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Thriller (UK TV series)
Encyclopedia
Thriller is a British television series, originally broadcast in the UK from 1973 to 1976. It is an anthology series: each episode has a self-contained story and its own cast. As the title suggests, each story is a thriller of some variety, from tales of the supernatural to down-to-earth whodunit
s.
, who also scripted the majority of the episodes and storylined every instalment, and produced by John Sichel
(the first 3 series), John Cooper
(series 4) and Ian Fordyce (the final two series) for Associated Television
(ATV) at their Elstree studios north of London. It evolved from Clemens' previous work, in particular two films of a similar style, And Soon the Darkness
(EMI-ABP 1970) and Blind Terror
(aka See No Evil
(Columbia 1971). The latter shared plot similarities with the Thriller episodes "The Eyes Have It" and "The Next Voice Your See". Original music, including the theme tune, was by Clemens' regular collaborator Laurie Johnson
.
The stories are often set in the English home counties "stockbroker belt
", but most episodes, especially from the second season onwards, feature at least one American character, mostly portrayed by an imported US guest star, to appeal to the American market. After originally being screened late night in the US under the ABC Wide World of Entertainment billing from 1973, in 1978 some episodes were retitled for US syndication and all had additional opening sequences shot, with new titles and credits. Since these were made without the original cast they often feature menacing figures seen only from the neck down. These replaced original UK and US title sequence that featured a sequence of shots through a fisheye lens
, bordered in bright red.
Following a worldwide audit in 2003/4, by the then licence holders Carlton, all the original UK PAL fisheye titled original 2" videotapes of "Thriller" were located and remastered onto modern digital tape by the British Film Institute. (One exception was the story "Nurse Will Make It Better". However this too exists in PAL/original format as a 1" dub from the original master tape. This version was repeat broadcast on the satellite channel Bravo in 1996).
A particular trademark of the series' story-telling was to hook the viewer with a simple yet totally baffling situation, of the kind seen in films such as Les Diaboliques
. Come Out Come Out, Wherever You Are takes place at a creaky country house hotel where a female guest begins asking where her travelling companion has disappeared to. The owner claims there was no such guest with her upon her arrival last night. None of the other guests initially recall seeing her, and yet the hotel owner has a secret in his past that could well be causing him to lie. One episode, Screamer
concerns a rape victim who murders her attacker only for the man to then turn up on her doorstep the following evening. Perhaps the most ingenious episode is the Dial M for Murder
style The Double Kill, in which a man hires a hitman to kill his wife, but makes a fatal error in his otherwise meticulous planning.
Other memorable episodes include Someone at the Top of the Stairs, one of a handful of forays into the supernatural, in which two female students move into a boarding house and begin to notice that none of the other residents ever go out or receive any mail, and the well-remembered I'm The Girl He Wants to Kill, in which a witness to a murder finds herself trapped in a deserted office block overnight with the killer and is forced to play a deadly game of cat and mouse with him to survive, there is barely any dialogue throughout its second half. Brian Clemens
's own favourite episode, A Coffin for the Bride features a performance from a young Helen Mirren
.
Whodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
s.
Background
The series was created by Brian ClemensBrian Clemens
Brian Horace Clemens OBE is a British screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on The Avengers and The Professionals...
, who also scripted the majority of the episodes and storylined every instalment, and produced by John Sichel
John Sichel
John Peter Sichel was a British director of film, stage and television, and, later in life, a film, television, and theatre trainer....
(the first 3 series), John Cooper
John Cooper
John Cooper may refer to:* John A. D. Cooper , American physician & educator* John B.R. Cooper , California pioneer* John Cooper, current director of the Sundance Film Festival...
(series 4) and Ian Fordyce (the final two series) for Associated Television
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
(ATV) at their Elstree studios north of London. It evolved from Clemens' previous work, in particular two films of a similar style, And Soon the Darkness
And Soon the Darkness
And Soon the Darkness is a 1970 British thriller film. Starring Pamela Franklin, Michele Dotrice and Sandor Elès, it tells the story of two young English women on a cycling holiday in France, who run into difficulties.-Plot:...
(EMI-ABP 1970) and Blind Terror
Blind Terror
Blind Terror is a suspense thriller starring Nastassja Kinski, Stewart Bick and Gordon Pinsent. Written by Douglas Soesbe, Directed by Giles Walker.-Plot:...
(aka See No Evil
See No Evil (1971 film)
See No Evil, also known as Blind Terror, is a 1971 British thriller film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Mia Farrow as a recently-blinded woman named Sarah.-Plot:...
(Columbia 1971). The latter shared plot similarities with the Thriller episodes "The Eyes Have It" and "The Next Voice Your See". Original music, including the theme tune, was by Clemens' regular collaborator Laurie Johnson
Laurie Johnson
Laurie Johnson is an English film and television composer, and bandleader.-Career:...
.
The stories are often set in the English home counties "stockbroker belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
", but most episodes, especially from the second season onwards, feature at least one American character, mostly portrayed by an imported US guest star, to appeal to the American market. After originally being screened late night in the US under the ABC Wide World of Entertainment billing from 1973, in 1978 some episodes were retitled for US syndication and all had additional opening sequences shot, with new titles and credits. Since these were made without the original cast they often feature menacing figures seen only from the neck down. These replaced original UK and US title sequence that featured a sequence of shots through a fisheye lens
Fisheye lens
In photography, a fisheye lens is a wide-angle lens that takes in a broad, panoramic and hemispherical image. Originally developed for use in meteorology to study cloud formation and called "whole-sky lenses", fisheye lenses quickly became popular in general photography for their unique, distorted...
, bordered in bright red.
Following a worldwide audit in 2003/4, by the then licence holders Carlton, all the original UK PAL fisheye titled original 2" videotapes of "Thriller" were located and remastered onto modern digital tape by the British Film Institute. (One exception was the story "Nurse Will Make It Better". However this too exists in PAL/original format as a 1" dub from the original master tape. This version was repeat broadcast on the satellite channel Bravo in 1996).
