Jessica and a slew of passengers are forced to take refuge from a storm at a remote diner when one of the passengers is found stabbed in his seat on a bus to Boston.

Season 1, Episode 18: Murder Takes the Bus (March 17, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

JB is giving a speech to the Maine Sheriffs’ Association and Amos picks her up, only for his car to die. So why not take the bus?

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

Jane Pascal is played by one of my biggest movie crushes, Linda Blair. Do I have to tell you what movies she was in? I mean, I did a list of Ten Linda Blair films. OK, The Exorcist, The Exorcist II: The Heretic, Born Innocent, Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic, Airport 1975, Chained Heat, Savage Streets and so many more.

Sheriff Amos Tupper is, as always, Tom Bosely. Will this episode be the time he changes the title of the show to Amos, She Blew?

Ben Gibbons is Michael Constantine, Gus from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Santa from Prancer and has roles in Thinner, Pray for Death and even a turn as The Sorcerer in Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.

Steve Pascal is Terence Knox, who was in Children of the Corn II, From a Whisper to a Scream and the TV show Tour of Duty.

Professor Kent Radford is Larry Linville, of course, Major Frank Burns from M*A*S*H*.

Miriam Radford is Rue McClanahan, uniting two of the biggest old lady franchises of the 80s, as The Golden Girls and Jessica, kinda, sorta cross over.

Joe Downing is Albert Salmi, whose true love was the stage, not movies or TV. Yet he would be on Daniel Boone and play Alonzo P. Tucker on Lost in Space. He was also in Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Viva Knievel!, Caddyshack, Superstition, Empire of the Ants and more. Sadly, he died in a murder-suicide with his second wife, Roberta, who had a restraining order against him.

Don Stroud plays Carey Drayson. Stroud was the son of vaudeville star Clarance Stroud and singer Ann McCormack. After a Hawaiian beach childhood — his mother owned and operated the popular Embers steakhouse/nightclub where she performed — he was picked by Troy Donahue to be his double on Hawaiian Eye. He moved to Los Angeles, where he managed the Whiskey-A-Go-Go before Sidney Poitier got him into acting. He’s in a bunch of the Roller Blade films — he’s Kabuki Devil in Legend of the Roller Blade Seven — as well as showing up in movies like Sweet Sixteen, The Amityville Horror, The Choirboys and Von Richthofen and Brown.

Ralph Leary is played by Mills Watson, who was in Cujo and Up In Smoke.

Cyrus Leffingwell is David Wayne, Dr. Amos Weatherby from House Calls. He was also in the movie version of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman! In a Golden Girls moment of trivia, he was Blanche’s father, Big Daddy Hollingsworth, on the show.

John Davis Chandler (Bleak from Adventures In Babysitting) is Gilbert Stoner.

Charles Bazaldua has the role of man. Just a man.

What happens?

If you’re on a bus with Jessica Fletcher and can hear the Psycho music, you are going to die. Everyone on this bus — which Jessica and Amos got on after their car broke down — has no clue. But it’s raining so hard that they decide to stop at the Kozy Korner Kitchen, one of those diners in the middle of nowhere that are open all night and only on TV shows.

One of the men on the bus is a recently released convict who has already battled with Steve Pascal, so is anyone surprised when that criminal ends up dead back on the bus? The crook had been in jail for 15 years. One of his partners died during a robbery and the other has never been seen after the shootout.

Jessica tries to clear her head and goes to play a video game. In a past episode, it was established that Jessica loves arcades.

Amos is on the case. When Jessica tells him that the woman killed by the convict has the same last name as the bus driver, he tells her that he already figured it out. Amos really wants to get going and win a TV set at the police event, but they’re stuck here. Maybe if he solves a case on his own, Jessica will finally give up her Cabot Cove.

Amos is right. The bus driver did stab the guy. But he was already dead.

So who is the killer?

The phone is out, but the CB is working. And yet, someone has a CB radio here, and that too gets destroyed. It gets shot. So everyone is cut off, by the rain, by the lack of phone, by the CB being blown up and now, a killer is loose.

Who did it?

Amos was right. The bus driver did kill the convict. He just tried to make everyone think they were in a giallo.

