A new ten part drama Houdini & Doyle, based around the relationship between Sherlock Holmes’s creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the great escapist Harry Houdini is to be filmed in Manchester this summer.
Houdini & Doyle, which will premiere in the UK in 2016 exclusively on ITV Encore, will be part shot at West Gorton’s Space Project, the new purpose built TV production stage complex for the North of England.
Stephen Mangan plays Sir Arthur Conan Doyle alongside Michael Weston as Harry Houdini, two of the most fascinating and iconic characters of the early 20thcentury: real-life friends, real-life adversaries, real-life crime solvers
Harry Houdini: master magician, escape artist, born penniless and now the highest paid performer in the world and he wants everyone to know it. He refuses to believe in the paranormal. As a professional magician and master of illusion he knows there’s nothing supernatural about magic. To him, everything unexplained is a trick, a gimmick, or a fraud.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the creator of the greatest detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes, but is also a passionate believer in the paranormal. Because, having lost someone very close to him, he desperately wants to find a way of communicating with them.
This fundamental difference between the two men leads to conflict… and humour… and competition. High-minded competition in the pursuit of the truth and ridiculous petty competition because they’re… guys. But despite all this, they need each other. Doyle needs Houdini because he is gullible. Houdini needs Doyle because he is wrong.
Houdini & Doyle will draw heavily on the rich history of the period. At the turn of the 20th century the Metropolitan Police, mired in the ways of the 19th century, were overwhelmed with bizarre and often inexplicable cases so they turned to outsiders including, believe it or not, Houdini and Doyle, who collaborated with New Scotland Yard on some unsolved and inexplicable crimes.
What can we believe? What should we believe? Is cynicism to be admired or is it what makes us human? Is reason the antithesis of hope?
Joining the international cast of new and established talent are exciting new Canadian actress Rebecca Liddiard as Constable Adelaide Stratton, whose character in the series is the first female PC ever to work for the London Metropolitan Police Force, Tim McInnerny as Inspector Horace Merring, fast rising star Adam Nagaitis as Sergeant George Gudgett.
Multi award winning Director Stephen Hopkins of 24 and Californication is the lead director and Adrian Sturges of The Enfield Haunting will produce the series.
ITV’s Director of Drama Steve November said: “We are delighted to be commissioning Houdini & Doyle, a series inspired by two of the greatest characters in the 20th century. We are looking forward to working with such a brilliant team to bring this unlikely, real-life friendship to our ITV Encore audience.”
