Series Nine
10 Episodes. First broadcast: Fridays on ITV - 18 December 1987 to 29 January 1988 and 15 April to 13 May 1988
| Title | Episode | First aired | Writer(s) | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skeleton in the Cupboard | 103 | 18 December 1987 | Tony Wilmott Peter Ransley |
Paul Annett |
| Robert Smythe has a dark secret he has kept for 20 years but, it has now come back to haunt him. He endeavours to keep it a secret from his wife, but she is growing suspicious. | ||||
| Cast: Francesca Brill (Jane Fisher), Charles Dance (Robert Smythe), Philip Dunbar (Henry Traile), Zoë Wanamaker (Margaret Smythe), Matthew Jones (Man on the Phone) | ||||
| The Colonel's Lady | 104 | 8 January 1988 | Somerset Maugham Denis Cannan |
Barry Davis |
| Eve Hamilton-Peregrine has written a successful book of poetry. Her husband is suspicious about the subject of the poems and demands to know who the lover is that she writes about. | ||||
| Cast: Joss Ackland (Colonel George Peregrine), Paul Williamson (Harry), Gareth Thomas (Telfer), Anna Nicholas (Irina Stefanopoulos), Dennis Matsuki (Manservant), Carol Leader (Daphne), John Horsley (Giles Rowley), Rupert Frazer (Basil Dashwood), Kate Emma Davies (Clio Stefanopoulos), Allan Corduner (Hatchard's Bookshop Assistant), Pauline Collins (Eve K. Hamilton-Peregrine) | ||||
| The Surgeon | 105 | 15 January 1988 | Roald Dahl | Graham Evans |
| Doctor Robert Sandy receives a huge diamond from a grateful patient - an Eastern Prince. Robert is eager to sell it for money, but, his death follows his greed. | ||||
| Cast: John Alderton (Robert Sandy), David Belcher (Julius Goff), Shirley Cain (Sister Wyman), Jonathan Coy (William Haddock), Alison Fiske (Betty Sandy), Geoffrey Greenhill (Detective Inspector Watkins), Raad Rawi (Crown Prince Zawi), Devon Scott (Jane Chenies), John Skitt (James Wishart), Thorley Walters (Harry Gold) | ||||
| The Verger | 106 | 22 January 1988 | Denis Cannan Somerset Maugham |
Rodney Bennett |
| The Dobsons have been serving their Parish Church for years, but when a new Vicar arrives he changes things radically. They move away and start a new life, but, in the process, a secret that the Dobsons have been keeping comes to light. |
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| Cast: Gareth Walker (Cafe Owner), Tony Kassell (The Boy), Debbie Norris (First Waitress), Glenda Smith (Second Waitress), Andrew Seear (Clerk), Geoffrey Beevers (The Health Inspector), Bruce Boa (Groober), Richard Briers (Albert Dobson), Andrew Burt (Vicar), Mike Carnell (Passer-by), Geoffrey Chater (Magistrate), Rowland Davies (Bank Manager), Bradley Lavelle (Lawyer), Patricia Routledge (Milly Dobson) | ||||
| The Facts of Life | 107 | 29 January 1988 | Somerset Maugham Noella Smith |
John Gorrie |
| Nicholas is a keen amateur fencer but is held back by his inexperience. He makes it through to a national fencing competition in London, but he has never been outside of his village or away from his parents. | ||||
| Cast: Jim Broadbent (Lovejoy), Benedict Taylor (Nicholas Lillie), James Easton (Tony), Stephen Hancock (Mr Lillie), Daphne Neville (Mrs Lillie), Gerard Logan (James Barron-Ervine), John Drake (The President), Ronald Markham (Arthur), Rosalind Bennett (Zoe), Ronnie Stevens (Rudge), Genevieve Allenbury (Croupier), James Trapp (Cashier), Paul Vaughan-Teague (Scorer) | ||||
| Wink Three Times | 108 | 15 April 1988 | John Charters Paul Ableman |
Paul Annett |
