. 2.mp3

3.       BBCHPC_1986-12-24 Episode No. 3.mp3

 

Z3.        US Series (9 x 30 mins - self contained)

1.       USHP_1945-02-22 The Case of the Careless Victim.mp3

2.       USHP_1945-05-03 Murder Wears a Mask.mp3

3.       USHP_1945-05-17 Death in the Golden Gate.mp3

4.       USHP_1945-07-12 Rendezvous with Death.mp3

5.       USHP_1945-07-19 The Deadest Man in the World.mp3

6.       USHP_1945-09-13 The Adventure of the Money Mad Ghoul.mp3

7.       USHP_1945-11-16 The Trail Led to Death.mp3

8.       USHP_1945-11-23 Murder is a Private Affair.mp3

9.       USHP_1945-11-30 The Bride Wore Fright.mp3

 

Z4.        The Campbell Playhouse (50 mins)

1.       CPHP_1939-11-12 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.mp3

 

 

 

 

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