Hammer House of Horror/Mystery and Suspense.

[BlodwynPig]

Sorry, I wasn't aware they were commercially available. I am sure Beasts etc are not, but I think they are still up.

I bought a Tales of the Unexpected DVD a while back and it had a lousy 3 episodes on it.

[daf]

Complete 112 episode box set on amazon for £48 at the moment - 10 slimline cases in a slipcase, so it doesn't take up too much room.

This is a handy site to monitor the Amazon price fluctuations :
http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Tales-Of-The-Unexpected-Complete/product/B001E6Q0IA

Most (if not all) of the series mentioned in this thread are on DVD I think.

Here's Beasts price history:
http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Beasts-The-Complete-Series-DVD/product/B000FAOAZG
Bottoming out at a tenner, but has been as low as £8.22 recently.

[BlodwynPig]

Wow, nice site

[daf]

Yes, I always check with it to make sure I'm not paying over the odds.

Just paste the url from the amazon page you want in the camel search box & press return.

[BlodwynPig]

Zodiac :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JUG9E5rcHo

Current PM David Cameron's first acting gig?

[BlodwynPig]

Fuck, didn't realise who Anton Rogers (Zodiac) was until I looked him up - Fresh Fields! What an actor.

He did seem to age significantly between Zodiac and Fresh Fields - 12 years

[Ignatius_S]

Sorry, I wasn't aware they were commercially available. I am sure Beasts etc are not, but I think they are still up.

I bought a Tales of the Unexpected DVD a while back and it had a lousy 3 episodes on it.

Ah, apologies – I thought you knew they were available.

Fuck, didn't realise who Anton Rogers (Zodiac) was until I looked him up - Fresh Fields! What an actor.

He did seem to age significantly between Zodiac and Fresh Fields - 12 years

Yes, a very prolific actor – one of his films from the mid-sixties, Rotten to the Core is rather interesting.

It's rather brings to mind, Two Way Stretch and The Wrong Arm of the Law and Rodgers' starring role would have been perfect for Peter Sellers – so much so, I think it's hard to imagine that they didn't have Sellers in mind, even if it was for inspiration; the character is a crook, who's well versed in disguises.

Although I remember Rodgers being very good, his character lacked a likeable charm that I felt was needed. To a large degree, I think that this was because of the script (which could have been strengthened overall) but suspect that Sellers would have pulled it off. I don't think the film did good business but if it had, it would have helped establish Rdogers nicely. However, on the strength of his performance, my impression was that Rogers did deserve to be cast in other comedy films.

Excellent supporting cast too – including Sellers' friend and supporting actor, Ken Griffith.

[Brundle-Fly]

West Country Tales early 1980s

I've got a bootleg of this . Very odd. This website might be of interest too!.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/th/hauntedtv/wct_episodes.htm

[BlodwynPig]

West Country Tales early 1980s

I've got a bootleg of this . Very odd. This website might be of interest too!.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/th/hauntedtv/wct_episodes.htm

Does Freddie West feature?

[trotsky assortment]

Unlike the original poster, I'm rather fond of 'Charlie Boy'.  This might have something to do with it being the first episode of HHoH I actually saw - somewhat belatedly in 2012 - but the climax is good fun.  I like most of the HHoH programmes, mind you... It's only the one with the evil posh kid and the rabbit that irks me.

For those thinking they might take the plunge, the DVD set is worth the price of admission for 'Silent Scream' and 'The House That Bled to Death' alone.

Still, what do I know? I'm one of the people who think Hammer's 1972 flares, voodoo and teen-fest 'Dracula AD1972' is worth having.

[Glebe]

And... we're back!

11. Visitor from the Grave.[nb]Episode is up on Youtube, but was stalling for me... might just be a bandwidth prob on my end, though.[/nb] A woman kills a man in self-defence, only for the bugger to start haunting her and her hubby from beyond the veil. Good, melodramatic fun with a beautiful English countryside location.

Spoiler alert

The cleaning up of the blood and the dumping of the car in the river made me think of Psycho... just thought I'd mention that.

[close]

This is another one directed by Peter Sasdy (see 'Rude Awakening' above), while apparently writer Anthony Hinds (credited as John Elder) is the son of Hammer founder William Hinds, and produced The Quatermass Xperiment, among other things.

As for the cast, yes, that is Howard from Ever Decreasing Circles (Simon Lebor) as the zombie of the title (he even looks the same with his moustache and everything). Kathryn Lee Scott apparently played several roles in cult TV series Dark Shadows (adapted as a movie by Tim Burton, of course) and went on the publish her own stories based on the show. She also popped up in lots of other popular series, including Police Squad!, The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team and Star Trek.

The late Simon MacCorkindale (who comes across as Timothy Dalton played by Chris Morris here) is probably best known for his role as Harry Harper on Casualty, but his other TV appearances include everything from I, Claudius to The Dukes of Hazzard (not to mention Quatermass), while his film CV includes Jaws 3-D, natch. Roj Blake himself, Gareth Thomas, follows up fellow Blake's 7 star Paul Darrow's appearance in previous episode 'Guardian of the Abyss' with an appearance here. Mia Nadasi, who plays Margaret, is married to Peter Sasdy and among other things did some early Jackanory and appeared in the film Scandal. Late Scottish actor Gordon Reid (Doctor Who, Leon the Pig Farmer, The Others) has a brief, uncredited appearance as 'Max' (must be the guy at the party in the shirt shouting "What are you talking about?").

By the way, I spotted an apparent goof which IMDb notes:

Spoiler alert

Howard from Ever Decreasing Circles' eye wound switches in the final scene... given the rather rum twist ending (which I have to admit I didn't see coming) however, perhaps it's just that he put the false wound on the wrong eye by mistake? Okay, I need to lie down in a dark room for awhile...

[close]

[jenna appleseed]

And... we're back!

11. Visitor from the Grave.[nb]Episode is up on Youtube, but was stalling for me... might just be a bandwidth prob on my end, though.[/nb] A woman kills a man in self-defence, only for the bugger to start haunting her and her hubby from beyond the veil. Good, melodramatic fun with a beautiful English countryside location.

just watched it - apart from stray episodes of Tales Of The Unexpected / Twilight zone I haven't seen any pre-90s horror/suspense/thriller etc anthology series (fake edit: apart from one or two episodes of Monsters). Wow that was horrible / lovely. Besides the supernatural vs woman losing her mind /

Spoiler alert

pos being gaslighted.

[close]

, the way her husband went instantly from being genial to controlling & pos abusive.

Spoiler alert

Was he spiking the brandy with extra pills? Read your Spoiler so kind of guessed that might be the twist, that he wasn't really dead/was a twin / some kind of scam to get her money - was expecting the Swami to remove his glasses to reveal the wound. but def didn't expect her to shoot herself. Adored the good old double twist of something genuinely supernatural turning up after the reveal it was all fake. Watching the scenes w/ the Swami expecting him to be revealed as fake got me thinking about tv convention - the makers were probably going on the assumption that viewers would accept the character as genuine within the fiction and not automatically assume he's a fake, because they'd be used to that sort of character being played by somebody non-Indian dressed/made up & subverting that.

[close]

[Glebe]

12. The Two Faces of Evil.[nb]Well there y'go, another one that's not on YouTube.[/nb] A mysterious hitchhiker causes a car crash, with twisty consequences. Hmmm. Found this one a bit frustrating. On the one hand it strings you along as an unsettling mystery piece, but the premise is a bit wishy-washy and unconvincing

Spoiler alert

(it goes from being an 'evil doppelganger' yarn to Invasion of the Bodysnatchers... there's a hint of sinister goings-on at the start, but is it just the hospital staff? I just found it all just a little bit incoherent and inconsistent).

[close]

I kept thinking of A Clockwork Orange, what with all the Kubrickian whites and reds, odd characters and isolated locations and such. Kinda. Also, could the raincoat-concealed killer possibly have influenced I Know What You Did Last Summer? Anyway... Gary Raymond is very Boris Karloff-like in his role as the mute husband (he has the height, too) and Anna Calder-Marshall gives a great performance.