| Jeremy Tyler, a shy solicitor is staying at a London hotel on a business trip. While there, he is mistaken for another man by a woman on a blind date. | ||||
| Cast: Peter Baldwin (Second Desk Clerk), Andrew Bicknell (Giles Wimbourne), Ellis Dale (First Desk Clerk), Peter Davison (Jeremy Tyler), Jeremy Gittins (Dominic), Liza Goddard (Babs Colport), Luke Kelly (Barman), Robin Lermitte (Piers), Caroline Goodall (Holly Peverill), Terry Wallis (Hall Porter), Les Henry (Head Waiter), Mel Hastings (Steward) | ||||
| The Dead Don't Steal | 109 | 22 April 1988 | Ella Griffiths Robin Chapman |
John Glenister |
| Ken Johnson is having an affair with his secretary, Lillian. His wife finds out about it and is furious, but then, Lillian tells Ken that she has met someone else. In temper, he kills her and buries the body, but then, he gets a phone call from her. |
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| Cast: Nicholas Ball (Ken Johnson), Glynis Barber (Lilian and Sylvia Brett), David Caddick (First Police Officer), Norman Tyrrell (George), Albert Welling (Inspector Gunter), Michael Wisher (Dexter), Lois Baxter (Annie Johnson), Derek Carpenter (Van Driver), Dave Sommerton (Second Police Officer), Brian Goodfellow (Detective Sergeant Davies) | ||||
| The Finger of Suspicion | 110 | 29 April 1988 | Tony Wilmot Robin Chapman |
Rodney Bennett |
| Steve Baker is married to a beautiful Arab woman and they live happily in a Middle Eastern country. Then, Steve's past comes back to haunt him as he is charged with a crime. | ||||
| Cast: Michael Brandon (Stephen Baker), Lucy Gutteridge (Soroya), Stefan Kalipha (Chief Inspector Aziz), Michael O'Hagan (Superintendent Burke), Nadim Sawalha (Zayid Halim), Rob Spendlove (Inspector Hook), Tony Allief (Police Sergeant), Eddie Lemare (Police Constable) | ||||
| A Time to Die | 111 | 6 May 1988 | Aileen Wheeler Robin Chapman |
Paul Annett |
| Yves Drouard is busy trying to keep his wife and young mistress happy. Things become further complicated when his mistress tells him she is pregnant. | ||||
| Cast: Mike McKenzie (Pianist), David Suchet (Yves Drouard), Nina Van Pallandt (Marthe Drouard), Sarah-Jane Varley (Lucie), Adam Crouch (Antoine), Paul Herzberg (Henri), Pauline Letts (Madame Cabon), Jemma Redgrave (Violette Charbonneau), Ivor Robers (Gas Inspector) | ||||
| Mr Know-All | 112 | 13 May 1988 | Paul Ableman Somerset Maugham |
Gareth Davies |
| Elly, a pretty hotel maid is seduced by a guest. He gives her a valuable statuette, which he found during an archaeological dig. Elly is sacked by the manager when he finds out about the affair, but, the manager's wife has exactly the same statuette. |
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| Cast: Edward Wiley (Jasper Cranley), Eamonn Walker (Bates), Chaim Topol (Professor Max Kelada), Kim Thomson (Elly Somerton), Steve Plytas (Professor Daxatides), Steffanie Pitt (Angela Dalton), Leslie Lyon (Lizzie Cranley), Erika Hoffman (Suzie Anderson), Peter Frye (Professor Maddox) | ||||
Many of the earlier episodes were preceded by an introduction by Roald Dahl. The dancer in the title sequence was Karen Standley.
These episodes have frequently been repeated on British television, most recently on ITV3. All episodes have been released on DVD in a box-set for each series, except the 1984/85 series which were released together with the first episode of series 8.
Read more about this topic: List Of Tales Of The Unexpected Episodes
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