Spaniard’s Curse, The

Theatregoers leave the Dome following the 50th performance of "Meet Mr. Coleman".

Pickpocket Arthur Jody (Roddy Hughes) walks among the departing audience. The 'Odeon', 85-89 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, demolished in 1990 and the site redeveloped. (RL)

At the Central Criminal Court some six months later, Guy Bretherton Stevenson utters a curse on the Judge Mr. Justice Manton, Sir Robert Wyvern the Council for the Prosecution and Mr. Jordan the Foreman of the Jury after being sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence. The dome of the Central Criminal Court on Old Bailey, London EC4 which can be seen in many other productions including 'Never Look Back', 'The Blue Lamp’, ‘Pressure’, ‘Three Sundays to Live’ and 'Hostile Witness'.

The tree has switched sides. SJ

On his way to prison, Guy Stevenson suffers a fatal heart attack. Wandsworth Prison on Heathfield Road SW18. The prison can be seen in a number of productions including 'There Was a Crooked Man', ‘Ooh, You Are Awful’, ‘The Criminal’, ‘The Birthday Present’ and ‘The Time of His Life’.

The chimneys have disappeared and the side walls have been elevated. SJ

Mr. Justice Manton returns home. Looking towards Hyde Park Street on Hyde Park Square W2. Hyde Park Square can similarly be seen in 'The Square Mile Murder'. (RL)

Redevelopment has taken place in the background. (PW)

Having met Mark Brett (Lee Patterson) in a café after leaving the court, the judge's niece Margaret Manton (Susan Beaumont) tells him that the Dome Theatre was the last place that her Mother played in. Quite likely to be The 'Odeon', 85-89 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, but as it was demolished in 1990 and the site redeveloped so difficult now to be sure. However, as Ron Glenister points out that the configuration of the wall does match that of a 'dressed' right hand front entrance. (RL)

Mr. Jordan (Joe Gibbons) takes his watch out as he waits to cross the road. The background looks to be The 'Odeon', 85-89 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, demolished in 1990 and the site redeveloped. The blind to the right being that of the clock shop. (RL)

Distracted by the time, Mr. Jordan steps into the road without looking and is knocked down by a newspaper van.

Moving Margaret away from the kerb, Mark walks back to the road where the dead man has fallen, the first to be summoned to appear at the assize of the dying by Guy Stevenson. Events are taking place outside The 'Odeon', 85-89 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. The cinema and the adjacent building seen here were demolished in 1990 and the site redeveloped, but the gabled terrace beyond remains. (RL)

Now replaced by the Everyman Cinema. Taken at the ReelStreets summer tour 2024. (SR)

Mark accompanies Margaret home to Justice Manton's house by taxi and the two agree to meet the following evening. Hyde Park Square in W2 which also features in 'The Internecine Project'.

Looking the same way from the pavement. (PW)

The morning after members of the press begin to telephone Sir Robert for his comments, newspapers carrying headlines about Stephenson's curse. Hyde Park Square with properties on Hyde Park Street in the right distance.

Scaffolding, parked cars, this comparison has it all! (PW)

Charlie Manton drives his cousin to meet Mark at the apartment block where murder victim Zoe's Travers lived opposite to Guy Stephenson. Sussex Place at the corner of Stanhope Place in W2.

A newer property now graces the corner. (PW)

The camera follows as the judge's son turns into the building's forecourt. Facing north-west on Sussex Place with Clifton Place to the left and Gloucester Square on the right. The location features in 'The Man Outside', 'Mr. Denning Drives North' and 'You Can’t Escape'.

Facing the same way with, unusually, about the same number of parked cars. (PW)

The forecourt of numbers 1 to 9 Gloucester Square off Sussex Place.

The forecourt now. (PW)

Newspaper reporter Charlie Manton (Tony Wright) draws up outside the block where the two are met by Mark, Zoe's half brother. The forecourt of numbers 1 to 9 Gloucester Square in W2.

Slightly off angle to avoid the car. (PW)

Inside the apartment, events leading up to the murder are recalled before a flashback appears in which Detectives ask about a piece of Zoe's jewellery spotted in the window of a pawn shop. The corner of Ivor Place in NW1 with the roof of numbers 62 and 64 Balcombe Street to the bottom left.

A slightly wider shot from Paul to put the location a little clearer into perspective. Clearly the upper floors have received a make-over as well as the lower. (RL)

Mark and Margaret take a cab to the pawnbrokers to ask questions of their own. Outside numbers 16 and 15 Ivor Place with the corner of Linhope Street to the right.

Significant changes have been made to the premises but the remaining properties in the line reassured Paul Lincoln that he was in the correct place. (RL)

Across the road, a Detective (John Watson) watches the pair enter Mr. Fredericks' premises where they are given the name Jody and an address above a newsagents in Islington by Mr. Fredericks. The corner of Ivor Place and Balcombe Street in NW1.

Paul was the only man lurking on street corners this day. (RL)

Following them across town, the Detective watches Mark and Margaret leave the Islington newsagents. Looking into St. Luke's Road from outside 36 Tavistock Crescent in W11.

The buildings to the right survive. (PW)

Learning that Jody had picked the item of Zoe's jewellery from the pocket of a man who wasn't Stephenson, the two get back into their waiting taxi. Aidan McManus recognised Tavistock Crescent opposite St. Luke’s Road with the bridge to St. Ervan's Road to the left.

No chocolate, tobacco or newspapers to be found here today. (PW)

The cab pulls away. Tavistock Crescent identified by Aidan McManus with the railway bridge over the Hammersmith & City Line standing to the left. The bridge appears in 'The 14', 'Violent Moment', 'Burning an Illusion', 'Son of a Stranger', 'Duffer' and 'Innocent Meeting'.

The replacement building doesn't have quite the same charm. (PW)

Following the vehicle, the camera pans left. The Tavistock Hotel on Tavistock Crescent located by Aidan McManus. The public house can be seen in 'Col cuore in gola' as well as being dressed as the Mother Black Cap for 'Withnail & I'.

The same corner. (PW)

Tavistock Crescent in Notting Hill found by Aidan McManus.

Not quite as characterful. (PW)

Facing south-west along Tavistock Crescent from the corner of St. Luke's Road W11. A similar sequence can also be seen in 'The L-shaped Room'. (RL)

The replacement terraces retain the same sweep to the left. (PW)

The Detective puts away his newspaper and moves off as the taxi passes. The corner of Tavistock Crescent and St. Luke's Road identified by Aidan McManus.

Considering the size of the surrounding properties, the corner café has been replaced by a rather diminutive building. (PW)

After Charlie heads north to cover a murder, Sir Robert Wyvern pulls to the kerb to buy a newspaper on his way to see Justice Manton. Ron Glenister has found this to be Albion Street, London W2 (RL)

I think we're looking south at the corner of Albion Street and Connaught Street. SJ

After she answers a personal column advertisement intended for the murderer, Margaret runs from St. Lucien Martyr church after being grabbed by Mark.

Margaret slows to a halt and hides in the shadow of a doorway before Mark finds her.

Having followed his niece, Justice Manton returns to the church where he witnesses the shooting of Sir Robert before making his way home. Looking south-west towards the corner of Hyde Park Square from the junction of Gloucester Square and Southwick Place in W2.

The view some 64 years later. (PW)

Mr. Justice Manton (Michael Hordern) peers along the road before continuing home where he unexpectedly finds his son in bed.