A "TWO FOR TUESDAY ENDEAVOUR" (PART II)

So following on, here's the second  part of the "Two For Tuesday Endeavour", featuring the second episode of Season Five.....

‘ENDEAVOUR’
“CARTOUCHE”

Here are our categories:


DR. FU MANCHU

When DS Morse showed up at the flat where the body of former copper Beavis was found, he was greeted by Dr. DeBryn with "We meet again, Nayland Smith!"

DeBryn was comparing Endeavour Morse with Denis Nayland Smith, the long-time foe of Fu Manchu.  Both of those characters were multiversals, beginning life in the books by Sax Rohmer, then on to the movies, comics and also in Toobworld.

From Wikipedia:Dr. Fu Manchu is a fictional villain character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the twentieth century. The character was also featured extensively in cinema, television, radio, comic strips, and comic books for over 90 years, and has become an archetype of the evil criminal genius and mad scientist, while lending the name to the Fu Manchu moustache.

In 1956, the television arm of Republic Pictures produced a 13-episode syndicated series, 'The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu' starring Glen Gordon as Dr. Fu Manchu, Lester Matthews as Sir Denis Nayland Smith, and Clark Howat as Dr. John Petrie. 

The title sequence depicted Smith and Fu Manchu in a game of chess as the announcer stated that "the Devil is said to play for men's souls. So does Dr. Fu Manchu, Evil Incarnate." At the conclusion of each episode, after Nayland Smith and Petrie had foiled Fu Manchu's latest fiendish scheme, Fu Manchu would be seen breaking a black chess piece in a fit of frustration (black king's bishop, always the same bit of film, repeated) just before the closing credits rolled. It was directed by noted serial director Franklin Adreon as well as William Witney. 

Fu Manchu was never allowed to succeed in this TV series. Unlike the Holmes/Watson type relationship of the films, the series featured Smith as a law enforcement officer and Petrie as a staff member for the Surgeon General.

By the time of this investigation, which took place in May of 1968, there had been three "Fu Manchu" movies starring Christopher Lee as the Devil Doctor".  And Nayland Smith was portrayed by a different actor with each movie - Nigel Green, Douglas Wilmer, and Richard Green.  (Luckily these are just considered to be movies in Toobworld.  I could probably go a little nuts with theories about the reasons for those recastaways!)

Dr. Fu Manchu was probably known to the general public, but I have to see the rest of the TV series to see how I could make it fit with other pop culture references to it.  (I've only seen one, but it's a goodie!)  So in the meantime, I'll just say that Dr. DeBryn must have just seen that last movie with Greene as Nayland Smith since it opened only a few months before that day.  I don't think DeBryn really believed that Fu Manchu really existed, nor Nayland Smith for that matter.  Like most of the general public he was probably gullled into believing that they were fictional characters - which was just the way the shadowy ops organization known as UNReal wanted it.

MAMMOTH PICTURES

The horror movie showcased in the episode was produced by the Mammoth Pictures studio.  This was meant to be an in-joke to the production company that is responsible for 'Endeavour'.  But Toby don't play dat!  The Mammoth Pictures of Toobworld is a different entity altogether!

MAMMOTH IN TOOBWORLD I

MAMMOTH IN TOOBWORLD II

Mammoth Pictures links 'It Takes A Thief', 'The Lucy Show', 'The Monkees' and now brings the three shows based on Colin Dexter's world of Morse into the mix as well.  I think we'll see Mammoth Pictures be inducted into the TVXOHOF in September....)

THE PHARAOH'S CURSE

The movie seen at the Roxy was "The Pharaoh's Curse" which was made back in the 1930s and starred Emil Valdemar.  As far as Toobworld is concerned, it is based on a book from the turn of the 20th Century which was written by a Toronto constable named George Crabtree.

MAROON STUDIOS
When DI Fred Thursday was growing up in the area, he spent many a Saturday at the theatre watching news reels, Westerns, a few shorts and cartoons from Maroon Studios.  That is the cartoon factory to be found in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", making the property a true multiversal - BookWorld, the Cineverse, and now Toobworld.  And even in a show like 'Endeavour', so dour in tone at times - it's not beyond the possibility that "toons" exist in the live-action world of the Toob near Oxford.  We just don't see them because there is a human prejudice against toons.  So, like puppets, the toons are kept in segregated areas away from the live-action populace.

Yeah, the idea of toons in the world of 'Morse' doesn't feel right for everybody.  But this is Toobworld, my playground, so I am not concerned with your view on the topic.

Start your own TV sandbox! LOL