Perry Clifton

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Perry Clifton is a fictional hero from the German radio play and book author Wolfgang Ecke . The adventures of the London department store and private detective were written between 1963 and 1983. Later first publications, mainly in book form by the publishers Loewe and Otto Maier Ravensburg (up to 1987), come from the author's estate.

Summary

Perry Clifton, a bachelor in his early thirties, lives in a poor apartment building in Norwood, London. His best friend and greatest admirer is the twelve-year-old neighbor boy Dicky Miller, who also wants to become a detective.

Perry Clifton, who privately drives a dark blue Morris 1100 , is initially employed in the advertising department of a large department store, but after solving his first criminal case ( The Man in the Gray Trousers ), he is transferred to the detective department - as requested. Dicki is allowed to help Perry occasionally in solving his private cases, whereby Perry always tries not to put his young friend in danger. Often it is Dicki who puts Perry Clifton on the right track through his impulsive ideas (or even sometimes, as with the island of blue hoods , through his correct and logical conclusions sent from home by letter).

The seven Perry Clifton novels written by Wolfgang Ecke (the eighth novel Die Hand was written by Werner Maier after Eckes death) had a total print run of 250,000 copies in 1977. These novels, like most of the other stories by Ecke, were initially written as radio plays, broadcast both in Germany and across Europe by a large number of radio stations, and were later brought into book form for retail, often supplemented and expanded in terms of plot and details. The lively novel dialogues reveal the sovereignty of the experienced radio play author in many places. In addition, Eckes' stories, especially in the drawing of social milieus and in the geographic information, always appear precisely researched and precisely calculated in terms of their chronological sequence.

While the story of the first volume revolves around a fantastic element , all later volumes play on the level of the realistic.

The omniscient perspective of the narrator is characteristic of Ecke's novels and radio plays, which also allows the reader to participate in the planning of the gangsters and thus often gives him a knowledge advantage over the heroes. The mostly sensitive drawing of the criminal characters and their social backgrounds is striking, as it was unusual for children's crime novels of that time. However, the heroes never question the law and order in force. The possibility that criminals can be rehabilitated is at least mentioned, but Perry Clifton dismissed it as hopeless.

Perry Clifton novels

  • The gentleman in the gray trousers (1964)
  • The Lady with the Black Dachshund (1965)
  • The Secret of the White Ravens (1966)
  • The Island of the Blue Hoods (1969)
  • The Creepy House of Hackston (1974)
  • The Mysterious Face (1975)
  • The Silver Buddha (1977)
  • The Hand (1985)

The gentleman in the gray trousers

By a happy coincidence, Perry falls into the hands of an unbelievable invention, with the help of which he can make himself (almost) invisible. A perfect opportunity to search for the stolen Kandarsky diamonds.

The lady with the black dachshund

Several jewelry thefts keep London's department stores in suspense: eyewitnesses tell of a mysterious lady with a black dachshund. Department store detective Perry Clifton investigates and discovers the secrets of the lady who ultimately turns out to be gentleman.

The secret of the white ravens

Mysterious things are happening at Castle Catmoor in Scotland: a fire breaks out, objects disappear inexplicably, and at night there is a bloodcurdling raven cry in the rooms of the castle. Perry Clifton is tasked with unraveling the mystery of the white ravens.

The island of the blue hoods

Perry Clifton is charged with solving a number of port thefts on behalf of an insurance company. The investigation takes him to Turny Island. His little friend Dicki Miller cannot be there this time because he has a broken leg, but he is still able to give him the right tips and connections from London via correspondence with Perry.

Hackston's creepy house

When Tom Harder, a school friend of Perry Clifton's school friend, reads the newspaper report about the accident, he remembers exactly one detail described in it: He is certain that he has seen the car mentioned in the report, next to which one found smashed colorful violins . Harder can also remember the place: It was that mysterious courtyard in Hackston that Tom had recently come across because of the thick fog.

The mysterious face

Perry Clifton is assigned to track down the doppelganger of a believed dead woman named Claire Burton in Basel. The more he researches, the more confusing the case becomes.

The silver Buddha

A notorious trio of criminals are planning a big coup. The three accomplices are after the golden Buddha, the most valuable exhibit in the Hartford House. However, the morning after the break-in, the silver Buddha disappeared.

The hand

based on Wolfgang Eckes radio play of the same name; Novel written by Werner Maier

The legendary phantom gang , which has already successfully carried out some spectacular actions, is starting a new coup: 200 Pakistanis are to be illegally smuggled into the British kingdom - for a princely payment, of course. The hand , the mysterious head of the gang, has again developed a surefire plan. In order to cheat the special commission set up by Scotland Yard especially for such cases, the unloved guests are to be brought into the country from Scandinavia via Scotland - a completely unusual and therefore safe route. The phantom gang can carry out their four-month project undisturbed, but they did not expect the insistent attention of William Miller, who observes all sorts of puzzling events from his house on the Scottish coast. William Miller is the grandfather of Perry Clifton's little friend Dicki. When these two appear at the scene one day, the phantom gang's quiet is soon gone. (The blurb of the book ). As a licensed edition in the Bertelsmann Book Club also under the title Perry Clifton and the Phantombande .