Series 1 (1973)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Killer (US title: The Death Policy) |
14 April 1973 | Barbara Feldon, T. P. McKenna T. P. McKenna Thomas Patrick McKenna , known professionally as T. P. McKenna, was an Irish actor who worked on stage, in film and television in Ireland and the UK from the 1950s.- Film and television :... , Robert Powell Robert Powell Robert Powell is an English television and film actor, probably most famous for his title role in Jesus of Nazareth and as the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay... , Linda Thorson Linda Thorson Linda Thorson is a Canadian actress, most famous for her work as Tara King in The Avengers.-Personal life:... , Mary Wimbush Mary Wimbush Mary Wimbush was an English actress, whose career spanned sixty years from the 1940s to the 2000s... , Ivor Roberts Ivor Roberts (actor) Ivor Roberts was an English television continuity announcer and television actor who often appeared in comedic roles.... |
| Possession | 21 April 1973 | John Carson John Carson (actor) John Carson is a British actor noted for his appearances in film and television.Making his film debut in 1947, he carved out a career appearing in low budget British movies such as Seven Keys ; Smokescreen ; and Master Spy... , James Cossins James Cossins James Cossins was an English character actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he became widely recognised as the abrupt, bewildered Mr. Walt in the Fawlty Towers episode "The Hotel Inspectors"... , Joanna Dunham Joanna Dunham Joanna Dunham is an English actress, best noted for her work on stage and television. She has also appeared in several major motion pictures.-Career:Dunham was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England... , Jack Galloway Jack Galloway Jack Galloway is a British actor.His television credits include: Thriller, Mackenzie, Codename Icarus, Doctor Who , Three Up, Two Down, Bergerac, The Mistress, Maigret, The Paradise Club, Boudica and Casualty.-External links:... |
| Someone at the Top of the Stairs | 28 April 1973 | Donna Mills Donna Mills Donna Mills is an American actress, most well known for her role as Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing.-Early years:... , Peter Cellier Peter Cellier Peter Cellier is an English actor who has appeared in film, stage and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Sir Frank Gordon in Yes Minister and then Yes, Prime Minister in the 1980s.-Biography:... , Judy Carne Judy Carne Judy Carne is an English actress best remembered for the phrase "Sock it to me!" on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Career:... , David de Keyser David de Keyser David de Keyser is a British actor. He is the father of Alexei de Keyser, Pia de Keyser and Thomas de Keyser.In the mid-sixties de Keyser worked twice with the writer, actor and director Jane Arden. Their first collaboration, The Logic Game, was the first BBC drama to be shot on film; it was... , Alethea Charlton Alethea Charlton Alethea Blow Charlton was a British actress.She was a cast member in episodes two, three and four of the first ever Doctor Who serial broadcast in late 1963, as a cavewoman called Hur... , Rhoda Lewis |
| An Echo of Theresa (US title: Anatomy of Terror) |
5 May 1973 | Dinsdale Landen Dinsdale Landen Dinsdale James Landen was a British actor known mainly for his television appearances.Landen was born at Margate. He made his television debut in 1959 as Pip in an adaptation of Great Expectations and made his film debut in 1960, with a walk-on part in The League of Gentlemen... , Polly Bergen Polly Bergen Polly Bergen is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur.-Career:Bergen appeared in many film roles, most notably in the original Cape Fear opposite Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum... , Vernon Dobtcheff Vernon Dobtcheff Vernon Dobtcheff is a French and British actor.Dobtcheff was born in Nîmes, France, to a family of Russian descent. He attended Ascham Preparatory School in Eastbourne, Sussex, England, in the 1940s, where he won the Acting Cup... , John Caesar |
| The Colour of Blood (US title: The Carnation Killer) |
12 May 1973 | Norman Eshley Norman Eshley Norman Eshley is an English actor best known for his roles on television.He is possibly best known for his role in the sitcom George and Mildred as the snobbish, right-wing real estate agent Jeffrey Fourmile, the foil to George... , Katherine Schofield, Derek Smith, Garrick Hagon Garrick Hagon Garrick Hagon is a film, stage, television and radio actor best known for his role as Biggs Darklighter in Star Wars: A New Hope. His many films include Batman, Spy Game, Me and Orson Welles and The Message... , Geoffrey Chater Geoffrey Chater Geoffrey Chater is a British actor who was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. He has starred in both film and television projects... , Malcolm Terris Malcolm Terris Malcolm Terris is a British actor.He had a lengthy career in a large number of television programmes. Possibly his best known role was in When the Boat Comes In, a popular 1970s series, where he played the part of Matt Headley... , Eric Mason Eric Mason Eric Mason is a British actor. His television credits include: Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor Who, Bergerac, Sea of Souls, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Minder in episode Come in T-64, Your Time Is Ticking Away and The Bill.... |
| Murder in Mind | 19 May 1973 | Donald Gee, Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (actor) Richard Johnson is an English actor, writer and producer, who starred in several British films of the 1960s and has also had a distinguished stage career. He most recently appeared in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.-Life and career:... , Zena Walker Zena Walker Zena Walker was an English actress in film, theatre, and television.Walker was born in Birmingham, the daughter of George Walker, a grocer, and his wife Elizabeth Louise . She attended St. Martin's School in 1960 and then went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She starred in an... , Ronald Radd Ronald Radd Ronald Radd was a British television actor.Radd starred in some 60 different TV shows between 1955 and 1976 including The Avengers, Danger Man, and Z-Cars... |
| A Place to Die | 26 May 1973 | Arnold Ridley Arnold Ridley Major William Arnold Ridley, OBE was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army .-Early life:Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, England where... , Harold Bennett Harold Bennett Harold Bennett was an English actor best remembered for having played 'Young Mr. Grace' in the 1970s British sitcom Are You Being Served?.-Biography:... , Georgine Anderson, Bryan Marshall Bryan Marshall Bryan Marshall is an English actor, with a number of major credits in film and television to his name.Marshall was born in Clapham, London... , Lila Kaye Lila Kaye Lila Kaye is a retired British actress. She spent a number of years working in the United States, on Broadway and in television, before returning to the U.K.... , Sydney Bromley Sydney Bromley Sydney Bromley was an English actor. He appeared in more than sixty films and television programmes. On stage, he appeared in St. Joan, by George Bernard Shaw, in 1924... , Jenny Laird Jenny Laird Jenny Laird was a British film and television actress.-Selected filmography:* Passenger to London * Black Eyes * Just William * The Lamp Still Burns... , Graham Weston, Bill Ward, John Flint, John Moreno John Moreno John Moreno a.k.a. Juan Moreno is a British actor, probably best known for his role as Luigi Ferrara in the 1981 James Bond feature film For Your Eyes Only.... |
| File It Under Fear | 2 June 1973 | Jan Francis Jan Francis Jan Francis is an English actress, best known for playing Penny Warrender in the 1980s romantic comedy Just Good Friends.-Early life:Francis was born at the former Charing Cross Hospital near Trafalgar Square, London... , James Grout James Grout James Grout is an English actor of radio and television.Grout was born in London, the son of Beatrice Anne and William Grout... , John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:... , Maureen Lipman Maureen Lipman Maureen Diane Lipman CBE is a British film, theatre and television actress, columnist and comedienne.-Early life:Lipman was born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Maurice Julius Lipman and Zelma Pearlman. Her father was a tailor; he used to have a shop between the... , Richard O'Callaghan Richard O'Callaghan Richard O'Callaghan is an English film, stage and television character actor.Born on 7 March 1940, he is the son of actors Patricia Hayes and Valentine Brooke whose stage name was Valentine Rooke. As a boy actor he was known as Richard Brooke. He has led a versatile career in film, stage and... |
