Murder, She Wrote

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Murder, She Wrote
Image:Mswss.jpg
Format Mystery
Created by Peter S. Fischer
Richard Levinson
William Link
Starring Angela Lansbury
Tom Bosley
Ron Masak
William Windom
Theme music composer John Addison
Country of origin Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
No. of seasons 12
No. of episodes 264 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Angela Lansbury
Peter S. Fischer
Richard Levinson
Running time 60 Minutes
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Original run September 30 1984 – May 19 1996
Chronology
Followed by South by Southwest
Related shows The Law & Harry McGraw
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary
Image:Shewrote.jpg
Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher

Murder, She Wrote is a popular, long-running television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons, from 1984 to 1996.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origin

Debuting September 30, 1984, Murder, She Wrote, TV's longest-running mystery series, might never have come about had producers Richard Levinson and William Link enjoyed success with their 1975 TV weekly Ellery Queen. The series folded after a single season, but Levinson and Link were still committed to the concept of a best-selling murder-mystery novelist who solved real murders when not at the typewriter. By changing the gender of their protagonist from male to female, and transforming the character from a good-looking, absentminded young pedant to a middle-aged, down-to-earth widow, the producers were able to parlay their "mystery writer/amateur detective" premise into a 12-year hit for CBS.

[edit] Premise

The show revolved around the day-to-day life of a retired English teacher who, after being widowed in her early fifties, became a very successful mystery writer. Despite fame and fortune, Jessica remained a resident of Cabot Cove, a cozy coastal town in Maine, and maintained her links with all of her old friends, never letting her success go to her head. Exterior shots of Cabot Cove were filmed in Mendocino, California.

Her one eccentricity was an insatiable curiosity, especially whenever murder reared its ugly head — which it did with great regularity. Critics found it ridiculous how murders seemed to follow Jessica wherever she went. The mystery term "Cabot Cove Syndrome" was eventually coined to describe the constant appearance of dead bodies in remote locations.

In most episodes, Jessica would somehow become entangled in a murder investigation. The police were almost always willing to arrest the most likely suspect, but Jessica invariably felt that the so-called guilty party wasn't. Carefully and methodically piecing the clues together and asking questions that no one else had thought of, she always managed to trap the guilty party — who, given the series' "special guest star" policy, was often played by a famous film or TV personality.

Jessica's relationship with law enforcement officials varied from place to place. Both the sheriffs of Cabot Cove had resigned themselves to having her meddle in their cases. However, most detectives and police officers didn't want her anywhere near their crime scenes, until her accurate deductions convinced them to listen to her. Some were fans of her books and were glad to assist her investigation. With time, she made friends in many police departments across the USA, as well as a British police officer attached to Scotland Yard.

In 1991, newly appointed executive producer David Moessinger and producer J. Michael Straczynski were brought aboard in an effort to shore up ratings. They moved Jessica to New York, and revitalized the show, bringing it back into the top ten from the mid-thirties where it had fallen. It was Straczynski who made her an instructor in writing and criminology, and is widely held to have most emphasized her role as a working writer, with all the deadlines and problems involved in that profession.

[edit] End

A Sunday-evening tradition for over a decade, CBS decided to move Murder, She Wrote from its winning slot to Thursdays during its twelfth and final season. This was due to a restructuring plan to attract a younger audience to Sunday night. The news was much to Lansbury’s dismay, as CBS were apparently willing to let the show flounder and die due to its age and high production costs. Murder, She Wrote was forced to compete with NBC's extremely popular Friends. Ratings plummeted and in March of 1996 CBS announced that the twelfth season of Murder, She Wrote would definitely be its last. However, the final four episodes were allowed to reoccupy Sunday nights and, not surprisingly, ratings improved. The show ended its twelve-year run quietly with an episode titled Death by Demographics. Jessica’s farewell appears as a voiced-over letter at the very end of the episode. Death by Demographics ranked 16th in the ratings and was the most watched CBS program for that week. After the final episode aired, fans could take heart in the fact that Lansbury would sporadically reprise the character of Jessica Fletcher in a handful of feature-length Murder, She Wrote specials.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Regular cast

Image:MurderSheWrote Cast.jpg
Seth Hazlitt, Jessica Fletcher and Mort Metzger c.1996
  • Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher (1984–1996). The show was originally conceived as a vehicle for Jean Stapleton, who had just finished a nine-year run on All in the Family; when Stapleton decided she didn't want to commit to another television series, the role was offered to Lansbury. Doris Day was offered the part afterwards, and also declined. The character was loosely based on Miss Marple,[citation needed] whom Lansbury had portrayed beforehand.
  • Tom Bosley as Sheriff Amos Tupper (1984–1988), Cabot Cove's sheriff at the start of the series. Tupper later retires and goes to live with his sister. The actor actually left to star in his own TV series, Father Dowling.
  • William Windom as Dr. Seth Hazlitt (1985–1996), the local doctor of Cabot Cove and one of Jessica's best friends.
  • Ron Masak as Sheriff Mort Metzger (1989–1996), a former NYPD officer who takes Tupper's place as sheriff in the mistaken belief that he would be living in a more peaceful place.