Who made it?

Another episode directed by Walter Grauman. It was written by Michael Scheff (who wrote Airport ’77) and his wife, Mary Ann Kasica.

Does Jessica get some?

Don’t you think she should show Amos some Happy Days because he finally got it right?

Does Jessica dress up or act drunk?

No, but she does wear a fashionable Burberry trench.

Was it any good?

I mean, this has a fantastic cast. I’ll say yes.

Any trivia?

Salmi is the only Murder, She Wrote suspect who ever really killed someone.

Is there a TV Guide ad?

Yes! Finally!

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: Oh, did you reach them?

Sheriff Amos Tupper: Yeah, said we’d be there about 8:00. Probably miss the hors d’oeuvres.

Jessica Fletcher: Well, no serious loss, I’m sure.

Sheriff Amos Tupper: Ms. Fletcher, the Main Sheriffs’ Association lays out the finest spread east of the Alleghenies.

What’s next?

While in the hospital with a fractured leg, Jessica investigates the murder of a doctor.

Jessica sets out to clear the name of a friend who is a prime suspect in a murder case.

Season 1, Episode 17: Footnote to Murder (March 10, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Being friends with Jessica Fletcher is like shaking hands with death itself.

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

Vincent Baggetta plays Frank Lapinski. You may know him from his other two appearances on this show, as well as playing cops on Days of Our Lives, Renegade, the TV movie Shakedown On Sunset Strip and T.J. Hooker.

Debbie Delancey? That’s Martin Balsam’s daughter Talia, who was also in Mad Men, The Kindred, The Supernaturals, Crawlspace and The Initiation of Sarah. She was also married to George Clooney once.

Tiffany Harrow is played by Morgan Brittany, who was Baby June in Gypsy, as well as Katherine Wentworth on Dallas and appeared in Sundown: The Vampire In Retreat, Death Car On the Freeway, The Initiation of Sarah — making this a reunion, kinda — and was Mary in Sunn Classics’ In Search of Historic Jesus. You may ask, “Why does the Virgin Mary have to be so hot?” Because Sunn Classics knew that despite their movies being G-rated four-walled family movies, they still needed something for daddy. She also did stunts for Fighting Back and The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood. I also love this credit on her IMDB. Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer James Bond Style Speedboat Commercial. You can see it here. Who knew PBR could be so fancy?

Lucinda Lark is played by Constance Forslund, who was in the remake of Village of the Damned, Uncommon Valor and took over the role of Ginger for The Harlem Globetrotters On Gilligan’s Island.

A.D.A. Mel Comstock? That’s Pat Harrington, forever Schneider from One Day at a Time. He would be in four episodes of this show. He was also the voice of The Atom and Speedy on the Aquaman 1960s cartoon!

Kenneth Mars is Helmsley Post. Speaking of voice work, he was Triton in The Little Mermaid and Grandpa Longneck in The Land Before Time. He was also the mayor in Police Academy 6: City Under Siege and appeared in the Bruce Willis cartoon—yes, he had his own cartoon in 1996—Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie.

This time, the law is Lt Meyer, played by Ron Masak. Masak would become a regular on the series after season 5, playing Sheriff Mort Metzger.

Diana Muldaur plays Alexis Post. Did I cast this episode? She has also starred in The Swimmer, Imps*, Maneaters Are Loose! and Chosen Survivors.

Hey! It’s Mr. Brady! Robert Reed plays Adrian Winslow. If you only know him from being a TV dad, hunt down his TV movies like SST: Death Flight, Secret Night Caller, Pray for the Wildcats and Haunts of the Very Rich.

Paul Sand as Horace Lynchfield, the presumed killer.

In the more minor roles, there’s John C. Bechner (Dr. Molinaro from Gremlins) as an eye doctor, John Brandon as Ernie, Mark Harrison as an assistant DA, William McDonald as a bailiff, Michael Kearns as a reporter, Nancy Marlow listed as a lady, Bigg Yeager as a cop, Lana Schwab as a clerk, and Larry Carr, Bart Greene, Sam Haggin, Shirley Lang, Richard Niehaus, Norman Palmer, Kimberly L. Ryusaki and Roger Trantham as background characters.