Perry-Clifton anthology

Pink carnation spy ring

The anthology, published in 1979, for the first time also contained stories that Wolfgang Ecke had written exclusively for the children's magazine Yps:

  • Pink carnation spy ring
  • Mysterious shadows
  • The million dollar thing
  • The day Perry Clifton was late
  • A Sunday with consequences
  • The bet
  • Mister Hamilton's dream of wealth
  • A master shot
  • Sleight of hand
  • The barbecue party
  • The cat
  • The Polyareff case
  • Neighborhood help
  • The fourth man
  • Wrong tracks
  • Simon Rodger's last appearance
  • The stain of color
  • Perry Clifton and the Juice Drinkers
  • A letter from Chamonix

Perry Clifton Stories

Publication as a short story or as a radio play script in books and magazines:

  • When Perry Clifton Made A Bet ... (1978)
  • One Friday in April (1983)
  • Anonymous in-house mail (1981)
  • Call Before Midnight (1977)
  • The Secret of the Tricksters (1977) (Short story for the pelican puzzle)
  • The Mysterious Hiding Place (1982)
  • The stolen table silver (1983)
  • The Mister X Exchange Offer (1987)
  • The Eyewitness (1981)
  • The Thief of Good Fragrances (1981)
  • The facade climber (1971) (radio play script for "The Man in Black")
  • The Man in Black (1972)
  • The Day Beverly Attley Disappeared (1981)
  • The Diamond Trail (1981)
  • The confrontation (1981)
  • The Passion of Time (1983)
  • The pigeon and the jet fighter (1972)
  • The Lost Wallet (1981)
  • A "case" with many mistakes (1983)
  • A Case for Perry Clifton (1973) (Short Story for the ACE Craps Game)
  • A Bang and Its Consequences (1981)
  • Bad Suspicion (1983)
  • An Accident After Midnight (1983)
  • A Scary Visitor (1981)
  • A Fantastic Story (1987)
  • A Giant Story (1981)
  • Hit and Run (1981)
  • Five Long Fingers (1981)
  • Hot Goods (1981)
  • Paul Crabbley (1983)
  • Church thieves (1977) (first version of "Mister Hamilton's Dream of Wealth")
  • Perry Clifton and the Specter (1977) (Short Story for the Pelican Puzzle)
  • Perry Clifton and the Unusual Legacy (1981) (radio play script published as Ravensburger paperback edition)
  • Perry Clifton and the Garage Incident (1981)
  • When a Lady Becomes a Thief (1983)

Perry Clifton radio plays

Commercial publications for retailers:

title Label Year of production Perry Clifton spokesman
The secret of the white ravens or the haunted house of Catmoor Castle Philips 1967 Ludwig Thiesen
The silver Buddha Disneyland 1973 Ludwig Thiesen
The Man in Black (short radio play) Telefunken 1973 Ludwig Thiesen
The secret of the white ravens Ariola 1976 Ludwig Thiesen
Hackston's creepy house Ariola 1976 Ludwig Thiesen
Pink carnation spy ring Ariola 1979 Ludwig Thiesen

Radio versions published (retrospectively) for commercial trade:

title Channel Year of production Perry Clifton spokesman
The gentleman in the gray pants Bavarian radio 1963 Thomas Bride
The lady with the black dachshund Bavarian radio 1964 Thomas Bride
The lady with the black dachshund West German radio 1964 Ulrich Kuhlmann
The island of the blue hoods Bavarian radio 1968 Erik Schumann
Driven hunt * Bavarian radio 1973 Horst Tappert
The hand Bavarian radio 1978 Thomas Bride

* Original version of the novel "The Mysterious Face" published in 1975.

Radio plays still available as recordings:

title Parts Channel Year of production Perry Clifton spokesman
The gentleman in the gray trousers 4th West German radio 1963 Karl Heinz Martell
The secret of the white ravens 4th Bavarian radio 1966 Thomas Bride
The secret of the white ravens 4th West German radio 1966 Hansjörg Felmy
Perry Clifton and the Scary House 4th Bavarian radio 1971 ?
Perry Clifton and the Scary House 4th Südwestrundfunk 1975 Manfred Georg Herrmann
Church robbery (short radio play) 1 Radio Bremen 1976 ?
The cat (short radio play) 1 Radio Bremen 1976 ?
Mister Hamilton's dream of wealth 1 Südwestrundfunk 1977 Ludwig Thiesen
Perry Clifton and the Unusual Legacy 4th Hessian radio 1980 ?
Perry Clifton and the Unusual Legacy 4th Bavarian radio 1981 Robert Atzorn
Disappeared without a trace 4th Bavarian radio 1982 Robert Atzorn
The silver Buddha 4th West German radio 1967 Herbert Fleischmann
The hand 4th West German radio ? ?
The ghost of Duncan Hill (Original title: The mysterious face) 4th Südwestrundfunk ? Ludwig Thiesen
Mysterious shadows * 1 Saarland radio ? ?

* As of June 2015: According to the SR, the recording cannot currently be purchased.

Perry Clifton Merchandising

title year items Companies
A case for Perry Clifton 1973 Board and dice game ASS
Perry Clifton - The Tricksters' Secret 1977 Detective puzzle pelican
Perry Clifton and the Ghost 1977 Detective puzzle pelican