
Acting
Francis Matthews
Born — Died
1927-09-02 — 2014-06-14
Place of birth
Holgate, York, Yorkshire, England, UK
Known for
Acting
Credits
79 titles
Francis Matthews (2 September 1927 – 14 June 2014) was an English actor, best known for playing Paul Temple in the BBC television series of the same name and for voicing Captain Scarlet in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
Known for
6.4The ground-breaking soap set in a housing estate on the outskirts of Liverpool.
Brookside
1982
7.8A quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners. Jonathan Steed - an urbane, proper gentleman spy - teams with various assistants throughout the series' run, including Dr. David Keel, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, to repeatedly save the world from diabolical schemes plotted by equally diabolical evil-doers (among them robots and man-eating monsters).
The Avengers
1961
7.4Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
The Saint
1962
7.1Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
Heartbeat
1992
7.1Series of single made-for-television dramas.
Screen Two
1985
4.8No Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967. It was the sequel to the series Murder Bag and Crime Sheet, all starring Raymond Francis as Detective Superintendent, later Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart.
No Hiding Place
1959
Film credits
2020s · 2 titles
NRFeaturing new interviews with key cast and crew, and drawing on a wealth of unseen archive materials, this comprehensive retrospective explores the genesis, production and legacy of the series like never before.
Spectrum is 20: The Death and Life of New Captain Scarlet
2026
NRBrand New Super Space Theatre Movie
Target: Captain Black!
2026
2010s · 2 titles
8.0Documentary that chronicles the making of the third film in Hammer's Dracula series.
Back to Black: The Making of Dracula Prince of Darkness
2012
8.0A compilation of the best of Supermarionation in High Definition. Sit back and enjoy some rare treats on a journey through Supermarionationland. Parker, Lady Penelope and Brains are your hosts, introducing some of the very best episodes from the Supermarionation archive as well as news items, commercial breaks with tie-in adverts and much more. Stand By For Action! - Four Feather Falls: Gunfight on Main Street - Supercar: False Alarm - Fireball XL5: Space City Special - Stingray: Pilot - Thunderbirds: Terror in New York City - Captain Scarlet: The Mysterons - Joe 90: Hi-Jacked - The Secret Service: More Haste, Less Speed
This Is Supermarionation
2014
1990s · 3 titles
5.0Combining a family vacation with business, Walter Richmond takes his wife and their 10-year-old, mute daughter, Melissa , to the Netherlands -- where Melissa inadvertently witnesses a murder. Unable to tell anyone what she's seen, the frightened girl vanishes in an attempt to elude the killers. Meanwhile, her parents try desperately to piece together the puzzle leading to Melissa's disappearance.
Do Not Disturb
1999
9.5A history of the famous vampire of books and movies, using film clips, previews and other methods.
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
1991
NRIn 1999, Anderson supervised the production of a computer-animated test film, Captain Scarlet and the Return of the Mysterons, to explore the possibility of updating some of his 1960s puppet series for a 21st-century audience.
Captain Scarlet and the Return of the Mysterons
1999
1980s · 6 titles
6.4A retrospective of the films of Britain's Hammer Studios, renowned for making stylish horror films in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Included are clips from Hammer productions and interviews with actors, actresses, directors and producers who worked on these films.
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987
6.5Paul Hatcher has a habit of spying on the neighbors across the way, something that gets him into deep trouble. Hatcher is a movie critic, and for awhile it looks like his main problem is keeping reality and the silver screen separate. But then a double murder occurs across the street after some mobsters cannot find an incriminating negative. After Hatcher discovers where the negative is hidden, he is bumped to the top on the assassins' hit list.
The McGuffin
1986
NRAstronauts on a mission to Mars attack the city of the Mysterons, a race of aliens with the ability to create duplicates of beings and objects. In revenge, the Mysterons declare war on humanity.
Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons
1980
6.5An author seeking solitude in a small hotel in the South of France is an unwilling witness to a relationship between a young couple and two interior designers.
May We Borrow Your Husband?
1986
4.7Remake of the 1953 original. Princess Elysa is touring Rome, and decides to get "out and about" away from her normal life. She meets with an American reporter and his photographer, who show her the sites. The reporter is initially more interested in a story than the Princess, but begins to fall for her.
