Mystery!
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Mystery!
Genre
Anthology, mystery
Presented by
Gene Shalit, Vincent Price, Diana Rigg
Country of origin
United States, United Kingdom
Original language(s)
English
Production company(s)
WGBH, BBC, ITV
Release
Original network
PBS
Original release
1980 – 2006
Mystery! (also written MYSTERY!) is a television anthology series produced by WGBH Boston for PBS in the United States. The series was created as a police and crime drama spin-off to the already established PBS show Masterpiece Theater. From 1980-2006, Mystery! aired mostly British crime series purchased from or co-produced with the BBC or ITV and adapted from British mystery fiction. In 2002, due to pressure to include more American material, a series based on the novels of US mystery writer Tony Hillerman was produced, but the vast majority of Mystery! programming has always been and continues to be British literary adaptations co-produced with UK-based production companies.
In 2008 PBS combined Mystery! with its predecessor Masterpiece Theater under the umbrella title Masterpiece, which includes the sub-brands Masterpiece Classic, Masterpiece Mystery!, and Masterpiece Contemporary.
Contents [hide]
1
Edward Gorey, Derek Lamb, and the Mystery! opening sequence
2
Inception and early history
3
Hosts
4
Funding trouble: 1996-2007
5
2008 format change
6
Mystery! in popular culture
7
List of series presented on Mystery!
8
American Mystery! Specials
9
References
10
Bibliography
11
External links
Edward Gorey, Derek Lamb, and the Mystery! opening sequence[edit]
Mystery! is noted for its animated opening and closing title sequences with original drawings created by cartoonist Edward Gorey and animated by Eugene Federenko, Derek Lamb, and Janet Perlman,[1] with music by Normand Roger. A PBS veteran, animator Lamb had also created programming for series like Sesame Street, The...