Few books and television series have enjoyed as much adulation among mystery aficionados as PBS’s “Rumpole of the Bailey,” based on John Mortimer’s short stories about the rumpled barrister.

Himself a defense attorney with an extremely liberal bent, Mr. Mortimer’s affection for (or, at least, “understanding” of ) the criminal element is evident in the collection of crooks and felons, mainly portrayed as colorful rapscallions rather than violent thugs, who appear in Rumpole’s cases.

The real-life barrister and the fictional one are far less offended by those who perpetrate crimes than they are of the upper classes and those who attempt to maintain England’s civility and social boundaries.

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Did you know that Rumpole’s wife, always referred to as “She who must be obeyed,” is based on Margaret Thatcher? The lack of respect and affection he shows toward her merely echoes his resentment and distaste for the former prime minister.

Of the many British authors of good, old-fashioned detective novels, one of the most revered was Edmund Crispin, whose nine novels about Gervase Fen, the Oxford professor-cum-sleuth, have enjoyed enormous success on both sides of the Atlantic.

His first eight books were published between 1944 and 1953, when he abruptly quit writing novels, finally producing “Glimpses of the Moon” after a two-decade sabbatical. Such exercises in humorous, fair-play detection as “The Moving Toyshop,” and “Buried for Pleasure” have rightly been elevated to classic status.

Did you know that Crispin’s real name was Bruce Montgomery and that his true vocation was not literature but music? In addition to writing requiems (for relaxation, he claimed), he wrote the original score for such wildly popular British “Carry On” comedies as “Carry On Doctor,” “Carry On Sergeant,” and “Carry On Nurse,” which became the top-grossing British film of 1959.

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Alfred Hitchcock was almost as famous for his tremendous affection for cool blond actresses like Grace Kelly, Tippi Hedren, and Eva Marie Saint as he was for directing many of the greatest suspense films of all time. Many regard “Vertigo” as his masterpiece, and it featured the very gorgeous, very blond, and very cool Kim Novak.

Did you know that Hitchcock, rather than being a little in love with Novak, as he had been with the other ice maidens, held her in extremely low regard through no fault of her own?

The director had wanted Vera Miles for the role but, when the actress became pregnant, he had to make a hasty substitution and borrowed Ms. Novak from Paramount, with whom she was under contract, for his Warner Brothers film. She had been offered a separate fee to take the job and refused to work until she got paid. By the time she finally received her check, Vera Miles had had her baby and was available.

Hitchcock, angry with Ms. Miles for having gotten pregnant, kept Ms. Novak, but derived tremendous satisfaction, as he admitted years later, from the scene in which the character apparently attempts suicide by leaping into San Francisco Bay. He called for repeated retakes, forcing the fully clothed and made-up actress to jump, again and again, into the studio’s huge tank that replicated the bay. As she was pulled from the water, totally drenched, Hitchcock called for another retake, forcing her to get her hair done, makeup applied and fresh clothes donned, only to have to do it again.

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While less common than it was 25 years ago, some pedants continue to look down their noses at mystery fiction as mere popular culture to be lumped in with the architecture of McDonald’s and 1960s television sitcoms. Seriousminded students of literature, they either imply or baldly aver, should have nothing to do with this fluffy stuff.

Did you know that Nicholas Blake, a giant of the British fairplay school of detective fiction and creator of Nigel Strangeways, was the pseudonym of C. Day Lewis, the poet, novelist and critic who was named England’s Poet Laureate by Queen Elizabeth in 1968? One of the leading intellectuals of his time, he never deprecated the mystery genre nor his work in it.

Mr. Penzler is the proprietor of the Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan and the series editor of the annual “Best American Mystery Stories.” He can be reached at ottopenzler@mysteriousbookshop.com.