What happens?

Jessica is in New York City to get a Gotham Book Award for being a crime writer. She hangs out with another writer, Horace, a downer, and Kenneth Mars, a jerk. Does Jessica have better writer friends? Are all writers total losers? Hey — don’t answer that so soon.

Horace is getting drunk, another would-be writer named Debbie Delancey keeps trying to get Jessica to read her story, and people just seem to hate one another in New York City (say that like Lazlo from What We Do In the Shadows). She has to break up a fight between some of the writers and wakes up with Hemsley’s umbrella, so she goes to return it. When she gets there, he’s dead, and Downer Horace’s umbrella is stuck in the guy’s chest.

This is where Jessica should just go home.

Of course, this is where she starts to solve the murder.

Somehow, Horace was in bed with Lucinda Lark — can you believe it? — and has an alibi. Lucinda wrote a book called Women Unleashed so we can only assume that she pegged the butt out of Horace. Or hope.

Who did it?

Debbie, who got the famous author to look at her book, was surprised when he tried to show her more than she wanted. Whoops. His death is an accident.

Who made it?

Director Peter Crane worked on nine episodes of the show and episodes of Moonlighting, Darkroom, Knight Rider and Voyagers! The Script was written by Robert E. Swanson, who assembled 87 scripts for it.

Does Jessica get some?

You would think that with her waking up with a man’s umbrella, the answer would be yes. But no. She also doesn’t dress up or act drunk, despite actually drinking.

Was it any good?

I like it when Jessica stays home, but she should get out every once in a while.

Any trivia?

Helmsley Post, the manly writer of war books, and Adrian Winslow, the nonmanly writer of historical novels, are supposed to be writers who hate one another, like Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal. Get it? Post? Mailer?

John C. Becher and Lansbury were in the original Broadway cast of Mame together.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Horace Lynchfield: Now, what I need is some cigarettes and a stiff drink. Let’s get out of here, okay?

Jessica Fletcher: Oh! At the risk of sounding like a nag, Horace, you’re gonna have to do something about your drinking.

Horace Lynchfield: Are you saying to cut back? That would be like depriving a race car of its gasoline.

What’s next?

A great episode is on the way. Jessica is forced to take refuge from a storm at a remote diner when one of the passengers is found stabbed in his seat on a bus to Boston.

Jessica uncovers the ugly side of sportsmanship when she inherits part-ownership of a football team.

Season 1, Episode 16: Sudden Death (March 3, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Jessica knows nothing about football but everything about murder. Guess what happens when she gets to own part of a team?

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

Potential new owner Web McCord is played by John Beck, Moonpie from Rollerball.

The coach, Pat Patillo, is Warren Berlinger. He was in everything from The World According to Garp to Thunder Alley and The Girl Most Likely To…

Dick Butkus is defensive captain Tank Mason. After a career playing for the Chicago Bears, Butkus has been in many movies and TV shows.

Brad Lockwood is David Doyle, who was Bosley on Charlie’s Angels.

Zak Farrell is played by Bruce — now Caitlyn — Jenner.

Hey! Gary Lockwood from The Farmer! He’s Harris Talmadge!

James McEachin plays Groundskeeper Grover Dillon. He was Lt. Brock on the new Perry Mason TV movies and appeared in Fuzz and Play Misty for Me.

Kathy Farrell is Jan Smithers, Bailey from WKRP In Cincinnati.

Phil Kreuger? That’s Allan Miller from Cruising, the chief of detectives. His wife in this, Mavis, is played by Elizabeth Savage.

Lt. Clyde Pitts is the cop this time, and he’s Tim Thomerson! Yes, Jack Deth! Did you know he used to do stand-up?

In minor roles, we have George Golden, David Lewman, Eric Mansker, Arthur Tovey, Ralph Clift, Albert Lord, Marcianne Warman and Arnold F. Turner.

What happens?

Jessica’s Uncle Cyrus has died, and she’s told by Bradford Lockwood that she’s the part-owner of the Leopards, a football team that seemingly plays in a stadium the size of a high school field. She’s nearly killed by one of those giant helmet vehicles before she even gets to learn more. It’s driven by Jill, the deaf daughter of Zak, a pre-transition Bruce Jenner. We meet them and Zak’s wife, Cathy.