Something I forgot to mention before, but you the re-use of locations is fairly obvious in certain episodes (budget constraints, obviously). Hampden House serves as the creepy castle in the opening titles of each episode, and is used in several episodes, including the big house in 'Children of the Full Moon' and the hospital in this. I'm not sure if it's part of Hampden House, but the winding staircase in first episode 'Witching Time' also pops up in 'Children' and this... there's a proper location guide on this previously-mentioned fan site.

Cast and crew... director Alan Gibson also helmed 'The Silent Scream' (see above), as noted he directed a couple of Hammer movies (Dracula A.D. 1972 and The Satanic Rites of Dracula, to be precise), as well as several episodes of Tales of the Unexpected, among other things. He died in 1987 at the tender age of 49. Writer Randall Graham (also deceased) worked on the likes of The Sweeney, The Professionals and Dempsey and Makepeace, and also apparently acted as a consultant for the boxing sequences in Snatch, oddly enough.

Anna Calder-Marshall has been in Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You, Wuthering Heights (1970), Zulu Dawn and Anna Karenina (1997); her father was write Arthur Calder-Marshall, while her husband and son are fellow actors David and Tom Burke. Gary Raymond has Look Back in Anger, El Cid, Jason and the Argonauts and The Greatest Story Ever Told among his credits. Paul Hawkins (David) doesn't seem to have been in anything of particular note, as far as I can make out. Phillip Latham (the coroner) played Dracula's servant Klove in Dracula: Prince of Darkness and has a ton of TV credits, while Jeremy Longhurst (the doc) was in Hammer's The Gorgon and The Trollenberg Terror, among other things.

Would you believe, the guy who plays Mr. Roberts is none other than dear, departed William Moore - Sidney 'Language, Timothy!' Lumsden in Sorry! (he was married to Molly Sugden, apparently). The late Brenda Cowling, who plays the visiting nurse, was in Hitchcock's Stage Fright, Carry On Girls, Carry On Behind, Fawlty Towers, Jabberwocky, Octopussy, You Rang, M'Lord? and French & Saunders. The late Pauline Delaney (hospital nurse) has a ton of TV credits and was in Circle of Friends. Jenny Laird (Mrs. Roberts), who is also no longer with us, also did a lot of TV and was in Village of the Damned and Black Narcissus. Mike Savage (policeman) has a load of TV work under his belt, as did the late Malcolm Hayes (the Norman Tebbit-lookalike coroner's assistant).

[Ignatius_S]

Unlike the original poster, I'm rather fond of 'Charlie Boy'.  This might have something to do with it being the first episode of HHoH I actually saw - somewhat belatedly in 2012 - but the climax is good fun...

Yeah, I would be inclined to go towards that. It's very well acted (and Marius Goring is always worth watching) with a surpassingly strong female lead character. I'm rather surprised that the interracial relationship wasn't commented upon as that (and IIRC, the lure making scene) would have been very unusual and daring for the time.

Visitor from the Grave... Good, melodramatic fun with a beautiful English countryside location....


Going from memory, that was one of the weaker episodes for me.

The core idea behind the story –

Spoiler alert

gaslighting

[close]

– is one that has been used many, many times and although that's not a problem in itself, it's difficult not to judge this episode against other examples. Here, I think the story is dragged out and would have been more effective if it been more concise. I can also think other examples that had a running time of about 20 minutes that played around with the concept,  and with this kind of length, they could have attempted that.

One of the issues

Spoiler alert

is that it's too obvious that it's clear that Lee Scott is being set-up – so much so, some spot it pretty much away straight away – and the final reveal, was a real let down. As I say, the idea has been used many times but the execution here is very lacklustre (and IIRC, the direction is pretty ropey). Suspension of disbelief is vital but here, I can't help but think how implausible the conspiracy is

[close]

.

....The late Simon MacCorkindale (who comes across as Timothy Dalton played by Chris Morris here) is probably best known for his role as Harry Harper on Casualty, but his other TV appearances include everything from I, Claudius to The Dukes of Hazzard (not to mention Quatermass), while his film CV includes Jaws 3-D, natch....

Mmm, probably for those if someone had only ever seen MacCorkindale in Casualty.

I suspect quite a few people would associate him with his breakthrough role in Death On The Nile – the classic, star-studded Christie adaptation that regularly gets shown on TV. Bit surprised that this screen credit wasn't mentioned!

Another film that ITV often repeats, which he co-starred in is the very good, The Riddle of the Sands (playing slightly against type, as a rather socially awkward, yachting obsessed character). Many more people would see those two films, rather than Casualty these days.

Also, he was rather well known for two particular shows not mentioned...

...By the way, I spotted an apparent goof which IMDb notes:

Spoiler alert

Howard from Ever Decreasing Circles' eye wound switches in the final scene... given the rather rum twist ending (which I have to admit I didn't see coming) however, perhaps it's just that he put the false wound on the wrong eye by mistake? Okay, I need to lie down in a dark room for awhile...

[close]




Think that is very, very unlikely to be a goof.

I'm doubtful that a continuity error of that magnitude wasn't picked up by Lebor or anyone on the set didn't spot it. How common are howlers of that magnitude? Usually, they're seen in very cheap (and normally incompetent) productions. Where shooting is a lot more professional, these type of goofs are much harder to spot, often requiring a number of viewings.

Spoiler alert

My own feeling is that the eye 'error' was a clear clue to the audience that the whole thing is being staged. While we're meant to be feeling very clever with ourselves at the end for having worked it out or not be fooled, the actual twist is revealed when we're not really expecting it.

If the realisation that Lee Scott is being set up is kept until the end, having another twist straight away, then the impact of the first twist (arguably both) is dampened. Having two twists unveiled in rapid succession makes the ending unnecessarily convoluted – why have two in such a rushed way?

Thinking about it, I suspect they wanted to throw in a clue that a lot of people would notice but still retain some doubt (e.g. they could have sworn that it was the other eye, but they're not 100% sure or they think it might be a goof). Gaslighting stories can be aided when the audience isn't quite sure what's actually happening and this helps if they suspect if someone might be being manipulated, rather than simply – to use a latin phrase – bonkerius intheus nutus.

[close]




...Paul Hawkins (David) doesn't seem to have been in anything of particular note, as far as I can make out. ....

He was a child actor that mainly worked on the stage and acted alongside one or two others who became rather famous, IIRC.

[BlodwynPig]

Absolutely nowt to watch on youtube so having to resort to Rizzoli and Isles on illegal site (yakkkk) and that 2000 paedo documentary on youtube, which was quite good but cut right to the bone as one would expect.

Where are all the mildew covered gems?

[Glebe]

Mmm, probably for those if someone had only ever seen MacCorkindale in Casualty.

I suspect quite a few people would associate him with his breakthrough role in Death On The Nile – the classic, star-studded Christie adaptation that regularly gets shown on TV. Bit surprised that this screen credit wasn't mentioned!

Another film that ITV often repeats, which he co-starred in is the very good, The Riddle of the Sands (playing slightly against type, as a rather socially awkward, yachting obsessed character). Many more people would see those two films, rather than Casualty these days.

Also, he was rather well known for two particular shows not mentioned...

It's hard not to let these posts get out of hand, but you're right, I kind of shortchanged him a bit there... as I'm pointed out before, I've used Wiki and IMDb for a lot of info (I'm a bit of a pop culture geek, but I'm not that good!).

[Ignatius_S]

Absolutely nowt to watch on youtube so having to resort to Rizzoli and Isles on illegal site (yakkkk) and that 2000 paedo documentary on youtube, which was quite good but cut right to the bone as one would expect.

Where are all the mildew covered gems?

Radio, rather than television, but try Nightfall – a Canadian show from the early 1980s.

In keeping with this thread, it's an anthology horror series and it's claimed that many complaints were made that it was too scary, causing some radio stations to drop the show. I haven't been able to ascertain if that's accurate, but it's a nice claim.

