Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime

Infobox Television
show_name = Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
format = Crime/Comedy
runtime = 50 minutes
creator =
starring = James Warwick,
Francesca Annis
country = UK
network = ITV
director = John A. Davis,
Tony Wharmby
first_aired = 16 October, 1983
last_aired =
14 January, 1984
num_episodes = 10|

"Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime" was a 1983 British television series based on the short stories of the same name by Agatha Christie. It was directed by John A. Davis and Tony Wharmby, and starred James Warwick and Francesca Annis in the leading roles of husband and wife sleuths Tommy and Prudence 'Tuppence' Beresford. Reece Dinsdale co-starred as Albert in all except episodes 3 and 5.

The series follows the adventures and exploits of the Beresfords, who have recently taken over the running of a detective agency based in London, and each episode features one of the stories from the book. Among these are a quest for missing jewels, the investigation of poltergeists and a story involving poisoned chocolates.

The series followed the short stories closely with two notable exceptions: First, the detective parodies, although alluded to on occasion, were for the most part dispensed with. Secondly, the story arc of the blue Russian letters and the search for the agent known as Number 16 were also dispensed with. For this reason three chapters ("The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger", "Blindman's Bluff" and "The Man Who Was No. 16") were not adapted.

The series' original run was immediately preceeded by transmission on October 9, 1983 of the same production team's adaptation of Christie's second novel "The Secret Adversary", which also starred Annis and Warwick in the same roles and which acted as an introduction for viewers to "Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime".

The series ran for one season between October 16, 1983 and January 14, 1984 with ten episodes. It was poorly received at the time, but was later shown in the United States, where it won an award at the 1985 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Graphic and Title Design. As of 2007, the series is regularly aired in the UK on the digital channel ITV3.

Episode Listing

The Affair of the Pink Pearl

Transmission date: October 16, 1983
Writer: David Butler
Director: Tony Wharmby
Guest cast:
"William Hootkins" as Hamilton Betts
"Graham Crowden" as Colonel Kingston-Bruce
"Susannah Morley" as Beatrice Kingston-Bruce
"Arthur Cox" as Detective Inspector Marriott
"Dulcie Gray" as Lady Laura Barton
"Lynda La Plante" as Phyllis Betts
"Charles Shaughnessy" as John Rennie
"Fleur Chandler" as Janet Smith
"Ursula Mohan" as Elise
"Tim Woodward" as Lawrence St Vincent
"Noël Dyson" as Mrs Kingston-Bruce
The opening episode of the series combined the first four chapters of the book "( A Fairy in the Flat / A Pot of Tea" and " The Affair of the Pink Pearl, Parts I and II.)" and followed those narratives closely. Reference was made to following the techniques of fictional detectives when Tommy plays a violin mimicking Sherlock Holmes. Dulcie Gray was advertised as the guest star.

The House of Lurking Death

Transmission date: October 23, 1983
Writer: Jonathan Hales
Director: Christopher Hodson
Guest cast:
"Lynsey Baxter" as Lois Hargreaves
"Kim Clifford" as Rose Holloway
"Michael Cochrane" as Captain Dennis Radcliffe
"Deddie Davies" as Mrs Holloway
"Anita Dobson" as Esther Quant
"Louisa Rix" as Mary Chilcott
"Joan Sanderson" as Rachel Logan
"Granville Saxton" as Dr Burton
"Liz Smith" as Hannah MacPherson

Whilst the narrative of the short story was followed faithfully, an extra sub-plot was added which saw Tommy accuse Rose Holloway (who was portrayed as Mrs. Holloway's daughter rather than her niece) of the murders to try and gain information from her. Also, whilst Tommy did not overtly assume the persona of M. Hanaud, he did greet Lois Hargreaves using some French phrases and words.