Roman Holiday
1987
1.0A compilation of four episodes from the Supermarionation series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Captain Scarlet and the members of Spectrum battle the Mysterons from Mars who are trying to establish a base on the moon.
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars
1981
1970s · 4 titles
6.8Eisenhower the military man is the focus of this mini-series, his relationships with the other wartime leaders, and, very discreetly, his personal relationship with his driver, Kay Summersby.
Ike
1979
5.3Thriller about a reporter who comes home from an overseas assignment to find his baby in the hospital and his wife dead...
Five Women for the Killer
1974
Elton John has trouble getting correct directions. Eric and Ernie move house. Ernie's play is called 'Cyrano de Bergerac' and stars Francis Matthews and Penelope Keith.
The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show
1977
7.0Mysterious international agent and playboy Jason goes from country to country engaged in a shadowy high-stakes game of espionage, love-making and violent intrigue.
Champagne Rose Is Dead
1970
1960s · 19 titles
7.1During an annual board of trustees meeting, one of the trustees dies. Miss Marple thinks he’s been poisoned after finding a chemical on him. She sets off to investigate at the ship where he had just come from. The fourth and final film from the Miss Marple series starring Margaret Rutherford as the quirky amateur detective.
Murder Ahoy
1964
6.7Whilst vacationing in the Carpathian Mountain, two couples stumble across the remains of Count Dracula's castle. The Count's trusted servant kills one of the men, suspending the body over the Count's ashes so that the blood drips from the corpse and saturates the blackened remains. The ritual is completed, the Count revived and his attentions focus on the dead man's wife who is to become his partner; devoted to an existence of depravity and evil.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
1966
5.9Rasputin, a crazed and debauched monk wreaks havoc at the local inn one night, chopping off the hand of one of the drinkers. As the bitter locals plan their revenge, the evil Rasputin works his power over the beautiful women who serve at the Tsar's palace. Even the Tsarina herself is seduced by his evil ways and, as his influence begins to dominate government policy, there is only one course of action left... to destroy him before he destroys them all.
Rasputin: The Mad Monk
1966
5.6A successful London ad-exec hires a beautiful Hungarian girl to pose for some modeling shots, little realising that she has overheard an assassination plot and is now being hunted by some dangerous killers.
Crossplot
1969
7.3An accident in the butchers shop leads Norman Pitkin and Mr Grimsdale to the hospital where, after causing the normal amount of chaos, Pitkin finds Lindy, a little girl who hasn't spoken or smiled since her parents were killed in an aeroplane accident. Pitkin decides to help.
A Stitch in Time
1963
6.2A man has been killed on the Dover/Boulogne car ferry. What is the connection between him and the attempts being made to kill Jane Kerrell, a young girl in her early twenties? As she speeds through the French countryside to the South of France, several attempts are made on her life as she is deliberately forced off the road by another car. But when she reports these attempts, the local Cap Ferrat Police Inspector and the sinister psychiatrist, Dr. Forla believe these attempts are in her imagination and Dr Forla, concludes that Jane is mentally disturbed. At her wits end Jane finds an ally in the young English painter, Paul Hedley who finally believes her life is in danger following an attempt to murder him. When Inspector Malling of Scotland Yard and Mr. Breese arrive in Cap Ferrat trying to uncover the connection between Jane and the murdered man on the ferry, this thrilling puzzle of international intrigue begins to unravel against the backdrop of the French Riviera.
Taste of Excitement
1969
4.3A dashing ex-officer in His Majesty’s army, Captain Adam Corbett (Calhoun) becomes embroiled in intrigue when he agrees to escort Colonel Wilfred Jackson and his daughter Pauline on a perilous quest for treasure. Possessing one-quarter of a map, they soon rendezvous with three mysterious characters, each with a fragment and a secret agenda. Armed with only a sword and his wits, Corbett battles brigands, soldiers and thieves as he accompanies the expedition to the island of Monte Cristo, where betrayal and fortune await.
The Secret of Monte Cristo
1961
5.4Years after fleeing his ancestral home with his mother, Jason returns home to claim his birthright, only to find his way blocked by his evil cousin Thomas. In order to reclaim his title, Jason must do battle with his cousin, who calls upon the members of the deadly Hellfire Club to stop him.