In terms of the stories themselves, some are original, whilst others are adapted – one in the latter camp include tales from Dickens, Poe, H.G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson. Although the majority of the episodes are set around the time of broadcast (very roughly speaking), some are in the past, whilst others are futuristic. Horror is a loose description as there are a variety of styles (there are sometimes elements of sci-fi) and there are one or two I would consider to be black comedies to a large degree.

On the whole, it's a series that I would say was pretty consistent and there are some really good stories here. One that really stands out from me is No Admittance, No Exit – also, I'm very fond of The Dentist, which I heard a couple of times before I manage to trace where it was from.

Episodes can be listened to or downloaded from: https://archive.org/details/Nightfall-cbc-oldTimeRadio

There's also a three-part adaptation of Wyndham's The Chrysalids but this has nothing to do with Nightfall but is often included for some reason.

It's hard not to let these posts get out of hand, but you're right, I kind of shortchanged him a bit there... as I'm pointed out before, I've used Wiki and IMDb for a lot of info (I'm a bit of a pop culture geek, but I'm not that good!).

Thinking about it a bit more and looking through the actors you've posted – this isn't to add to the short change, btw – I think MacCorkindale would have been quite a coup for the series as a high profile coming-upper.

[Glebe]

Thinking about it a bit more and looking through the actors you've posted – this isn't to add to the short change, btw – I think MacCorkindale would have been quite a coup for the series as a high profile coming-upper.

It's one of the joys of catching up on old series, spotting familiar faces, so-and-so from this and that etc.

[Ignatius_S]

It's one of the joys of catching up on old series, spotting familiar faces, so-and-so from this and that etc.

Absolutely, especially in some cases – Lennard Pearce was one for me – it's really nice to see someone very unexpectedly.

[Glebe]

13. The Mark of Satan.[nb]Another episode that's up on YouTube, but was stalling for me.[/nb] A hospital mortuary worker has a bit of a turn, with bizarre consequences. Hands down the weirdest episode of the series, doing away with the cosy Hammer atmos altogether, it makes a brave attempt at doing something a bit more progressive and complex than the usual Hammer gubbins, dealing as it does with paranoid delusions and obsessive behaviour... but it's spoiled by staginess and unconvincing melodrama. (FAKE EDIT:

Spoiler alert

I'm, er, pretty sure I'm not the only one who thought 'Rosemary's Baby' near the end!

[close]

)

Cast & crew... okay, it looks like I'll have to tread carefully from now on, Don Leaver, who directed this, also directed 'Witching Time' and not 'The Thirteenth Reunion' (Peter Sasdy) as stated on Wiki. His other credits include The Avengers, The Famous Five and A Touch of Frost. Writer Don Shaw's work includes Survivors, Bomber Harris and Dangerfield. RSC alumnus Peter McEnery's credits include Victim (with Dirk Bogarde) and Entertaining Mr. Sloane; he is the brother of actor John McEnery. Late James Robertson Justice-a-like Emrys James is another RSC associate, with plenty of TV and film credits to his name (everything from Doctor Who to Open All Hours, to Home to Roost to Dragonslayer!). Georgina Hale is another British stalwart; she won a BAFTA for her performance in Ken Russell's Mahler and also appeared in Russell's The Devils and Lisztomania; other credits include Sweeney 2, The Watcher in the Woods, McVicar, Budgie, Doctor Who, The Bill, Hollyoaks and, yes, Cockneys vs Zombies!

The late Peter Birrel (who I recognize from somewhere and who reminds me of comedian Jeremy Hardy[nb]And Peter McEnery could be Simon Pegg. Okay, sorry.[/nb]) had a pretty busy TV career, with roles in the likes of Doctor Who, War and Remembrance and London's Burning to his name (he also popped up as George's brother in George & Mildred, apparently!)... he married actress Stephanie Cole just a few years before his death in 2004. Anthony Brown's (the priest) other credits include Sweeney! and Give My Regards to Broad Street. The late Anne Dyson (the mother) appeared in, among other things, Coronation Street, The Witches and the Grinnygog, The Box of Delights, 84 Charing Cross Road and The Princess Bride.

The late James Duggan (the nurse who gives Edwyn his winnings) had roles in the original TV Quatermass and the Pit, The Last of the Summer Wine, Prick Up Your Ears, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, The Young Americans and The Bill, among others. Andy Bradford, who plays Stella's boyfriend Steve, is known mainly as a stunt coordinator, and has worked on tons of films and TV series over the years - everything from Star Wars to Downton Abbey, apparently. Conrad Phillips (who appears briefly as Dr. Manders) film roles include Hammer's Shadow of the Cat and the non-Hammer Circus of Horrors, but he is best known for his titular role in TV series The Adventures of William Tell; other TV credits include Fawlty Towers, Emmerdale Farm and Into the Labyrinth.

The late Peter Cartwright's (who makes a brief appearance as the surgeon) many credits include Danger UXB, Ghandi, The Fourth Protocol, Cry Freedom, Rumpole of the Bailey, Emmerdale Farm and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. James Curran (who has a small role as the doc reading the news story near the end) has appeared in the likes of Eastenders, The Bill, Casualty and the film Jinnah. And just for completions sake, Crispin Gillbard's ('Policman') TV career includes the likes of Within These Walls and Shoestring.

Phew! Probably overdoing with some of the cast creds there, but what the hey, I've made it through the whole series at last! Looking back, it's hard to pick an overall favourite episode, but 'The House That Bled to Death' and 'Children of the Full Moon' kind of stick out for me... 'The Thirteenth Reunion' is probably the worst episode, as far as I'm concerned. I've probably been a bit picky and over-critical with a lot of the episodes - 'Rude Awakening', 'Charlie Boy', 'The Silent Scream', for example, certainly have their good points. The series was probably produced on a relatively small budget and long before most 'event' TV was getting the kind of time, money and lavish attention to detail it's afforded now. In any case, I enjoyed the shocks, the gore, the (generally) great casts and the lovely, English country locations and the series certainly captures a time and place. There's a respect for the old Hammer tradition, but also a sense of early-80's optimism (despite the often-gruesome endings).

Next up... thirteen even longer episodes of Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense! (Ulp!)

Over to you, Kate.

[Glebe]

Again produced by Roy Skeggs (eleven of the episodes, anyway) but lacking a theme tune as memorable as Roger Webb's House of Horror music, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (known as Fox Mystery Theatre in the US) first aired in the UK in 1984 and boasts longer run-times and, it seems, better production values. Also, for the most part (and probably to appeal more to US audiences), there's an emphasis on American actors in either the starring role or main cast. Just to reiterate (again), I'm using the likes of Wiki and IMDb to help out with cast and crew details (although given the mix-up with Hammer House, I'll be double-checking director/writer credits, at least!). So without further ado...

1. Mark of the Devil. Desperate for money to pay off some heavies, a rakish hustler makes a rather rash decision that leaves him with a lasting impression... despite some moments of silliness (including a scene with overdubbed shouting where the actors' mouths aren't moving) and an ending that could have done with a little more imagination, it's pretty entertaining and watchable, and

Spoiler alert

the spreading tattoo curse is pretty clever

[close]

. A good start to the series!

Director: Val Guest (1911-2006). Notable British director, his work included a number of Hammer productions (including The Quatermass Xperiment, Quatermass 2, The Abominable Snowman, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and The Day the Earth Caught Fire, which won Guest and co-writer Wolf Manckowitz a Best Screenplay BAFTA), and several comedies, including Arthur Askey vehicle Miss London Ltd. (his debut), the original, tongue-in-cheek Casino Royale (1967), Carry On Admiral (which predates and is not an official entry in the Carry On series, but does feature Joan Sims), Up the Creek (with Peter Sellers), Confessions of a Window Cleaner and Cannon & Ball outing The Boys in Blue (his last feature film). His TV work included episodes of Space: 1999.