| The Eyes Have It | 9 June 1973 | Sinéad Cusack Sinéad Cusack Sinéad Moira Cusack is an Irish stage, television and film actress. She has received two Tony Award nominations: once for Best Leading Actress in Much Ado About Nothing , and again for Best Featured Actress in Rock 'n' Roll .-Background:... , Dennis Waterman Dennis Waterman Dennis Waterman is a British actor and singer, best known for his tough-guy roles in television series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks.-Early life:... , Alun Armstrong Alun Armstrong (actor) Alun Armstrong is a prolific British character actor. Armstrong grew up in County Durham in North East England. He first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Since his career began in the early 1970s, he has played, in his words, "the full spectrum of... , David Jackson David Jackson (British actor) David Jackson was a British actor best known for his role as Olag Gan in the Blake's 7 first two seasons and as Detective Constable Braithwaite in Z Cars from 1972-1978... , Leslie Schofield Leslie Schofield Leslie Schofield is an English actor who is most famous in the UK for his role as Jeff Healy in the popular soap opera, EastEnders where he played Jeff from 1997 to 2000. His character was famous for unsuccessfully proposing to Pauline Fowler... , Peter Vaughan Peter Vaughan Peter Vaughan is an English character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. He has worked extensively on the stage, becoming known for roles such as police inspectors, Soviet agents and similar parts... , William Marlowe William Marlowe William Marlowe was a British theatre, television and film actor.He served in the Fleet Air Arm and hoped for a career as a writer before training as an actor at RADA. His most famous role was probably that of Chief Supt. Thomas in The Chief... , Colin McCormack Colin McCormack Colin McCormack was a professional Welsh actor who enjoyed considerable success in classical stage performances and television shows over a career approaching fifty years from his debut as a child actor in a BBC TV's Dixon of Dock Green episode, a show he returned to twenty years later when he... |
| Spell of Evil | 16 June 1973 | Diane Cilento Diane Cilento Diane Cilento was an Australian theatre and film actress and author.-Biography:Cilento's parents, Sir Raphael Cilento and Lady Phyllis Cilento, were both distinguished medical practitioners.... , Edward de Souza Edward de Souza Edward James de Souza is a British character actor and graduate of RADA with ethnic Portuguese Indian and English origins.-Early life:... , Jennifer Daniel Jennifer Daniel Jennifer Daniel is a Welsh actress. Among her film and TV appearances are the Hammer horror films The Kiss of the Vampire and The Reptile .She was married to actor Dinsdale Landen from 1959 until his death in 2003.... , Martin Wyldeck Martin Wyldeck -Selected filmography:* My Wife's Lodger * Time Bomb * Timeslip * Just Joe * The Girl on the Boat * The Pot Carriers * Night Must Fall * The Return of Mr... , Reg Lye |
Series 2 (1974)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| Only a Scream Away | 26 January 1974 | Hayley Mills Hayley Mills Hayley Mills is an English actress. The daughter of John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell, and sister of actress Juliet Mills, Mills began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for Tiger Bay , the Academy Juvenile Award... , Jeremy Bulloch Jeremy Bulloch Jeremy Bulloch is an English actor. He is best known for the role inside the costume of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy, though he did not voice the character... , David Warbeck David Warbeck David Warbeck was a New Zealand actor best known for his film roles in Europe.-Career and move into Italian cinema:... |
| Once the Killing Starts | 2 February 1974 | Angharad Rees Angharad Rees Angharad Mary Rees is a Welsh actress, best-known for her British television roles during the 1970s, garnering notice for her leading role as Demelza in the 1970s BBC drama series Poldark.-Career:... , Patrick O'Neal, Gerald Sim Gerald Sim Gerald Grant Sim is an English actor who is perhaps best known for playing the Rector in To the Manor Born. He is the younger brother of actress Sheila Sim and brother-in-law of actor/director Lord Attenborough.- Career :... , Patricia Donahue, Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:... , Gary Watson Gary Watson Gary Watson is a retired British television actor who started out as a stage actor most notably acting in Friedrich Hebbel's 1962 play Judith at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, England with Sean Connery... , Terry Wright |
| Kiss Me and Die (US title: The Savage Curse) |
9 February 1974 | Jenny Agutter Jenny Agutter Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She... , Russell Hunter Russell Hunter Russell Hunter was a popular Scottish television, stage and film actor. He is perhaps best known as the character "Lonely" in the TV thriller series Callan, starring Edward Woodward and that of Shop-Steward Harry in the Yorkshire Television sitcom The Gaffer.-Life:Born Russell Ellis in Glasgow,... , Anton Diffring Anton Diffring Anton Diffring , born Alfred Pollack, was a German actor.-Biography:Diffring was born in Koblenz... , George Chakiris George Chakiris George Chakiris is an American-Greek dancer, singer and actor.-Early life:Chakiris was born in Norwood, Ohio, to Steven and Zoe Chakiris, immigrants from Greece. Chakiris studied at the American School of Dance.... , Stephen Greif Stephen Greif Stephen Greif is an award-winning English actor.His television appearances include Waking the Dead , Spooks , Mistresses 2 , He Kills Coppers , Holby City , The Last Days of Pompeii as Sporus, Judge John Deed , Space Race , EastEnders , The Bill and... |
| One Deadly Owner | 16 February 1974 | Donna Mills Donna Mills Donna Mills is an American actress, most well known for her role as Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing.-Early years:... , Jeremy Brett Jeremy Brett Jeremy Brett , born Peter Jeremy William Huggins, was an English actor, most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in four Granada TV series.-Early life:... , Laurence Payne Laurence Payne Laurence Payne was an English actor and novelist.-Early life:Laurence Stanley Payne was born in London. His father died when he was three years old, and he and his elder brother and sister were brought up in by their mother, a Wesleyan Methodist in Wood Green, London... , Bob Holness |
| Ring Once for Death (US title: Death in Small Doses) |
23 February 1974 | Nyree Dawn Porter, Michael Jayston Michael Jayston Michael Jayston is a Nottingham-born English actor.- Early life :He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford, then worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an... , Barry Nelson Barry Nelson Barry Nelson was an American actor, noted as the first actor to portray Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond.-Early life:... , Janet Key Janet Key Janet Key was an English actress with a varied career in theatre, film and television from the late 1960s until her death.-Career:... , Thorley Walters Thorley Walters Thorley Walters was an English character actor.He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in Two-Way Stretch and Carlton-Browne of the FO... , Victor Winding Victor Winding Victor Winding is a British actor born in London on Winding was educated at Westminster Technical Institute and initially trained as a draughtsman but acted in amateur dramatics and taught drama at night school. In 1958, aged 29, he joined Farnham Repertory Theatre. The Castle Theatre was opened... , Clare Sutcliffe, Richard Oldfield |
| K is for Killing (US title: Color Him Dead) |