[edit] Recurring cast

  • Michael Horton as Grady Fletcher (1984–1995), Jessica's not-so-lucky favorite nephew, who (through no fault of his own) always seems to get in trouble with the law. After many romantic disasters, he gets married later in the series. In real life, Horton is married to actress Debbie Zipp, who played Grady's eventual wife, Donna Mayberry. The two had been married for many years before working together on Murder, She Wrote.
  • Jerry Orbach as Harry McGraw (1985–1991), an old-school private investigator who becomes friends with Jessica. Orbach was popular enough to garner his own, short-lived spinoff series in 1987, The Law & Harry McGraw.
  • Len Cariou as Michael Hagarty (1985–1992), a British MI6 agent of Irish origin, who would appear when Jessica least expected him to drag her into a dangerous case. Cariou had previously starred with Lansbury in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as the barber.
  • Keith Michell as Dennis Stanton (1988–1993), a former jewel thief turned insurance claims investigator, who always solves his cases using unusual methods, and sends a copy of the story to his friend Jessica afterwards.
  • Wayne Rogers as Charlie Garrett (1993-1995), a disreputable private investigator who usually gets into trouble and needs Jessica's help.

[edit] Guest stars

Main article: List of Murder, She Wrote guest stars

Many famous or soon-to-be-famous actors have had guest spots on Murder, She Wrote:

[edit] Episodes

Main article: List of Murder, She Wrote episodes
Image:Murdershewroteseason3-thecemetryvote.JPG
Jessica in the Season 3 episode "The Cemetery Vote"

For several years, the show was the longest-running mystery show on television. In total, there were 264 weekly episodes including the feature-length pilot episode, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes. Lansbury is the only actress to appear in all of the episodes and TV films.

Many of the episodes took place in either Jessica's hometown of Cabot Cove or in New York, but her travels promoting books or visiting relatives and friends (of which she seemed to have an endless supply) led to cases throughout the world. A 1986 crossover episode with Magnum, P.I. took place in Hawaii, which began in the Magnum, P.I. episode "Novel Connection" and concluded in the Murder, She Wrote episode "Magnum On Ice".

Beginning in season six, Lansbury cut back her appearances. A handful of episodes purported to be stories "written" by Jessica, or submitted to her by friends. She would introduce each episode, but generally disappear until the end, to wrap up the story. Other sleuths, such as reformed jewel thief Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell), retired spy Michael Hagarty (Len Cariou), and down-at-heel private eye Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach), took center stage. Viewers, however, didn't like Jessica's frequent absences, and the "replacement detective" policy was eventually dropped.

Season Ep # Season Premiere Season Finale
Season One 22 September 30 1984 April 21 1985
Season Two 22 September 29 1985 May 18 1986
Season Three 22 September 28 1986 May 10 1987
Season Four 22 September 20 1987 May 8 1988
Season Five 22 October 23 1988 May 21 1989
Season Six 22 September 24 1989 May 20 1990
Season Seven 22 September 16 1990 May 12 1991
Season Eight 22 September 15 1991 May 17 1992
Season Nine 22 September 20 1992 May 16 1993
Season Ten 21 September 12 1993 May 22 1994
Season Eleven 21 September 25 1994 May 14 1995
Season Twelve 24 September 21 1995 May 19 1996

[edit] Television films

Image:MswCelticRiddle.jpg
Advertisement for The Celtic Riddle on CBS

In February 2007 on the ABC daytime talk show The View,[1] Lansbury announced that she hopes to make another Murder, She Wrote television film in the near future, if her son, Anthony Shaw, can find a suitable story.[2]

[edit] Awards and nominations

Murder, She Wrote received numerous Emmy Award nominations. Angela Lansbury herself holds the record for the most Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actress in a drama series, with 12, one for each season. She never won, which is also a record. The show won only twice, for costume design in 1986 and music composition in 1985.

Lansbury was more successful with the Golden Globe Awards, winning four times.

