Actually, Norman Eshley played villains and murderers in numerous shows. Including ATV/ITC’s Thriller, where he played the Carnation Killer. In Department S, he causes someone to fall out of a high up window for fun. Again with Dudley Sutton.
The episode was the penultimate one filmed. It had to be rapidly rewritten while in production, when Mike Pratt broke his legs on his birthday. Which is why The Ghost Talks. (final in production order) features Randall in bed and Hopkirk carrying the story.
Well, what happened there was that the producer, Monty Berman and the Creative Consultant, Cyril Frankel wanted it more serious. Frankel saw it in the vein of Raymond Chandler. Creator/Executive Story Consultant Spooner and the leads saw the potential for more fun. Over on Department S, Peter Wyngarde was sometimes difficult to work with. So Cyril Frankel was required to spend more time than expected on that series, because he could control Wyngarde and keep him in line. He said that when he came back to RAHD, Kenneth Cope told him that they were doing it differently to the way that he did it.
Anton Rodgers did a number of ITC shows before that and more afterwards. Danger Man, The Sentimental Agent, The Saint, The Champions, Man in a Suitcase, The Prisoner, Department S (for the same production team). And a very impressive turn in Gideon’s Way (Monty Berman produced) alongside Annette Andre (both villains). After this, he did Jason King and The Protectors.
Ray Brooks, who I’ve met, had been a main guest star in an episode of Gideon’s Way, a few years earlier. Alongside Jane Merrow (Who Killed Cock Robin?), who I’ve also met and is also active on Facebook. Mike Pratt had done two episodes. Again produced by Monty Berman. Mike Pratt had done 4 episodes of Danger Man, 2 episodes of The Saint, episodes of The Man in Room 17, The Baron, The Champions and been in theatre and films before Randall and Hopkirk Deceased. After RAHD, he was with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Then did lots more tv, films and plays. Including UFO, Jason King, Spyder’s Web, Hadleigh and Callan. Last featuring as Kate O’Mara’s character’s husband in two series of The Brothers, shortly before his death. Kate O’Mara had been cast in Department S but then the role was given to Rosemary Nicols.
Transmission order varied between regions. Most ITC shows were designed to be watched in virtually any order.
Annette Andre only appeared very briefly in one scene at the beginning of this episode. They introduced a new character, Jeff's lawyer, who more or less took on the role that Jeannie usually played in this show. I did wonder whether they rewrote the character because Annette wasn't available for most of the filming. Talking of brief appearance, there was a very short, blink and you miss it, appearance from Norman Beaton who was best known for playing the lead character in the sitcom Desmonds. Marty was given a new skill, he now can change the hands on a aeroplane compass just by closing his eyes and concentrating. Not one of my favourite episodes.15. Money To Burn.
An Irish friend of Jeff , O' Malley, has an idea for a victimless robbery and hopes Jeff will be interested. The job is saving thousands of pound notes from being burned in the furnaces of the bank of England, currency that is to be disposed of. Jeff refuses but stupidly goes along on the night O'Malley is doing the robbery, and is dropped in it by someone spotting his car parked nearby. Jeff 's lawyer has a tough task to prove his innocence particularly as O'Malley says he bottled out of it. Someone though has the money and further drops Jeff in trouble by planting a few thousand pounds under the floorboards of his office. Jeff has a like/dislike relationship with Inspector Large who appears in 5 episodes, and Large thinks he finally has evidence to put Jeff out of business.
View attachment 32606
This flashback episode also felt a bit like a rewrite. Marty seemed to be playing the part that was usually carried out by Jeff and Jeannie was taking over the role carried out by Marty.26. The Ghost Talks.
A flashback episode, where we finally get to see Marty when he was alive. Jeff is in hospital with a broken leg and Marty entertains ( or bores him in equal measure), by telling him of a case he worked on years ago when Jeff was away in Scotland. Marty was hired by Sir Basil Duggan of MI5 to rob a safe of a traitor to recapture stolen papers. Unfortunately he was tricked , it wasn't MI5 hiring him, the safe didn't belong to a traitor and Marty has handed the papers over to an enemy agent.
