| Tales of the Unexpected | |
|---|---|
Series Titles |
|
| Format | Anthology |
| Created by | Roald Dahl |
| Starring | Various |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 9 |
| No. of episodes | 112 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Anglia Television |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ITV |
| Picture format | 576i 4:3 (SDTV) |
| Original run | 24 March 1979 – 13 May 1988 |
Tales of the Unexpected is a British television series originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV. Filming began in 1978.
The series was an anthology of different tales. Initially episodes were based on short stories collected in the books Tales of the Unexpected, Kiss Kiss and Someone Like You by Roald Dahl.
The stories were written with often sinister and wryly comedic undertones and would offer an unexpected twist at the end as indicated by the title.
The theme music for the series was written by Australian-born composer Ron Grainer.
Contents |
The series originally adapted various stories from Roald Dahl's anthology books. Despite being produced on a low budget the series attracted guest stars of high calibre, such as Brian Blessed, Joan Collins, Joseph Cotten, Cyril Cusack, John Gielgud, Julie Harris, Wendy Hiller, Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Derek Jacobi, Janet Leigh, Siobhán McKenna, John Mills, Anna Neagle, Elaine Stritch, Andrew Ray, Rod Taylor, and Timothy West.
Dahl introduced all of his own stories himself, giving short monologues explaining what inspired him to write them.
Although many of Dahl's stories are left open to the reader's interpretation, the television series usually provided an generally accepted conclusion. This is exemplified in the story "The Land Lady", the written version of which only hints at character Billy's fate, however the televised adaptation reveals a more resolved conclusion.
The second series featured four episodes from other writers. The title reflected this change when it became Tales of the Unexpected - Introduced by Roald Dahl - Dahl ceased providing introductions for episodes after the programme had reached series three. The third and fourth series' featured two episodes apiece adapted from Dahl stories and a fifth, entitled The Surgeon, featured in the final series in 1988.
The series was axed in 1988 after the ninth series following reception from critics that the episodes were beginning to decline in quality.
In the US, John Houseman succeeded Dahl as the opening narrator.
Episodes have been repeated on ITV3 in 2006, and Sky Arts 2 in 2011.
All series have been released in DVD format.
In 1980 English writer and comedian Peter Cook starred alongside a host of celebrities in the LWT special "Peter Cook & Co.". The show included many sketches including a 'Tales of the Unexpected spoof' entitled "Tales Of The Much As We Expected", which involved Cook as Roald Dahl explaining why he dropped the "n" in Ronald; the sketch ends with the fireplace spreading over the room.
Dahl had hosted a practically identical series for the American CBS network called Way Out in 1961, which was similar in concept and themes to Twilight Zone for 14 episodes on Saturday nights and also used some stories which would later be adapted for Tales of the Unexpected.
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Tales of the Unexpected
Set 1 Volume 1:
The Man From the South: A young American sailor on shore-leave in the West Indies is tempted by a bet. To win a new Jaguar car, all he needs to do is to make his cigarette-lighter light ten times without any failures. In return, he has to stake one of his fingers. But what is the truth about Carlos, the high-rolling old man who has proposed the bet?
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat: Cyril Bixby is a New York dentist. Once a month, for years, his wife goes to Baltimore by train to visit her aunt. She does not tell Bixby about her affair with the Colonel, a single man with a big house near Baltimore, who is the real reason for all these visits? One Christmas, Mrs. Bixby gets a parting gift from the Colonel - a splendid mink coat. So that she can explain the coat to her husband, she devises a complicated scheme which depends on pawning the coat and then 'finding' the pawn ticket... but when she sends Bixby to collect on the pawn ticket, she gets a surprise.
William and Mary: After the death of Dr William Pearl, a philosophy teacher, his widow Mary gets a letter from him. William tells her his brain is being kept alive by a medical colleague, Dr John Landy, and William also advises Mary on how to lead her new life. Mary goes to visit William's brain - but she has her own ideas about what should happen next.
Lamb to the Slaughter: An enraged detective's wife, Mary Maloney, kills her husband Patrick by smashing in his skull with a heavy blunt instrument - but no murder weapon can be found, and the police are baffled. The answer to the riddle lies under the detectives' noses - or, rather, it did...
The Landlady: A young Londoner arrives in a strange city and finds a room for the night. Something about his landlady's guest book rings a bell - and she has a curious hobby.
Neck: Art collector Sir Basil Turton has an East European wife called Natalia, who wears the trousers and has lovers. The butler, Jelks, disapproves of her. Then Lady Turton, while cavorting with her friend Major Haddock, gets her head stuck in a valuable work of art...