Writer: Brian Clemens. Clemens credits includes Hammer films Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde and Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (which he also directed), but he's best known for his extensive TV work, including The Avengers (for which he wrote the first episode) and The New Avengers, anthology series Thriller (which he created and also wrote all the stories for), Danger Man, The Persuaders, The Professionals and Father Dowling Mysteries. He also worked on Disney's The Watcher in the Woods and Highlander II: The Quickening (as well as Highlander: The Series).

Cast:

Dirk Benedict. Frank Rowlett. Yep, The A-Team's Face, Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica and, er, Celebrity Big Brother contestant.

Jenny Seagrove. Sara Helston. Anyone else get her mixed up that other sexy British Jenny, Jenny Agutter? Known mainly for her stage and TV work (including Judge John Deed), her film work includes Local Hero, Appointment with Death and A Chorus of Disapproval (both for Michael Winner) and William Friedkin's The Guardian.

George Sewell (1924-2007). Det. Inspector Grant. Recognized him from an appearance in The Sweeney episode 'Bait', but he was in plenty of other things; his film appearances include This Sporting Life, Ken Loach's Poor Cow, Hammer's The Vengeance of She, The Haunted House of Horror, Get Carter and Barry Lyndon, while his TV work included Z-Cars, UFO, Special Branch, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Doctor Who ('Remembrance of the Daleks') and the role of Superintendent Cottam in Jasper Carrot's Canned Carrot 'The Detectives' sketches and spin-off series The Detectives.

John Paul (1921-1995). Matt Helston. Perhaps best known for science fiction series Doomwatch, his other TV work included The Avengers and The New Avengers (he looks a bit like Patrick MacNee, actually), Dr. Finlay's Casebook, I, Claudius and Triangle, while his film work included the Peter Sasdy-directed Doomwatch film, Hammer's The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, The Long Arm, Yangtze Incident, The Desperados, Richard 'Return of the Jedi' Marquand's Eye of the Needle and Cry Freedom.

Tom Adams. Wescott (gangster boss). Has had a pretty extensive career, starring as secret agent Charles Vine in Bond knock-offs Licenced to Kill, Where the Bullets Fly and Somebody's Stolen Our Russian Spy... other film work includes roles in The Great Escape and The House That Dripped Blood. TV work includes Emergency-Ward 10, The Avengers, Dixon of Dock Green, The Onedin Line, Doctor Who ('Warriors of the Deep'), Emmerdale Farm and Strike it Rich!

Burt Kwouk. Lee. It's Burt Kwouk, ladies & gentlemen! Most famous of course for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films (and later for playing Entwhistle in Last of the Summer Wine), his non-Panther films include The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, Hammer's The Terror of the Tongs, two official Bonds (Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice) and 1967's Val Guest-directed Bond spoof Casino Royale, the Leo McCarey-directed Satan Never Sleeps, Curse of the Fly, Our Man in Marrakesh, The Brides of Fu Manchu (and uncredited appearances in The Vengeance and The Castle of Fu Manchu), Rollerball (1975), Marty Feldman's The Last Remake of Beau Geste, The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (with Peter Sellers), Empire of the Sun, I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, Air America, Leon the Pig Farmer, Carry on Columbus, Jet Li actioner Kiss of the Dragon, Bond director Martin Campbell's Beyond Borders (with Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen), and, er, The Fat Slags (as the 'Dalai Lama', ulp!). He also did voice work for the wonderful Monty Python and the Holy trailer, by the way. His TV work includes the aforementioned Last of the Summer Wine, Tenko, The Water Margin (narration), The Saint, The Avengers, Danger Man, The Tomorrow People, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Doctor Who ('Four to Doomsday'), The Kenny Everett Television Show, Howard's Way, Banzai (voice only), Honest, Spirit Warriors, and, of course, The Harry Hill Show![nb]I wish he sang 'Hey Little Hen' at the end of this![/nb]

Rather incredibly, his other appearances include both Hart to Hart and Tickle on the Tum. And a Jim Davison special, but we'll forgive him for that (maybe).

Peter Settelen. Det. Sergeant Kirby. TV apperances include roles in Anne of Avonlea, Huntingtower, The Voyage of Charles Darwin, Flambards and Pride and Prejudice (1980), and TV movies Lieutenant Kije and A Christmas Carol (1984). He also made an appearance on the big screen in A Bridge Too Far, and apparently went on to write speeches for Princess Diana. Looks a bit like Ian Beale.

James Ellis (1931-2014). Father Dowd. Recently-deceased Northern Irish actor, who started out acting and directing theatre but later found fame starring as Bert Lynch in Z-Cars. Other TV work included Doctor Who ('Battlefield'), In Sickness and in Health, Nightingales, Ballykissangel, Playing the Field and Only Fools and Horses ('Strangers on the Shore'), while his film appearances included parts in Re-Animator (natch), Priest (1994) and Resurrection Man.

Reginald Marsh (1926-2001). Dr. Melford. Well, that's a recognizable face... as it happens, Marsh specialized in 'sitcom bosses', playing Jerry's boss in The Good Life, the unusually-named Humphrey Pumphrey in George & Mildred and Terry's boss in Terry and June (he would later appear in Julian Clary vehicle Terry and Julian). Other TV work included Nigel Kneale's much-loved supernatural mystery The Stone Tape (directed by Peter Sasdy), Z-Cars, Emmerdale Farm, Crown Court, The Sweeney, Coronation Street, Sykes, Crossroads and Bread. Film-wise, he had an uncredited role in Val Guest's The Day the Earth Caught Fire (see above), as well as roles in WWII drama It Happened Here, Joan Crawford horror Berserk and Reg Varney comedy The Best Pair of Legs in the Business.

Michael Cronin. Pymar (tattoo-removal guy). Probably best known for his role as P.E. teacher Mr. 'Bullet' Baxter in Grange Hill, other TV work includes roles in Fawlty Towers ('The Builders'), The Chinese Puzzle, Jesus of Nazareth, Out of Bounds, The Gentle Touch, The War of the Roses, My Dad's the Prime Minister and The Adventures of Merlin. Film work includes Deathmaster, 70's sex comedies The Sexplorer, Secrets of a Super Stud, Under the Bed and What's Up Nurse? (which starred Nicholas Field - see below), Walter Matthau comedy Hopscotch, Oliver Reed thriller Captive, Val Kilmer thriller Double Identity, The Wolfman (2010) and The Raven (2012).

Nicholas Field. Billy (Frank's friend). Had a starring role in British sex comedy What's Up Nurse? and also apperanced in Lady Caroline Lamb. He has appeared in TV series such as Z-Cars, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Fortunes of Nigel.

Albie Parsons. Momma Rose. Parson's career includes TV shows such as Space: 1999, Gangsters, Doctor Who ('The Trial of a Time Lord'), Coronation Street and Casualty, while her appearances on the big screen include the likes of Aliens (as the nurse with Ripley near the beginning), The Bitch, Game of Vultures, Biggles, horror-thriller WΔZ and the Michelle Williams/Ewan MacGregor drama Incendiary.

Robert Oates. Hara (Wescott's thug). Film work includes roles in Withnail and I, The Fifth Element and Finding Neverland, TV includes 70's childrens' science fiction show Timeslip and The Bill.

Maggie Rennie. Ma Perkins. Film appearances include roles in Seance on a Wet Afternoon, The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery, On the Buses, Michael Winner's The Wicked Lady and Michael Caine thriller The Jigsaw Man. TV appearances include a role in Bill Oddie childrens' comedy From the Top (first I've heard of it, there's clips on YouTube). She was married to late actor Michael Rennie, their son David is also an actor.

Hugh Morton (1903-1984). Butler. Film work included The Mask of the Red Death (uncredited), Quatermass and the Pit, The Stud (uncred.) and Oxford Blues (Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy). TV work included Swizzlewick, Orlando, Pardon My Genie, The Black Arrow, Rebecca and The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.

Marianne Sherman. Butch Girl (really? Not 'Punk Girl' or 'Tattoo Girl'?). Her only other credit seems to be 90's Michael Aspel-fronted paranoramal investigation show Strange But True?

