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🔎 📺 This is the eighteenth episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1954 TV Series).
It stars: 🕵️‍♂️ Ronald Howard as Sherlock Holmes 👨‍⚕️ Howard Marion-Crawford as Dr. Watson 👮 Archie Duncan as Inspector Lestrade

⚡ Episode Summary:
London is gripped with fear as a serial killer leaves a thistle flower at the scene of each crime. Inspector Lestrade struggles to find a lead, but Holmes notices a subtle pattern behind the seemingly random murders. As the body count rises, Holmes and Watson must act quickly to unmask the elusive “Thistle Killer” before he strikes again.

💡 Why Watch This Episode?
✔️ A darker, suspenseful story with a chilling serial killer theme
✔️ Holmes’ deductive brilliance shines against a cunning adversary
✔️ Gripping black-and-white mystery drama from the golden age of TV

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👉 Don’t forget to Like 👍, Comment 💬 & Subscribe 🔔 for more vintage TV & mystery classics.
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#sherlockholmes #ThistleKiller #TheAdventuresOfSherlockHolmes #1954TVSeries #ClassicTV #RonaldHoward #DrWatson #InspectorLestrade #vintagemystery #detectivedrama #GoldenAgeTelevision
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Transcript
00:00The End
00:30THE END
01:00THE END
01:29Oh, you gave me a proper scare, you did
01:32Rather light for a young lady to be out by herself, isn't it?
01:36Oh, you mean the thistle killer?
01:37One killing a night in the last five nights
01:40He may be out again tonight
01:42Oh, makes you shiver
01:43I wouldn't talk to any strange gentleman, I wouldn't
01:46And if one spoke to me, I'd run
01:48Or scream
01:49You're a sensible girl
01:50Would you like a sweet?
01:52Oh, thank you
01:54The caramels are very good
01:58Oh, dear
02:08Oh, dear
02:14Oh, dear
02:16He's done it again.
02:46He's done it again.
03:16I'm going to pass the jam, would you, Watson?
03:22Any interesting news in the Times?
03:26It says here that some American claims to have found a cure for the common cold.
03:32That's nonsense. I don't believe it.
03:35Thunderbolt won the Aspinall Stakes.
03:38Trickster won. Perhaps could have made a killing on that.
03:42Oh, was there another one last night?
03:45The Thistle Killer.
03:47Oh, yes, yes.
03:50Yes, he strangled a girl last night at Ingram Square.
03:55Left the usual sign, Thistles.
03:58Ah, man's a maniac.
04:00Perhaps he is, Watson.
04:02But there may be a definite pattern behind all these killings, you know.
04:06Oh, do you think so?
04:18Look at that map, Wilkins.
04:20From one end of London to the other.
04:24He's got something on his mind, sir.
04:27Oh, you really think so, Wilkins?
04:29Of course he's got something on his mind, you idiot.
04:32He's got killing on his mind.
04:34When's it gonna finish?
04:37Where's it all gonna end?
04:40I've looked up the statistics, sir.
04:42There are approximately 459,000 young women in London
04:46between the ages of 16 and 25, sir.
04:49That's a comforting thought, Wilkins.
04:52I thought so.
05:09From the superintendent.
05:11Perhaps he'll be interested in your optimistic statistics, Wilkins.
05:22Come in.
05:43You send for me, sir?
05:45Ah, Inspector Lestrain, yes, I sent for you.
05:48Sit down, Inspector.
05:49Thank you, sir.
05:52Not working too hard these days, I hope?
05:57Well, sir, I'm used to hard work.
06:00Then give me a sample of it.
06:02Stop these wholesale murders.
06:04Six women Lestrade in six successive nights.
06:08A man's making a charnel house out of London.
06:11What's the yard doing about it?
06:13Well, sir, we have men in duty all over London, you know.
06:16Well, how does he slip by them?
06:18How does he get away?
06:19Sir, it's almost impossible to get away.
06:21It's almost impossible to cover a city the size of London.
06:24He'll strike again tonight.
06:26Sir, there are 459,000 young women in London between the ages of 16 and 25.
06:33I don't care if they're 459,000,000.
06:37Stop him!
06:38Portland Lane, Harris Street, Ovington Court, Napier Street, Evans Lane, and Ingram Square last night.
06:52Where will it be tonight?
06:54Sir, it's the whole of London to pick from.
06:56It's almost impossible to anticipate him.
06:59He doesn't choose his places.
07:01The haphazard!
07:06You know, there's nothing haphazard about this man, Watson.
07:09He's choosing each locality with a plan.
07:12What plan?
07:13Well, that's our problem.