Edward the Conqueror: An elderly couple, Edward and Louisa, find their life invaded by a stray cat. The cat's knowledgeable response to Louisa's piano playing, and the pattern of warts on its face, convince her that pussy is a reincarnation of Franz Liszt, the composer. Liszt, the cat, does not trouble to conceal his dislike for Edward, who is becoming dangerously jealous...
Set 1 Volume 2:
A Dip in the Pool: William Botibol, a passenger on a cruise ship, plans to win the sweepstake for predicting the distance the ship will travel in twenty-four hours - if the ship has to turn back to pick up a man overboard, then his own ticket should win. So long as someone sees him go over the side, there can be no real problem...
The Way Up to Heaven: An elderly American, Mrs Foster, is planning a long trip to Paris to visit her grandchildren. Mr. Foster is staying behind, and his wife writes to him every week. On her return home, she does not seem very surprised to find that the lift in their house is stuck between two floors.
Royal Jelly: Bee-keeper Albert Taylor and his wife Mabel are concerned that their baby daughter is underweight and seems reluctant to take any nourishment until, that is, Albert decides to feed her on Royal Jelly from his hives. He feeds himself on it as well, becoming almost addicted to it and with very macabre results.
Skin: In post-war Paris Drioli, an elderly down-and-out, sees a painting for sale by his old friend Soutine, who is now a best-selling artist. Thirty years earlier Soutine tattooed a portrait of Drioli's wife onto his back and it has become extremely valuable. But it is on his back and therefore worthless. A fellow, however, offers him the chance of a lifetime.
The Hitch-Hiker: Flashy American Paul Duveen stops to give elderly Irish vagrant Michael Fish a lift in his new BMW. Michael is a pickpocket, which comes in very handy after his encouragement to Paul to break the speed limit has attracted the attention of a traffic cop on a motor-bike, who waves them over. After the cop has gone Michael shows a happy Paul that he stole the cop's notebook and evidence but before long Paul will be anything but happy.
Galloping Foxley: On a train journey William Perkins is convinced that the passenger seated opposite him is 'Galloping' Foxley, who made his life a misery when they were at school together and relives the unpleasant experience before the stranger identifies himself.
Set 1 Volume 3:
Poison: Harry, a young teacher working in India but about to return home is petrified when a poisonous snake creeps into his bed and sits on his belly.
Fat Chance: Mary Burge's figure has ballooned over the years since she first married her pharmacist husband John because she is a great comfort eater. John is tired of her and turns to legal secretary Frances, who becomes his mistress. Mary, however, will not divorce him and Frances is issuing an ultimatum. He decides to put his pharmaceutical skills into play and poison his wife's chocolates. However, not everything will go as planned.
Taste: Richard Pratt, a pretentious wine expert, is one of several dinner party guests at the home of stockbroker Mike Schofield. Pratt claims to be able to identify any wine from its bouquet but Schofield has picked a really rare wine that he is so convinced Pratt will fail to recognize that he includes his house and his daughter in the wager to everyone else's horror. . .particularly when Pratt guesses it right. Fortunately for the rest of the family the dutiful housekeeper has discovered Mr. Pratt's glasses in a room where they should not be.
My Lady Love, My Dove: Pamela and Arthur Beauchamp invite a younger married couple, the Snapes, for the weekend, during which they will play cards for money. Before they arrive prurient Pamela gets her reluctant husband to bug the Snapes' room so she can hear them in bed. The Snapes clean their hosts out at cards and a bigger surprise awaits when Pamela listens to their bedroom conversation.
Georgy Porgy: Following an unconventional upbringing by his mother George Duckworth, now a vicar, has an odd attitude to women. He visualizes his female parishioners undressed but is scared of physical contact. When the seductive Julia joins his congregation she turns out to be a man-eater in every sense.
Depart in Peace: Hearing from his old friend Gladys Ponsonby of the talented if unconventional artist John Roydon, art dealer Lionel gets Roydon to visualize Lionel's fiancee Janet nude and paint her accordingly. Janet, however, does not see the joke, for which Lionel pays bitterly, in the literal sense.
Set 1 Volume 4:
The Umbrella Man: An elderly con-man works a scam whereby he steals an umbrella from a rack in a public building and sells it to another person, who needs it to shield them from the rain. In the process, a mix-up with the umbrellas means that he exposes a couple who are cheating on the woman's husband and leads to fisticuffs.
Genesis & Catastrophe: In 1889 Austrian customs officer Alois is desperate that his wife Klara will pull through a difficult labour and that she and her baby son will survive. They do. They call the child Adolf.