Robert Lee. Chong Woy. Film roles include Satan Never Sleeps (with Burt Kwouk), You Only Live Twice (uncredited, with Kwouk again), Roy Ward Baker's Moon Zero Two (also uncred.), The Projectionist (Rodney Dangerfield), Rollerball (again, uncred., with Kwouk again), All Fired Up (Yves Montand), Britannia Hospital, High Road to China (Tom Selleck) and Half Moon Street (Sigouney Weaver, Michael Caine). TV work includes Jackanory, Sexton Blake, Gangsters, Hawaii Five-O, Mind Your Language and The Chinese Detective.

[Glebe]

2. Last Video and Testament. The aging head of a computer company comes up with an usual way to deal with traitorous associates... good, solid suspense kept me gripped for the most part, although

Spoiler alert

the denouement is dragged out just a little too long - the jig is up, and there's no real suspense or drama to finish on - not to mention I kind of ended up losing sympathy for the wronged husband

[close]

. Still, worth a watch.

Director: Peter Sasdy. Hungarian-born Brit, this is the first of three episodes of HHoMS he helmed, having previously directed three episodes of Hammer House of Horror ('The Thirteenth Reunion', 'Rude Awakening' and 'Visitor from the Grave'), and, prior to that, three Hammer movies; Taste the Blood of Dracula (his first feature), Countess Dracula and Hands of the Ripper. His other features are Doomwatch (based on the TV series of the same name), Nothing but the Night (with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing), I Don't Want to be Born, King Arthur, the Young Warlord (as co-director... stars this episode's Oliver Tobias), Welcome to Blood City, and The Lonely Lady.

Small-screen work includes classic ghost story The Stone Tape (written by Nigel 'Quatermass' Kneale), Minder, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole and TV movie Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (starring Christopher Lee as Holmes).

Writer: Roy Russell (based on a story by Robert Quigley). TV writer whose credits include Sexton Blake, Tales of the Unexpected and classic spooky children's series The Witches and the Grinnygog.

Cast:

Deborah Raffin (1953-2012). Selena Frankham. The pretty Californian actress' big-screen CV included Michael Winner films The Sentinel and Death Wish 3 and Scanners II: The New Order. Apparently achieved star status in China when 1976 TV Movie Welcome to Badham County became a surprize theatrical hit there. Other TV work included Foul Play (based on the 1978 Goldie Hawn/Chevy Chase comedy film of the same name), Noble House (Pierce Brosnan), 7th Heaven (Jessica Biel) and The Secret Life of an American Teenager (Shailene Woodley).

David Langton (1912-1994). Victor Frankham. Most famous for his role as Richard Bellamy in the original Downtown Abbey, Upstairs, Downstairs, his other TV work included The Avengers and post-WWII drama The Spoils of War (by the way, he also popped up in Absolutely spin-off Mr Don & Mr George!). His film appearances included an uncredited role in A Hard Day's Night, Otto Preminger's Saint Joan, Jack Cardiff's The Liquidator and Robert Altman's Quintet.

Oliver Tobias. Derek Tucker. Dashing Zürich-born actor whose films include Romance of a Horse Thief (Yul Brynner), 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (Charlotte Rampling), King Arthur, the Young Warlord (co-directed by Peter Sasdy), The Stud, Arabian Adventure (Christopher Lee), A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (David Niven), Michael Winner's The Wicked Lady, Mata Hari (with Emmanuelle's Sylvia Kristel), horror flick Breeders, The Brylcreem Boys (Gabriel Byrne) and Darkness Falls. TV work includes Arthur of the Britons, Luke's Kingdom, Dick Turpin, Smuggler, Adventurer and The Knock (he also made an appearance in Steve Coogan series Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible... oh, and in the video for Ultravox's 'Hymn'!).

Christopher Scoular. Truscott (lawyer). TV work includes Love in a Cold Climate, Seven Dials Mystery, Maelstrom, Hannay and See How They Run. His few film roles include an appearance in An American Werewolf in London.

Clifford Rose. Bennett (Victor's doctor). Stage and screen actor, perhaps best known for BBC WWII drama Secret Army and follow-up Kessler. Other TV work includes classic Alan Bleasdale drama G.B.H., Callan, Doctor Who ('Warrior's Gate'), The Pallisers, Crown Court and One by One. Films include Peter Brook's Marat/Sade, Peter Hall's Work is a Four-Letter Word, Mike Newell's The Good Father, Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides and The Iron Lady.

Shane Rimmer. Hersh (New York doctor). Canadian actor who supplied the voice of Scott Tracy in Gerry Anderson's much-loved 'supermarionation' series Thunderbirds and spin-off movies Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6, but he has many more film and TV credits to his name, including uncredited appearances in the Bond films You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever plus an uncredited voice-only role in Live and Let Die, and Superman: The Movie (uncred.) and Superman II and III. Other film appearances include Dr. Strangelove, Rollerball, Star Wars (uncred.), The People That Time Forgot, Hanover Street, Arabian Adventure (Christopher Lee), The Dogs of War (Christopher Walken), Reds, Ghandi, The Hunger, Peter Sasdy's The Lonely Lady, Morons from Outer Space, John Frankenheimer's The Holcroft Covenant, Dreamchild (Ian Holm), White Nights (Gregory Hinds), Out of Africa, Whoops Apocalypse, Crusoe (Aiden Quinn), A Kiss Before Dying, Spy Game, Batman Begins, Alien Autopsy (Ant & Dec!) and Dark Shadows. TV-wise, besides Thunderbirds he also contributed to several other Gerry Anderson shows, including Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, UFO and Space: 1999, while other TV work includes series such as Doctor Who ('The Gunfighters'), Tales of the Unexpected, Alas Smith & Jones, A Very British Coup, Coronation Street and Dennis Potter's Lipstick on Your Collar, as well as several TV movies including Alternative 3 and The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

Barbara Keogh (1929-2005). Mrs. Villiers. Character actress who was known mainly for her TV work, in particular a stint on Eastenders; other TV work included Dixon of Dock Green, Public Eye, The Fenn Street Gang, Z-Cars, Quatermass, Coronation Street, Jane Eyre (1997), Highlander, The Grimleys and Little Britain. Her film appearances included 1984 (1956, uncredited), The Virgin Soldiers, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Black Joy (Norman Beaton), Whoops Apocalypse, Paperhouse, Princess Caraboo (Phoebe Cates) and Dark Corners (Thora Birch).

Robert Rietty. Marcello (Italian company boss on live TV link-up). Born Lucio Reitti in Ferrara, Italy (and also known as Robert Rietti), the actor and dubbing artist's many film credits include The Scarlett Pimpernell (1934, uncredited), A Matter of Life and Death (again uncred.), Dr. No (voice, uncred.), Lawrence of Arabia (voice), The Crooked Road (Stewart Grainger), Thunderball (voice, uncred.), Casino Royale (1967, voice), You Only Live Twice (voice uncred.), The Italian Job, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (uncred.), Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Omen (1976), For Your Eyes Only (voice, uncred.), Never Say Never Again and Hannibal. TV roles include ITV Television Playhouse, BBC Sunday Night Theatre, Space: 1999 (voice) Christopher Columbus (voice) and Little Britain. He also provided voice work for the Doctor Who audio/animation webcast Death Comes to Time.

Norman Mitchell (1918-2001). Commissionaire (doorman at the company building). Character actor who had a huge list of television and film credits to his name, including many comedies. TV appearances included roles in the likes of Doctor Who ('The Dalek's Master Plan'), On the Buses, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Sykes, Z-Cars, Beryl's Lot, George & Mildred, The Goodies, Worzel Gummidge, Are You Being Served? and Never the Twain. Films included four Carry Ons - Carry on Cabby (uncredited), Cleo (uncred. again), Screaming and Emmanuelle, and other films included Oliver!, On the Buses, Bless This House, - And Now the Screaming Starts!, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, Man About the House, Legend of the Werewolf, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Michael Winner films The Big Sleep (1978), The Wicked Lady and Dirty Weekend, and cult horror comedy Revenge of Billy the Kid. His son Christopher Mitchell (1947-2001) was also an actor, and appeared in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Only Fools and Horses.