The Sunningdale Mystery

Transmission date: October 30, 1983
Writer: Jonathan Hales
Director: Tony Wharmby
Guest cast:
"Jim Wiggins" as Ticket Collector
"Edwin Brown" as Hollaby Senior
"Terence Conoley" as Major Barnard
"Denis Holmes" as Lecky
"Denis Lill" as Hollaby Junior
"Emily Moore" as Doris Evans
"Robin Parkinson" as Landlord
"Dorothea Phillips" as Waitress
"Vivienne Ritchie" as Girl

Although this episode dispensed with Tommy and Tuppence assuming the characters from Baroness Orczy's "The Old Man in the Corner" and also had the two leads travel down to Sunningdale themselves rather than remain in the ABC shop throughout the story, it did then remain faithful to Christie's text in that they never interacted with the main characters in the drama but recreated events and solved the mystery through the use of on-screen flashbacks.

The Clergyman's Daughter

Transmission date: November 6, 1983
Writer: Paul Annett
Director: Paul Annett
Guest cast:
"Jane Booker" as Monica Deane
"Bill Dean" as Edmund Hove
"David Delve" as Percival Smart & Dr O'Neill
"Geoffrey Drew" as Norman Partridge
"Alan Jones" as Gerald Rush
"Elspeth MacNaughton" as Bella Hove
"George Malpas" as Frank Mulberry
"Pam St. Clement" as Mrs Crockett
"Ben Stevens" as Cockwell

The storyline in this episode was expanded by having the character of Mrs. Crockett's nephew in the house while Tommy and Tuppence investigated Monica's case, he and his aunt overhearing the solution of the anagram being read out and then holding up the Beresford's at gunpoint when they had dug up the 'buried treasure', only for Albert to rescue them.

Finessing the King

Transmission date: November 27, 1983
Writer: Gerald Savory
Director: Christopher Hodson
Guest cast:
"Benjamin Whitrow" as Sir Arthur Merivale
"Anna Turner" as Widow
"John Gillett" as Dr Stoughton
"Annie Lambert" as Lady Merivale
"Arthur Cox" as Inspector Marriott
"Peter Blythe" as Captain Bingo Hale

Although faithful to the short stories of "Finessing the King / The Gentleman Dressed in Newspaper", minor changes were made for this adaptation:
*Tommy and Tuppence attend the Three Arts Ball dressed as Holmes and Watson, rather than the almost unknown (to modern audiences) Tommy McCarty and Dennis Riordan.
*Sir Arthur Merivale attends the ball dressed as the devil instead of a seventeenth century executioner.
*Bingo Hale employs Tommy and Tuppence from prison (where they interview him) to investigate the crime instead of Inspector Marriot telling the two sleuths Hale's side of the story, thus helping the story's exposition.
*Sir Arthur pulls a gun on Tommy and Tuppence before throwing himself out of the window at the denouement of the story .

The Ambassador's Boots

Transmission date: December 4, 1983
Writer: Paul Annett
Director: Paul Annett
Guest cast:
"Moira Brooker" as Tilly
"Michael Carter" as Rodriguez
"Arthur Cox" as Inspector Marriott
"Tricia George" as Poppy St Albans
"Jennie Linden" as Cicely March
"T. P. McKenna" as Randolph Wilmot
"Clive Merrison" as Richards
"Jo Ross" as Gwen Foster
"Catherine Schell" as Virma La Strange
"Norma West" as Estelle Blaney
The narrative of the chapter was extended by having Tommy and Tuppence meet Randolph Wilmot at a US Embassy garden party where the actress Virma La Strange (who they had just solved a case for) introduced them. The story was also changed to have Wilmot's valet, Richards, part of the gang and this character commit suicide when pressured by the drug smuggling gang. At the climax of the story, Tommy is saved at the Beauty Parlour by Tuppence and three girls who she knew as a VAD's in the war instead of by Tuppence and the police.