Mr Botibol's First Love: Mr. Botibol has built a small concert hall in his house where he conducts imaginary recitals to gramophone records. In a music shop he meets Irene, a fellow music lover, and invites her to join in one of his concerts. Unfortunately, she can genuinely play the piano, which sours the mood for Mr. Botibol. Imagination is all to him.
Back for Christmas: Orchid-loving doctor Carpenter is married to Hermione but in love with the younger Samantha. He and his wife are due to fly to America, so that when he kills Hermione and cuts her up and buries her in the garden, he believes that her disappearance will be covered. Unfortunately for him, she is able to avenge herself even from the grave.
The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby: Arthur Appleby is something of a Bluebeard. He has killed his previous wives and used the insurance money to open a succession of antique shops, each one in a new town. When he meets Martha he marks her down as his next victim. However, she is not stupid and tells him that if anything untoward happens to her she has left instructions that Appleby is to be dealt with. Unfortunately, something is about to happen which, for once, is not his fault.
The Man at the Top: Hardy, a young sailor down on his luck, is left stranded when his ship sails without him so he robs a man but accidentally kills him. His girlfriend Diane informs him that the one man who can help him, the 'man at the top' is Sam Madrid. However, Hardy is in for a shock when he realizes that he has already met Madrid.
Set 2 Volume 1:
The Flypaper: The police are dragging the marshes for a missing school-girl and a sinister man is approaching other young girls. When he tries to accost young Sylvia on a bus, Sylvia is relieved when a motherly middle-aged woman comes to her rescue and sends him away. Sylvia goes back to the woman's trailer home to have tea with her. Unfortunately this woman is not a nice person at all and Sylvia is caught like a fly on a fly-paper.
A Picture of a Place: Con artist Merv Pottinger travels the East Anglian countryside, telling unsuspecting elderly people that their valuable art treasure is fairly worthless and that he will do them a favour by taking it off their hands. However, when he meets Hazel, whose son is struggling to keep on their run-down old farm, he thinks that he can get her to part with an Old Master for pea-nuts. In fact she is a far better confidence trickster than him.
Proof of Guilt: George Stamford has come to avenge himself on Mr.Chillingham and is discovered in the latter's locked office with Chillingham dead of a gun-shot wound. However, there is no gun to be found and no apparent means of disposing of one. Inspector Walters has to work out how it was done and if George really is a man with an iron constitution.
Vengeance Is Mine Inc.: Tired of freezing in their room and living out of tins, enterprising lads Tom and George set up Vengeance Is Mine, Inc. For a small fee they will punch anyone their client feels deserves it. Former actress Mrs. Wilbur wants them to attack snooty critic Lionel Brewster and even gives them disguises and helps them plan it. Could she perhaps have an ulterior motive in wanting to incriminate someone else in the assault on Brewster?
A Girl Can't Always Have Everything: Suzy Starr and Pat Lewis are struggling actresses in a provincial touring production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. Herbert, a middle-aged widower, who has become rich via manufacturing toys, puts money into the production and falls for Suzy, who snaps up the expensive gifts he gives her. They get married but she is only using him and is having affairs with other men, leading Herbert to request a divorce. Suzy wants the best of both worlds and asks for Pat's help, not realizing that this is Pat's perfect opportunity to teach her that a girl can't have everything.
Parson's Pleasure: Crooked antique expert Cyril Boggis dresses as a vicar and calls on Suffolk farmsteads offering to take old furniture off the occupants' hands for a fee. Of course, he knows when the furniture is valuable and none more so than the dresser he sees at Farmer Rummins' run-down place. So as not to create suspicion he tells Rummins that he is only interested in the legs. This is a bad plan on his part because Rummins and his lads have difficulty getting the object of Cyril's greed through the door and decide on drastic action.
Set 2 Volume 2:
The Stinker: Meek accountant Harold Tinker, despised by his ambitious ,younger wife Phyl, meets Jack Cutler, an old school contemporary. Cutler used to call Harold 'Stinker Tinker' and generally made his life a misery. Now, with little recollection of the past, Cutler offers Harold a well-paid job, which he takes, chiefly for Phyl's sake. But Cutler still calls him 'Stinker' and, at a dinner party with the two men and their wives, Harold is convinced by her behaviour that Phyl is having an affair with his boss. It is time for the worm to turn, with fatal results.
I'll Be Seeing You: Roland Trent is in love with Anna, who is gradually losing her sight but could have an operation to save it. Unfortunately it is not cheap. Roland is married to Vivienne but she is no more in love with him than he is with her. Furthermore she controls the purse-strings and is initially not keen to help the Other Woman though eventually she agrees to finance the operation but only if Roland never sees Anna again. Roland, however, has other ideas to get the best of both worlds.
