The Adventures of PC 49

Synopsis

<p><b>Classic crime stories featuring the affable British bobby, plus bonus radio documentary <i>On the Beat with PC 49</i></b><br><br>Created specifically for radio, <i>The Adventures of PC 49</i> was a pioneering police drama, offering a new kind of investigative hero: the humble bobby on the beat. One of the most popular serials in the history of BBC Radio, it ran between 1947 and 1953, following the cases of Archibald Berkeley-Willoughby and his girlfriend (later wife) Joan Carr. The light-hearted precursor to <i>Dixon of Dock Green</i>, it struck a winning balance between comedy and crime-solving, and spawned several spin-offs including books, an <i>Eagle </i>comic strip and two Hammer films.<br><br>In <b><i>The Case of the Lone Wolf</i></b>, the brave bobby is on the trail of a daring crook on a crime spree, while in <b><i>The Case of the Haunting Refrain</i></b>, Joan’s neighbour, a composer, is found dead – was it an accident, or murder? Two rare episodes, <b><i>The Case of the Shivering Spiv</i></b> and <b><i>The Case of the Lovely Liar</i></b>, survive in slightly shortened form, with their storylines and endings intact, and see Archie and Joan dealing with a frightened black marketeer and a murdered actress. <b><i>The Case of the Black Diamonds</i></b> finds the plucky PC foiling an elaborate jewel heist which is very much a family affair.<br><br>In <b><i>The Case of the Perfect Fiddle</i></b>, ‘Fortynine’ decides to learn the violin, only to be inadvertently entangled in a notorious theft, and in <b><i>The Case of the Yellow Streak</i></b>, he finds himself pitting his wits against the underworld after a mob boss is released from prison. A society wife receives a surprise visitor in <b><i>The Case of the Uninvited Guest</i></b>, and in <b><i>The Case of the Swell Guy</i></b> – the final adventure in the long-running series – PC 49 plays cops and robbers with a lost child and a gang of thieves...<br><br><b>Brian Reece</b> stars as PC 49, with <b>Joy Shelton</b> as Joan, <b>Leslie Perrins</b> as Chief Inspector Wilson and <b>Eric Phillips</b> as Detective-Sergeant Wright.<br><br>Also included is a bonus radio documentary <b><i>On the Beat with PC 49</i></b>, in which cultural historian Professor Jeffrey Richards recalls the popular street bobby, and interviews Susan Stranks about her father Alan’s sleuthing creation.<br><br><i>NB: Due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.</i><br><br>Written by Alan Stranks<br>Produced by Vernon Harris<br><br>With thanks to Charles Norton<br><br><i>Episode List</i><br>The Case of the Lone Wolf<br>The Case of the Haunting Refrain<br>The Case of the Shivering Spiv<br>The Case of the Lovely Liar<br>The Case of the Black Diamonds<br>The Case of the Perfect Fiddle<br>The Case of the Yellow Streak<br>The Case of the Uninvited Guest<br>The Case of the Swell Guy<br><br>© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd</p>