2 March 1974 | Stephen Rea Stephen Rea Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto... , Arthur White Arthur White (actor) Arthur White is an English actor of stage and screen, best known for his occasional role as police archivist Ernie Trigg in the crime drama A Touch of Frost, alongside his real life younger brother Sir David Jason. His parents were Arthur R White and Olwen Jones... , Derek Francis Derek Francis Derek Francis was an English comedy and character actor.He was a regular in the Carry On film players, appearing in six of the films in the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in Roger Corman's last film of his Edgar Allan Poe series The Tomb of Ligeia... , Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle Hunnicutt Gayle, Lady Jenkins , known by her birth name Gayle Hunnicutt, is an American actress.-Personal life:Hunnicutt was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the daughter of Colonel Sam Lloyd Hunnicutt and Virginia Hunnicutt, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. She worked as a fashion model... , Christopher Cazenove Christopher Cazenove Christopher Cazenove was an English cinema, television and stage actor.-Early life and career:He was born Christopher de Lerisson Cazenove, the son of Arnold de Lerisson Cazenove and Elizabeth Laura in Winchester, Hampshire, but was brought up in Bowlish, Somerset... , Peter Dyneley Peter Dyneley Peter Dyneley was a British actor, born in Hastings, East Sussex, England.Although appearing in many smaller roles in both film and television, he is best remembered for his performance as the voice of Jeff Tracy in the Gerry Anderson 1960s TV series Thunderbirds and the subsequent movies... , Oliver Smith Oliver Smith (actor) Oliver Smith is an English actor. He is probably best known for playing the role of Frank The Monster from the original Hellraiser film in 1987, as well as Mr. Browning and Skinless Frank from Hellbound: Hellraiser II film in 1988... , Gilly Flower Gilly Flower Gilly Flower was an English actress, best remembered as the elderly Miss Abitha Tibbs in the cult BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.Gilly Flower played Miss Tibbs in all twelve episodes of the show, which was produced in two six-episode series separated by a three-and-a-half-year interval Gilly Flower... , James Appleby |
| Sign it Death | 9 March 1974 | Patrick Allen Patrick Allen John Keith Patrick Allen was a British film, television and voice actor.-Life and career:Allen was born in Nyasaland , where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada during World War II where he remained to finish his education at McGill... , John Arnatt John Arnatt - Biography :John Arnatt was born in Petrograd on 9 May 1917. His parents were Francis Arnatt and Ethel Marion Arnatt . He attended Epworth College. Arnatt trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art... , Francesca Annis Francesca Annis Francesca Annis is an English actress, known for her film and television appearances, most recently in the BBC series Wives and Daughters, Cranford, and Deceit.-Early life and education:... , Moira Redmond Moira Redmond Moira Redmond was a British actress.She was born in Bognor Regis, England, the daughter of the actress Molly Redmond and her husband who was a stage manager... , Edward Judd Edward Judd Edward Judd was a British actor.Born in Shanghai, China, he and his English father and Russian mother fled when the Japanese attacked China five years later.... , Barry Stanton, James Bate, Leon Eagles, Alan Bennion Alan Bennion Alan Bennion is a British actor. He is best known for his work on the science fiction television series Doctor Who and the police drama Z-Cars... , Jimmy Gardner Jimmy Gardner (British actor) Edward Charles James "Jimmy" Gardner, DFM was a British actor. He is perhaps best known for having played Knight Bus driver Ernie Prang in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film adaptation of the Harry Potter books. His first appearance was in The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb in 1964... |
Series 3 (1974)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| A Coffin for the Bride (US title: Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill) |
1 June 1974 | Michael Jayston Michael Jayston Michael Jayston is a Nottingham-born English actor.- Early life :He attended the Becket Grammar School in West Bridgford, then worked briefly as a trainee accountant at the offices of the National Coal Board before obtaining a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to train as an... , Helen Mirren Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:... , Tony Steedman Tony Steedman Tony Steedman was an English character actor, perhaps best known for his role as Socrates in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.... , Josephine Tewson Josephine Tewson Josephine Tewson is an English actress. Tewson is perhaps best known for her roles as Elizabeth in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and as Miss Davenport in the British television series Last of the Summer Wine.-Early life:Tewson was born in Hampstead, London. Her father was a... , Arthur English Arthur English Arthur Leslie Norman English was an English actor and comedian from the music hall tradition.English was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. After serving in the army in World War II, reaching the rank of sergeant, English worked as a painter and decorator in his native town... , Hugh Morton, Richard Hampton |
| I'm the Girl He Wants to Kill | 8 June 1974 | Geoffrey Whitehead Geoffrey Whitehead Geoffrey Whitehead is an English actor. He has appeared in a huge range of television, film and radio roles. In the theatre, he has played at the Shakespeare Globe, St... , Anthony Steel, Robert Lang Robert Lang (actor) Robert Lang was an English actor of stage and television. Laurence Olivier invited him to join the new National Theatre Company, at the Old Vic, Robert Lang was already earning high praise as an actor. From 1971 until his death he was married to Ann Bell, best known for her portrayal of Marion... , Tony Selby Tony Selby Tony Selby is an English actor.He has appeared in many television programmes including a starring role in RAF National Service comedy Get Some In!, and a recurring role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as the intergalactic conman Sabalom Glitz... , Julie Sommars Julie Sommars Julie Sommars is an American actress. She played assistant District Attorney Julie March on the TV series, Matlock from 1987 to 1994... , Annette Woollett |
| Death to Sister Mary (US title: Murder is a One-Act Play) |
15 June 1974 | Jennie Linden Jennie Linden Jennie Linden is an English film and television actress.Linden was born in Worthing to Marcus and Freida Fletcher, an architect and housewife. She attended the Central School of Speech and Drama at the age of 17 on a scholarship... , Robert Powell Robert Powell Robert Powell is an English television and film actor, probably most famous for his title role in Jesus of Nazareth and as the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay... , Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds Derek Fowlds is an English actor, known for playing Bernard Woolley in popular British television comedies Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister and Oscar Blaketon in the long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat.... , Windsor Davies Windsor Davies Windsor Davies is a British actor, well known for playing the part of Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the 1970s/1980s British sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum.-Early life and career:... , Leigh Lawson Leigh Lawson Leigh Lawson is a film and stage actor, director, and writer.-Career:Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Lawson has acted in film and television since the early 1970s, directed plays in the West End and on Broadway... , Anthony Newlands Anthony Newlands Anthony Newlands was a British actor, most famous for his supporting guest roles in British television series of the 1960s. These included two roles in ABC Weekend's adventure drama The Avengers and a role in the ITC Entertainment series Danger Man... , Norman Mitchell Norman Mitchell Norman Mitchell was an English television, stage and film actor.Born in Sheffield, his father was a mining engineer and his mother a concert singer. He attended Carterknowle Grammar School and the University of Sheffield, before appearing in repertory theatre and with the Royal Shakespeare Company... |