[Ignatius_S]

....Again produced by Roy Skeggs (eleven of the episodes, anyway) but lacking a theme tune as memorable as Roger Webb's House of Horror music, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (known as Fox Mystery Theatre in the US) first aired in the UK in 1984 and boasts longer run-times and, it seems, better production values. Also, for the most part (and probably to appeal more to US audiences), there's an emphasis on American actors in either the starring role or main cast....

I think it's worth a mention that Skeggs, following the success of Hammer House of Horror, became the owner of Hammer alongside his partner. Both had been part of the studios and later took the helm after it went into receivership.

The subsequent series was very much made for the American market – as well as American actors taking that you mention, this is why the running time increased and the change in tone and content. The shorter length of the previous series wasn't favourable to American stations. Content was watered down partly so there wouldn't be censor problems and partly, making the mistake of many trying to crack the trans-Atlantic market, thinking this would appeal to a much larger amount of people.

It was a formular that didn't work in the States – and over here, the series never got a consistent showing, unlike HHoH.

With regards to the budget of HHoH, I don't believe the series' budget was anything like as low budget as you've suggested. Although locations are re-used (and very well in my opinion), there's extensive use of this and far more so than a lot of television at that time – or for a few years later. For instance, there was an anthology series called Murder Time (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3469694/) five years later and, IIRC, was almost entirely (it might have been completely) studio-shot and it looks it.. badly, very badly.  That show had a very good cast, rather impressive writers and had an excellent timeslot so it wasn't made on the cheap, but I suspect it looks as if it did next to HHoH. If you compare HHoH with other shows from the time, I don't think there's much to suggest that it was being made cheaply.

....Director: Val Guest (1911-2006). Notable British director, his work .... the original, tongue-in-cheek Casino Royale (1967)...

I'm sure it wasn't intended but that makes it sound like Guest was the sole director of that film.  Slightly pedantic, although it's the first cinema version, there was a much earlier adaptation for television with Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre and it's usually regarded as the original version.

[Glebe]

Cheers for the info Ignatius... can't find much about the production of either series online, kind of assumed ...of Horror was relatively low budget for a prestigious series. Yeah, should have made that clear about Val Guest being a co-director... also, I think I meant it was the first version of the movie as titled 'Casino Royale' when I typed that up!

[Glebe]

3. Child's Play. A family awakens during the night to find their home surrounded by impenetrable walls of metal, and both they and the house itself subject to unusual changes... this episode was pretty much the seed for this entire thread - I recall seeing some of it as a kid and gave it a watch just a little while ago. It's strange and unsettling, and the hot, claustrophobic atmosphere is maintained by the cast's performances (you'll probably feel like a cold shower, something with ice in and a stroll in the air after watching it!). It's one of those mysteries where you find yourself questioning the characters actions and reactions, but

Spoiler alert

the outrageous conclusion - which is silly, but fun - reveals the reason for their confused state. Also, the little girl is clearly used as a red herring, especially keeping the episode's title in mind

[close]

. Thumbs up, overall.

Director: Val Guest. See 'Mark of the Devil' above. The second of three HHoMS episodes he directed.

Writer: Graham Wassell. 'Child's Play' appears to be his sole writing credit.

Cast:

Mary Crosby. Ann Preston. The daughter of legendary crooner Bing Crosby and fellow actress Kathryn Grant, the attractive American actress is most famous for playing Kristin Shepard in classic US soap Dallas, the 1980 'Who Done It' episode (which brought an end to the "Who Shot J.R.?" mania that was gripping the public a the time) of which was the most-watched television episode in US television history at the time, with an estimated 83 million viewers, Crosby's character playing a crucial role. In addition to Dallas spin-off Knots Landing, Crosby's other television credits include Brothers and Sisters, Dick Turpin, The Fall Guy, Hollywood Wives, Hotel, The Love Boat, North and South, Book II, Freddy's Nightmares, Murder, She Wrote, Lois & Clark, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Beverly Hills, 90210. She also had a starring role in 1981 TV movie Midnight Lace (a remake of the 1960 thriller of the same name), while her big-screen credits include Nicaraguan Revolution drama Last Plane Out, The Ice Pirates, Tapeheads and The Legend of Zorro.

Nicholas Clay (1946-2000). Mike Preston. RADA graduate who was probably most famous for playing Lancelot in John Boorman's Excalibur. Had numerous TV credits, including the BBC Play of the Month adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1976), Will Shakespeare, The Greeks: A Journey in Space and Time, The Search for Alexander the Great, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983, TV movie), The Last Days of Pompeii, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Gentlemen and Players, Zorro, Virtual Murder, Shine on Harvey Moon, The New Adventures of Robin Hood, Highlander and Psychos. Besides Excalibur, his other film credits included the role of Charles Darwin in The Darwin Adventure, Zulu Dawn, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Lovespell (Richard Burton), Evil Under the Sun, Cannon Films' Sleeping Beauty (1987) and Franklin J. Schaffner's Lionheart (1987).

Debbie Chasan. Sarah Preston. 'Child's Play' is her sole credit. Not to be confused with Debbie Chazen (BBC sitcom The Smoking Room, Mike Leigh film Topsy-Turvy).

Suzanne Church. Mother. TV credits include Number 96, Chopper Squad, Fawlty Towers ('Basil the Rat', uncredited), Dempsey and Makepeace, Me and My Girl, C.A.T.S. Eyes, Slinger's Day, Home James!, Press Gang, Never the Twain, London's Burning and Trial and Retribution. Film-wise, she has appeared in 1975 Australian TV movie Double Dealer, The Great Muppet Caper (uncred.), historical biopic John Wycliffe: The Morning Star and drama Boston Kickout.

Joanna Joseph. Child. Appeared in the TV series Quatermass, The Cuckoo Sister and Archer's Goon, and the films The French Lieutenant's Woman, Wild Things (1988, TV movie), The Remains of the Day and the thriller Xtacy.

[BlodwynPig]

I loved the ending to Child's Play...really spacey incidental sounds too.

[Glebe]

4. The Corvini Inheritance.[nb]Unfortunately this looks all wobbly like the image was filmed from a TV with a camera, there's a decent-looking upload in six parts here but it's missing a ten minute chunk between parts four and five - might be and idea to watch up to part four, switch to the wobbly version for the missing ten minutes (from approx. 40mins in) then switch back to part five![/nb] After she is followed and threatened in her flat, a woman receives help from her neighbour, a survelliance expert. Intriguing story with great performances, although I have to say

Spoiler alert

the identity of the assailant becomes pretty obvious all too quickly (David McCallum's character is a bit off, even before he encounters the Corvini necklace)

[close]

. Still, solid stuff. The auction hall looks like Hampton House, which was used extensively for locations in Hammer House of Horror.

I've been going to town a bit on the cast and crew creds, but what the heck, I've started so I'll finish. By the way, TVM = TV movie.

Director: Gabrielle Beaumont. Nice to have a female director for a change... Beaumont is chiefly known for her TV work, which includes TV movies Diana: A Tribute to the People's Princess and Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus. Other TV work includes Hills Street Blues, Star Trek: TNG, DS9 and Voyager, Marked Personal, Rooms, The Tomorrow People, The Waltons, M*A*S*H, The Greatest American Hero, Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Strattan Story (TVM, Jamie Lee Curtis), Knots Landing, Dynasty, Private Benjamin, Hart to Hart, Secrets of a Mother and Daughter (TVM, Linda Hamilton), Gone are the Dayes (TVM, Harvey Korman), Cagney & Lacey, Remington Steele, Hotel, The Colbys, Miami Vice, Beauty and the Beast, L.A. Law, Doogie Howser, M.D., Riders (TVM, Jilly Cooper adaptation), Law & Order, Seaquest DSV, Moment of Truth: Cradle of Conspiracy (TVM, Dee Wallace Stone), The Other Woman (TVM, 1995, Lloyd Bridges), Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, 7th Heaven, Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Baywatch. Her feature films are horror The Godsend, comedy He's My Girl and thriller Fatal Inheritance (Corbin Bernsen and this episode's David McCallum). She was previously married to the late cinematographer Michael J. Davis.

