Concept and creative process
Classic crime mysteries from the past are re-investigated by Detectives Barlow (Stratford Johns) and Watt (Frank Windsor). The idea for the titles was the morgue and the sheet covering a body identified by labels. What the sheet bearing the printed programme title revealed was a skeleton hand and arm and ultimately a skull, all filmed live action with prop labels. Additional titles for the stars and the programme subtitle were filmed on a rostrum camera and combined in a film optical with the shot footage.