Then we learn that the football team is in trouble. Are you surprised? Morale is low, and people are threatened if they keep losing. Jessica’s co-owner, Phil Kreuger, tries to buy her out for 30 grand. For an NFL team? Sure. Coach Pattillo then offers her 60, and she finds out that a group of investors owns 48%, Kreuger owns 48%, and she just has 4%.

Then Krueger offers her $150,000 and makes a threat on her life.

After a party, of course, Krueger is the one dead in the training room hot tub. Because the last time someone saw the victim was at the party, where Zak was yelling at him, he’s the suspect. After all, someone was making crank calls to Zak’s house, and he blamed Krueger.

When Jessica starts getting too close to the truth, giallo-gloved hands lock her in the steam room and nearly kill her. Grover saves her and then tells a lot of exposition, like how he used to be a player before he got hurt because of Krueger and how if Zak goes to jail, he won’t be on the team, and there will be more money for everyone.

Jessica calls home and talks to Amos. Are they a couple? Well, I have some thoughts on that. Stay tuned…

Who did it?

Web, who wanted to buy the team and killed Krueger. His blazer was wet in a photo, and that’s how Jessica figures it out.

Who made it?

Director Edward M. Abroms worked extensively as an editor—Blue Thunder, Street Fighter, Cherry 2000—and also directed TV shows like Nero Wolf, Man from Atlantis and “Something In The Woodwork” on Night Gallery.

Does Jessica get some?

Oh man, does she. I have photo evidence.

This is where it started, with her dancing with Tank…

And this is how it ends up, with her staring at him nude for an extended period.

One imagines they did some bump and run. She was his ball carrier all the way to completion. And there was plenty of unnecessary roughness.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No.

Was it any good?

Other than the fact that no NFL team would have facilities this poor, yes.

Any trivia?

When Jessica tells how she caught the murderer, she tells the police that she gave him a false clue involving a brass button, saying, “This really wasn’t an original idea. When I was in Los Angeles, a button actually did trip up a killer.” That comes from another episode this season, “Hooray for Homicide.”  That’s funny, because she’s staying at the same hotel in this episode, the Sheraton Universal Hotel, which is on the studio backlot.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Coach Pat Patillo: Mrs. Fletcher, I think you just put my defensive captain on the injured reserve.

Jessica Fletcher: Does that mean that he’s not dead?

Coach Pat Patillo: Not quite.

What’s next?

One of Jessica’s friends is the suspect in a murder. 

A private detective, hired by Jessica to research an old case, is suddenly murdered.

Season 1, Episode 15: Tough Guys Don’t Die (February 24, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Jessica meets Detective Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) and they solve the case of a murdered detective.

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

Orbach wouldn’t just come back numerous times — six appearances — he even got his own spin-off, The Law and Harry McGraw. He and Lansbury would also be the voices of Lumiere and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast.

Priscilla Daniels, one of  Archie Miles’ clients, is played by Barbara Babcock.

Larry King is John Furey (Friday the 13th Part II).

Erin Carey is Nancy Lee Grahn, Alexis Davis from General Hospital.

Gavin Daniels is John McMartin (Blow Out).

Ray Kravitz is played by Gerald S. O’Loughlin.

Ernie Santini is Alex Rocco, who has been in many good movies, including Motorpsycho.

Judge Lambert is Fritz Weaver (Creepshow).

The law in this episode, Detective Starkey, is Paul Winfield (The Horror at 37,000 Feet).

In the smaller roles, Floyd Levine plays Archie Miles, Alma Leonard plays actress Margery Nelson, Rosanna Huffman plays Connie Miles, Conrad Bachmann is an office manager, Tina Lifford plays Leora Cargill, Jana Brown is a receptionist, and Steven Ameche is a musician.

What happens?

A detective named Archie Miles is killed while investigating a case for Jessica. She wants to solve it, as does his partner Harry McGraw, who wants revenge. He’s not the nice Harry from later episodes.