The Hellfire Club
1961
6.1A chance meeting with a Schlecht agent forces a humble coffee shop manager into the secret world of spies in Swinging London. With the help of his MI5 friend, he poses as the recently dead Major Cavendish who had managed to infiltrate the dreaded organization; he knows that they are intending to assassinate someone - could it be the famous Russian ballerina who has recently arrived for an appearance at Covent Garden?
The Intelligence Men
1965
6.0Eric and Ernie decide to take a holiday to the South of France and unwittingly become mixed up with a band of jewel thieves.
That Riviera Touch
1966
5.7Lewis and Scilla's rocky marriage finally breaks apart – a situation made worse by the fact that Scilla is a key part of the television show that Lewis produces. But while Lewis copes by picking up a passing starlet, Scilla indulges her passion for bathrooms by getting one custom-designed by an ex-Nazi architect!
Just Like a Woman
1967
5.6A group of former concentration camp prisoners has formed an underground network to hunt Nazi leaders, who are still on the loose. At a secret meeting in Paris they discuss what to do with the former Auschwitz commandant Karl Brochmann, who since 12 years lives in London under the false identity of Karl Luther. They decide to take the law in their own hands, and send their member David to London. He starts his commission by scaring Luther, to see his reactions. Luther is already nervous, because the newspapers are writing about the capture of Eichmann. When he finds out that somebody has broken into his apartment and painted a swastika on his mirror, he gets terrified. He empties his bank account, packs a bag with all his cash and runs away, followed by David.
The Pursuers
1961
To beautify his street and trim city spending, stuffy councilman Jack (Francis Matthews) pushes to have the last gas lamp in town removed. But this angers his neighbors Albert (Ian Fleming) and Victoria (Amy Dalby), an inconspicuous pair of serial killers who choose Jack as their next victim. This dark comedy also stars Lisa Daniely as Mary, a local advocate who fights tooth and nail against Jack's modernization efforts.
The Lamp in Assassin Mews
1962
5.3A Bristol typist joins the world of beauty contests.
The Beauty Jungle
1964
6.2A pretty young woman will do anything to escape her deadly dull existence in the backlots of Wales. But when she reaches the bright lights of London is the price too high?
Bitter Harvest
1963
9.0A murderer is examined by psychiatrist John Frame, who is surprised to find the criminal knows many details of his private life.
The Yellow Pill
1969
What is the mystery behind the murder of an apparently innocent man? Who was so afraid of the secrets he knew that they would kill him?
The Confession
1967
An engineer is wrongly convicted of selling secrets to enemy agents and is sentenced to life in prison. Convinced it was his former partner who framed him, he enlists his son to investigate.
Sentenced for Life
1960
An engaged couples pre-marital bliss is shattered by the future bride’s domineering mother.
The Battleaxe
1962
1950s · 6 titles
6.6Rescued from the guillotine by his devoted dwarf Fritz, the Baron relocates to Carlsbruck, where he continues his gruesome experiments.
The Revenge of Frankenstein
1958
6.1Anglo-Indian Victoria Jones seeks her true identity amid the chaos of the British withdrawal from India.
Bhowani Junction
1956
6.2In 1840s London, Dr. Thomas Bolton [Boris Karloff] dares to dream the unthinkable: experimenting with anesthesia gases to make surgery pain-free. While doing so, his demonstration before a panel of his peers ends in a horrific mishap with his patient awakening under the knife; he is forced to leave his position in disgrace. To complicate matters, he becomes addicted to his own chemical experiments and gets involved with a criminal gang led by Black Ben [Francis de Wolff], and a ruthless killer Resurrection Joe [Christopher Lee]. Unfortunately, this shady partnership leads Dr. Bolton to further ruin, culminating in his unwitting participation in murder — for which he becomes the first victim of a blackmail scheme.
