MARK SABER

MARK SABER

All series starred Donald Gray.
Click Series Number for details

Series 1
+ Michael Balfour & Theresa Thorne

Series 2
with Diana Decker

Series 3
+ Neil McCallum/ Gordon Tanner

Series 4
with Robert Arden

Series 5
with Garry Thorne

This was the Danzigers' flagship British-made show, made at their New Elstree Studios.
Stories made in Britain of detective Mark Saber were filmed starting in Autumn 1955, when the long running anthology series 'The Vise' was given over to stories exclusively about detective Mark Saber. BBC announcer Donald Gray, was selected to play the title role.
In America, the series continued to be shown as 'The Vise,' but in Britain the stories were screened on ITV titled 'Mark Saber.' From series 3, with a change of station in USA, the show's title was altered to Saber of London. Actual production finished early 1959 by which time Saber had solved an amazing total of 156 cases. None of the stories have been transmitted on British terrestrial tv since Granada aired some episodes in 1969, though in the late 1980s satellite channel Bravo screened 40 stories ad infinitum until 1996.
Though Mark Saber was certainly a huge financial success, it won little critical acclaim: "the corniest programme on tv," was the verdict of one critic. But to reject the Saber series outright would miss you a few real treasures! One reason, Brian Clemens was chief scriptwriter, cutting his teeth on television drama with Mark Saber.
Photo: interesting photo of location shooting. A small crowd gathers as Donald Gray exits his own Porsche, anyone recognise the place?
Click here for Brief Biographies of the stars of this series. . . . Memories by Robert Arden ('Bob Page' in series 4) .
Note- Tom Conway first played Mark Saber, in a series made in USA by quite different personnel.
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MARK SABER - Series 1

1 A LADY IS MISSING
2 DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND
3 A COFFIN FOR JOHNNY
5 DEADLINE FOR MURDER
6 DEATH HAS THREE FACES
8 THE CAPTIVE BRAIN
9 DEATH NEEDS NO CANE
10 FIND A BODY
12 THERE'S DANGER IN BEAUTY
13 THE GIRL FROM ROME
14 HEAR NO EVIL
17 MURDER BY DESIGN 18 MURDER FOR GAIN
19 THE NIGHT HAS SECRETS
20 NO REPLY FROM ROOM 17
21 MAN HUNT
24 IT'S ONLY MINK
25 THE LONG WAIT

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MARK SABER - Series 2

Click for my reviews:
1 FILE IT UNDER MURDER
2 IF THIS BE MURDER
4 RECEIPT FOR MURDER
10 A DRAM OF DEATH
12 A HATFUL OF TROUBLE
13 RETURN TO DANGER
14 BULLETS FOR SABER
15 CRY WOLF
16 THE VERY LAST WITNESS
18 THE WRONG FACE
21 ROOT OF EVIL
22 SIGNATURE FOR MURDER
24 MURDER BY ERROR
25 MAN ON A CLIFF
26 SOUND OF DEATH
27 DIAMOND JUBILEE 28 A COIN'S WORTH OF MURDER
30 FAREWELL TO MRS FORREST
31 DEATH IN A FLASK
32 HI-JACKED
33 YOU CAN'T LIVE TWICE
35 SHORT DARK and HANDSOME
37 THE HOSTAGE
38 BISHOPS SOMETIMES BITE
39 THE PINK SCARF

This series of 39 stories starred Donald Gray with Diana Decker as Stephanie Ames, or Stevie for short, Mark's new secretary... but she's more than just that- she goes with him on his cases, and, yes, let's face it, she's in love with him! A reviewer in 1957 wrote, "I like the characters of Mark and Stevie who are good foils for one another... it's such a pleasure to hear the rich, manly voice of Donald Gray speaking the Queen's English, as it should be spoken."
This was a superior series to the first, though it's a shame the cheery Michael Balfour wasn't retained from the earlier cast. Diana Decker gives her role a nice shade of femininity making this final "The Vise" series quite watchable. For future stories the programme was transformed into Saber of London.
My favourite episode: 12 A Hatful of Trouble, is 'different'- I love it
Best moment: Jack Watling in 15 Cry Wolf, when he realises he really is going to be the murder victim
Dud episode: Perhaps 18 The Wrong Face, a very muddled effort
Main Saber Menu . . . To Series 3

My favourite episode: 19 Six Months to Talk
Best moment: In 31 When Saber faces up to the evil Virnoff
Dud episode: Perhaps 38 Field Goal is the dullest story.

