The Adventures of Ellery Queen was the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen.

Radio

With Hugh Marlowe in the title role, Ellery Queen was introduced in The Adventures of Ellery Queen on CBS radio June 18, 1939, running until September 22, 1940. In 1942, the series moved to NBC, airing until 1944. From 1945 to 1947, it was heard once again on CBS, returning to NBC in 1947 and then ABC (1947-48). The premise was that a mystery would be dramatized but then interrupted when a panel of celebrities would attempt to solve the mystery.

During the 1970s, syndicated radio fillers, Ellery Queen's Minute Mysteries, began with an announcer saying, "This is Ellery Queen..." and then outlining a case in one minute. The radio station encouraged callers to solve the mystery and win a sponsor's prize. Once they had a winner, the solution part of the spot would be played as confirmation.

Television

The first television series, produced by the DuMont Television Network, ran from 1950 to 1952 and aired first on DuMont and later on ABC. The second series was produced by ITC Entertainment and ran from 1954 to 1957. The third series, The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen, ran from 1958 to 1959 on NBC. The final series, known simply as Ellery Queen, ran from 1975 until 1976 and was a Universal TV production for NBC.

First TV series

Telecast on the DuMont network, the first series starred Richard Hart as Ellery Queen in the first season and Lee Bowman in the role in later seasons. (Hart died suddenly of a heart attack in January 1951.) Florenz Ames played Inspector Richard Queen. Guest stars included Anne Bancroft, John Carradine, and Eva Gabor. The series, produced by Irving and Norman Pincus and directed by Donald Richardson, featured writing by Helene Hanff.