07:17Jeremy Holmes, why does he drop thistles onto his victims?
07:20And why three?
07:24I think they're symbols, Watson.
07:26Just as his killings are symbolic.
07:28Mm-hmm.
07:30Do you think he knew his victims?
07:33I doubt it.
07:35Now, there's another motive, a deeper plan behind it all.
07:39I think we know all the facts.
07:41We only have to read them properly.
07:46Well, sir.
07:47He knew each of these girls.
07:49That's the link.
07:50That's what I'm working on.
07:51How do you know that, Lestrade?
07:53We issued a warning to young girls not to speak to strangers.
07:57To scream or to run as soon as they were accosted.
07:59Yet not one of them has done either.
08:01In fact, in three of the killings,
08:03footsteps showed that they walked beside him.
08:05That they knew him.
08:06That they trusted him.
08:08And the girl last night had accepted the caramel from him.
08:12Yes, sir.
08:13And, of course, a young lady will never accept a sweet from a stranger.
08:16Then find the man they all know in common.
08:19Yes, sir.
08:22Oh, by the way, Lestrade.
08:24Yes, sir?
08:25There's a chap named Sherlock Holmes.
08:28Ever run into him?
08:29Holmes, sir?
08:31Sherlock Holmes?
08:35Yes, yes, the name is familiar, sir.
08:38Yes, I have run into him on occasion.
08:41Deduces things, they tell me.
08:43Clever.
08:46You might call him in.
08:49Unofficially, of course.
08:51He's an amateur, sir.
08:52An amateur can't do worse than we're doing.
08:55Yes, sir.
08:58Yes, sir.
08:59Yes, sir.
09:03Yes, sir.
09:07Yes, sir.
09:09THE END
09:39I simply can't understand it, Holmes.
09:45Don't understand what?
09:47Why Inspector Lestrade hasn't called? I've been expecting him all the morning.
09:51Oh, well, he probably feels he can tackle it himself.
09:54And perhaps he can.
09:57Come in.
10:04Good evening, Dr. Watson.
10:05Holmes.
10:06Ah, good afternoon, Lestrade.
10:08Mr. Watson, Dr. Watson's been expecting you.
10:12Oh, he has, has he?
10:14Well, you're here, aren't you?
10:16Well, as a matter of fact, someone at the yard did suggest that I might, uh...
10:21Well, as a matter of fact...
10:23Who?
10:25The superintendent.
10:28Holmes.
10:28This man's a ghost.
10:30I've men everywhere. I've warned everybody.
10:32He's still killed and no one sees him.
10:35Uh, map of London, Lestrade?
10:37Yes, I've marked out all the places where he's killed.
10:42Oh, yes.
10:43That's interesting.
10:45Most interesting.
10:46Ah, we're starting here with Portland Lane.
10:49Harris Street.
10:53Ovington Square.
10:55Evans Lane.
10:57Napier Street.
10:59Ingram Square.
11:00I take it this is the sequence of the killings, Lestrade?
11:03Yes, I've tackled it from every angle.
11:06Concentric circles, triangles, squares, north, south, east, and west.
11:10There's just no pattern to these killing zones.
11:12Oh, but there is, Lestrade. There is.
11:14But he's challenging Scotland Yard to catch him.
11:17Challenging us?
11:18Yes, he's playing a game with you.
11:21What do you mean, playing a game?
11:23Acrostics.
11:24Look.
11:25Now, take the names in sequence.
11:27Beginning with the first letter of each neighborhood.
11:31P for Portland Lane.
11:33H for Harris Street.
11:34P.
11:35H.
11:37And so on.
11:38O.
11:39E.
11:40N.
11:42I.
11:43And what's the last letter?
11:45Why, the only one that fits, of course.
11:48X.
11:49And so you have Phoenix.
11:51Phoenix?
11:52The legendary bird that rose from its own ashes, symbol of immortality.
11:57Now, I know he's a maniac.
11:59Him and his thistles, all three of them.
12:01Well, the thistle's the national flower of Scotland, Lestrade.
12:05You should know that.
12:06And there are three feet in a yard.
12:09Scotland Yard!
12:11Well, it shouldn't be hard to deduce where he plans to strike tonight.
12:14The last letter is X.
12:18Exenia Lane leading into Xerxes Park.
12:22Here.
12:22Then we have him.
12:26It would appear so, wouldn't it?
12:36Xerxes Park, Superintendent.
12:38It must be Xerxes Park.
12:40But there are other places that begin with the letter X, Mr. Holmes.
12:44Very few.
12:45And they're too frequented.
12:46Xerxes Park is small, quiet, and practically deserted at night.
