The Agatha Christie Hour

1982 - 1982

The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife

7th September 1982

Episode 1

Maria Packington's husband George is making a fool of himself over his young blonde secretary, Nancy. In her unhappiness, Maria turns to Mr. Parker Pyne for professional advice and assistance. Mr. Parker Pyne engages the services of the young and handsome Claude Luttrell, who helps Maria turn the tables on George. George had told Maria to take up a hobby - so she does - dancing the nights away at 'The Aphrodite', London's top nightclub, with Claude in attendance, and wearing a new, expensive and luxuriant wardrobe of beautiful evening gowns, fur wraps and accessories. Unexpectedly, Claude, the hardened lounge lizard, finds himself falling in love with the newly glamourous Maria Packington. A charming love story of an autumn romance from the pen of Agatha Christie.

In a Glass Darkly

14th September 1982

Episode 2

While visiting Badgeworthy, the home of the Carslake family, Matthew Armitage experiences a strange and frightening vision in a mirror in his bedroom of a man with a scar strangling Sylvia Carslake. Time passes, the First World War takes place, and then finally Matthew marries Sylvia Carslake. However, suffering badly from shell-shock, he nearly destroys his own marriage through an Othello-like jealousy and possessiveness, which threatens to destroy both him and Sylvia, until one night Matthew's vision of the man with the scar comes back to haunt him.

The Girl in the Train

21st September 1982

Episode 3

Cast upon the world without a penny by his heartless Uncle William, young George Rowland decides to catch a train down to Rowland's Castle, a village which happens to bear his name. As George sits in the train at Waterloo Station, a young woman throws herself into his compartment, begging him to hide her from a mysterious enemy. George complies and finds himself mixed up in the affairs of the young and beautiful Grand Duchess Anastasia of Catonia. Entrusted with a small, sealed package George embarks on An Adventure, only to find true love and romance at the end of it, plus the forgiveness of an uncle who turns out to have a heart after all. A tale of young romantic adventure from the pen of Agatha Christie.

The Fourth Man

28th September 1982

Episode 4

Is it possible for the dead to come back and possess the living? And is it possible to strangle oneself because of it? The fourth man in the railway compartment seems to think so, with his strange story about the doomed little chanteuse Annette and the love/hate relationship that she shares with the backward Felicie Bault.

The Case Of The Discontented Soldier

5th October 1982

Episode 5

Major John Wilbraham, newly retired from the British Army in Kenya and now living in the English country-side in a wisteria covered cottage with his faithful cocker spaniel finds life tame. Seeking adventure and romance, he consults Mr. Parker Pyne. Fairly soon the rather shy major meets the equally shy Freda Clegg. An adventure follows, involving buried treasure, maps written in Swahili, crooked lawyers, thugs, maidens in distress and imprisonment in a water filling cellar. All ends happily, mainly due to the imaginative prowess of that inimitable authoress, Mrs. Ariadne Oliver (Agatha Christie's alter ego). John Wilbraham and Freda Clegg soon find themselves not only embarking on a quest for buried treasure in Africa, but more importantly, each finds that they are in love with the other. Another charming love story of an autumn romance from the pen of Agatha Christie.

Magnolia Blossom

12th October 1982

Episode 6

In her determination to start a new life with her husband Richard's business rival Vincent, Theo flees to Paris with Vincent. But bad news follows quickly - Richard's business has collapsed. Theo returns to find that Richard has been less than honest with her, and that more than his job is at stake.

The Mystery of the Blue Jar

19th October 1982

Episode 7

While playing golf, young Jack Hartington hears a woman's voice crying ""Murder! Help! Murder!"" Racing in the direction of the voice, Jack comes upon Felise Marchaud, a young Frenchwoman living in a cottage nearby who is sceptical of his claims and who claims to have heard nothing. Several days later under almost identical conditions Jack hears the cry again, and then starts to doubt his sanity. Enlisting the aid of Dr. Lavington, a psychiatrist, and Felise, Jack finds that the supernatural events surrounding the cottage seem, by an odd coincidence, to have some connection with a blue jar purchased some months previously by his Uncle George. Jack is persuaded by his new friends to fetch the blue jar, which turns out to be Ming and priceless beyond value. A cautionary tale of youthful inexperience and naivety from the pen of Agatha Christie.

The Red Signal

2nd November 1982

Episode 8

Dermot West is in love with Claire, the wife of his best friend, Jack Trent. After visiting them one night he has a premonition, what he terms 'the red signal', that there is danger in the air, that death walks abroad and there is nothing that he can do about it. When his uncle is subsequently murdered, Dermot is the chief suspect.

Jane in Search of a Job

9th November 1982

Episode 9

Jane Cleveland is out of work and owes rent on her London flat. When she is offered the role of 'double' to the Grand Duchess Olga, the adventurous Jane accepts with alacrity, especially as the financial renumeration for the role is lucrative. However, all is not as it seems ... Jane is thrown into a world of intrigue, double-dealing, jewel robberies, and deceit. It is perhaps as well that Jane's new boyfriend is attending Hendon Police College and has an observant and quick eye.

The Manhood of Edward Robinson

16th November 1982

Episode 10

Although he should be saving for his wedding, when meek Edward Robinson wins the lottery, he buys a sports car and takes off on a journey. A case of mistaken identity later, Edward finds himself in the midst of a grand adventure.

Top Cast

William Gaunt•Nicholas Farrell•Angela Easterling

Director

John Frankau

Writer

John Bryden

Action & Adventure Drama Mystery Crime

This ten episode program was based on ten short stories written by Agatha Christie but with wide-ranging themes. Some were romances, some had supernatural themes and a couple were adventures. The common link was that all came from the talented pen of Agatha Christie, all were entertaining and each drama was carefully crafted and well cast with many of Britain's best known actors of the time represented.

Watch Providers 🇬🇧

Amazon Video

Production Companies

+1 more

Full Cast

William Gaunt Image

William Gaunt

Major John Wilbraham

Nicholas Farrell Image

Nicholas Farrell

Edward Robinson

Angela Easterling

Miss Lemon

Christopher Wren

Annette's Attendant

Osmund Bullock

George Rowland

Ciaran Madden Image

Ciaran Madden

Theo Darrell

Full Crew

showData