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RANDALL & HOPKIRK (DECEASED)
The series was originally created by Dennis Spooner. Mike Pratt starred as Jeff Randall, Kenneth Cope as Marty Hopkirk and Annette Andre as Marty's widow Jeannie. 26 episodes of one-hour each (just under 49 minutes running time) were made by ITC Entertainment.
The episodes were screened on ITV in the U.K.. In 1974 they were syndicated to the U.S.A. where they appeared as "My Partner The Ghost", because audience research suggested that Americans would not understand the word "deceased". In Peru it was called "El Detective Fantasma". Except for some brief exterior scenes in the pilot episode and original opening titles, all of the scenes featuring the principal cast were shot in the studio. Exterior scenes were either simulated using blue screen or shot using body-doubles.
Filming began at Elstree Studios at the end of May 1968 with the pilot/first episode, "My Late Lamented Friend And Partner" and was directed by Cyril Frankel. The episode was shot on location throughout London with several scenes filmed at Hanover Square, Brook Street, and Fore Street. There was around a 14 day production schedule for each episode. The entire series took fourteen months to complete. The Adam's Furniture Fabric offices in Harrow (no longer there) were used for the outside of the Randall and Hopkirk offices. The theme tune was composed by Edwin Astley (1922-1998) (who was the father-in-law of The Who guitarist Pete Townshend). He composed the theme music for many of the ITC television series. In 1970 the theme was issued as a single on the Polydor label (56375) by Norrie Parmor.
The opening titles and closing credits were devised by Chambers and Partners. A company who had produced previous ITC title sequences on Department S. and The Baron.
It was produced for ITC by Scoton (Monty Berman and Dennis Spooner's production company). It was produced by Monty Berman. It was originally conceived as a possible vehicle for comedian Dave Allen. First broadcast in September 1969 by ITV network ATV Midlands Randall and Hopkrirk (Deceased) propelled Mike Pratt to star status.His co-star in the series was Kenneth Cope. Kenneth Cope had appeared in The Adventures Of Robin Hood, The Adventures Of William Tell, Ivanhoe and Coronation Street. He had a worked as a scriptwriter on Granada' s comedy ghost hunter series Turn Out The Lights.
Annette Andre, an Australian actress, had previosuly appeared in The Sentimental Agent, The Saint, The Baron, The Prisoner, The Human Jungle, Emergency Ward 10, and early segment of The Avengers.A very private and shy man, Mike Pratt co-wrote, with Ian Wilson, the episode "A Disturbing Case" without telling Kenneth Cope. During time off he would closet himself in his dressing room with his guitar.Stunt co-ordination was controlled by Frank Maher, who also worked on Danger Man and The Prisoner. Harry 'Aitch' Fielder was the stand-in for Mike Pratt. They got on well together and became good friends. Harry would read the other actors' lines in the script to Mike Pratt so that he could learn his.Many of the articles seen in Jeff Randall's apartment, are the personal belonging of Mike Pratt.
In the episode "The Ghost Talks" Mike Pratt really was laid up in a hospital bed with two broken legs. Mike Pratt was attempting to climb a drainpipe in a slightly inebriated state during his 38th birthday celebrations. He fell 20 feet into the basement area... he'd forgotten his keys, and saw the stand-in doing it - successfully - first. Mike being Mike, he thought, "I can do that" and had a go. Jeff's excuse was that he'd fallen from a balcony in a chase - a little more dignified. After 14 months of filming production finished in the late summer of 1969.
The 26 episodes took 14 months to complete and premiered on Friday 21st of September 1969 in the ATV Midlands region and two other regions. London Weekend Television and Granada first ran the series on Sunday 23rd of September. The run concluded on 13th March 1970. It was repeated twice throughout the 1970s, and was repeated again in 1986.
ITC/ATV for ITV
Originally Broadcast between 21/9/1969 - 13/3/1970
26 x 50 Minute Episodes
26 x 50 Minute Episodes
Cast:
Mike Pratt (Jeff Randall); Kenneth Cope (Marty Hopkirk); Annette Andre (Jean Hopkirk)
Creators
Dennis Spooner & Monty Berman
Producer
Monty Berman
Dennis Spooner & Monty Berman
Producer
Monty Berman
EPISODES :
1. My Late Lamented Friend and Partner
2. A Disturbing Case
3. All Work and No Pay
4. Never Trust A Ghost
5. That's How Murder Snowballs
6. Just for the Record
7. Murder Ann's What It Used to Be
8. Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
9. The House on Haunted Hill
10. When did you Start to Stop Seeing Things?
11. The Ghost Who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo
12. For the Girl Who Has Everything
13. But What a Sweet Little Room
14. Who Killed Cock Robin?
15. The Man From Nowhere
16. When the Spirit Moves You
17. Somebody just Walked over my Grave
18. Could You Recognize the Man Again?
19. A Sentimental Journey
20. Money to Burn
21. The Ghost Talks
22. It's Supposed to be Thicker than Water
23. The Trouble with Women
24. Vendetta for a Dead Man
25. You Can Always Find a Fall Guy
26. The Smile Behind the Veil
2. A Disturbing Case
3. All Work and No Pay
4. Never Trust A Ghost
5. That's How Murder Snowballs
6. Just for the Record
7. Murder Ann's What It Used to Be
8. Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
9. The House on Haunted Hill
10. When did you Start to Stop Seeing Things?
11. The Ghost Who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo
12. For the Girl Who Has Everything
13. But What a Sweet Little Room
14. Who Killed Cock Robin?
15. The Man From Nowhere
16. When the Spirit Moves You
17. Somebody just Walked over my Grave
18. Could You Recognize the Man Again?
19. A Sentimental Journey
20. Money to Burn
21. The Ghost Talks
22. It's Supposed to be Thicker than Water
23. The Trouble with Women
24. Vendetta for a Dead Man
25. You Can Always Find a Fall Guy
26. The Smile Behind the Veil
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