The Party: It is coming up to Christmas and Henry Knox, manager of Peckham's toy factory, is doubly incensed. First, he has heard a rumour that the factory will be subject to a take-over by a foreign firm who will not want to keep him. Then he learns that young Leighton, another employee, is organizing a staff disco the night before the works' Christmas party that Henry has always arranged. Wandering into the empty room in the pub where the disco is due to be held Henry finds it is laid out for a formal dinner, and imagining that it is in honour of the in-comers he sets fire to the place. if only he had waited to discover its true nature.
Would You Believe It? Miller and Tanner are archaeologists in Jordan who unearth a striking statue of a beautiful woman looking over her shoulder. They load it onto their truck and drive through a rainstorm in order to get to Israel to sell the statue. However, when the rain has cleared the statue has completely disappeared. They are mystified. If they had known who was the subject of the statue and what it was made of they might have taken more care.
Vicious Circle: Whom would you consider to be the more dangerous? Rex Tobin, the young thief who breaks into Mrs. Grady's flat to rob her? Or dear little old Mrs. Grady herself, who, when Tobin falls and hurts himself, bandages his ankle, makes him tea, and promises to let him go if he will behave himself in future? He might be making all the right noises but she has all the right moves. .
The Boy Who Talked with Animals: Young David can communicate with animals. On holiday in the Caribbean he soothes a huge beached turtle which has been captured by local fishermen for display at the tourist hotel. Next morning boy and turtle have both disappeared.
Set 2 Volume 3:
The Best of Everything: Meek clerk Arthur Price is desperately in love with the sweet Ann, the boss's daughter but is too shy to ask her out. By chance he meets charming if pushy Charlie Prince who is homeless and, in return for Arthur letting him move his large trunk into his lodgings and become his room-mate, Charlie gives him sound advice on wooing Ann with the result that the couple get engaged. Charlie has now outlived his usefulness and the newly confident Arthur has no qualms about getting rid of his mentor as he and Ann prepare to go away together. Will he get away with it?
Shatterproof: Gerry Williams returns to his New York apartment to discover that an assassin called Smith has been sent by his young and faithless wife Ellen to kill him. Staring down the barrel of a gun allows Gerry to think fast, very fast, and he tells the young killer that he has a fortune stashed away in the safe hidden behind a picture on the wall. Can he divert the gun-man's attention long enough to gain the upper hand?
The Sound Machine: During a sunny suburban summer before the Second World War Mr. Klausner develops a box which amplifies the tiniest sound and, for example, records the screams of flowers as they are being cut. His next-door neighbour is less impressed by his invention. Likewise the doctor who regards Mr. Klausner as a case for treatment.
Never Speak Ill of the Dead: Buddies Sim and Bob arrive at the house of their friend Dr. David Rankin one Sunday morning to go fishing, and find him in the cellar cementing over a newly laid floor. His wife Irene is not at home and Rankin tells them that she is staying with friends. However her infidelity is well-known around the village and Bob and Sim make the mistake of surmising that Bob has killed and buried his wife. They think he cannot hear their discussion as he is out of the room, but he can, with lethal results.
The Last Bottle in the World: Sophie Kassoulas and her wine importer uncle Charles recall a past incident when her lover, Max, editor of a wine magazine, asked Charles what he thought was the finest of all vintages. Charles nominated an 1864 Bordeaux claret for its rarity - it was quite simply the last remaining bottle in the world. Sophie's millionaire husband Kyros bought it for ten thousand pounds with which to celebrate their wedding anniversary but he was wise to her affair with Max who, along with Charles, was invited to the anniversary party for Kyros to demonstrate his revenge.
Kindly Dig Your Own Grave: Madame Lagrue is a Parisian art gallery proprietress notorious for exploiting struggling young painters by dishonest means so that she creams off large profits from their work. her latest victim is young American Graham but Graham is fortunate enough to have waitress Fatima as his model, and lover, getting her pregnant. For Fatima is a very smart girl who hatches a plan that will publicly expose Madame Lagrue's underhand dealings - in every sense.
Set 2 Volume 4:
Completely Foolproof: Tycoon Joe Brisson is two-timing his wife Lisa, who finds out and wants a divorce - and half of his very considerable fortune, to which end she has forced his hand in admitting to shady deals. He is about to leave for Europe when a disgruntled employee tries to kill him. Joe persuades the man to take part in a plot to wipe out Lisa which he is sure will be 'completely foolproof'. As it happens, Lisa is thinking along similar lines.