The Man in the Mist

Transmission date: December 11, 1983
Writer: Gerald Savory
Director: Christopher Hodson
Guest cast:
"Tim Brierley" as James Reilly
"Mark Farmer" as Page Boy
"Geoffrey Greenhill" as Police Sergeant
"Constantine Gregory" as Bulger Estcourt
"Christopher Johnston" as P.C. Bamford
"Roger Kemp" as Inspector Jeavons
"Valerie Lilley" as Ellen
"Patrick Marley" as Lord Leconbury
"Linda Marlowe" as Gilda Glenn
"Anne Stallybrass" as Dorothea Honeycott
"Paddy Ward" as Barman

This episode was mostly faithful to the two-part chapter in the book of the same name although Bulger Estcourt's part in the plot was extended to make him another suspect of the murder, rather than just being the man who introduces Gilda Glenn to Tommy and Tuppence. In addition, the rather hurried end to the story was extended by having Tommy organise a re-enactment of the crime in which P.C. Bamford (un-named by Christie) was arrested by his own colleagues in the police force after being tipped off by Tommy who had traced his previous life as Gilda's husband of twenty years before. Tommy's fictional detective disguise of Father Brown was retained for this episode, presumably because the character was more familiar to television viewers of the 1980's than some of the others portrayed in the stories.

The Unbreakable Alibi

Transmission date: December 18, 1983
Writer: David Butler
Director Christopher Hodson
Guest cast:
"Ellis Dale" as Henri
"Michael Jayes" as Peter Le Marchant
"Preston Lockwood" as Head Waiter
"Tim Meats" as Montgomery Jones
"Anna Nygh" as Una & Vera Drake
"Gay Soper" as Hotel Receptionist
"Stephen Wale" as Car Park Attendant
"Elaine Wells" as Chamber Maid

While this episode followed the text of the short story for most of its length, it did deviate in the final quarter by adding a sub-plot that Una Drake and Peter Le Marchant were involved with a gang stealing valuable paintings to order for collectors abroad and Le Marchant dying accidentally in a tussle with Una when he refused to pay her her share of the proceeds.

The Case of the Missing Lady

Transmission date: January 1, 1984
Guest cast:
"Rowena Cooper" as Dr Irma Kleber
"Mischa de la Motte" as Manservant
"Susie Fairfax" as Girl in Shop
"Ewan Hooper" as Dr Horriston
"Elspeth March" as Lady Susan Clonray
"Elizabeth Murray" as Hermione Leigh-Gordon
"Jonathan Newth" as Gabriel Stavansson
"Tim Pearce" as Muldoon

This episode was based on the chapter of the same name and was presented in a somewhat more farcical style than the rest of the series. Changes were:
* Tommy and Tuppence go with Gabriel Stavansson to Lady Susan's house and are there when the telegram from Hermione arrives, rather than being brought into the case after this event has occurred.
* The part of the plot where it is realised that there are two Maldon's was dropped.
* The part of the story that takes place in the nursing home was greatly expanded. To do this, Tuppence becomes a patient, impersonating a famous Russian ballerina called Mosgovskensky. In the short story this name is made up by Tommy on the spot as a composer whose chords he is 'playing' when he attempts the violin in front of Stavansson as part of his attempts to follow the methods of Sherlock Holmes.

The Crackler

Transmission date: January 14, 1984
Writer: Gerald Savory
Director: Christopher Hodson
Guest cast:
"Carolle Rousseau" as Marguerite Laidlaw
"David Quilter" as Major Laidlaw
"Shane Rimmer" as Hank Ryder
"Arthur Cox" as Detective Inspector Marriott
"Christopher Scoular" as Captain James Faulkener
"Peter Godfrey" as Maybrick
"Lawrence Davidson" as Monsieur Héroulade
"Terence Hillyer" as Chauffeur
"Stan Pretty" as Harry the Barman

The narrative of this episode was expanded by a short sequence in which Albert follows Laidlaw and Héroulade to the Ascot races to see if forged notes were changing hands. In addition, Major Laidlaw was stated to be blind and James Faulkener (a minor character in Christie's short story) was a cousin of Tommy's. The references to Edgar Wallace were not dropped for this episode, presumably because, like Sherlock Homes and Father Brown, he was more familiar to TV audiences in the 1980's than some of the other detectives and their methods as featured in the original collection.

External links

*imdb title|id=0080336|title=Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime
* [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1246422/index.html "Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime"] at Screenonline.org