Sting of Death
Sting of Death is the 11th episode of the first season of the American TV series The Elgin Hour starring Boris Karloff as Mr. Mycroft. Produced by ABC (American Broadcasting Company), and aired on 22 february 1955. 52 min.
While the name of the main character is Mycroft, the sherlockians will recognize a retired Holmes (bee culture, investigating methods, pipe smoking). The episode is based on H. F. Heard's novel "A Taste for Honey."
This episode won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for best episode in a television series for 1956.
Full Episode
Photos
-
The Elgin Hour TV series (1954-1955) -
S01E11: Sting of Death (1955) -
Mr. Mycroft
(Boris Karloff) -
Mr. Silchester
(Robert Flemyng) -
Alice
(Hermione Gingold) -
Mr. Hargrove
(Martyn Green) -
Mr. Mycroft in apiculture clothes
(Boris Karloff) -
Mr. Mycroft with calabash pipe
(Boris Karloff)
Cast
- Mr. Mycroft : Boris Karloff
- Mr. Silchester : Robert Flemyng
- Alice : Hermione Gingold
- Mr. Hargrove : Martyn Green
Crew
- Director : Daniel Petrie
- Screenplay : Alvin Sapinsley (teleplay), H. F. Heard (novel A Taste for Honey)
- Producer : Herbert Brodkin
- Music : Ralph Norman
- Casting : Joan MacDonald
- Art Direction : James McNaughton
- Art Department : Fred Stover
- Audio : William Blumel
- Sound Effects : William McClintock
- Lights : Imero Fiorentino
- Costumes : Alfred Neiman
- Music Conductor : Ralph Norman
- Producer's Assistant : Philip Barry Jr.
- Technical Director : John Broderick
- Video : Rolf Drucker, Joseph Herbst
Plot summary
Silchester is academic on summer vacation in a cottage in rural England with a taste for honey for breakfast and tea. He finds it increasingly difficult to obtain it as beekeepers in the area are going out of business with the exception of Mr. Hargrove, a sinister local apiarist. His neighbor, Mr. Mycroft, a retired public official, tries to warn Silchester that Hargrove has bred his bees to become deadly. Among the victims of these killer bees are other colonies in the neighborhood, Mycroft's dog, and Hargrove's own wife. When an attempt is made on his own life, the doubting Silchester joins forces with Mycroft to turn the tables on him.