There's One Born Every Minute: Arthur and Margaret Pearson are a quiet little suburban couple who inherit fifty thousand pounds when a relative dies. They tentatively invest it in property with the questionable Edward Cox. Arthur is in fact two-timing his wife with a mistress called Joy and is planning to take off but then disaster strikes as Edward is revealed as a con artist who has gone off with all the money. But is he the only one and may he not have an accomplice playing the same game as Arthur?
Bosom Friends: When hard-working Nell invites her old school friend Emma to come and stay in her ramshackle country cottage to help her make ends meet she is unaware that she has landed herself with a free-loader who has a lifetime's experience of not paying her way. Nell is so anxious to get rid of her unwelcome tenant that she resorts to a murderous plan.
The Way to Do It: Living a dreary life and dominated by his wealthy Aunt May, Roger Carson takes to gambling and, due to the wiles of the lovely but devious casino hostess Suzie, he has quickly run up a gambling debt of twenty thousand pounds. Aunt May refuses to pay it but Roger is aware that, as her sole heir, he will inherit everything when she dies. All he has to do is skip the country, having already arranged for someone else to kill Aunt May without being aware that they did so, thus demonstrating the perfect way to do it.
Hijack: An aeroplane flying from London to Edinburgh with a party of surgeons on board is apparently taken over by a hi-jacker. He has taken the stewardess prisoner in a toilet and will shoot her if his demands are not met. This involves a landing at Manchester airport and the delivery onboard of two parachutes and a million pounds. As the plane goes on its way the passengers are informed that the hi-jacker has bailed out. But did he ever exist? And how innocent are the crew in all of this?
Set 3 Volume 1:
Blue Marigold: Myra - known as Marigold - is the celebrated face of the Blue Marigold advertising campaign. However, when she appears in a television commercial, she is told that her voice is unsuitable and another girl, Sophie, will be dubbing her. At the same time her married lover Paul leaves her. She is already hitting the bottle and suffering mood swings and she has a breakdown, being admitted to a psychiatric home. On discharge she goes to live with her sister Beryl at a sea-side resort. Here she meets Sophie, who is getting married to Paul, but he too has undergone an unfortunate change.
The Eavesdropper: The 'eavesdropper' is married Moira who, whilst in a restaurant, overhears a younger woman at an adjacent table tell her friend how she had a weekend in Paris with her lover Donald. Moira is aghast. Not only is her husband called Donald, he was in Paris, supposedly on business, the previous weekend. To make matters worse, the woman, Louise, has a distinctive watch which she says was given to her by Donald. And it looks exactly the same as one Donald gave to Moira and then got 'mislaid'. Should Moira approach this woman? Or is it all a bizarre coincidence?
Operation Safecrack: Sam 'The Touch' Morrissey is the most famous safe-cracker in Britain and advertising executive, Jack Harrison, uses him in an elaborate live television stunt to promote his company. Sam has to break into the impregnable new Holdwell 801 safe in the studio, thereby claiming the twenty-five thousand pounds in an envelope in the safe. Time starts to run out and it looks as if Sam has failed. Fortunately for Sam he came to the studio with another skill as well as safe-cracking.
Run, Rabbit, Run: Ten years after he was, as a young soldier billeted in Paris at the end of World War Two, Robert Simpson returns to the house where he stayed, owned by Resistance hero Hector Vareille. Hector was a bully to his put-upon wife Nathalie, who had to do everything as he always sat in the same chair and never left the house. Robert is writing a book about the Resistance but Hector is now dead and Nathalie tells the former soldier how she turned the tables on her overbearing husband.
Stranger in Town: An eccentrically-dressed stranger gets off a train and within a few days has endeared himself to the citizens of the town with his jovial behaviour and magical tricks. He is known as Sir Columbus. However, when he calls upon prominent citizen Mr. Latham he is neither jovial or eccentric, he is out for revenge. But then who would suspect such a delightfully off-the-wall middle-aged gentleman of being capable of murder?
The Moles: Edward and George are friends whose businesses are in financial trouble but neither can get a loan from the bank, which makes them feel like robbing it. They enlist the help of an elderly safe-cracker called Meakins and, over the course of a weekend when the bank is closed they tunnel into it from the shop next door. They successfully enter the vault after much arguing but, sadly for them they neglected to observe the notice on the door of the bank before they began their operation.
Decoy: Following the murders of young women in a local park Woman Police Constable Mary Bryan agrees, somewhat reluctantly, to go undercover as a decoy. The chief suspect is a man called Timothy Burton, who frequents the park, and, with a police presence to back her up Constable Bryan gets him into conversation. But is he really the murderer? Might the real killer still be close at hand and prepared to strike again?
