Series Four
17 Episodes. First broadcast: Sundays and a Saturday on ITV - 5 April to 26 July and 26 December 1981
| Title | Episode | First aired | Writer(s) | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Would You Believe It? | 35 | 5 April 1981 | Robert Edward Alter Julian Bond |
Barry Davies |
| While on a dig in Jordan, two archaeologists discover a statue of a woman. They hide it in their van and smuggle it out of the country. When they arrive, they find it has disappeared. | ||||
| Cast: Nigel Havers (Miller), Richard Johnson (Tanner), Christopher Blake (Israeli Officer), Tony Alleff (Hassin), Vic Tablian (Arab Officer), Albert Moses (Arab Patrolman), Ali Baba (Arab Digger), Paul Satvender (Arab Digger), Tapan Ghosh (Arab Digger), Raj Digger (Arab Digger) | ||||
| Vicious Circle | 36 | 12 April 1981 | Donald Honig Robin Chapman |
Philip Dudley |
| An elderly woman catches a thief in the act at her home. She befriends the young man and attempts to set him on the straight and narrow. | ||||
| Cast: Patrick Field (Rex Tobin), Siobhán McKenna (Mrs Grady), Lesley Goldie (Mrs Jackson), Graham Weston (Police Superintendent), Kenneth Hadley (Plain-Clothes Policeman), Roger Evans (Policeman), Forbes Collins (Policeman) | ||||
| The Boy who Talked with Animals | 37 | 19 April 1981 | Robin Chapman Roald Dahl |
Alan Gibson |
| While on holiday in Jamaica, young David persuades his father to buy a giant turtle captured by fishermen, so that it can be released. When both boy and turtle disappear, an American man, Jenner, gets caught up in the adventure. | ||||
| Cast: Paul Spurrier (David), Stuart Whitman (Sam Jenner), David Buck (David's Father), John Nettleton (Graham Edwards, Hotel Manager), Robert Arden (Berners), John Wyman (Denzil), Mel Taylor (Fisherman), Tony Osoba (Policeman), Amanda Kemp (Denzil's Girlfriend), Oscar James (Fisherman), William Hootkins (Harry Chester), Vivien Heilbron (David's Mother), Astley Harvey (John), Jeffrey Gardiner (Guest), Geoffrey Cousins (Geoffrey), Alison Coleridge (Mildred Berners), Mary Laine (Mary), David Rhule (Fisherman), Steve Margo (Fisherman), Leon Burton (Fisherman), Martin Island (Policeman), Christopher Gilbert (Barman), Emmanuel Josiah (Waiter), Nik Abraham (Waiter), Carl Campbell (Waiter) | ||||
| The Best of Everything | 38 | 26 April 1981 | Stanley Ellin Dennis Cannan |
John Bruce |
| Arthur, a junior office clerk, is smitten with his rich boss's daughter Ann, but is too shy to ask her out, because he is poor. A new friend, Charlie Prince, will help him to act rich in return for sharing a room. Arthur doesn't play fair with Charlie, but fate plays fair with Arthur. | ||||
| Cast: Judi Bowker (Ann Horton), Michael Kitchen (Arthur), Jeremy Clyde (Charlie Prince), Rachel Kempson (Mrs Marsh), Brewster Mason (Horton), David Arlen (White Postman), Carl Andrews (Black Postman), Andrew MacLachlan (Metal Dealer), Peter Bartle (Metal Dealer), Judy Liebert (Metal Dealer), Richard Barnes (Metal Dealer) | ||||
| A Woman's Help | 39 | 3 May 1981 | Henry Slesar Bert Salzman |
Bert Salzman |
| Arnold is financially dependent on his rich, older wife, but is having an affair. He devises a plan to kill his wife in order to get her money and remarry. | ||||
| Cast: Anthony Franciosa (Arnold Bourdon), Shirley Knight-Temple (Elizabeth Bourdon), Deborah Geffner (Miss Greco), Annie McGreevey (Nurse), Imogene Bliss (Mother), Ian Martin (Dr Ivey), Raymond Thorne (Gardener) | ||||
| Shatterproof | 40 | 10 May 1981 | Jack Ritchie Pat Hoddinott |
John Jacobs |
| Property millionaire Gerry Williams has a beautiful wife but she no longer loves him. An assassin is hired, but he soon becomes friendly with Gerry. | ||||
| Cast: Eli Wallach (Gerry Williams), Anthony Pullen Shaw (Smith), Caroline Langrishe (Ellen), Godfrey Talbot (Emerson), Bridget McConnel (Mrs Emerson) | ||||
| The Sound Machine | 41 | 17 May 1981 | Roald Dahl | John Gorrie |
| A botanist has invented a machine which translates the sound of plants into speech. What he hears gives him a shock. | ||||
| Cast: James Warwick (Dr Scott), Harry Andrews (Klausner), Margery Mason (Mrs Saunders) | ||||
| Never Speak Ill of the Dead | 42 | 24 May 1981 | John Collier Robin Chapman |
John Gorrie |
| Irene, the wife of a country doctor, has a reputation for promiscuity. She again becomes the subject of gossip when she disappears. Soon, speculation begins to grow that her husband has murdered her and buried her in the cellar.