The cops want Harry to kill the murderer as well, as many of them were trained by Archie. Meanwhile, all of the cases Archie had are still out there, like Mr. Santini, who isn’t cheating on his wife. He’s planning a surprise party. There’s also a Scalpel Murderer who is still free decades after their crimes.

The case that cost Archie his life? Priscilla Daniels. She had an abortion after getting pregnant as a grad student. She’s a politician now, and when Archie discovers the truth about her, his client, Mr. Kravitz, wants to use it against her. Archie refuses.

Who did it?

Mr. Kravitz, who killed Archie for getting in his way.

Who made it?

Another episode for director Seymour Robbie and writer/series creator Peter S. Fischer.

Does Jessica get some?

Harry tells her at the end that he’s only 124 miles from Cabot Cove. Maybe soon?

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No.

Was it any good?

This is a hard-boiled detective story for this show.

Any trivia?

Barbara Babcock would appear on The Law and Harry McGraw as his secretary, Ellie McGinnis.

The Concorde footage is from Airport ’79.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Harry McGraw: Look, Mrs. Fletcher, why don’t you take some advice? Why don’t you devote that boundless energy of yours to needlepoint or a bridge club?

Jessica Fletcher: Eh, I tried that. It’s precisely the reason why I wrote my first book: I was bored out of my mind.

What’s next?

Jessica inherits a football team.

The birthday celebration for a renowned Mediterranean artist is cut short when the guest of honor winds up dead.

Season 1, Episode 14: Paint Me a Murder (February 17, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Diego Santana (Caesar Romero), Jessica’s old friend, has his life threatened when she comes to visit. She is Death!

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

Obviously, Romero was the Joker on TV’s Batman and appeared in movies like Ocean’s Eleven, tons of TV and Latitude Zero.

His wife, Margo, is Cristina Raines, who was in Nashville and The Sentinel.

Fernando Allende plays his son Miguel, who was a big star in Latin America.

Judy Geeson is Elaine McComber. She was in Nightmare Hotel.

Belle Chaney is played by Capucine, who was in the Pink Panther movies, but is also in Lamberto Bava’s Delirium.

William Kaufmann? That’s Robert Goulet! GOULET!

Sir John Landry is played by Stewart Granger, who was in The Wild Geese and the original King Solomon’s Mines.

Stefan Conrad is Steven Keats, who was in Black Sunday and Death Wish.

The law in this one, Inspector Henry Kyle, is Ron Moody from Oliver!

Antonio is Pepe Hern and Rosa is Alma Beltran.

What happens?

Diego Santana is about to turn sixty, but he has a young wife, a friendly ex-wife and a great family. And oh yeah, he’s friends with Jessica, so he’s about to die. Also, Romero was 78 when this was made, but he looks great.

Diego thinks he’s about to be killed, and he warns Jessica, but yeah, he dies. Are you surprised? Well, it could be anyone: his son Miguel, who is stealing his paintings; his ex-wife Bella and pal Stefan, who is trying to get with Margo, Diego’s young wife.

Whoever did it really did it — with a crossbow! And they also try to set a shed on fire and kill Margo!

Who did it?

Sir John, who needs money, thinks that his paintings will be worth more if Diego dies.

Who made it?

TV movie king John Llewellyn Moxey directed this episode, which was written by series creator Peter S. Fischer.

Does Jessica get some?

Not now, but soon. When Jessica leaves, she tells Inspector Kyle that she plans to stop in England to see a cousin and that she could perhaps find time to see him. He tells her he’ll be waiting at the gate with a bouquet of flowers: “I shall be at the airport to greet you. Flowers in hand, heart on sleeve, and perhaps a murder to solve?”

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No.

Was it any good?

Yes. This has another great cast and a good whodunnit.

Any trivia?

This was filmed at Arden Villa, the Dynasty Mansion, in Pasadena, California. It also appears in four more episodes.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Diego Santana: Bravo, Pedro. Ohh. The finest donkey I’ve ever seen. I think, perhaps, uh, the legs are a bit short, huh?

What’s next?

A private detective, hired by Jessica to research an old case, is suddenly murdered.