Set 3 Volume 2:
Pattern of Guilt: Keith Briscoe is a police doctor who is involved with the case of a serial killer who murders women and leaves clues at the scene of the crime. He is anxious to divorce his second wife Elaine in order to get back to Faye, the wife he left for Elaine but Elaine is not going to give him a divorce. Maybe the facts that he has learnt whilst working on the case can provide him with a means to an end.
A Harmless Vanity: When her best friend Liz tells her that husband George is having an affair with the much younger Carol, Mary Hitchman decides to meet her rival and invites her to a civilized beach party, having first lost weight and enjoyed a glamorous make-over, enabling her to wear a sexy red bathing suit identical to Carol's. This will all lead to George losing his mistress, though not in the way Mary had expected.
Death Can Add: Oliver Platt is defrauding his firm Bulmont Investments, not just out of greed but revenge as his father killed himself when a similar firm, for whom he worked, would not give him a loan to pay off his debts. Alan Corwin, an auditor, tumbles to Oliver's deception and demands a quarter of a million in hush money. Oliver puts the money in a brief-case along with a bomb, due to go off at six o'clock when Corwin will be in an aeroplane. Unfortunately
Death in the Morning: Sir Ian Masterson arrives back at his stately manor home in rural England after marrying Karen and she is suitably impressed by the huge house and acres of land. Karen is introduced to the servants and Ian's son, Paul, who all try to make her feel welcome, Karen also befriends a local woman named Linda. While out horse riding Karen faints, then she is almost killed in a car accident and she becomes very tired and weak. After learning about her stepson Paul's obsession with black magic and witchcraft, Karen becomes convinced he has put a spell on her, has he or is it all just a coincidence and her imagination?
What Have You Been up to Lately? Fergus Locke, an irascible and frankly washed-up actor, has a row over money with his put-upon wife, during which he kills her. He flees to London and meets Richard Mellor, another failed thespian who depends on his wealthy other half for funds. When a radio news flash reports the death of Mrs. Locke, Fergus escapes in Richard's car and is involved in a high speed chase, after which he crashes the motor. Crawling from the wreckage he makes a grisly discovery.
The Absence of Emily: Magistrate Norma allows her sister Emily, a children's author, and Emily's failure of a husband Bob to live in a house in her grounds. Bob's first wife died in mysterious circumstances and when Emily disappears Norma is deeply suspicious that she has come to harm despite Bob's assurances that she has merely gone somewhere quiet to complete her latest book. However, the opportunistic Bob comes to realise that it could be in his interests to play along with Norma's doubts.
A Man with a Fortune: Californian vineyard owner John Smith strikes up a conversation with a young woman called Eva whom he meets in a bar. He tells her that he has come to England to trace his ancestry and that he is going to the Norfolk village of Bedham, from where they originated. When Eva tells her flat-mate Janet, Janet, seeing the opportunity to bag herself a rich man, contrives a meeting with Smith in a records library, claiming that she too is going to trace her forebears in Bedham. However, Eva hears no more from her and, when she goes down to Bedham to look for her, she is told a disturbing story by the local vicar.
Set 3 Volume 3:
Who's Got the Lady?: 'The Patrician Lady', a priceless painting, is coming from France on loan to Parnell's London gallery but, at its unveiling, there is an explosion and gun-shots, suggesting a robbery although it is all over in seconds. The painting is still in place but the name 'Zarchetti' is stamped on the back of the canvas, suggesting a switch. Since the real painting is presumed stolen, Parnell's girlfriend Bernice,a talented forger,makes several copies of the original which will be palmed off as the original and offered to interested parties. But did 'The Patrician Lady' really leave the gallery?
The Skeleton Key: Andy, a hospital radiographer, is losing his girlfriend Emma to the self-centred Max, who is planning to take her on a romantic holiday. When Max complains of pains and Andy sees him in a professional capacity, an opportunity for revenge arises. Did Max really swallow that key, or is Andy just making him suffer ?
A Passing Opportunity: Frank Jesmond has fallen on hard times and in danger of losing his family when a man named Laughlin gives him a job as a hitman, the mark being Peter Madison, a school contemporary of Frank who has done very well for himself in the States and is back on a visit. Frank arrives at Peter's hotel and introduces himself and,for old times sake, the two men go to Peter's room for a drink. As they talk, Frank's purpose starts to waver and he finds himself susceptible to a new deal.
The Memory Man: Colin Mearns scrapes a living with a business helping people improve their memory but it is not a huge success and his girl-friend wants out. Then a Mr. King turns up, seeking Colin's help. He is agitated and rather bad-tempered, having placed a bag in a luggage locker at a station but forgotten the details and combination. Colin is certainly able to help but unaware that Mr. King is really a safecracker, who keeps his tools in the bag, unfortunately becomes too curious for his own good.