[edit] Emmy Awards

Nominations

  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Angela Lansbury) (1985-1996)

[edit] Golden Globes

Wins

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series - Drama (Angela Lansbury) (1985, 1987, 1990, 1992)
  • Best TV Series - Drama (1985, 1986)

Nominations

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series - Drama (Angela Lansbury) (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995)
  • Best TV Series - Drama (1987-1990)

[edit] Murder, She Wrote Novels

[edit] Novels by Donald Bain

In keeping with the spirit of the TV show, the author credit for a series of official original novels, written by Coffee, Tea, or Me? writer Donald Bain, is shared with the fictitious "Jessica Fletcher".

  • Gin and Daggers (1st edition) (1989)
  • Manhattans and Murder (1994)
  • Rum and Razors (1995)
  • Brandy and Bullets (1995)
  • Martinis and Mayhem (1995)
  • A Deadly Judgment (1996)
  • A Palette for Murder (1996)
  • The Highland Fling Murders (1997)
  • Murder on the QE2 (1997)
  • Murder in Moscow (1998)
  • A Little Yuletide Murder (1998)
  • Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999)
  • Knock 'em Dead (1999)
  • Gin and Daggers (2nd edition) (2000)
  • Trick or Treachery (2000)
  • Blood on the Vine (2001)

  • Murder in a Minor Key (2001)
  • Provence - to Die for (2002)
  • You Bet Your Life (2002)
  • Majoring in Murder (2003)
  • Destination Murder (2003)
  • Dying to Retire (2004)
  • A Vote for Murder (2004)
  • The Maine Mutiny (2005)
  • Margaritas and Murder (2005)
  • A Question of Murder (2006)
  • Three Strikes and You're Dead (2006)
  • Coffee, Tea, or Murder (2007)
  • Panning For Murder (2007)
  • Murder on Parade (2008)
  • A Slaying in Savannah (2008)

[edit] Novels by J. B. Fletcher

During the series many novels that J. B. Fletcher wrote were mentioned. Her first novel, The Corpse Danced at Midnight, was made into a film in one episode.

  • The Corpse Danced at Midnight
  • Dirge for a Dead Dachshund
  • A Faded Rose Beside Her
  • Murder on the Amazon
  • Lover's Revenge
  • The Umbrella Murders
  • Murder at the Inn
  • Murder at the Digs
  • Murder in a Minor Key
  • The Stain on the Stairs
  • The Mystery of the Mutilated Minion
  • The Belgrade Murders
  • Sanitarium of Death
  • Calvin Canterbury's Revenge
  • Murder at the Asylum
  • Murder Comes to Maine
  • Good-bye, Charlie
  • The Corpse That Wasn't There
  • Ashes, Ashes, Fall Down Dead
  • The Messengers of Midnight
  • Mrs. Parker's Revenge

  • The Poison in My Heart
  • All the Murderers
  • Murder at the Ridge Top
  • The Corpse at Vespers
  • The Triple Crown Murders
  • The Crypt of Death
  • A Killing at Hastings Rock
  • The Uncaught
  • Murder in White
  • The Dead Must Sing
  • The Killer Called Collect
  • Stone Cold Dead
  • Endangered
  • The Launch Pad Murders
  • Runway to Murder
  • The Venomous Valentine
  • A Case of a Half of Murder
  • Yours Truly, Damian Sinclair
  • The Dead Man Sang
  • The Corpse Swam by Moonlight

[edit] DVD releases

Main article: Murder, She Wrote DVD releases

[edit] Season releases

Image:Msws1.jpg
DVD cover art of Murder, She Wrote: The Complete First Season

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released the first seven seasons of Murder, She Wrote on DVD in Region 1, with season eight to be released in April 2008. Universal Playback have also released the first six seasons in Region 2 with season 7 to be released on March 31 2008. The remaining seasons are expected to be released soon. Region 2 release dates are only the United Kingdom release dates.

Title Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
The Complete First Season March 29 2005 August 29 2005 May 2 2007
The Complete Second Season December 6 2005 May 1 2006 August 1 2007
The Complete Third Season March 14 2006 July 31 2006 September 5 2007
The Complete Fourth Season October 17 2006 March 24 2007 September 5 2007
The Complete Fifth Season January 30 2007 July 23 2007 November 21 2007
The Complete Sixth Season April 172007 September 10 2007 November 21 2007
The Complete Seventh Season October 9 2007 March 31 2008 TBA
The Complete Eighth Season April 1 2008 TBA TBA

[edit] Other releases

Title Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
Seasons One, Two & Three N/A November 20 2006 N/A
Seasons One, Two, Three, Four & Five N/A November 22 2007 N/A

[edit] International

Murder, She Wrote has been broadcast in many countries around the world, and is repeated regularly in many of them.

