The Lives of Harry Lime
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Harry Lime (broadcast in the United States as The Lives of Harry Lime) was an old-time radio
programme produced in London
, England
during the 1951 to 1952 season.
Orson Welles
reprised his role of Harry Lime from the celebrated 1949 film The Third Man
. The radio series is a "prequel" to the film, and depicts the many misadventures of con-artist Lime in a somewhat lighter tone than the character's villainy in the film.
Most episodes would begin with "The Third Man Theme
" being played, abruptly cut off by an echoing gunshot. Then Welles would speak: "That was the shot that killed Harry Lime. He died in a sewer beneath Vienna, as those of you know who saw the movie The Third Man
. Yes, that was the end of Harry Lime ... but it was not the beginning. Harry Lime had many lives ... and I can recount all of them. How do I know? Very simple. Because my name is Harry Lime."
production, the series was one of a number produced and distributed independently by the prolific Harry Alan Towers
. Only sixteen of the episodes were acquired and broadcast by the BBC in the UK. It was the first time that the BBC broadcast episodes of a dramatic series that it did not produce. The full series was syndicated to radio stations in the U.S.
The episode "Man of Mystery", written by Welles, was later expanded by him and served as the basic plot for his film Mr. Arkadin
.
A recording of the 1951 "A Ticket to Tangiers" episode of The Lives of Harry Lime series is available on the Criterion Collection
DVD edition of The Third Man
. In addition, recordings of the 1952 episodes Man of Mystery, Murder on the Riviera and Blackmail is a Nasty Word are included on the Criterion Collection DVD The Complete Mr. Arkadin
.
Old-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
programme produced in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the 1951 to 1952 season.
Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
reprised his role of Harry Lime from the celebrated 1949 film The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
. The radio series is a "prequel" to the film, and depicts the many misadventures of con-artist Lime in a somewhat lighter tone than the character's villainy in the film.
Most episodes would begin with "The Third Man Theme
The Third Man Theme
"The Third Man Theme" is an instrumental written and performed by Anton Karas for the soundtrack to the film The Third Man ....
" being played, abruptly cut off by an echoing gunshot. Then Welles would speak: "That was the shot that killed Harry Lime. He died in a sewer beneath Vienna, as those of you know who saw the movie The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
. Yes, that was the end of Harry Lime ... but it was not the beginning. Harry Lime had many lives ... and I can recount all of them. How do I know? Very simple. Because my name is Harry Lime."
Episode list
Although often cited as a BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
production, the series was one of a number produced and distributed independently by the prolific Harry Alan Towers
Harry Alan Towers
Harry Alan Towers was a British-born radio and film producer and screenwriter, regularly using the pseudonym Peter Welbeck. He produced over a hundred feature films and continued to write and produce well into his eighties...
. Only sixteen of the episodes were acquired and broadcast by the BBC in the UK. It was the first time that the BBC broadcast episodes of a dramatic series that it did not produce. The full series was syndicated to radio stations in the U.S.
| Original air date | # | Episode title |
|---|---|---|
| 3 August 1951 | 1 | "Too Many Crooks" |
| 10 August 1951 | 2 | "See Naples and Live" |
| 17 August 1951 | 3 | "Clay Pigeon" |
| 24 August 1951 | 4 | "A Ticket to Tangiers" |
| 31 August 1951 | 5 | "Voodoo" |
| 7 September 1951 | 6 | "The Bohemian Star" |
| 14 September 1951 | 7 | "Love Affair" |
| 21 September 1951 | 8 | "Rogue's Holiday" |
| 28 September 1951 | 9 | "Work of Art" |
| 5 October 1951 | 10 | "Operation Music Box" |
| 12 October 1951 | 11 | "Golden Fleece" |
| 19 October 1951 | 12 | "Blue Bride" |
| 26 October 1951 | 13 | "Every Frame Has a Silver Lining" |
| 2 November 1951 | 14 | "Mexican Hat Trick" |
| 9 November 1951 | 15 | "Art Is Long and Lime Is Fleeting" |
| 16 November 1951 | 16 | "In Pursuit of a Ghost" (aka "El Zorro") |
| 23 November 1951 | 17 | "Horse Play" (aka "The Racetrack") |
| 30 November 1951 | 18 | "Three Farthings for Your Thoughts" |
| 7 December 1951 | 19 | "The Third Woman" |
| 14 December 1951 | 20 | "An Old Moorish Custom" |
| 21 December 1951 | 21 | "It's a Knockout" |
| 28 December 1951 | 22 | "Two Is Company" |
| 4 January 1952 | 23 | "Cherchez La Gem" |
| 11 January 1952 | 24 | "Hands of Glory" |
| 18 January 1952 | 25 | "Double Double Trouble" (aka "The Double Double Cross") |
| 25 January 1952 | 26 | "Five Thousand Pengoes and a Kiss" |
| 1 February 1952 | 27 | "Dark Enchantress" |
| 8 February 1952 | 28 | "Earl on Troubled Waters" |
| 15 February 1952 | 29 | "The Dead Candidate" |
| 22 February 1952 | 30 | "It's in the Bag" |
| 29 February 1952 | 31 | "Hyacinth Patrol" |
| 7 March 1952 | 32 | "Turnabout is Foul Play" |
| 14 March 1952 | 33 | "Violets, Sweet Violets" |
| 21 March 1952 | 34 | "Faith, Lime and Charity" |
| 28 March 1952 | 35 | "Pleasure Before Business" |
| 4 April 1952 | 36 | "Fool's Gold" |
| 11 April 1952 | 37 | "Man of Mystery" |
| 18 April 1952 | 38 | "The Painted Smile" |
| 25 April 1952 | 39 | "Harry Lime Joins The Circus" |
| 2 May 1952 | 40 | "Suzie's Cue" |
| 9 May 1952 | 41 | "Viva La Chance" |
| 16 May 1952 | 42 | "The Elusive Vermeer" |
| 23 May 1952 | 43 | "Murder on the Riviera" |
| 30 May 1952 | 44 | "Pearls of Bohemia" |
| 6 June 1952 | 45 | "A Night in a Harem" |
| 13 June 1952 | 46 | "Blackmail Is a Nasty Word" |
| 20 June 1952 | 47 | "The Professor Regrets" |
| 27 June 1952 | 48 | "The Hard Way" |
| 4 July 1952 | 49 | "Paris Is Not the Same" |
| 11 July 1952 | 50 | "Honeymoon" |
| 18 July 1952 | 51 | "The Blue Caribou" |
| 25 July 1952 | 52 | "Greek Meets Greek" |
The episode "Man of Mystery", written by Welles, was later expanded by him and served as the basic plot for his film Mr. Arkadin
Mr. Arkadin
Mr. Arkadin is a French-Spanish-Swiss coproduction film, written and directed by Orson Welles and shot in several Spanish locations, including Segovia, Valladolid and Madrid.Its history is convoluted...
.
A recording of the 1951 "A Ticket to Tangiers" episode of The Lives of Harry Lime series is available on the Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection is a video-distribution company selling "important classic and contemporary films" to film aficionados. The Criterion series is noted for helping to standardize the letterbox format for home video, bonus features, and special editions...
DVD edition of The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
. In addition, recordings of the 1952 episodes Man of Mystery, Murder on the Riviera and Blackmail is a Nasty Word are included on the Criterion Collection DVD The Complete Mr. Arkadin
Mr. Arkadin
Mr. Arkadin is a French-Spanish-Swiss coproduction film, written and directed by Orson Welles and shot in several Spanish locations, including Segovia, Valladolid and Madrid.Its history is convoluted...
.