BIOGRAPHIES (Additional information would be appreciated)
DONALD GRAY (1914 -1978) - Born in South Africa, he was overall winner of a Paramount talent competition but after appearing in some minor roles as El(d)red Tidbury he moved to England. He lost an arm in the war. In the 50's he became a BBC announcer for a while before starring as Mark Saber. He found it difficult to obtain further starring roles though he does do a voiceover for the Captain Scarlet puppet TV series. Trevor Jordan has written his biography "Colonel White meets Mark Saber."
COLIN TAPLEY (1909-1995) - He was the police inspector at Scotland Yard. It's likely he obtained the part as a result of his friendship with Donald Gray. In series one he appears irregularly, sharing the part with others but by the concluding stories of series two he is the "usual" inspector. Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, he, like Gray, was a winner in the Paramount competition. He made some films in Hollywood, before coming to England. Unlike Gray, Tapley continued working for the Danzigers, appearing, uncredited more often than not, in their later series Man from Interpol and The Cheaters. He made films until 1969. He married a titled lady and retired to Gloucestershire.
Series 1: MICHAEL BALFOUR (1918-1997) 'Barney'- Born in America, he became one of the most commonly seen bit-players in British cinema. He moved to England before the war and served with the RAF Eagle Squadron. In one Danziger programme, the character he plays is described like this: "with a face like yours, you'd scare 'em to death." But in real life he was a gent with quite sophisticated tastes.
Series 1: THERESA THORNE 'Judy' - I have found little information on her. Can you help? She appeared in the 1955 film Joe Macbeth, made the same year as her role in the Saber series. She also played a photographer called Mary, in the 1957 Charlie Chan story "The Noble Art of Murder".
Series 2: DIANA DECKER (born in USA 1926) 'Stevie' - She moved to England in 1939, making her film debut in 1943. She appeared with Donald Gray in the 1952 Saturday Island. She is best known as a recording artist with the hit "Poppa Piccolino" and also appeared on the London stage and as a cabaret singer.
Series 3: NEIL McCALLUM (1929-1976) 'Pete'- born in Canada. After his role in Saber of London he starred in one film for the Danzigers 'On the Run' which also features Gordon Tanner. On the strength of his performances, ABC signed him as a contract artist, enabling him to appear in Armchair Theatre, as well as stock series like "International Detective" (he's in "The Prescott Case"). He also appeared on the London stage. In 1965 he hosted A-R's "A Swinging Scene". By the 70's he was a producer, notably for BBC Scotland's "Sutherland's Law". He died tragically of a brain haemorrhage.
Series 3: GORDON TANNER (1918-1983) 'Larry'- also Canadian. Also appears in a Series 2 story "Find Harry Clay". Earlier he had appeared in The Vise story "Never let me die". Later he's in Man from Interpol, International Detective and Interpol Calling.
Series 4: ROBERT ARDEN (1922-2004) 'Bob Page'- first English born asistant for Saber, even if he grew up in the States! A dance band vocalist with the likes of Joe Loss, he made his film debut in 1944 in 2,000 Women. He became prominent on television in the ITV panel game "What's it All About?"A prolific actor, he told me his favourite role was in "Flight Into Danger" a BBC live drama.
Series 5: GARRY THORNE 'Eddie Wells'- Was he related to Theresa above? He appears in one Danziger film ('The Depraved' 1956) and in at least one story from each of the earlier series of Mark Saber, often as a criminal! His mother was Lenore Coffee (1896-1984) - a Hollywood screen writer from the silent days to the 50's.She also provided the script outline for one Invisible Man episode. Apart from this series, Garry's only regular TV role was as "guard" in many Sir Lancelot stories.
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SABER OF LONDON MEMORIES by ROBERT ARDEN, co-star in series 4.
Very many thanks to the late Robert Arden who wrote this affectionate tribute for my site in 2002 aged 80.
Well, it's all a long time ago now, but what I remember most about it was the low pay, the hard work, and what sheer fun it all was! The Danzigers, God Bless 'Em were always happy to corner cut. They did pay very badly, but all you had to do was call Eddie, tell him you were free and you were cast - no matter whether you were right or not for the particular role. Hardly anybody took the series seriously - not the Danziger Brothers, (of whom I have fond memories). Their attitude was -get the work done, but enjoy it. In Saber of London there were two constant directors - Ernie Morris (who had originally been a prop man) and Max Varnel (Max, the son of pre-war director Marcel Varnel) were more concerned with getting through as quickly as possible - quality was secondary to speed. The occasional director, Godfrey Grayson did try to infuse a little more thought and quality into his efforts, but even he was forced to compromise in order to complete the show in two and a half days! We worked Monday to Friday and occasionally on a Saturday if we needed to. Location work was also taken within the time allotted. We often shot location shots that the directors weren't sure they'd ever need - but made them visual (no dialogue - unless specifically needed) so they could be cut in to any episode - and in fact some of the shots turned up in variously different episodes. The lighting cameraman, Jimmy Wilson, was one of the best and had a facility that the Danzigers loved. He could work fast - and still be good.
Donald Gray was a pleasure to work with. No pretensions - a great sense of humour - and not a jealous actor. He would let you have a scene if he thought it was better to focus other than on him all the time. A Gentleman in every sense of the word. But a scary driver. We'd do some scenes in the Porsche, and my heart would sometimes be sitting in my mouth as at speed he would change gear with his one arm - no hand on the wheel, controlling the car with his knee. I still break out in a sweat when I think of it.
Quite well known actors turned up in the show, and some who were to become well known. Once you'd made an initial appearance, you could call the casting director - say you were free for ten days in May, and you'd be offered a role. Everybody moaned about the pay rate, but hardly anybody turned down the work. Editor John Bloom (Claire Bloom's brother -now working I think, in Hollywood) and the late Freddie Burnley - to become an accomplished documentary director for TV - worked long hours to get the shows finished and, as far as I remember, were never late in delivering the finished product.
The studios were custom built - and had a very pleasant atmsosphere as I recall. One had to trudge through mud to get to the main door for the stound stages, but eventually they had the front landscaped and it was just like one of Hollywood poverty row studios. After all these years I still remember the Danziger period of my professional life with a certain warm nostalgia. The studios at Elstree - specially built by Eddie and Harry - are gone - but the memories linger on.
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