CAST
TONY CURTIS
(DANNY WILDE)TONY CURTIS
(AUNT SOPHIE)
ROGER MOORE
(LORD BRETT SINCLAIR)ROGER MOORE
(THE GENERAL)
ROGER MOORE
(THE ADMIRAL)ROGER MOORE
(AUNT AGATHA)
Diane Cilento
(Kate)Denholm Elliot
(Roland)Roland Culver
(the Duke
of Caith)William Rushton
(Lance)
Moultrie Kelsall
(Sir Angus)Christopher Sandford
(Onslow)Ivor Dean
(Mr Beebe)
ORIGINAL AIR DATE 4th FEBRUARY 1972
A sharp decrease in the number of surviving members of the Sinclair clan indicates that someone is very anxious for the Sinclairs to join their ancestors!
The Sinclair clan is shrinking fast, much to the discomfort of Lord Brett Sinclair, who becomes acutely aware that it may be his turn soon.
Sir Randolph Sinclair Strathers is the first. A crotchety old war-horse, he is blown to smithereens by a toy tank and buried in the family crypt. After the funeral, Danny Wilde is introduced to Brett's stunningly beautiful cousin Kate, who shows an unabashed interest in him. Kate writes detective stories and is convinced that Sir Randolph has been murdered. Why? Well, if a distant relative kills everybody between him and the Dukedom, he will finally inherit all the lands and fortunes. But there are quite a number who would have to be killed - It's a large family! Present head of the line is the incredibly ancient Duke of Caith.
Among those in danger are Admiral Horatio Sinclair Hawkins; Roland Sinclair Timberly, recently returned from Australia and an expert on primitive weapons; Lance Sinclair Boswell, overweight family epicure who seems far more likely to drink himself to death than be murdered; the Hon. Onslow Sinclair Lumsden, the impoverished pop-singing member of the clan; Sir Angus, a typical Scottish laird with a partiality for the bagpipes; and, of course, Brett and the Duke. Also on the scene appears Lady Agatha.
And one by one they do die, despite defence plans devised by Kate and Danny.... and all very aptly. The Admiral is drowned in a pond, Lance in a vat of his home-made win. Onslow is electrocuted when his electric guitar is tampered with. Roland is apparently killed by a poisoned dart. Sir Angus, happily playing his bagpipes, is crushed by his castle gate.
An attempt to blow up Brett is averted by Danny. But why should the undertaker, Mr. Beebe be murdered and placed in one of the coffins? This leads to the discovery that one of the "dead men" is not dead after all, but things look pretty sticky for Danny and Kate when they find themselves locked up in the crypt, which is time-deviced to be blown up at any moment, leaving Brett to go to the rescue. The developments are astonishing....
Brett Sinclair |
the General |
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Tony Curtis plays 2 characters in this episode
Danny Wilde |
Aunt Sophie |
Aunt Sophie is referred to, by Brett, as 'Mrs Schwartz' - Tony Curtis' real surname
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Ivor Dean who plays the undertaker, Mr Beebe is otherwise familiar as Simon Templar's sometimes antagonist, Chief Inspector Claude Teal, in The Saint |
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Roland Culver (1900-1984) - (the Duke of Caith) has appe ared in, amongst numerous other roles, the James Bond film Thunderball submitted by Christopher Survela |
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Diane Cilento who played Kate, was once married to Sean Connery and is the mother of Jason. When Danny takes Kate to dinner he asks her which car they should take. She says hers because, "...mine has an ejector seat." Given her link to 007, this is likely an in-gag |
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Denholm Elliott (Roland) [1922-1992] achieved minor cult recognition in playing Professor Marcus Brody in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with Harrison Ford submitted by Christopher Survela |