12:50That's just what he wants.
12:52All right.
12:53Xerxes Park, then.
12:56Lestrade?
12:57Yes, sir?
12:58Plant men all around the park.
13:01We'll cut off the entire area.
13:04But keep the park entrances open, Superintendent.
13:07Invite him in, you mean?
13:09Well, if you keep him out, you won't catch him.
13:11Good thought, Mr. Holmes.
13:13There are only two entrances to Xerxes Park.
13:16A gate here and here.
13:17We'll cover them both.
13:18Get him coming or going, eh?
13:22Either way.
13:23No, coming, not going.
13:25Oh, I see what you mean.
13:27But supposing there is no young woman in Xerxes Park?
13:31Oh, there will be.
13:32How do you know?
13:33We'll put one there for him.
13:36Decoy, eh?
13:38But who?
13:39It'll be risky.
13:41Ever done any amateur theatricals, Mr. Strayed?
13:46Hmm?
13:46What?
13:49Oh, I think we'll need Inspector Lestrade at one end of the park, Superintendent.
13:55Hmm.
13:57Now, as for the woman...
14:00Hmm.
14:01One of our police matrons might volunteer.
14:16But explain the risk fully to her, Lestrade.
14:20We'll arm her, too, sir, just in case.
14:22I'm not sure a gun will be enough, Lestrade.
14:24We could arrange a signal with her so she could let us know the moment she's accosted.
14:29Excellent, Watson.
14:30As soon as we get the signal, we can close in on him.
14:32Hmm-hmm.
14:34All right, Lestrade.
14:35Pick the best men we have.
14:38Yes, sir.
14:39You want Lestrade at one end of Xerxes Park, but who'll be at the other end?
14:53Why, Dr. Watson and I, of course.
14:55That's a very good idea.
14:56Thank you very much.
14:58I wish there wasn't this fog.
15:00I'm covered with this, Miss Curley.
15:11But don't take any chances.
15:12I'll be at that end of the park, and Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson will be at that end.
15:17Ah, Holmes, Dr. Watson.
15:19This is our decoy, Miss Curley.
15:22How do you do?
15:23Good evening, Miss Curley.
15:25Oh.
15:25Well, what have we got here?
15:30Ascending key, eh, Lestrade?
15:33Yes, it's a telegraph set going to both entrances.
15:36Hmm.
15:37Quite ingenious, my dear fellow.
15:38Tell me, what are your signals?
15:40One short click if a man approaches Miss Curley.
15:43If he speaks to her, she keeps her finger pressed on the key.
15:46If he just passes on his way without speaking, then two short clicks.
15:50Show Mr. Holmes how it's done, Miss Curley.
16:00Hmm, I've seen Lestrade, yes.
16:02Quite ingenious, really.
16:05Now, if a young lady passes along and wishes to go through the park, then we'll have a policeman escort her.
16:10Congratulations, Lestrade.
16:11You thought of everything.
16:13Thank you, Dr. Watson.
16:15Well, good luck, Miss Curley.
16:18And the same to you, Inspector.
16:19Here he places, Clark.
16:29Yes, Watson.
16:30I must confess to a certain uneasiness myself.
16:33Look!
16:33What?
16:35The official killer!
16:39Oh, no, you don't.
16:41You know, what's this?
16:42They're going to me.
16:42Leave poor Herbert alone.
16:44Poor Herbert, madam.
16:45This man's about to strangle you.
16:46My own husband strangled me?
16:48You're crazy.
16:49Your, your husband?
16:52Of course he's my husband.
16:55The official killer.
16:57That's what he probably is.
16:59Oh, my, my, my apologies, madam, sir.
17:04Come on, Herbert.
17:06Some people don't know what privacy is.
17:11Blank's got a right to kiss a girl, hasn't he?
17:13Even if it is his own wife.
17:15Now, what do you mean by that remark, Herbert Brown?
17:18Well, you ain't exactly what you were five years ago, Maggie.
17:20Well, I never!
17:29I say, old man, that was, uh, it's hard to think to say to the wife.
17:32Put me big foot in again, I did.
17:33Well, I mean, Holmes, the park, after all, haven't they got a home to go to?
17:45Yes, I must say, I can't blame you in the least, Watson.
17:47Shall we get on to our entrance?
17:48Mm-hmm.
17:49Let's go.
17:50Let's go.
17:50Let's go.
17:51Let's go.
17:51Chilly night, sir.
18:12It'll warm up quite soon, Wilkins.
18:15It may even get too warm for comfort.
18:21Just taking the young lady through the park, sir.
18:28Go ahead, Connors.
18:51This is nerve-wracking, Holmes.
