The Agatha Christie Hour is a collection of ten hour-long dramas from the world's best known crime writer. Set in the England of the 1920s and 1930s, each story demonstrates the versatility of this classic author and with a host of well known actors, including Rupert Everett and John Nettles. The dramas feature a different theme from youthful adventure and romance through to supernatural occurrences and, often, murder. Never before released on DVD.

Duration:
10 x 1 hr

Rights:
TV & DVD: Australia only

Clearances:
Cleared

TX:
1982 - ITV1, UK

Target Demographic:
16 - 65 year olds, male & female

Delivery : Sep 1 2009 12:00AM to Sep 1 2009 12:00AM

Pitch Availability:
Now

Brief Synopsis:
The Agatha Christie Hour is a collection of ten hour-long dramas from the world's best known crime writer. Set in the England of the 1920s and 1930s, each story demonstrates the versatility of this classic author and with a host of well known actors, including Rupert Everett and John Nettles. The dramas feature a different theme from youthful adventure and romance through to supernatural occurrences and, often, murder.

Key Points:
1 The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife - 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. 2 In a Glass Darkly - 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. 3 The Girl in the Train - Cast upon the world without a penny, young George Rowland decides to catch a train down to Rowland's Castle, a village which happens to bear his name only to find himself mixed up in the affairs of the young and beautiful Grand Duchess Anastasia of Catonia. 4 The Fourth Man - 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. 5 The Case Of The Discontented Soldier - Retired Major John Wilbraham, is finding life tame so, 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. 6 Magnolia Blossom - 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. 7 The Mystery of the Blue Jar - 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. 8 The Red Signal - 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 and that death walks abroad and there is nothing that he can do about it. 9 Jane in Search of a Job - Jane is out of work and owes rent. When she is offered the role of 'double' to the Grand Duchess Olga, the adventurous Jane accepts 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. 10 The Manhood Of Edward Robinson - Romantic dreamer and aspiring stockbroker Edward Robinson is engaged to practical and prosaic Maud Lithinglow. When he wins five hundred pounds in a competition he secretly purchases his heart's delight, a white Riley sportscar. At Christmas time he motors alone down to Brighton where he meets Lady Noreen Elliot, who is similarly engaged to an unadventurous partner. In the course of one evening Edward becomes a man, instead of a mouse, and when morning arrives it is a different Edward who confronts Maud with his new car, expensive engagement ring and marriage plans.

Press Coverage / Other Information:
The Agatha Christie Hour was made by Thames Television and broadcast in 1982. Actors appearing in the series include Rupert Everett (St Trinians, My Best Friend's Wedding), Cherie Lunghi (The Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Cutting it), Nicholas Farrell (Torchwood, To Play The King), Amanda Redman (New Tricks, Little Dorrit), John Nettles (Midsommer Murders, Bergerac) and Linda Robson (Birds of a Feather). Agatha Christie is the best-selling writer of books of all time as well as the best-selling author of any kind along with William Shakespeare. Only the Bible is known to have outsold her collected sales of roughly four billion copies of novels. Her books have been translated into over 56 different languages Further information on Agatha Christie can be found at www.agathachristie.com

Marketing Materials:
Programme card Episodes 'In a Glass Darkly' and 'The Mystery of the Blue Jar' are available to screen on FIDTV

Research:
n/a

Producer:
talkbackTHAMES

Duration:
10 x 1 hr

Rights:
TV & DVD: Australia only

Clearances:
Cleared

TX:
1982 - ITV1, UK

Target Demographic:
16 - 65 year olds, male & female

Delivery : Sep 1 2009 12:00AM to Sep 1 2009 12:00AM

Pitch Availability:
Now

Brief Synopsis:
The Agatha Christie Hour is a collection of ten hour-long dramas from the world's best known crime writer. Set in the England of the 1920s and 1930s, each story demonstrates the versatility of this classic author and with a host of well known actors, including Rupert Everett and John Nettles. The dramas feature a different theme from youthful adventure and romance through to supernatural occurrences and, often, murder.

Key Points:
1 The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife - 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. 2 In a Glass Darkly - 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. 3 The Girl in the Train - Cast upon the world without a penny, young George Rowland decides to catch a train down to Rowland's Castle, a village which happens to bear his name only to find himself mixed up in the affairs of the young and beautiful Grand Duchess Anastasia of Catonia. 4 The Fourth Man - 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. 5 The Case Of The Discontented Soldier - Retired Major John Wilbraham, is finding life tame so, 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. 6 Magnolia Blossom - 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. 7 The Mystery of the Blue Jar - 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. 8 The Red Signal - 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 and that death walks abroad and there is nothing that he can do about it. 9 Jane in Search of a Job - Jane is out of work and owes rent. When she is offered the role of 'double' to the Grand Duchess Olga, the adventurous Jane accepts 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. 10 The Manhood Of Edward Robinson - Romantic dreamer and aspiring stockbroker Edward Robinson is engaged to practical and prosaic Maud Lithinglow. When he wins five hundred pounds in a competition he secretly purchases his heart's delight, a white Riley sportscar. At Christmas time he motors alone down to Brighton where he meets Lady Noreen Elliot, who is similarly engaged to an unadventurous partner. In the course of one evening Edward becomes a man, instead of a mouse, and when morning arrives it is a different Edward who confronts Maud with his new car, expensive engagement ring and marriage plans.

Press Coverage / Other Information:
The Agatha Christie Hour was made by Thames Television and broadcast in 1982. Actors appearing in the series include Rupert Everett (St Trinians, My Best Friend's Wedding), Cherie Lunghi (The Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Cutting it), Nicholas Farrell (Torchwood, To Play The King), Amanda Redman (New Tricks, Little Dorrit), John Nettles (Midsommer Murders, Bergerac) and Linda Robson (Birds of a Feather). Agatha Christie is the best-selling writer of books of all time as well as the best-selling author of any kind along with William Shakespeare. Only the Bible is known to have outsold her collected sales of roughly four billion copies of novels. Her books have been translated into over 56 different languages Further information on Agatha Christie can be found at www.agathachristie.com

Marketing Materials:
Programme card Episodes 'In a Glass Darkly' and 'The Mystery of the Blue Jar' are available to screen on FIDTV

Research:
n/a

Producer:
talkbackTHAMES