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

Season 1, Episode 13: My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean (February 10, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Jessica’s niece Pamela has just gotten out of a mental hospital after her husband, Johnny, killed himself. Maybe a cruise will help get her mind right. Or maybe someone will die, seeing as how Jessica is there.

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

Jessica’s niece, Pamela Crane, is Belinda Montgomery. She starred in the TV movie The Devil’s Daughter and the slasher film Silent Madness.

Her father — and Jessica’s brother — Dr. Marshall MacGill is Jason Evers from Claws and The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

Wacky singles Phoebe Carroll and Carla Raymond are Vicki Lawrence (Mama!) and Jo Anne Worley.

Paul Carafotes plays Ramon, the steward.

Dr. Andrea Jeffreys Reed is Rosemary Forsyth, who was in What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice.

Diane Shelley? That’s Lynda Day George! Christopher George’s wife, she’s in Pieces, Mortuary, Beyond Evil, Day of the Animals and the original Mission: Impossible.

Captain Daniels is Leslie Neilsen. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

In smaller roles, Andrew Parks plays Russell Tompkins, Lawrence Pressman plays George Reed, Don Dubbins plays Dr. Carmichael, Byron Webster plays the maitre d, Michael G. Hawkins plays Dr. Ross, Don Matheson plays a cowboy, Kay Freeman plays a nurse and Mark Pilon and George Marshall Ruge play ship officers. Passengers are played by John Arndy, Lyle Howry, Linda and Shirley Lang and Steve Wagner.

What happens?

Pamela isn’t over her husband, who had money troubles and was adopted. But it gets worse — she keeps hearing someone calling her name, using the nickname that only her husband knew: Pepper.

Yes, we have a giallo on Murder, She Wrote.

Things get weirder because Pamela is even served a dish her husband invented that no one else should know about. Meanwhile, Jessica keeps trying to set her up with someone new. There’s also the Reeds, who seem to be trying to use the cruise to fix their marriage.

Then, someone with her husband’s voice shoves Pamela down the steps.

Luckily, the captain steps in and he’s Leslie Nielsen. Jessica is also on the case, learning that Johnny’s birth mother made contact with him before he died.

Speaking of death, Mrs. Reed is now dead and her husband seems like the suspect. Or maybe she just loved drinking and sleeping pills together. Lots of them.

Who did it?

Of course, as you guessed, George Reed killed his wife, who was really Johnny’s mother. I guess he learned all the secrets about her son from her? We never get that answer, so the entire ghost stalking of Pamela seems like all red herrings.

Who made it?

Seymour Robbie was the director. His career included TV shows, including Father Dowling Mysteries, Matlock, which had 21 episodes, and plenty more examples of episodic TV. The series was written by series creator Peter S. Fischer.

Does Jessica get some?

Oh yes. Not only does Ramon offer to teach her several dances and pretty much tell her that he’s there to give her her groove back, but Leslie Nielsen at the end tells her that he has some time off after this voyage is done and that he knows plenty of incredible places to eat. Oh man, he’s totally hot dipping the meat flute and inspiring several more books.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

Yes! She pretends that she’s drunk and it’s so fake that you have to wonder how anyone else would believe it. No one has ever been this drunk or acted this way. You’ll forget that Angela Lansbury could act! She did the same thing in Death On the Nile, so there’s that.

Was it any good?

I mean, look at the cast. This is one of my top episodes, even if it doesn’t make sense in the end. Who cares! Lynda Day George is in it!

Any trivia?

This was filmed on the RMS Queen Mary.

Much of this is based on Gaslight, Angela Lansbury’s first acting role.

This is the first episode in which we learn that Jessica’s maiden name is MacGill, which is based on her mother’s stage name, Moyna MacGill.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Captain Daniels: And to make amends, I would, uh, I happen to know of a magnificent little restaurant here in port, and, uh, would you, uh… would you do me the honor of dining with me this evening?

Jessica Fletcher: Well, uh, that depends. Uh, you’re not planning to show me your hootchy-kootchy, are you?

Captain Daniels: Definitely not… Oh!

What’s next?

The birthday celebration for a renowned Mediterranean artist is cut short when the guest of honor winds up dead.

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.