Comedy legends Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise made this spoof whodunnit telemovie for Thames Television in 1983. It aired on ITV on Thursday, 3 January 1984, eight months after the death of Eric, who collapsed after a charity show in May 1983 and died with the audience’s applause still ringing in his ears.
The two comedians play themselves but become embroiled in a murder mystery in the 1940s.
The two down-on-their-luck music hall entertainers accompany Eric’s niece Kathy Chalmers (Lysette Anthony) on an overnight train to Scotland for the reading of the will of a recently deceased relative at a large, isolated house called Austin Hall, where Kathy and a number of family members stand to inherit a portion of a £10 million estate.
But a mysterious masked killer is at large, bumping off the family members one at a time, seemingly intent on becoming the sole remaining heir.
The supporting cast includes Fulton Mackay, Kenneth Haigh and Pamela Salem. Location shooting took place at Albury Park Mansion, Albury, near Guildford, Surrey.
Joe McGrath wrote the script with Eric and Ernie and also produced and directed the 90-minute film, shot entirely on videotape.
Eric Morecambe
Himself
Ernie Wise
Himself
Dame Flora
Margaret Courtenay
Cousin Milton/Cousin Homer
Kenneth Haigh
Mackay
Fulton Mackay
Cousin Zelda
Pamela Salem
Uncle Felix
Richard Vernon
Kathy Chalmers
Lysette Anthony
Chief Supt. Rivers
Roger Brierley
Knife Thrower
Edward Judd
Great Uncle Robert (voice)
Leonard Maguire
Theatre Manager
Ben Aris
Joe
Tony Boncza
Stage Manager
Frank Coda
Big Jim
Big Mike Crane
Vicar
Robert Longden
Mrs Manzini
Penny Meredith
Tiny Big Jim
Tim Stern
Director
Joe McGrath