Out Of The Unknown: To Lay A Ghost (BBC-2 28 Apr 1971, Lesley-Anne Down)

In To Lay A Ghost, a very good episode of scifi anthology series Out of the Unknown model Diana and photographer Eric Carver have been married for three months but have yet to consummate their marriage because Diana was brutally attacked five years previously. The couple move into a beautiful new home in the country and at first all is very idyllic, Diana feels a special affinity towards the house and the renovations they have planned go swimmingly. However when photographs taken by Eric show a strange man in the background (who definitely wasn’t in the original shot) and he is then almost killed by a falling statue he decides to call in paranormal expert and psychologist Dr Walter Phillimore.

Dr Phillimore discovers that Diana is very probably psychic and acting as a channel for the ghost of a murderer that is haunting the house.

A very spooky atmosphere hangs over the whole thing and Michael J. Bird’s script keeps the pace quick. Lesley Anne Down looks gorgeous throughout though as she was wont to do in the early seventies. Some very groovy music on the soundtrack too!!

production details
UK / BBC Two / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 28 April 1971

Writer: Michael J. Bird / Script Editor: Roger Parkes / Costumes: Rita Reekie / Production Design: Fanny Taylor / Producer: Alan Bromly / Director: Ken Hannam

Series: Out of the Unknown / Season 4 Episode 2

cast
IAIN GREGORY as Eric Carver
LESLEY-ANNE DOWN as Diana Carver
PETER BARKWORTH as Dr Walter Phillimore
GEOFFREY RUSSELL as Police Inspector
CLIFFORD COX as Ewan Mackenzie
WALTER RANDALL as Thomas Hobbs