How did Marty get out of this mess? As Jeff says stifling a yawn, " do tell me Marty , as if I didn't know." Poor Jeff has heard this story so many times and when Jeannie visits him in hospital, and says ," hey Jeff did I tell you about that Marty and the MI5 case when you were away in Scotland?"
A resigned look of despair from Jeff as he has to listen to the whole story again.
THE END
View attachment 32615
Yes it was a rewrite, as JR'S Piece said , Mike Pratt broke his leg while filming the penultimate episode, Somebody Just Walked Over My Grave, and in this last episode filmed Kenneth Cope was given the Jeff role.
This was a pretty good episode although I found Jeff wanting to get rid of Marty totally against everything we understood about their partnership since the series began. Although I see from @Hawkman's guide it was the 8th episode films as opposed to being the 22nd one broadcast so maybe it's not totally unbelievable.8. It's Supposed To Be Thicker Than Water.
Jeff has a difficult talk to Marty, he doesn't want a ghost haunting him anymore and wants to strike out on his own. He accepts a job to help an reclusive millionaire at a family gathering , that the old man is holding to celebrate his 80th birthday. One by one the relatives are murdered, and Jeff is in deep, time to say sorry to Marty and get his help.
This was a good episode. Great storyline and I liked how Marty and Jeff worked together to solve the mystery. There was a nice amount of humour in this one too, especially in the scene when Marty goes for help at a spiritualist and the other ghosts there are less than co-operative.9. The Trouble With Women.
Jeff is hired by a desperate wife who has discovered her husband is having an affair. She wants Jeff to get evidence so she can get a divorce. But it turns out Jeff has been tricked and he's been following and spying on a crime boss. A murder is committed and Jeff is framed, and Marty has to end up dropping in on a seance to get Jeff help.
This was a fantastic episode of the series, premier league stuff. Had all the elements that I like in the series: great actors such George Sewell, who was in the series Special Branch, and Timothy West, who was in EastEnders and Brass, both feature, Jeannie had a prominent role and Marty was used well and wasn't annoying and and obstructive to Jeff and worked really well with him to solve the crime. Love the scene in which Marty forced the ghost out of the man so he could communicate with him. There's even 2 appearances of Jeff's hideous Kung Fu pyjamas and he's so oblivious to how awful they are he is willing to be seen in public wearing them with just his trusty and well worn brown leather jacket over the top. An all round brilliant episode.17. Vendetta For A Dead Man.
A prisoner Jansen escapes from a psychiatric ward of a prison and wants revenge on Marty for putting him in jail. But Marty is dead, so Jeannie is the next best thing. Jeannie is seeing a man socially much to Marty's anger, and Jansen decides to use him to get to Jeannie and as Emil , Jeannie's boyfriend is a married man and doesn't want it all coming out he obliges Jansen with help to trap Jeannie. Marty must recollect the arrest of Jansen in detail to solve the mystery of where Jansen has got Jeannie and how he intends to kill her.
This was only an average episode but there were some nice moments in it like when Marty stops the guard dogs chasing Jeff by talking to them, unknown to their handlers and when Marty visits a man on the operating table to give him a message after his spirit leaves his body knowing that it will return when the man in revived later.5. You Can Always Find A Fall Guy
Jeff is hired by a nun to find proof that their convent is being ripped off by their own accounts manager. Jeff and Marty visit the convent but find its an electronic research establishment with security and guard dogs, and Jeff is captured and accused of being an industrial spy. His story that he thought it was a convent sounds mad and unbelievable. A set up and Jeff is the fall guy.
This was the final broadcast episode (number 26) and one of the best so the series did go out on a high. My favourite moment is when Jeff almost drowns and his spirit leaves his body briefly before the fisherman retrieves his body from the river. The story is really strong and gallops along at a brisk pace so it doesn't drag for even a moment.7. The Smile Behind The Veil.
A funeral takes place next to Marty's grave, and watching on Marty sees one of the mourners who has a huge grin. Jeff is manoeuvred by Marty to take an interest and stumbles on a plan of identity theft to gain a fortune. The dead girl died in a car crash, and the brother returning from Australia to find an imposter in his place, urges Jeff to help.
