Dick Barton - Special Agent

'Dick Barton - Special Agent' was a radio serial created in 1946. The original series was produced by Neil Tuson with lead-writers Edward J Mason and Geoffrey Webb (3) and was first aired 7th October 1946 with 'Dick Barton and the Secret Weapon'. Dick Barton was first played by Noel Johnson with John Mann and Alex McCrindle as his two friends Snowey White and Jock Anderson. Johnson left the series in February 1949 to be replaced by Duncan Carse and later Gordon Davies. After five series, the final episode went out on 30th March 1951. The final serial was 'Dick Barton and the Trail of the Rocket'. Only two fifteen minute instalments survive in the BBC Archives, together with a 1972 remake of the first serial. Around October 1947, an Australian broadcasting company, Australasian Radio, negotiated to re-stage Dick Barton's early serials, using the original scripts and music cues, and distribute them internationally. The new cast included Moira Carleton, Clifford Cowley, Richard Davies, William Lloyd and Patricia Kennedy, with Douglas Kelly playing Dick Barton. The first broadcast was 7th February 1949 and the series ended in October 1950.