A trip to New Orleans gets off to an eventful start when the leader of a popular jazz band is poisoned during a performance.

Season 1, Episode 12: Murder to a Jazz Beat (February 3, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Jessica comes to New Orleans to promote a book and her appearance is just before the death of jazz musician Ben Coleman (Glynn Turman).

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury, and were they in any exploitation movies?

Glynn Turman, the victim, was in Gremlins, Super 8, John Dies at the End and many more. He’s also in two more episodes of the show.

Callie Coleman, wife of the deceased, is Olivia Cole, who was in Roots and two other episodes of Murder, She Wrote.

The lawman in this, Det. Lt. Simeon Kershaw, is Bradford Dillman. And what hasn’t he been in? Here are a few of his best films: Guyana Cult of the Damned, Piranha, The Swarm, The Lincoln Conspiracy, Bug, Moon of the Wolf and so many more. He was also in seven more episodes of this show.

Eubie Sherwin is George Kirby.

Dr. Aaron Kramer is Cameron Mitchell and man, I don’t have enough space to list every great role he did, but let’s go with Blood and Black Lace, The Toolbox Murders and The Demon.

Cab driver Lafayette Duquesne is played by original Saturday Night Live cast member Garrett Morris.

Carl Turnball is Ed Nelson, who was in 193 roles and did effects for Attack of the Crab Monsters.

Jonathan Hawley is Clive Revill, the original voice of The Emperor in Empire Strikes Back.

Eddie Walter is Stan Shaw, Detective Sapir from Monster Squad.

Jimmy Firth is Bobby Sherman, who hosted the show Shindig!

Hec Tattersal is David Whitfield, who was in Hot Resort.

In the smaller roles, Doctor Alan Collyer is Michael Canavan, Lisa is Elaine Hobson, Robert Clarke (The Hideous Sun Demon, Man from Planet X) plays an actor, Jackie Joseph (the original Audry in Little Shop of Horrors) is an actress, Mario Machado (all three RoboCop movies)is a TV announcer, Wally K. Berns (the writer of Speak of the Devil) is a proprieter, Bruce Marchiano is an assistant director and there are uncredited roles for John Arndt, Joey Banks, Michael J. Grayson, Paul Le Clair, Eric Mansker and Sam Nickens.

What happens?

Jessica has screwed up her calendar and is two days off as she heads to New Orleans to talk about her new book. Both cab driver Lafayette Duquesne and talk show host Jonathan Hawley offer to take her out on the town; she chooses the older white man.

Their date takes them to a jazz bar, where Ben Coleman is about to play. This is the Murder, She Wrote trick where the victim is the worst individual ever — he’s moving to Vegas without his band, he abuses his assistant Eddie, he’s cheating on his wife Callie with Lisa and he’s a jerk to anyone else.

Ben plays a clarinet on stage and dies. Jessica is in the audience. She is the Angel of Death. Thanks to her book Murder on the Amazon, she knows that he’s been poisoned. Everyone wanted him dead. But who would actually do it?

Jessica tries to explain the poison to Lt. Kershaw and he’s one of those TV lawmen that want no help at all. Sure, he later apologizes, but he’s always seen the jazz star as a criminal, as he arrested him and his brother years ago.

Who did it?

Ben was trying to kill his wife with poison, but Eddie saved her and killed Ben, who wanted to be free but his wife Callie was his alibi for the case that Lt. Kershaw arrested him for all those years ago.

Who made it?

This is another episode directed by Walter Grauman.

It was written by Paul Savage (who wrote six other episodes of this show, as well as 110 of Gunsmoke) and David Abramowitz.

This was set in New Orleans but no actual filming took place there.

Does Jessica get some?

No. She was on her way and someone got killed.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No.

Was it any good?

Yes and it’s an dark episode with a sad ending.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Lafayette Duquesne: Where to first?

Jessica Fletcher: Oh, the St. Charles Cemetery, please.

Lafayette Duquesne: Ma’am, with all of the beautiful places in New Orleans? Ma’am, that place is dead.

What’s next?

When Jessica’s recently widowed niece takes a cruise to get away from it all, a would-be murderer follows her.