Country Channel(s) Title Translation Language
Image:Flag of Australia.svg Australia Network Ten,
TV1 		Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of Austria.svg Austria ORF Mord ist ihr Hobby Murder is Her Hobby German dubbed
Image:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium VTM Murder, She Wrote English,
Dutch subtitles
Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil Universal Channel Assassinato por Escrito Written Murder Portuguese dubbed
Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada CBS,
A&E 		Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of Quebec.svg Canada: Quebec TQS Elle écrit au meurtre She writes at [/yell at] murder French dubbed
Image:Flag of Chile.svg Chile Canal 13 (Chile) Reportera del crimen Crime Reporter Spanish dubbed
Image:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia HRT Ubojstvo, napisala je Murder, She Wrote English,
Croatian subtitles
Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic TV Nova To je vražda, napsala Murder, She Wrote Czech dubbed
Image:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark DR 2 Hun så et mord She Saw a Murder English,
Danish subtitles
Image:Flag of Finland.svg Finland YLE TV1 Murhasta tuli totta Murder Became True English,
Finnish subtitles
Image:Flag of France.svg France La Cinq Arabesque Arabesque French dubbed
Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany ARD,
RTL,
Super RTL 		Immer, wenn sie Krimis schrieb,
Mord ist ihr Hobby 		Each Time When She Wrote a Crime Novel,
Murder is Her Hobby 		German dubbed
Image:Flag of Greece.svg Greece Star Channel Η συγγραφέας ντετέκτιβ The Detective Writer English,
Greek subtitles
Image:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary Viasat 3 Gyilkos sorok Crime Lines Hungarian dubbed
Image:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland RTÉ One Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy Rai Uno La signora in giallo The Lady in Yellow (a punning title; see giallo) Italian dubbed
Image:Flag of Japan.svg Japan NHK,
Mystery Channel,
LaLa TV,
Chiba TV,
Gunma TV 		Jessica obasan no jikenbo Aunt Jessica's Case Files Japanese dubbed
Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico Universal Channel La reportera del crimen The Crime Reporter Spanish dubbed
Image:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands RTL 8 Murder, She Wrote English,
Dutch subtitles
Image:Flag of Norway.svg Norway TV3 Jessica Fletcher Jessica Fletcher English,
Norwegian subtitles
Image:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines GMA Network,
RJTV 29 		Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal RTP 1 Crime, Disse Ela Crime, She Said English,
Portuguese subtitles
Image:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia Markíza To je vražda, napísala Murder, She Wrote Slovak dubbed
Image:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia Kanal A Umor je napisala Murder, She Wrote English,
Slovene subtitles
Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain TVE,
Calle 13 		Se ha escrito un crimen A Crime has Been Written Spanish dubbed
Image:Flag of Catalonia.svg Spain: Catalonia TV3 S'ha escrit un crim A Crime has Been Written Catalan dubbed
Image:Flag of Galicia.svg Spain: Galicia TVG Escribiuse un crime A Crime has Been Written Galician dubbed
Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden TV3 Mord och inga visor Murder and not Melodies (a punning title) English,
Swedish subtitles
Image:Flag of Romania.svg Romania Pro Cinema Verdict: Crima Verdict: Murder English,
Romanian subtitles
Image:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Star TV,
Kanal D 		Cinayet Dosyası Murder File
Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom ITV,
Granada Plus,
BBC One,
UKTV Gold,
UKTV Drama 		Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States CBS,
USA Network,
A&E,
Biography Channel,
Hallmark Channel 		Murder, She Wrote English
Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay Monte Carlo Televisión (Canal 4) Reportera del crimen Crime Reporter Spanish dubbed

[edit] References

  1. ^ The View Recaps. ABC.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-26.
  2. ^ Murder, She Wrote: Could Jessica Fletcher Return?. TVSeriesFinale.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Murder, She Wrote
CastAngela Lansbury • Tom Bosley • Ron Masak • William Windom • Michael Horton • Jerry Orbach • Len Cariou • Keith Michell • List of guest stars
CharactersJessica Fletcher • Amos Tupper • Mort Metzger • Seth Hazlitt • Grady Fletcher • Donna Mayberry
MediaList of episodes • DVD releases
OtherCabot Cove • Corymore Productions • The Law & Harry McGraw
de:Mord ist ihr Hobby

es:Murder, She Wrote fr:Arabesque (série télévisée) it:La signora in giallo nl:Murder, She Wrote ja:ジェシカおばさんの事件簿 ru:Она написала убийство (телесериал) fi:Murhasta tuli totta sv:Mord och inga visor

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