Writer: David Fisher. This is the first of two HHoMS episodes written by TV writer Fisher, who also wrote Hammer House of Horror episode 'Guardian of the Abyss'. In addition to work on five Doctor Who serials ('The Stones of Blood', 'The Androids of Tara', 'City of Death', The Creature from the Pit' and 'The Leisure Hive'), he also worked on TV series such as Orlando, Dixon of Dock Green, The Troubleshooters, Crown Court, General Hospital and The Mackinnons.

Cast:

David McCallum. Frank Lane. McCallum achieved fame with his role as the spy Illya Kuryakin in classic 'spy-fi' series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and is also known for his role as Steel in another cult favourite, Sapphire & Steel. Other notable series include Colditz (1972), The Invisible Man (1975), Kidnapped (1978) and 90's drama Trainer, while since 2003 he has played  Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in crime show NCIS. Other TV work includes Our Mutual Friend, The Eustace Diamonds, Emma (1960), ITV Television Playhouse, ITV Play of the Week, Wuthering Heights (1962, TVM), The Outer Limits, The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War (TVM), Frankenstein: The True Story (TVM), The A-Team ('The Say U.N.C.L.E. Affair'), Mother Love, Murder, She Wrote, Cluedo (Professor Plum!) VR.5, Team Knight Rider, Sex and the City, The Titanic Chronicles (TVM), The Education of Max Bickford and JAG. He has also lent his voice to various animations, including The Replacements, Ben 10 and Batman.

In addition to eight Man from U.N.C.L.E. films (expanded from the TV episodes), McCallum's big-screen credits include Powell & Pressburger's Ill Met by Moonlight (uncredited), Peter Ustinov's Billy Budd, John Huston's Freud, A Night to Remember, The Great Escape, The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Watcher in the Woods, Hear My Song, Michael Winner's Dirty Weekend and Fatal Inheritance (directed by Corvini's Gabrielle Beaumont). Besides acting, he had a brief musical career in the 1960s, which yielded frequently-sampled instrumental 'The Edge'.

Jan Francis. Eva Bailey. Stage and screen actress Francis is most famous for starring as Penny in John Sullivan sitcom Just Good Friends, and played Mina Van Helsing in 1979 non-Hammer Dracula. She is also known for her roles in Secret Army, The Good Companions and Stay Lucky, while other TV work includes Anne of Green Gables (1972), The Long Chase, Hawkeye, The Pathfinder, Fall of Eagles, Rooms, Anne of Avonlea, Couples, BBC Play of the Month, The Dutchess of Duke Street, the 1979 ITV Playhouse production of M.R. James 'Casting the Runes', Ripping Yarns, A Chance to Sit Down, The Plot to Murder Lloyd George (TVM), Jackanory (including 'The Hobbit'), Under the Hammer, Ghostbusters of East Finchley, Spark, My Family, Bad Girls, Mistresses, Collision, Emmerdale and Casualty. Film-wise, aside from the aforementioned Dracula she also starred in 1984's Champions alongside John Hurt and Edward Woodward, and will appear in the forthcoming Monochrome.

Terence Alexander (1923-2009). Hammond. Alexander was best known as Charlie Hungerford in classic crime series Bergerac, but before that he was notable for playing the role of Montague Dartie in the BBC's 1967 adaptation of The Forsyth Saga and Bill Dodds in children's adventure series Garry Halliday, while he would later have a recurring role in Rik Mayall sitcom The New Statesman. He had many other credits to his name, however; TV work included BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, My Pal Bob, All Aboard, Hancock's Half Hour, ITV Play of the Week, The Six Proud Walkers, No Hiding Place, ITV Television Playhouse, Nicholas Nickleby (1968), The Avengers and The New Avengers, The Champions, Armchair Theatre, Please Sir!, The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, The Pallisers, Devenish, Terry and June, Just Liz, Churchill and the Generals (TVM), Seven Dials Mystery (TVM), Behind the Screen, Frankenstein (TVM, 1984), Dempsey and Makepeace, Doctor Who ('The Mark of the Rani'), The Laughing Prisoner (TVM), The Detectives (reprising Bergerac's Charlie) and The All New Alexei Sayle Show.

His film career included a starring role in 1961 thriller The Gentle Terror, Powell & Pressburger's The Elusive Pimpernel, The League of Gentlemen, Carry on Regardless, The Magic Christian, Waterloo and The Day of the Jackal. He also had (mainly uncredited) roles in six Basil Dearden films, Anthony Asquith films The Doctor's Dilemma and The V.I.P.s (uncred.) and four Norman Wisdom vehicles, as well as Val Guest's The Runaway Bus, The Green Scarf (Michael Redgrave), Roy Ward Baker's The One That Got Away, The Fast Lady (Leslie Phillips), The Intelligence Men (Morecambe & Wise), Judith (Sophia Loren), The Long Duel (Yul Brynner), All the Way Up (Richard Briers, Warren Mitchell and this episode's Paul Bacon), Claudine (James Earl Jones, uncred.) and The Internecine Project (James Coburn). He also starred in BBC radio series The Toff and had numerous stage roles.

Stephen Yardley. Knowles (tall security guy). Most famous for playing Ken Masters in 80's yuppie drama Howard's Way, althought prior to that he played Patrick Baker in drama series Harriet's Back in Town, starred as William 'Spider' Scott in crime series The XYY Man, played PC May in Z-Cars and Max Brocard in Secret Army. He would later play Vince Farmer in Channel 5 soap Family Affairs. His other TV work includes Danger Man, Crown Court, A Tale of Two Cities (1980), The Day of the Triffids (1981), Blood Money, Blake's 7, Break Point, Morgan's Boy, Doctor Who ('Genesis of the Daleks' and 'Vegeance on Varos'), Widows 2, Virtual Murder and Hex. Film-wise, he had roles in war comedies Atlantic Wall and Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, crime flicks Funny Money, Slayground and The Innocent Sleep, Freddie Francis' The Doctor and the Devils and action comedy RPM (David Arquette, Famke Janssen). He is married to fellow Howard's Way and Family Affairs actress Jan Harvey.

Paul Bacon (?-1995). Roulier. The late actor's TV appearances included roles in Emergency-Ward 10, Boyd Q.C., Maigret, Coronation Street, It's Tommy Cooper, ITV Playhouse, Edward the Seventh, Tales of the Unexpected, Play for Today, Dempsey & Makepeace and The Charmer. He also had roles in the films They Came from Beyond Space (directed by Freddie Francis), drama Groupie Girl, comedy All the Way Up (which features this episode's Terence Alexander), cult horror The Asphyx and voice-only in French animated movie The Twelve Tasks of Asterix.

Timothy Morand. Collier (security guy who sits with Eva). TV appearances include roles in series such as Marked Personal (which this episode's director Gabrille Beaumont worked on), Late Call, Secret Army and Fair Stood the Wind for France, and appearances in the TV movies Les Miserables (1978), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982), Ivanhoe (1982), The Madness Museum, Riders (directed by Gabrille Beaumont), The Last Englishman and Diana: A Tribute to the People's Princess (again directed by Beaumont). Big-screen work includes roles in A Bridge Too Far, historical drama Lady Oscar, From a Far Country (Sam Neill), adventure movie Sky Bandits, obscure 1987 flick Pretorious, The Gabrille Beaumont-directed Fatal Inheritance and Gate to Heaven (Udo Kier, Burt Kwouk).

