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.

Former Hollywood star Rita Bristol and her daughter Patti are about to open in a big new Broadway musical, until Patti is gunned down in a bizarre robbery attempt.

Season 1, Episode 11: Broadway Malady (January 13, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Broadway legend Rita Bristol (Vivian Blaine) and her daughter Patti (Lorna Luft) are set to star in the Broadway musical Always April, produced by her son Barry (Gregg Henry), but death — and Jessica — are close.

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

Lew Feldman is Milton Berle, who at one point was the biggest star on TV. He also was and had the most enormous cock or so it has been reported.

Rita is Vivian Blaine, perhaps best known for Guys and Dolls, but she was also in Parasite and The Dark.

Lonnie Valerian is Elaine Giftos, who also appeared in Angel, Gas!, Body Chemistry 4, and The Secret Night Caller.

Barry Bristol is played by Gregg Henry, who starts all the problems in Body Double.

This is the second of twelve episodes where Michael Horton plays Grady Fletcher, Jessica’s nephew. If you think Jessica is bad news, Grady causes problems everywhere he goes and is my most hated supporting character, not just on this show, but in history.

The doomed Patti? That’s Liza’s half-sister Lorna Luft. This is her first of two appearances on the show.

Marc Faber is portrayed by Robert Morse, who played Bertram Cooper on Mad Men. He’s also in The Loved One.

Si Parish is Patrick O’Neal, who was in The Stepford Wives and The Stuff.

Gregory Sierra appeared in six Murder, She Wrote episodes but is perhaps best remembered as Detective Sergeant Chano Amenguale on Barney Miller. He’s another cop in this, NYPD Det. Sgt. Moreno.

Gretchen Pasko is played by Barbara, who also portrayed Whinnery and Sister Sara in Hamburger: The Motion Picture, as well as in Crawlspace.

In the smaller roles, Kate Metcalf is Sharee Gregory, Ed Bakey is Monsignor Kelly, Roberto Roman is Taki, Johnny Seven plays “Man,” Irma Garcia is Veronica, Edson Stroll is De. Peter Weber and Victoria Harned is a newscaster.

What happens?

Former star Rita Bristol is returning to the stage, thanks to her kids, Barry and Patti. How does Jessica get involved? Brady, her hated nephew, is in charge of the books. He gets all excited about inviting her, but there are already some problems, as the director, Marc Faber, is really tough on the star. Grady, you should also know, always dates exactly the wrong woman and here he’s with Kate, Patti’s understudy.

After dinner, Barry and Patti are mugged. Patti is shot while Barry returns gunfire and kills their attacker. Jessica sees through everything and thinks that this was a planned murder, but the NYPD is too busy to listen.

Patti survives, but is replaced by Lonnie Valerian. Meanwhile, Jessica sees the mugger on an old TV show and tells the cops again, yet they still have no interest. Soon, mother and son are fighting and Rita is out of the show. Who is going to come now?

Meanwhile, Rita goes all in on unaliving herself, using alcohol, pills and the gas oven, eventually expiring at the hospital. Of course, it’s acting…

Who did it?

Barry, who wanted to be out from under his mother’s shadow. She lives, as does his sister.

Who made it?

Hy Averback was all over TV, but also made Where the Boys Are 1984, The Girl, the Godl Watch & Dynamite, the second Love Boat TV movie, Chamber of Horrors, Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?, I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! and also had 27 acting roles.

This episode was written by Tom Sawyer, who produced 79 episodes of this show and wrote 24, as well as The Carpenters…Space Encounters TV special.

Some facts…

Rita is watching a black-and-white movie that she says is “Moon Over Rio.” It’s really Three Little Girls in Blue and that’s Vivian Blaine singing “Somewhere in the Night.”

There is a missing scene, as a different ending was shot with choreographer Miriam Nelson featuring dancers on stage, showcasing the final performance. Instead, we get Grady talking on the phone.

Grady was dating Kate when we last saw him in The Murder of Sherlock Holmes.

Does Jessica get some?

No.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. Too much Grady.