A Sad Loss: Claire Hawksworth and her boyfriend Dave are struggling to keep up the payments on their Caribbean hotel and had always counted on Claire's wealthy Aunt Alicia leaving her all her money. However, Alicia informs the couple that she is changing her will in favour of her new grand-child. The pair decide Alicia should meet with an unfortunate swimming accident before the will can be altered and all will be swiftly their’s.
Clerical Error: Whilst winding up his late father's affairs for his invalid mother Paul Standing comes across an invoice from a London book-shop and goes to meet the owners, the Carey brothers, who claim that Paul's father owes them money for pornographic books they sent him. In fact the brothers are crooks who scour the obituary columns for the names of deceased worthies and then hit their relatives with the lie that the dead man owed them for erotic reading material, knowing that the ignorant next of kin will pay up to avoid a scandal. However Paul and his mother invite the Carey’s to their house and greet them with a shot-gun and some news that certainly turn the tables on the proposed scam.
The Vorpal Blade: Elderly - uniformed - Teuton Von Baden tells colleague Winterluck a tale from his youth when he was a student in Heidelberg over fifty years earlier. A fellow student Cassan was a bully but a fine swordsman who one day challenged another youth, Macker, to a fight when he found Macker in bed with his girlfriend. Cassan chose Von Baden to be his second, giving him the perfect opportunity to do away with the over-bearing and unpopular student. As Von Baden explains how he utilized the 'Vorpal Blade' another twist reveals that both old men are in fact war criminals being held in a castle.
Set 4 Volume 1:
The Wrong 'Un: Helmut Weinrich is a German businessman who has just closed a successful deal in Coventry. Feeling very satisfied and now alone for the evening, he impulsively picks up the bar tab of a pretty girl called Molly and invites her back to his hotel room, despite the warning of the hotel detective that Molly is a 'wrong-un'.
The Luncheon: Author Tony Medway is thrilled to receive a phone call from Susan Mandeville, inviting him to a restaurant to discuss making a film of his book. After all, Susan is married to an influential film producer and the deal could make Tony's fortune. Unfortunately, the restaurant of Susan's choice, Blundell's, is very expensive. Tony has budgeted himself to have a fairly inexpensive and minimal meal but Susan keeps going for items he can barely afford. Never mind, it will all come right because of her husband, won't it? Assuming he still is her husband.
The Tribute: Three aristocratic ladies now living in reduced circumstances, agree to have lunch together as a tribute to Dench, the woman who worked as a nanny for all of them in many years ago. As they reminisce, it becomes clear that through their meanness and snobbery, they all treated Dench rather poorly. But maybe their lowly servant can have the last laugh?
Hit and Run: Dr. Roger Ashburn is heart-broken when his beloved but selfish wife Mary leaves him, in highly public fashion, leaving her wedding ring to be found during a dinner party Roger is giving for a colleague and his wife. In order to get his life back together he decides to get a job in a hospital in a different town, to make a new start. Then, one day, all too familiar patient is brought in.
The Best Chess Player in the World: G.B. Shaw is certainly a gifted chess player. But as he tells his opponent over a game, he is in fact the greatest in the world. To prove it he explains how he planned the perfect murder, after discovering his wife was unfaithful.
Have a Nice Death: In New York to promote his new book 'Women Weeping' British author Sam Luke jauntily dismisses claims that it is sexist in a television interview. However, when he returns to his hotel suite unpleasant things start to happen. A phone caller rings to say' "Have a nice death," after which a package containing one of his books arrives and explodes upon opening. Sam is starting to get scared. If only he was at home with his wife everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?
The Last of the Midnight Gardeners: Walter Oates, editor of a magazine which publishes crime stories is married to Jane but is having an affair with his secretary Edna, and the two women meet when Edna stands in for an absent guest at a dinner party. Walter is running a competition with a cash prize for the reader who submits the best murder mystery, though most of the entries are rubbish. Then Jane challenges him to write a story. Under an assumed name, given that he is the editor. But when life mirrors art, even an assumed name is little defense.
Set 4 Volume 2:
Accidental Death: Steve and Jane are a couple of thieves who travel the country pretending to be market researchers for Silvertone metal polish whilst they find suitable homes to rob. In a hotel bar they meet the eccentric old Percy, who, despite his tatty appearance, is rumoured to have a hidden fortune. The couple decide to break into his house but Percy has caught an earlier bus home and surprises them. He will cause them more trouble than they could have imagined.