| In the Steps of a Dead Man | 22 June 1974 | John Nolan, Skye Aubrey, Richard Vernon Richard Vernon Richard Vernon was a British actor. He appeared in many feature films and television programmes, often in aristocratic or supercilious roles... , Christopher Benjamin, Faith Brook Faith Brook Faith Brook is an English actress who has appeared on stage, in films and on television.Her father was the actor Clive Brook, and her brother Lyndon Brook was also an actor. Her first credited film appearance was The Jungle Book in 1942... , John Garvin |
| Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are | 29 June 1974 | Lynda Day George Lynda Day George For other entertainers with similar names, see Linda George .Lynda Day George is an American television and film actress whose career spanned three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s... , Peter Jeffrey Peter Jeffrey Peter Jeffrey was a British actor with many roles in television and film.Jeffrey was born in Bristol, the son of Florence Alice and Arthur Winfred Gilbert Jeffrey. He was educated at Harrow School and Pembroke College, Cambridge but had no formal training as an actor... , John Carson John Carson (actor) John Carson is a British actor noted for his appearances in film and television.Making his film debut in 1947, he carved out a career appearing in low budget British movies such as Seven Keys ; Smokescreen ; and Master Spy... , Colette O'Neil Colette O'Neil Colette O'Neil is a Glasgow-born actress noted for her various roles on British television.She was a semi-regular cast member of Coronation Street in the mid-1960s as Ruth Winter, and also made frequent guest appearances in series such as Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Adam Adamant Lives!, No Hiding... , Bernard Holley Bernard Holley Bernard Holley is a British actor, whose career has spanned more than four decades.Holley attended the Rose Bruford Drama School and Kilburn Grammar School... , John Line, Molly Weir Molly Weir Mary Weir, better known as Molly Weir, was a Scottish stage actress, most notable for her role as the long-running character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series Rentaghost. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir.Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the... , Kevin Brennan Kevin Brennan (actor) Kevin Martin Brennan was a British film and television actor.-Selected filmography:* On the Beach * The Punch and Judy Man * The Small World of Sammy Lee... |
| The Next Scream You Hear (US title: Not Guilty) |
6 July 1974 | Richard Todd Richard Todd Richard Todd OBE was an Irish-born British stage and film actor and soldier.-Early life:Richard Todd was born as Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Andrew William Palethorpe Todd, was an Irish physician and an international Irish rugby player who gained three caps for... , Edward Hardwicke Edward Hardwicke Edward Hardwicke , sometimes credited as Edward Hardwick, was an English actor.-Early life and career:... , Dinsdale Landen Dinsdale Landen Dinsdale James Landen was a British actor known mainly for his television appearances.Landen was born at Margate. He made his television debut in 1959 as Pip in an adaptation of Great Expectations and made his film debut in 1960, with a walk-on part in The League of Gentlemen... , Suzanne Neve, Frank Wylie, Belinda Mayne Belinda Mayne Belinda Mayne is a British actress.Belinda is the daughter of German actor Ferdy Mayne and Deirdre De Peyer.She has appeared in Films and TV and Theatre shows in Germany, UK, and the US since 1974 when she made her first appearance in Strangers.... |
Series 4 (1975)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| Screamer | 4 January 1975 | Pamela Franklin Pamela Franklin Pamela Franklin is a British actress who appeared in feature films from 1961 until 1976, and on American television throughout the 1970s.-Early life and career as a child actress:... , Jim Norton Jim Norton (actor) Jim Norton is an Irish character actor.-Performances:Jim Norton has been acting for over forty years in theatre, television, and movies, and frequently plays clergymen, most notably Bishop Brennan in the sitcom Father Ted, as well as in The Sweeney , Peak Practice , Sunset Heights , A Love Divided... , Peter Howell Peter Howell (actor) Peter Howell is a British actor.A regular in 1950s television hospital drama series Emergency Ward 10, he has made guest appearances in The Avengers, The Prisoner, and Doctor Who. He played the prison governor in the 1979 film Scum. He played Saruman in the 1981 BBC Radio production of The Lord of... , Derek Smith, Wolfe Morris Wolfe Morris Wolfe Morris was a British film and television actor.He played character roles on stage, television and in feature films from the 1950s until the 1990s. He made his film debut in Ill Met by Moonlight. His grandparents were from Kiev and escaped the Russian pogroms, arriving in London in about 1890.... |
| Nurse Will Make It Better (US title: The Devil's Web, US video title: Night Nurse) |
11 January 1975 | Diana Dors Diana Dors Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,... , Michael Culver Michael Culver Michael Culver is an English actor.He was born in Hampstead, London, the son of actor Roland Culver and casting director Daphne Rye... , Patrick Troughton Patrick Troughton Patrick George Troughton was an English actor most widely known for his roles in fantasy, science fiction and horror films, particularly in his role as the second incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which he played from 1966 to 1969,... , Ed Bishop Ed Bishop Ed Bishop was an American film, television, stage and radio actor based in Britain.-Early life:Bishop served in the US Army from 8 October 1952 to 24 September 1954, working as a disc jockey with the Armed Forces Radio at St. Johns in Newfoundland... , Cec Linder Cec Linder Cec Linder was a Polish-born Canadian film and television actor. In the 1950s and 1960s he worked extensively in the United Kingdom, often playing American characters in various films and television programmes.In film, he is probably best remembered for his role as James Bond's CIA counterpart... , Andrea Marcovicci Andrea Marcovicci Andrea Louisa Marcovicci is an American actress and singer.- Biography :Marcovicci was born in Manhattan, New York City, the daughter of Helen , a singer, and Eugen Marcovicci, a physician and internist of Romanian descent. In her teens, she decided that she wanted to be a singer, but instead... , Wendy Williams Wendy Williams (actor) Wendy Williams is a British actress.She is best known for her work on television, with credits including: Danger Man, Z-Cars, The Regiment, The Pallisers, The Carnforth Practice, Thriller, Doctor Who , Survivors, Poldark, Tenko and The Darling Buds of May... |
| Night is the Time for Killing (US title: Murder on the Midnight Express) |
18 January 1975 | Judy Geeson Judy Geeson Judith Amanda "Judy" Geeson is an English actor.-Early life:Geeson was born in Arundel, Sussex, England on 10 September 1948. She came from a middle class family; her father edited the National Coal Board magazine. Her sister, Sally Geeson, is also an actress and is known for her roles in British... , Charles Gray Charles Gray (actor) Charles Gray was an English actor who was well-known for roles including the arch-villain Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes in the Granada television series, and as The Criminologist in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in... , Jeffrey Wickham Jeffrey Wickham Jeffrey Wickham is a British film and television actor. He is the father of the actress Saskia Wickham.-Selected filmography:* Before Winter Comes * The Breaking of Bumbo * Waterloo... , Duncan Preston Duncan Preston Duncan Preston is an English actor probably best known for his appearances in television productions written by Victoria Wood. His best remembered roles are Clifford in the Victoria Wood As Seen On TV soap opera parody Acorn Antiques , and Stan in dinnerladies.In July 2010, Preston revealed he was... , Milos Kirek, Robert MacLeod Robert Macleod Robert Macleod JP is the Mayor of the City of Palmerston, Northern Territory. He was appointed Mayor in May 2007 following the retirement of Annette Burke.-External links:*... , Aimée Delamain, Edward Burnham, Reg Pritchard |
| Killer with Two Faces | 25 January 1975 | Donna Mills Donna Mills Donna Mills is an American actress, most well known for her role as Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing.-Early years:... , Ian Hendry Ian Hendry Ian Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School... , Hazel McBride, Roddy McMillan Roddy McMillan Roddy McMillan was a Scottish actor and playwright, possibly most famous for his comedy role as Para Handy for BBC Scotland television. He also played the lead role in Edward Boyd's private eye series, The View from Daniel Pike.The Glasgow-born McMillan's earliest theatre work began in the... , Robin Parkinson, Ralph Ball |
