Miss Marple

1 9 8 4 – 1 9 9 2 (UK)
16 x 50 minute episodes
3 x 110 minute episodes
1 x 100 minute episode
1 x 115 minute episode

The late Joan Hickson was perfectly cast when, at age 78, she took on the role of Miss Jane Marple for the BBC.

Physically, she brilliantly embodied the shrewd, sharp-eyed, owlish spinster from the village of St Mary Mead, while also conveying her intuitive acumen and razor-sharp mind as she used her intuition and knowledge of human nature to solve crimes

The handsomely mounted, leisurely paced productions closely followed Agatha Christie’s books, spreading the stories across several episodes. Although Christie’s stories were published over 40 years, the series relocated them all to the late 1940s/early 50s, when Britain was finally getting over the years of post-war austerity.

Although inherently conservative, the twelve novels were intelligently adapted so as to appeal to a broad audience, while remaining essentially true to Christie’s original intentions.

The ever-grumpy Detective Inspector (later Superintendent) Slack (David Horovitch) appeared in several episodes and Marple’s nephew, Inspector Craddock (John Castle), would appear in later stories.

Guest stars included Joan Sims as a meek lesbian, Joan Greenwood as a gossiping old acquaintance of Miss Marple’s, Valentine Dyall, Gordon Rollings, Victor Maddern, Sylvia Syms, Kevin Whately, Liz Crowther, Paul Eddington, Donald Pleasence, Jean Simmons, and Joss Ackland.

The fictional village of St Mary Mead was actually Nether Wallop in Hampshire.

Miss Jane Marple
Joan Hickson
Inspector Slack
David Horovitch
Sergeant Lake
Ian Brimble
Inspector Craddock
John Castle