Mollie Maureen (1904-1987). Elderly Lady (Mrs. Courtney, auction room thief). Irish-born actress whose TV work included roles in Doctor Finlay's Casebook, Clochemerle, Cranford, The Edwardians (as Queen Victoria, a role she would again play in Billy Wilder's 1970 film The Private Lives of Sherlock Holmes), Last of the Summer Wine, Z-Cars, The Sweeney, ITV Playhouse, Great Expectations (1981), The Setbacks, Open All Hours, Angels, The Kenny Everett Television Show and The Comic Strip Presents... Consuela, or The New Mrs. Saunders. Film-wise, in addition to the aforementioned The Private Lives of Sherlock Holmes she also appeared in crime drama Kill Me Tomorrow (uncredited), horror Silent Playground, the Children's Film Foundation's The Magnificent Six and ½: It's Not Cricket and short follow-up A Good Deed in Time, thriller Twisted Nerve, TV spin-off Callan, The Return and The Curse of the Pink Panther, Jabberwocky (uncred.), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978), short thriller The Orchard End Murder, Michael Winner's The Wicked Lady and 1988 Dickens adaptation Little Dorrit.

Leonard Trolley (1917-2005). Viner (auction room thief). TV work included the role of Shaab in vintage adventure series Crane, Doctor Who ('The Faceless Ones'), Turnbull's Finest Half-Hour, Upstairs, Downstairs, Z-Cars, London Belongs to Me, ITV Playhouse, Dick Barton: Special Agent, Matilda's England, Jane, The Jewel in the Crown, Farrington of the F.O. and Come Home Charlie and Face Them. His film CV consisted of the drama Prelude to Fame, Charlie Chaplin's A Countess from Hong Kong, One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing, historical drama Al-risâlah, The Message (Anthony Quinn), The Stud (uncredited), political drama Rise and Fall of Idi Amin, true-life jockey tale Champions (John Hurt and this episode's Jan Francis) 'true-life' horror In the Shadow of Kilimanjaro and comedy Consuming Passions (based on the Michael Palin and Terry Jones TV play Secrets).

Robert Swales. Brophy (TV reporter). Stage and TV actor who played Captain Nigel "Mesange" Macauley in WWII drama series The Fourth Arm and Captain Pettifer in children's comedy show Galloping Galaxies! Other TV work includes roles in Man About the House, Michael Apted TV film Haunted: Poor Girl, Harold Pinter adapatation The Lover (TVM), Van der Valk, Play for Today, BBC2 Playhouse, A Fine Romance, Saturday Night Thriller, The Key to Rebecca (TVM), Indiscreet (TVM), Birds of a Feather, Phil Cool series Cool Head and Does China Exist? (TVM). He also appeared in 1975 crime film Hijack!

Benedict Blythe. Bob (Eva's new boyfriend). Stage and screen actor had a recurring role in Holby City and has also appeared on TV in the likes of The Winning Streak, Murder of a Moderate Man, Shrinks, Merlin of the Crystal Cave, The Knock, Wonderful You and Doctors, and the TV movies One Against the Wind, Stalag Luft, The Little Riders, The Apocalyse Watch, The Hunchback, Miracle at Midnight, In the Beginning and Dracula (2006). He has appeared on the big-screen in Michael Mann's The Keep, the Chris Rea-scripted La Passione and Seven Years in Tibet, and did voice work for animated comedy Jackboots on Whitehall.

Marianne Borgo. Madame Roulier. French character actress, her UK TV work includes appearances in the series A Question of Guilt, Smuggler, Skorpion, A Little Princess, Wish Me Luck, The Bourne Identity, Bergerac, Perfect Scoundrels, The Gravy Train (with Christoph Waltz!), Pie in the Sky, Perfect Strangers and Jonathan Creek, and TV movies Iran: Days of Crisis, Touch and Die and For Better and for Worse. Her big-screen work include Luis Bunuel's The Phantom of Liberty, thriller Vicious Cirles, Oscar and Lucinda, James Ivory's Le Divorce and drama Secret Passage.

Johnny Wade. Taxi Driver. Played the role of Roger in sitcom You're Only Young Twice and played various roles on The Two Ronnies. His other TV work includes Compact, The Wednesday Play, Z-Cars, Frost on Sunday, Getaway with Cliff (TVM), Bless This House, Bowler, Porridge, George & Mildred, The Dick Emery Show, The Basil Brush Show, Julius Caesar (1979, TVM), Fox, Coronation Street, The Kenny Everett Televison Show, Kelly Monteith, Terry and June, Only Fools and Horses ('To Hull and Back') and The Bill. Has appeared in the films Cup Fever (Bernard Cribbins), Bindle (One of Them Days) (Alfie Bass), horror The Body Stealers, Carry on Again Doctor (uncredited), For the Love of Ada (Irene Handl), The Stick Up (David Soul), musical drama The Music Machine, sitcom spin-off George and Mildred and crime flick Funny Money.

Peter Attard. Williams (security guy with glasses). TV credits include The Wednesday Play, Thirty-Minute Theatre, The Ten Commandments (1971), Couples, Doctor on the Go, BBC2 Play of the Week, Mackenzie, BBC2 Playhouse, Blake's 7, Dramarama, Die Kinder and The Bill. Has appeared in the films Male Bait (?), Alan Sillitoe adaptation The Ragman's Daughter and short drama Sextet.

Kirstie Poole. 1st Female Model. Had a recurring role in Crossroads and played Eva Braun in The Winds of War (uncredited) and War & Rememeberance. Other TV work includes roles in Kate, The Professionals, Ramp Ahead (TVM, Netherlands), Play for Today, Whoops Apocalypse, Tales of the Unexpected, The Bill and Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez. Appeared in the films The Johnstown Monster (a comedy directed by her father, actor and painter Olaf Pooley), White Cargo (another comedy, with David Jason), comedy drama The Last Word and 1984 short The Dress (Michael Palin). She will also appear in forthcoming comedy drama Men's Group.

[HodgerMccodger]

West Country Tales early 1980s

I've got a bootleg of this . Very odd. This website might be of interest too!.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/th/hauntedtv/wct_episodes.htm

Just watched a couple of these on you tube and really enjoyed them. There doesn't seem to be many others about which is shame.

There's quite a dodgy looking copy available here http://zddvm.com/british-horror/10841-west-country-tales-7-ep-2-disc.html

The episodes don't seem to be in order or complete, with the suggestion that some episodes might have been lost. Is this the one you have?

[Glebe]

*bump* (in the night!)

Okay, this thread hasn't been updated for a very long time, but I kinda wanna finish it. I'm going to defy my OCD and not do the cast and crew creds (I'm sure you lot can use that Google!).

5. In Possession.[nb]Picture looks stretched, unfortunately.[/nb] A couple preparing to move abroad are haunted by three mysterious people. Engaging at first, but eventually starts to drag as the peculiar events unfold; the story could have been wrapped up much quicker, and the ending is just silly. This is one of two episodes based on stories from an earlier anthology series called Out of the Unknown, which ran from 1965-71. Haven't seen the original ('The Uninvited'), but this version certainly appears to rip off The Shining; never mind

Spoiler alert

the ghostly visitors and spooky corridors of the flat, there's an old woman in a bath and discordant soundtrack strings at one point (not to mention rubbish stuck-running-in-slo-mo gubbins)

[close]

. Kinda disappointing, ultimately. Christopher Cazenove and David Healy (who plays Jack) also appeared in Hammer House of Horror episodes (Cazenove in 'Children of the Moon', Healy in 'Charlie Boy'.

Oh, btw, 'The Corvini Inheritance' video linked above is no longer available - but the good news is that there's a new, non-wonky upload! (although the picture is possibly a bit stretched.).

[Glebe]

6. Paint Me a Murder.[nb]Another stretched image, methinks.[/nb] At his wife's suggestion, an artist fakes his own death to increase the value of his paintings. A bit befuddled in places, but in general, an enjoyable romp. Duh, her beauty was familiar, but I didn't recognize Michelle Phillips (of The Mamas and the Papas fame). James Laurenson was also in Hammer House of Horror episode 'Rude Awakening'. The role of Kates is played by Richard LeParmentier, who played Admiral Motti in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The Chief Inspector is played by Tony Steedman, who you may recognize as Socrates in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. And yes, that's a young Neil Morrissey as 'Policeman'!