Corridors of Blood
1958
3.4The man called Obam struggles with the increasingly hostile forces facing each other in a colonial African country. The African natives want their land and lives back from the British colonists. Obam's motives are questioned by his own people, in particular his brother Kanda. With the help of his wife Renee and missionary Bruce Craig, will he be able to get things under control before the country self-destructs? Written by Greg Bruno
The Mark of the Hawk
1957
7.0English doctor John Winthrop (Francis Matthews) must protect his new wife, Ann (Kay Callard), from his wealthy and entirely too overbearing mother, Katherine (Margaretta Scott), who has some strong opinions about her son's new union. But things go too far when John accuses Katherine of trying to kill Ann with medication. Could she do such a thing -- and will these three ever have a good relationship?
A Woman Possessed
1958
7.0The dining room of the Jolly Fiddler has long been presided over by Albert, an aged but very shrewd waiter. A past master of the gentle art of fiddling, he extracts the maximum profit from his job while managing to endear himself to both the customers and staff. Then, there's a visit from Mr Finch, who feels it's time Albert was replaced.
Small Hotel
1957
Series credits
6.4The ground-breaking soap set in a housing estate on the outskirts of Liverpool.
Brookside
1982
7.8A quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners. Jonathan Steed - an urbane, proper gentleman spy - teams with various assistants throughout the series' run, including Dr. David Keel, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, to repeatedly save the world from diabolical schemes plotted by equally diabolical evil-doers (among them robots and man-eating monsters).
The Avengers
1961
7.4Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
The Saint
1962
7.4Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
The Saint
1962
7.1Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
Heartbeat
1992
7.1Series of single made-for-television dramas.
Screen Two
1985
4.8No Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967. It was the sequel to the series Murder Bag and Crime Sheet, all starring Raymond Francis as Detective Superintendent, later Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart.
No Hiding Place
1959
6.6Taggart is a Scottish detective television program. The series revolves around a group of detectives initially in the Maryhill CID of Strathclyde Police, though various storylines have happened in other parts of the Greater Glasgow area, and as of the most recent series the team have operated out of the fictional John Street police station across the street from the City Chambers.
Taggart
1983
6.4The legendary character Robin Hood and his band of merry men in Sherwood Forest and the surrounding vicinity. While some episodes dramatised the traditional Robin Hood tales, most episodes were original dramas created by the show's writers and producers.
The Adventures of Robin Hood
1955
6.4The legendary character Robin Hood and his band of merry men in Sherwood Forest and the surrounding vicinity. While some episodes dramatised the traditional Robin Hood tales, most episodes were original dramas created by the show's writers and producers.
The Adventures of Robin Hood
1955
7.5Captain Scarlet heads up an international intelligence agency as they battle against the Mysterons, an alien species from Mars that vows vengeance after a misunderstanding with humans.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
1967
7.2The adventures of Interpol policemen Duval and Mornay as they fought against international drug-running, homicide, robbery and forgery.
Interpol Calling
1959
6.5No synopsis available yet.
Morecambe & Wise
1961
7.1Out of the Unknown is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Each episode was a dramatisation of a science fiction short story; some were created for the series, but most were adaptations of already published stories. The first three years were exclusively science fiction, but that genre was abandoned in the final year in favour of horror and fantasy. A number of episodes were wiped during the early 1970s, as was standard procedure at the time.
Out of the Unknown
1965
6.9The absurd adventures of two defective detectives, who - despite unbelievable incompetence - somehow manage to solve their cases (or be nearby when the cases are solved) and retain their jobs.
The Detectives
1993
6.8The World of Hammer is a thirteen-part British documentary series created and written by Robert and Ashley Sidaway for Channel 4. Initially broadcast from 12 August to 4 November 1994, the series is narrated by English actor and frequent Hammer collaborator Oliver Reed.
The World of Hammer
1994
8.2The Human Jungle is a British TV series about a psychiatrist, made for ABC Television by the small production company Independent Artists for transmission on ITV. Starring Herbert Lom, it ran for two series which were first transmitted during 1963 and 1965.
The Human Jungle
1963
7.2Paul Temple is a British-German television series . It features Francis Matthews as Paul Temple, the fictional detective created by Francis Durbridge, who solves crimes with the assistance of his wife Steve. Paul Temple used overseas locations in France, Malta, Germany and elsewhere.
Paul Temple
1969
9.0A kid-friendly take on the exploits of King Richard the Lion Heart, from his participation in the Crusades, to his capture in Austria, to his final return to England.