18:58This is nerve-wracking, Holmes.
19:05Well, it may not be long now, Watson.
19:13This is nerve-wracking, Holmes.
19:18Well, it may not be long now, Watson.
19:20Good evening, sir.
19:27Good evening, sir.
19:28Good evening, Chancellor.
19:29Good evening, sir.
19:30Good evening, Chancellor.
19:34Good evening, sir.
19:35Good evening, Chancellor.
19:36Good evening, Chancellor.
19:41Miss Collie's a brave girl, sir.
19:43Shouldn't like my sister taking on the risk that she is.
19:50Couldn't use your sister, Wilkins.
19:51This is a job for professionals like us, not amateurs.
19:57Are you worried about Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson, sir?
19:58I'm worried about Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson, sir.
19:59I'm worried about Mr...
20:00I'm worried about Mr.
20:30his sister.
20:32My father's mother's story is not forever.
20:33My father's father's father's father's father and her daughter,
20:35he does not deserve this.
20:36I'm worried about Mr. Holmes, sir.
20:37I'm worried about him.
20:38I've been worried about the staff.
20:39I've never felt as though everything is normal.
20:40Never was more than enough.
20:41I'm worried about that.
20:42I've never felt as though, Tom.
20:43I've never felt as though.
20:44But, he's not forever.
20:45I've never felt as though, uncle,
20:46I've never felt as though he was ill with the other.
20:47He's been in trouble.
20:48I hope he could not have a time toicket a story,
20:49but he'll buy it now.
20:50I'm worried about him.
20:51How he could be myself in trouble.
20:52How could he look?
20:54I'm worried about him!
20:5511 o'clock, Watson.
21:13No, with all these bobbies hanging about, he's probably got the wind up and gone home.
21:18Not if they're well hidden, as they should be.
21:25Someone's approaching Miss Collie.
21:29Shh! Wait for the next signal.
21:35Evening, sir.
21:36Oh, it's brilliant, Gunsville.
21:42Ah-ha! False alarm.
21:48I'm glad you're taking me through the park, Constable.
21:51I'm only a visitor here, you know.
21:53It's so scary.
21:55Very sensible, Miss. Especially these nights.
21:58But that horrible thistle killed you loose.
22:00I don't like it, Watson.
22:16Something's wrong.
22:18Miss Collie gave the old care signal.
22:19Whoever it was must have gone past it.
22:21Yes, unless the...
22:23If any strange men talked to me, I'd run or scream. Just like the papers tell you to.
22:38That's a sensible girl.
22:39It's very foggy tonight.
22:40Would you like a sweet?
22:41Oh, thank you, Constable.
22:42Try one of the cannibals.
22:43Yeah, good.
22:44He slipped through a cordon of police before, you know, Watson.
22:45And without anybody seeing him.
22:46No, but they did see him.
22:47Everyone saw him.
22:48Oh, no.
22:49Oh, no.
22:50Oh, no.
22:51Oh, no.
22:52Oh, no.
22:53Oh, no.
22:54Oh, no.
22:55Oh, no.
22:56Oh, no.
22:57Oh, no.
22:58Oh, no.
22:59Oh, no.
23:00Oh, no.
23:01Oh, no.
23:02Oh, no.
23:03Oh, no.
23:04Oh, no.
23:05Oh, no.
23:06Oh, no.
23:07Well, Mr. Watson.
23:08And without anybody seeing him?
23:09No, but they did see him.
23:11Everyone saw him.
23:14But surely.
23:16Watson?
23:17Huh?
23:18Who's the only stranger a woman would trust in London these nights?
23:23Why, er ... why, nobody?
23:25Wrong, Watson.
23:26A policeman!
23:27A policeman!
23:28Come on, Watson!
23:31Come on, Watson!
23:37Where is he, constable? Which way is he?
23:48Look out, Watson. Get down.
24:03You all right, sir?
24:04I'm all right. See to the girl.
24:07She's all right, sir.
24:17Here, look after her, will you?
24:22He's dead.
24:25I know him, sir. He's John Phoenix.
24:28He's a cabbie. He drives Hansom.
24:30Oh, yes, I remember him now.
24:32He tried out for the force.
24:34We dropped him. In efficiency.
24:35Well, there's your motive, Lestrade.
24:38He simply wanted to prove that he could outwit Scotland Yard.
24:42He must have carried his policeman's helmet and his coat around with him in his cab.
24:47Yes, and when he spotted a girl, he put them on and became just another policeman.
24:51How did you guess, Holmes?
24:53Well, Lestrade, it was the only answer.
24:56The only answer.
24:57The only answer.
25:26THE END
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