The Reconciliation: James Howgill finds his marriage to Caroline unfulfilling and wants a divorce but she sees nothing wrong and refuses. He therefore hires fastidious private eye H.A.K. Bates in the hopes that he can catch her out with another man but the story the detective comes back with leads him to see his wife in a renewed light, resulting in a reconciliation. Did Caroline stage manage this by any chance?
The Mugger: Government minister Gerald Overton goes to a party without his wife Jennifer, where he holds forth on his views on law and order - re-claiming power for the ordinary citizen - to some acclaim. After being sidetracked by the seductive Mary Tregallas, he is walking home when he is barged by a man in a park. He then finds his wallet missing and goes after the man and recovers it from him. However, when he gets home Jennifer points out to him that before he went out he dropped his wallet in the house. . . And there is worse to come.
Skeleton in the Cupboard: Robert Smythe, a wealthy businessman, hears from a young woman called Jane Fisher that she is looking for a member of the MG club who got married twenty years earlier and lives in the town of Elmston, both of which apply to him. However, twenty years earlier he was involved in an accident when driving his MG. He is fearful of exposure and must keep the fact from his wife at all costs.
The Colonel's Lady: Colonel George Peregrine's comfortable life is disturbed when his wife writes a bestselling raunchy novel. When he finally reads it, he becomes convinced that she has been having an affair.
The Surgeon: Wealthy Prince Zawi gives surgeon Robert Sandy a diamond for saving his life. The diamond is extremely valuable and, as a precaution against it being stolen, Robert hides it in a very safe place indeed. However, whilst he and his wife are out, the house is robbed and the diamond is stolen. Next day a colleague of Robert's is operating on a man who has swallowed something unusual - Robert's diamond. So how did it get inside him?
The Verger: Albert Dobson is a very good verger (caretaker) who has served the church for years. But when the modernising new vicar discovers Albert cannot read or write, he soon leaves him no choice but to resign. Albert and his wife, Milly, face an impoverished unwanted retirement, until chance gives Albert the idea of opening a quality tea shop. But can they make a go of such a shop in a modern world that seems to have little patience for their old-fashioned approach?
Set 4 Volume 3:
The Facts of Life: Young Nicholas Lillie has led a sheltered rural existence, but when he does well in the county fencing competition he is selected to play in the championships in London, much against the wishes of his narrow-minded father. Along with his fencing teacher and headmaster he goes to the big city but loses the contest to champion James Barron-Irvine, who admires his performance and takes him for a night on the town. Here he meets the lovely Zoe, who sees him as little more than a country innocent and ripe pickings. They both will teach each other a lesson.
Wink Three Times: Ten years previously the rich but gauche Babs Colport was persuaded by her friend Holly to hire and meet gigolo Dominic in a hotel bedroom. At the same time the equally bashful provincial solicitor Jeremy Tyler came to the hotel and was set up by Giles, an old school mate. A series of musical beds followed but with a happy outcome as, ten years later, a married couple return to the location where they first met.
The Dead Don't Steal: Married Ken Johnson runs a charter plane service with his air stewardess lover, Lilian, who indulges in a little smuggling on his behalf. Then disaster strikes for him, as his wife discovers the affair and Lilian says she is leaving him for another man and the smuggling will end. In a rage he kills Lilian and disposes of the body. But to his astonishment she appears to come back from the dead and ensures that justice catches up with him.
The Finger of Suspicion: American Stephen Baker has cracked open many a safe in his time but he now lives a peaceful existence with his Arab wife Soroya in her native country. The local police come to the house and arrest him for a crime he swears he did not do and take him to meet two Scotland Yard detectives with a view to his extradition. Soroya has to think fast to come up with a plan to convince the police that her husband is innocent.
A Time to Die: Yves Drouard is a wealthy man but his marriage has gone stale. His wife Marthe has been unable to have children and she, like him, is being unfaithful. Yves' mistress Violette is younger and has just announced that she is pregnant. Yves decides he will kill his wife by rigging up an explosive device which will go off if she tries to leave the building. But then he changes his mind. . .fatally.
Mr. Know-All: Elly Somerton is working for the summer as a hotel receptionist. She is intrigued by Max Kelada, a roguish archeology professor, who is disarmingly honest with her about the tricks he uses to get women into bed. But when a rival of Kelada attempts to humiliate him, it turns out that Mr Know-All may not he the heartless seducer he professes to be.
(summaries are from Internet Movie Database and TV.com)
Two episodes of the series featuring actors Michael Brandon and Glynis Barber are included as bonus tracks in the DVD set of the British TV series "Dempsey and Makepeace", in which Brandon and Barber played the main characters.