Richard the Lionheart
1962
The global adventures of Ken Franklin, ace operative of the William J. Burns Detective Agency, qualify as a pop-culture curio if only for star Arthur---later Art---Fleming, who hosted the original `Jeopardy!'
International Detective
1959
The global adventures of Ken Franklin, ace operative of the William J. Burns Detective Agency, qualify as a pop-culture curio if only for star Arthur---later Art---Fleming, who hosted the original `Jeopardy!'
International Detective
1959
9.0A BBC anthology series featuring adaptations of detective stories over 45 episodes in three seasons that ran from 1964 to 1969. As with many BBC programmes made before the early 1970s, many of its episodes no longer exist. Of the eighteen episodes from the first season only twelve are currently known to exist; likewise six of the sixteen editions from the second run are considered lost, and just one of the final ten survives in the archives.
Detective
1964
9.0A BBC anthology series featuring adaptations of detective stories over 45 episodes in three seasons that ran from 1964 to 1969. As with many BBC programmes made before the early 1970s, many of its episodes no longer exist. Of the eighteen episodes from the first season only twelve are currently known to exist; likewise six of the sixteen editions from the second run are considered lost, and just one of the final ten survives in the archives.
Detective
1964
6.8Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire, in 1997, where thirteen-year-old Simon Doonan and his best friend Kylie dream of escaping their dreary suburban surroundings and moving to cosmopolitan London "to live amongst the beautiful people." The first episode aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008 and recorded overnight ratings of 1.5 million viewers and positive critical reaction. Episodes are self-contained, but do follow a loose story arc throughout the course of each series. The second and final series finished airing on 18 December 2009.
Beautiful People
2008
7.3Ike, also known as Ike: The War Years, is a 1979 television miniseries about the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The screenplay by Melville Shavelson is based on Kay Summersby's 1948 memoir Eisenhower Was My Boss and her 1975 autobiography, Past Forgetting: My Love Affair. The series aired from May 3–6, 1979 on ABC. During World War II, General Dwight D. 'Ike' Eisenhower serves as supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe. On a personal level, he has an extramarital affair with his driver Kay Summersby.
Ike
1979
6.2Once a successful playwright, George Maple is now procrastinating, lacking self-confidence and suffering from writer's block. He is seen at home with his supportive wife Mabel, son Wilfred and daughter Kate. They're frequently visited by neighbour Tom Lawrence, a confident, suave and successful playwright, and cleaner Mrs Field.
Don't Forget to Write!
1977
NRA comedy drama about the trials and tribulations of a couple whose extended family never seem to fly the nest.
All About George
2005
NROn their way to London for the Rugby League final, a group of northerners start telling each other stories, in the manner of Chaucer's pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.
Trinity Tales
1975
Down Place will forever be associated with the company that turned a quiet English countryside mansion into a film making powerhouse, responsible for countless stomach churning, skin crawling, jump out of your seat horror greats. Hammer re-christened Down Place as Bray Studios. The community that developed amongst the crew was unique, facilitated by the fact that at its height a film was completed every six weeks. Watch as many of the most prominent members of the crew recall their time at Bray in this remarkable five part series.
The House of Horror - Memories of Bray
2013
6.0Marcus Lieberman passes on the secrets of the furniture trade to his young son, Simon.
A Little Big Business
1963
No synopsis available yet.
A Roof Over My Head
1977
Hotel experts Francis and John Brennan, owners of the Five Star Park Hotel Kenmare, restore the fortunes of struggling hospitality businesses across Ireland. There are big characters, big tasks, big ambitions, and big challenges in each series.
At Your Service, Ltd
1951
Anne and Geoffrey's children won't leave home, so they decide to move out themselves.
Tears Before Bedtime
1983
7.8Follows the staff and patients of a Yorkshire cottage hospital in the 60s, embroiled in tangled love lives and bitter power struggles.
The Royal
2003
The Dark Island is a six-part British television miniseries, produced by Gerard Glaister for the BBC. It premièred on 8 July 1962. It was later adapted for radio, which was transmitted in 1969. It was set on the Outer Hebridean island of Benbecula, though the majority of the series was filmed on South Uist.
The Dark Island
1962
No synopsis available yet.
The Crowther Collection
1980