| A Killer in Every Corner | 1 February 1975 | Patrick Magee Patrick Magee (actor) Patrick Magee was a Northern Irish actor best known for his collaborations with Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as his appearances in horror films and in Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.-Early life:He was born Patrick McGee in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern... , Don Henderson Don Henderson Don Henderson was an English actor whose film and TV work covered many years but is best remembered for his role as the fictional detective George Bulman... , Petra Markham Petra Markham Petra Markham is a British television and film actress. She is a daughter of actor David Markham and writer Olive Dehn... , Eric Flynn Eric Flynn Eric William Flynn was a Chinese born British actor and singer, who was the father of actors Jerome Flynn and Daniel Flynn whom he had with his first wife Fern; the former best known for appearing in Soldier Soldier and the latter known for his character in The Bill... , Joanna Pettet Joanna Pettet Joanna Pettet is a British actress.-Biography:Her parents, Harold Nigel Edgerton Salmon, a British Royal Air Force pilot killed in World War II, and mother, Cecily J. Tremaine, were married in London in 1940... , Max Wall Max Wall Max Wall , was an English comedian and actor, whose performing career covered music hall, theatre, films and television.-Early years:... , Peter Settelen |
| Where the Action Is (US title: The Killing Game) |
8 February 1975 | Edd Byrnes, Ingrid Pitt Ingrid Pitt Ingrid Pitt was an actress best known for her work in horror films of the 1960s and 1970s.-Background:Pitt was born Ingoushka Petrov in Warsaw, Poland to a German father of Russian descent and a Polish Jewish mother. During World War II she and her family were imprisoned in a concentration camp... , Trevor Baxter Trevor Baxter Trevor Baxter is a British actor and playwright.He is perhaps best remembered for his appearance in the 1977 Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang as Professor George Litefoot. He reprised his role of Professor Litefoot in an episode of audio series, Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles:... , Patrick Magee Patrick Magee (actor) Patrick Magee was a Northern Irish actor best known for his collaborations with Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter, as well as his appearances in horror films and in Stanley Kubrick's films A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon.-Early life:He was born Patrick McGee in Armagh, County Armagh, Northern... , George Innes George Innes George Innes is an English actor.-Stage career:He began his career on the stage with the National Theatre of Great Britain under Laurence Olivier. Before that, he trained at Toynbee Hall and evening classes at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art , where he was awarded the Shakespeare Cup... , Frank Coda |
Series 5 (1975)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| If It's a Man, Hang Up | 12 April 1975 | Tom Conti Tom Conti Thomas "Tom" Conti is a Scottish actor, theatre director and novelist.-Early life:Born Thomas Conti in Paisley, Renfrewshire, he was brought up Roman Catholic, but he considers himself anti-religious... , Gerald Harper Gerald Harper Gerald Harper is an actor, best known for his work on television, having played the title roles in Adam Adamant Lives! and Hadleigh .... , Carol Lynley Carol Lynley Carol Lynley is an American actress and former child model.-Life and career:Lynley was born Carole Ann Jones in New York City, the daughter of Frances , a waitress, and Cyril Jones. Her father was Irish and her mother, a native of New England, was of English, Scottish, Welsh, German, and Native... , Michael Byrne Michael Byrne (actor) Michael Byrne is an English actor noted for his roles on film and television. He has often been cast in Nazi military roles such as Colonel Vogel in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Obergruppenführer Odilo Globocnik in the BBC radio dramatisation of the novel Fatherland by Robert Harris... , Sue Holderness Sue Holderness Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:... , John Cater John Cater John Edward Cater was an English actor.His television credits include: Danger Man, Z Cars, The Avengers, The Baron, Doctor Who , Follyfoot, Softly, Softly, Department S, Up Pompeii!, Dad's Army, The Naked Civil Servant, I, Claudius, Alcock and Gander, The Duchess of... , Paul Angelis Paul Angelis Paul Angelis is an English actor and writer best known for his role as PC Bannerman in the British television series Z-Cars.He provided the voice of Ringo Starr and the Chief Blue Meanie in the movie Yellow Submarine.... , David Gwillim David Gwillim David Gwillim is an English actor, best known for playing Prince Hal in the BBC Television Shakespeare Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II and the title role in Henry V which were broadcast in 1979, and John Bold in The Barchester Chronicles broadcast in 1982.- Biography :Gwillim was born in... |
| The Double Kill/Take | 19 April 1975 | Peter Bowles Peter Bowles -Early life:Bowles was born in London, England, the son of Sarah Jane and Herbert Reginald Bowles. His father was a chauffeur and butler at a stately home in Warwickshire; but, upon the outbreak of World War II, he was seconded to work as an engineer at Rolls-Royce and moved the family to Nottingham... , Gary Collins Gary Collins (actor) Gary Ennis Collins is an American film and television performer.-Early life and career:Collins was born in Venice, California, to a waitress/factory worker mother. After attending Santa Monica City College, he enlisted in the U.S... , James Villiers James Villiers James Michael Hyde Villiers was a British character actor and a familiar face on British television... , John Flanagan, Griffith Davies, Gordon Salkilld Gordon Salkilld Gordon Salkilld was an English supporting actor best known for his portrayal of carpenter Jack Wood in the 1970s BBC cult series Survivors.... , Norman Mitchell Norman Mitchell Norman Mitchell was an English television, stage and film actor.Born in Sheffield, his father was a mining engineer and his mother a concert singer. He attended Carterknowle Grammar School and the University of Sheffield, before appearing in repertory theatre and with the Royal Shakespeare Company... , Paul Nicholson |
| Won't Write Home Mom - I'm Dead (US title: Terror from Within) |
26 April 1975 | Ian Bannen Ian Bannen Ian Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,... , Dallas Adams Dallas Adams Dallas Adams was an English actor noted for his television performances.His credits include: Strange Report, Thriller , Space: 1999, Bergerac, Doctor Who , Robin of Sherwood and Agatha Christie's Poirot... , Oliver Tobias Oliver Tobias Oliver Tobias is a UK-based film, stage, and television actor and directorBorn Oliver Tobias Freitag in Zürich, Switzerland, he is the son of Austrian-Swiss actor Robert Freitag and German actress Maria Becker. He came to the United Kingdom at the age of eight and trained at East 15 Acting School,... , Suzanne Neve |
| The Crazy Kill (US title: Fear is Spreading) |
3 May 1975 | Denholm Elliott Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, CBE was an English film, television and theatre actor with over 120 film and television credits... , Anthony Valentine, Mark Wing-Davey Mark Wing-Davey Mark Wing-Davey is a British actor and director.-Early life and career:The son of actor and actress Peter Davey and Anna Wing, Wing-Davey went to school at Woolverstone Hall School, before studying at Cambridge University where he was a member of the Footlights from 1967 to 1970.He had a featured... , Dennis Chinnery Dennis Chinnery Dennis Chinnery is a British actor, noted for his performances in television.His credits include: Hancock's Half Hour, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Softly, Softly, The Saint, The Avengers, The Prisoner, The Champions, Public Eye, Special Branch, Oh Brother! 'The Laughter of a Fool' and... , David Horovitch David Horovitch David Horovitch is an English actor best known for playing the character of Inspector Slack in Miss Marple.-Life and career:... , Alan Browning Alan Browning Alan Browning was an English film and television actor, born in Sunderland. He is best remembered as the character Alan Howard in the television series Coronation Street, a role he played from 1969 until 1973... , John Moreno John Moreno John Moreno a.k.a. Juan Moreno is a British actor, probably best known for his role as Luigi Ferrara in the 1981 James Bond feature film For Your Eyes Only.... , Robert Lindsay Robert Lindsay (actor) Robert Lindsay is an English actor who is best known for his television work, especially his roles of Wolfie Smith in Citizen Smith, Michael Murray in G.B.H., Captain Sir Edward Pellew in Hornblower and Ben Harper in My Family which has been on television screens since 2000.-Early life:Lindsay was... |