Remake of "De Mortuis" (1956), Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Season 2 Episode 3, starring Robert Emhardt. |
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| Cast: Warren Clarke (Bob Streeter), Colin Blakely (Dr David Rankin), Cheryl Hall (Irene Rankin), Keith Drinkel (Sim Hoskins), Brian Osborne (Police Sergeant) | ||||
| The Best Policy | 43 | 31 May 1981 | Ferenc Molnár David Scott Milton |
Ray Danton |
| Harry Flock is promoted to the position of bank manager due to his meticulous approach to work. The bank's head office however gets a tip-off that Flock is embezzling money, but, there is no evidence. | ||||
| Cast: Gary Burghoff (Harry Flock), Deborah Harmon (Daisy Flock), Logan Ramsey (Philbert), William Boyett (Simpson), Edward Grover (Bailout), Robert Casper (Wheatley), Penelope Gillette (Mrs Runion), Damian London (Grunge), Tad Horino (Coroner) | ||||
| The Last Bottle in the World | 44 | 7 June 1981 | Stanley Ellin Denis Cannan |
John Gorrie |
| Kyros Kassoulas is planning a meal for his wedding anniversary. He buys an expensive bottle of Claret for the occasion, but, he is fully aware that his wife is being unfaithful. | ||||
| Cast: Anthony Quayle (Kyros Kassoulas), Gary Bond (Max de Marechall), Nigel Hawthorne (Charles Drummond), Lynette Davies (Sophie Kassoulas), Neville Phillips (Waiter), Carlos Douglas (Assistant Chef), Pat Lewis (Miss Pym), Claude Le Saché (Waiter) | ||||
| Kindly Dig Your Grave | 45 | 14 June 1981 | Stanley Ellin Robin Chapman |
Alan Gibson |
| A commercial art gallery in Paris is run by the unscrupulous Madame La Grue, who is exploiting the artists she employs. However, when one of her artists falls in love with the model he is painting, she soon realises that she has met her match. |
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| Cast: Micheline Presle (Madame La Grue), Celia Gregory (Fatima), Robert H. Thomson (Graham MacKenzie), Gerard Lartigau (Henri), Alan Gifford (Edward), Helen Horton (Martha) | ||||
| Completely Foolproof | 46 | 21 June 1981 | Robert Arthur Robin Chapman |
John Jacobs |
| Joe Brisson, a self-made millionaire has a number of enemies - including his wife. Joe plans to murder his wife as he has become bored with her. | ||||
| Cast: Telly Savalas (Joe Brisson), Rita Gam (Lisa), Ramsay Williams (Howard Duncombe), Belinda Mayne (Anna Kleiber), Linda Liles (Miss Graham), Douglas Lambert (Harrington) | ||||
| There's One Born Every Minute | 47 | 28 June 1981 | Bill Pronzini Chaim Bermant |
Philip Dudley |
| Arthur and Margaret Pearson live a quiet, middle-aged life. When Margaret inherits some money, Arthur decides to invest it in a property scheme. This however, proves the turning point in their relationship. | ||||
| Cast: Frank Finlay (Arthur Pearson), Heather Sears (Margaret Pearson), Peter Copley (Man at Railway Station), Andrew Burt (Edward), Jo Rowbottom (Joy), Deryck Guyler (Commissionaire), Kevin Brennan (Grimshaw), Allan Mitchell (Detective Sergeant) | ||||
| Bosom Friends | 48 | 5 July 1981 | Dana Lyon Robin Chapman |
Graham Evans |
| Nell and Emma are old school friends who meet up again for the first time in years. Eventually, Emma moves in with Nell. It turns out however that Emma is penniless and is happy to drag Nell down with her. | ||||
| Cast: Rachel Kempson (Nell), Joan Greenwood (Emma), Nat Jackley (Deacon), Aaron Shirley (Brown), Patricia Browning (Ward Sister) | ||||
| A Glowing Future | 49 | 19 July 1981 | Ruth Rendell Ross Thomas |
John Peyser |
| Betsy and Jack are long-term lovers who live together. Jack however has fallen in love with another woman in Australia and plans to marry her. Betsy becomes enraged as he packs his things for moving away, which includes a lot of her possessions. |
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| Cast: John Beck (Jack), Joanna Pettet (Betsy), Bill Lavoie (Removal Man) | ||||
| The Way to Do it | 50 | 26 July 1981 | Jack Ritchie Denis Cannan |
Alan Gibson |
| Roger Carson is eager to get away from the clutches of his domineering Aunt May and takes up gambling. While at the Casino, he falls for hostess, Suzie. The Casino manager has a score to settle with the Carsons however. |
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| Cast: Andrew Ray (Roger Carson), Elaine Paige (Suzie), Elizabeth Spriggs (Aunt May), Sarah Webb (Jackie), Martin Benson (Vasco), Annie Leon (Miss Stevens), Forbes Collins (Commissionaire), Andrew MacLachlan (Police Sergeant), Genevieve Allenbury (Croupier), Philip Hatton (Croupier Thug), Dennis Masuki (Croupier), Barbie Denham (Croupier), Ann Coombs (Croupier), Trisha Clarke (Croupier) | ||||
| Hijack | 51 | 26 December 1981 | Denis Cannan Robert L. Fish |
Herbert Wise |
| On board an aeroplane, a hijacker takes a stewardess hostage and demands a million dollars and a parachute. The Captain tries to deal with the situation and grants him his wish. | ||||
| Cast: Simon Cadell (Co-pilot), Michael Craig (Hijacker), Suzanne Danielle (Millie), Denis Quilley (Captain Waterhouse), Sean Barrett (Steward), Peter Tuddenham (Airport Security Officer), Matthew Long (Second Security Officer), Richard Foxton (Security Guard), John Graham (Scottish Passenger), William Merrow (German Passenger), Neville Phillips (English Passenger), Douglas Lambert (American Passenger), Helen Horton (American Passenger) | ||||
Read more about this topic: List Of Tales Of The Unexpected Episodes
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