Was it any good?

Not bad, despite Grady. Seriously, I can’t deal with him and how he just serial dates and gets Jessica into trouble.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: Well, tell me about Kate.

Grady Fletcher: There’s not much to tell, Aunt Jess. She ran off with some TV weatherman from Pittsburgh.

Jessica Fletcher: Oh, Grady, I’m so sorry.

Grady Fletcher: Oh, she was okay. We didn’t have that much in common. But wait till you meet Francesca. Aunt Jess, she’s beyond belief. Now look, how soon can you get down here?

What’s next?

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

When a congressman suddenly dies from a heart attack, Jessica is asked to temporarily replace him in Washington.

Season 1, Episode 10: Capital Offense (January 6, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Congressman Wendell Joyner (Frank Aletter) has a fatal heart attack at a party arranged by lobbyist Harry Parmel (Nicholas Pryor), so the governor of Maine asks Jessica to fill the seat. Of all people!

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

Kaye Sheppard is played by Edie Adams, who was in The Apartment as well as The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood, Under the Yum Yum Tree and more. Her character also has an incredible cat named Peaches!

Detective Avery Mendelsohn is the lawman in this. His name is Herschel Bernardi. He definitely had police experience, as he was Jacobi on Peter Gunn.

Diana Simms is Linda Kelsey, who was also on Lou Grant.

Congressman Dan Keppner is played by Stephen Macht, Sean’s dad from The Monster Squad. He was also in Amityville: It’s About Time.

Lobbyist Harry Parmel is Nicholas Pryor, who was in The Omen II, Halloween Kills, Brain Dead, The Happy Hooker and two more episodes of Murder, She Wrote.

Ray Dixon is Mitchell Ryan, Dr. Wynn from Halloween 6!

Joe Blinn is Gary Sandy, who was in Troll.

Mark Shera plays Thor Danziger, which is a very metal name. This is Mark’s first of four roles in Murder, She Wrote.

Wendell Joyner is Frank Aletter. Aletter was also in Private School.

Harold DeWitt is Colby Chester, who does much voice-over work.

David Hooks, Jensen Collier, Jade McCall, Lyle Howry, Gwen Humble, Kathryn Janssen, Lemuel Perry, George Sasaki, Nick Trisko and Paul Van play smaller roles.

What happens?

Jessica becomes a congresswoman after that aforementioned death, keeping on staff like press agent Joe Blinn and administrative assistant Diana Simms. Detective Mendelsohn believes that Joyner was murdered because there’s blackmail in Washington. But ah—it may all tie into lobbying for a Maine-based cannery. Trust me, I worked for StarKist for a bunch, and nobody spends more on lobbyists than the canned seafood industry.

Can congresspeople be put in office without due process? I know that the government is a total mess these days, but back in 1985?

Who did it?

Joe, who worked for the congressman. He also killed Marta, who was a party girl.

Who made it?

This was directed by John Llewellyn Moxey, one of the greatest TV movie directors ever. Check out Home for the Holidays, The House That Would Not Die, The Night Stalker and 18 episodes of Murder, She Wrote. Series creator Peter S. Fischer wrote it.

Some facts…

Mitchell Ryan also played a cannery owner on Dark Shadows.

IMDB states, “The US Constitution does not allow a governor to appoint a replacement representative, even temporarily, to fill an open seat. The governor can only schedule a special election to pick the new representative. Therefore, this plotline does not match real life. However, if it were a senator who she was replacing, then the governor could have appointed her to fill the seat until the special election to fill the seat.”

Does Jessica get some?

No.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. Again, it’s going to happen.

Was it any good?

Three no answers lined up. There are a lot of plot holes in this and the show is still trying to find itself. This is an example of how it is silly and not true to Jessica’s character.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: We’ll get along just fine if you try to remember that I’m not your addlepated great-aunt from East Nowhere.

What’s next?

Former Hollywood star Rita Bristol and her daughter Patti are about to open in a big new Broadway musical, until Patti is gunned down in a bizarre robbery attempt.