| Good Salary, Prospects, Free Coffin (US title: Mirror of Deception) |
10 May 1975 | James Maxwell James Maxwell (actor) James Maxwell was an American actor, theatre director and writer, particularly associated with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.-Early life:... , Julian Glover Julian Glover Julian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in... , Keith Barron Keith Barron Keith Barron is an English actor and television presenter, well-known from numerous roles on British television from the 1960s to the present day.-Career:... , John Abineri John Abineri John Abineri was an English actor.Born in London, he attended the Old Vic drama school and described himself as "Well educated from the age of five to eighteen"... , Karl Held Carl Held Carl Held is an actor who has worked extensively in both American and British television.-Career:... , Kim Darby Kim Darby Kim Darby is an American actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne and country singer/actor Glen Campbell in the 1969 western True Grit.-Early life and film career:... , Bruce Boa Bruce Boa Bruce Boa was a Canadian actor, who found success playing the token North American in British films and television.... , Martin Read, Reg Lye, Peter Hill, Annette Woollett |
| The Next Voice You See (US title: Look Back in Darkness) |
17 May 1975 | Nigel Havers Nigel Havers Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up... , Catherine Schell Catherine Schell Katherina Freiin Schell von Bauschlott is an Hungarian-born actress best known for her work on British televison.Schell rose to fame in various British film and television productions in the 1960s and 1970s... , Ian Redford Ian Redford (actor) Ian Redford is a British actor who has featured on stage, in film and on television in various roles, including that of pensioner Keith Appleyard in Coronation Street during 2005 and 2006... , Ray Smith Ray Smith (actor) Ray Smith was a Welsh actor who notably played the tough-talking police chief, Detective Superintendent Gordon Spikings, in the television series, Dempsey & Makepeace.- Early life :... , Bradford Dillman Bradford Dillman -Early life:Bradford Dillman was born on April 14, 1930 in San Francisco, California, the son of Josephine and Dean Dillman, a stockbroker. He studied at Town School for Boys and St. Ignatius High School. Later he attended the Hotchkiss boarding school in Connecticut, where he became involved in... , Geoffrey Chater Geoffrey Chater Geoffrey Chater is a British actor who was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. He has starred in both film and television projects... , Rachel Davies Rachel Davies Rachel Davies is a British actress, with numerous television credits to her name from the beginning of the 70s onwards.She has played leading roles in the following series: Boon, The Cuckoo Waltz, Making Out, Band of Gold, Emmerdale, Nice Guy Eddie, Linda Green and The Chase.She appeared in the... , Neil Hallett, Holly Palance Holly Palance Holly Palance is an American actress.Palance was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of the actor Jack Palance and his wife Virginia Baker. Holly was the first of three children born to the couple, followed by Brooke Palance in 1952 and Cody Palance in 1955... , John Forbes-Robertson John Forbes-Robertson (actor) John Forbes-Robertson was a British actor best-known for being the only actor other than Christopher Lee to play the title role in the Hammer horror series of Dracula films.... , Robert Lankesheer, William Wilde |
| Murder Motel | 24 May 1975 | Ralph Bates Ralph Bates Ralph Bates was an English film and television actor, known for his role in the British sitcom Dear John and for being one of Hammer Horror's best-known actors from the latter period of the company.... , John Hallam John Hallam John William Francis Hallam was a Northern Irish character actor.- Career :He appeared in many film and television roles including Nicholas and Alexandra , Murphy's War , The Pallisers , The Mallens , Flash Gordon , Dragonslayer , the BBC television adaptations of Prince Caspian... , Adrian Shergold, Derek Francis Derek Francis Derek Francis was an English comedy and character actor.He was a regular in the Carry On film players, appearing in six of the films in the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in Roger Corman's last film of his Edgar Allan Poe series The Tomb of Ligeia... , Gillian McCutcheon Gillian McCutcheon Gillian McCutcheon is a British based actress who has appeared in many programmes over the years. She has played three parts in the ITV Soap opera The Bill, alone.... , Edward Judd Edward Judd Edward Judd was a British actor.Born in Shanghai, China, he and his English father and Russian mother fled when the Japanese attacked China five years later.... , Patrick Tull Patrick Tull Patrick Tull was a British stage, film and television actor.-Early life and education:Tull was born in Sussex, England.-Film and television work:... , Keith Anderson |
Series 6 (1976)
| Episode title | Original transmission | Notable cast |
|---|---|---|
| Sleepwalker | 10 April 1976 | Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:... , John Challis John Challis John Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass.... , Robert Beatty Robert Beatty Robert Beatty was a Canadian actor who worked in film, television and radio for most of his career and was especially known in the UK.-Career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Beatty began his acting career in Britain in 1939.... , Ian Redford Ian Redford (actor) Ian Redford is a British actor who has featured on stage, in film and on television in various roles, including that of pensioner Keith Appleyard in Coronation Street during 2005 and 2006... |
| The Next Victim | 17 April 1976 | T. P. McKenna T. P. McKenna Thomas Patrick McKenna , known professionally as T. P. McKenna, was an Irish actor who worked on stage, in film and television in Ireland and the UK from the 1950s.- Film and television :... , Ronald Lacey Ronald Lacey Ronald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and... , Harold Bennett Harold Bennett Harold Bennett was an English actor best remembered for having played 'Young Mr. Grace' in the 1970s British sitcom Are You Being Served?.-Biography:... , Carroll Baker Carroll Baker Carroll Baker is a former American actress who has enjoyed popularity as both a serious dramatic actress and, particularly in the 1960s, as a movie sex symbol... , Maurice Kaufmann Maurice Kaufmann Maurice Harington Kaufmann was a British actor of stage, TV and film, particularly well-utilized in whodunnits and horrors who acted from 1954 to 1981, when he retired.... , Martin Benson Martin Benson (actor) Martin Benjamin Benson was an English character actor, who appeared in films, theatre and television. He appeared in both British and Hollywood productions.-Career:... , Martin Fisk, Alan Gerrard |
| Nightmare for a Nightingale (US title: Melody of Hate) |
24 April 1976 | Ronald Leigh-Hunt Ronald Leigh-Hunt Ronald Leigh-Hunt was a British film and television actor.His father was a stockbroker and he attended the Italia Conti Academy. He began acting whilst serving in the army... , Stephen Greif Stephen Greif Stephen Greif is an award-winning English actor.His television appearances include Waking the Dead , Spooks , Mistresses 2 , He Kills Coppers , Holby City , The Last Days of Pompeii as Sporus, Judge John Deed , Space Race , EastEnders , The Bill and... , Stuart Damon Stuart Damon Stuart Damon is an American actor. He is known for thirty years of portraying the character Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera General Hospital, for which he won an Emmy Award in 1999.... , Sydney Tafler Sydney Tafler Sydney Tafler , was a British film and television actor, first appearing in London's West End in 1936, after two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, with Sir Seymour Hicks in The Man in Dress Clothes.... , Peter Hill |
| Dial a Deadly Number | 1 May 1976 | Denholm Elliott Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, CBE was an English film, television and theatre actor with over 120 film and television credits... , Anthony Valentine, Mark Wing-Davey Mark Wing-Davey Mark Wing-Davey is a British actor and director.-Early life and career:The son of actor and actress Peter Davey and Anna Wing, Wing-Davey went to school at Woolverstone Hall School, before studying at Cambridge University where he was a member of the Footlights from 1967 to 1970.He had a featured... , Dennis Chinnery Dennis Chinnery Dennis Chinnery is a British actor, noted for his performances in television.His credits include: Hancock's Half Hour, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Softly, Softly, The Saint, The Avengers, The Prisoner, The Champions, Public Eye, Special Branch, Oh Brother! 'The Laughter of a Fool' and... , Gemma Jones Gemma Jones Gemma Jones is an English character actress on both stage and screen.-Early life:Jones was born in London, England, the daughter of Irene and Griffith Jones, an actor. Her brother, Nicholas Jones, is also an actor... , Beth Morris Beth Morris Bethany Morris is a British actress.She is probably best known for her performance as Drusilla in the 1976 BBC adaptation of I, Claudius... , Cavan Kendall |
| Kill Two Birds (US title: Cry Terror!) |
8 May 1976 | Bob Hoskins Bob Hoskins Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St... , Susan Hampshire Susan Hampshire Susan Hampshire, Lady Kulukundis, OBE is an English actress, best-known for her many television and film roles.-Early life:Susan Hampshire was born in Kensington, London, the youngest of four children. She had two sisters and one brother... , David Daker David Daker David Daker is an English actor.His is best known for his role as Harry Crawford in the hit series Boon. He also played PC Owen Culshaw in Z-Cars, Jarvis in Porridge, Captain Nathan Spiker in Dick Turpin.... , Stephen Yardley Stephen Yardley Stephen Yardley is an English actor, known for his work on British television between 1965 and 2004.Best known for his role as Ken Masters in the British TV drama Howards' Way , Yardley most recently appeared in the British TV comedy Hex .He made early appearances on TV in the 1960s, in series... , Dudley Sutton Dudley Sutton -Life:He served in the RAF as a mechanic before enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from which he was later expelled.Known for his eccentricity, he became a cult figure after playing a gay biker in The Leather Boys . He married American actress Marjorie Steele in 1961; she had previously... , Gabrielle Drake Gabrielle Drake Gabrielle Drake is a British actress who was born in Lahore, British India and lived in several Far Eastern countries .-Career:... , Bunny May, John Flanagan, Donald Morley, Christopher Ellison Christopher Ellison Christopher Michael Ellison is an English actor. He is best known for his role as DCI Frank Burnside in the popular ITV police series The Bill and short lived spin off series Burnside.... , Dawn Perllman, John Bailey John Bailey (actor) John Bailey was a British actor with an extensive television repertoire.He played Edward Waterfield in the Doctor Who story The Evil of the Daleks in 1967, alongside Patrick Troughton and Marius Goring; and had previously appeared in the serial The Sensorites in 1964; and returned as Sezon in The... |
| A Midsummer Nightmare (US title: Appointment with a Killer) |
15 May 1976 | Brian Blessed Brian Blessed Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England... , Tony Anholt Tony Anholt Anthony "Tony" Anholt was a British actor best known for his roles as Security Chief Tony Verdeschi in the second season of Gerry Anderson's television series Space: 1999 , Paul Buchet in The Protectors and as Charles Frere in the highly-successful BBC drama series Howards' Way .Anholt was... , Freddie Jones Freddie Jones Frederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,... , Joanna Pettet Joanna Pettet Joanna Pettet is a British actress.-Biography:Her parents, Harold Nigel Edgerton Salmon, a British Royal Air Force pilot killed in World War II, and mother, Cecily J. Tremaine, were married in London in 1940... |
| Death in Deep Water | 22 May 1976 | Ian Bannen Ian Bannen Ian Bannen was a Scottish character actor and occasional leading man.-Early life and career:Bannen was born in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, the son of Clare and John James Bannen, a lawyer. Bannen served in the British Army after attending St Aloysius' College, Glasgow and Ratcliffe College,... , Bradford Dillman Bradford Dillman -Early life:Bradford Dillman was born on April 14, 1930 in San Francisco, California, the son of Josephine and Dean Dillman, a stockbroker. He studied at Town School for Boys and St. Ignatius High School. Later he attended the Hotchkiss boarding school in Connecticut, where he became involved in... , Suzan Farmer Suzan Farmer Suzan Farmer is an English actress, mainly on television.She first appeared in an episode of the Patrick McGoohan series Danger Man entitled No Marks for Servility and went on to feature in many other ITC series in the 1960s and 70s including UFO, The Saint, Man in a Suitcase and The Persuaders!... , Philip Stone Philip Stone Philip Stone was an English actor.He was born Philip Stones in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Stone appeared in three successive Stanley Kubrick films: playing the central character's "Dad" in A Clockwork Orange , "Graham" in Barry Lyndon and as "Delbert Grady," the original caretaker in The Shining... |
A particular trademark of the series' story-telling was to hook the viewer with a simple yet totally baffling situation, of the kind seen in films such as Les Diaboliques
Les Diaboliques (film)
Les Diaboliques , released as Diabolique in the United States and variously translated as The Devils or The Fiends, is a 1955 French black-and-white thriller feature film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, starring Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot and Paul Meurisse...
. Come Out Come Out, Wherever You Are takes place at a creaky country house hotel where a female guest begins asking where her travelling companion has disappeared to. The owner claims there was no such guest with her upon her arrival last night. None of the other guests initially recall seeing her, and yet the hotel owner has a secret in his past that could well be causing him to lie. One episode, Screamer
Screamer
The screamers are a small family of birds, the Anhimidae. For a long time they were thought to be related to the Galliformes because of similar bills, but they are truly related to ducks , most closely to the Magpie Goose...
concerns a rape victim who murders her attacker only for the man to then turn up on her doorstep the following evening. Perhaps the most ingenious episode is the Dial M for Murder
Dial M for Murder
Dial M for Murder is a 1954 American thriller film adapted from a successful stage play by Frederick Knott, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, and Robert Cummings. The movie was released by the Warner Bros...
style The Double Kill, in which a man hires a hitman to kill his wife, but makes a fatal error in his otherwise meticulous planning.
Other memorable episodes include Someone at the Top of the Stairs, one of a handful of forays into the supernatural, in which two female students move into a boarding house and begin to notice that none of the other residents ever go out or receive any mail, and the well-remembered I'm The Girl He Wants to Kill, in which a witness to a murder finds herself trapped in a deserted office block overnight with the killer and is forced to play a deadly game of cat and mouse with him to survive, there is barely any dialogue throughout its second half. Brian Clemens
Brian Clemens
Brian Horace Clemens OBE is a British screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on The Avengers and The Professionals...
's own favourite episode, A Coffin for the Bride features a performance from a young Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
.