Edgar Wallace Mysteries: A Game For Three Losers (Merton Park 1965, Michael Gough, Mark Eden)

In A Game For Three Losers, a superior late entry Edgar Wallace Mystery, rising businessman/politician Robert Hilary takes on pretty new secretary Frances Challinor. Although married with children Hilary is attracted to Frances and is probably a little too familiar with her – taking her out to dinner and even sharing a kiss with her.

What Hilary doesn’t know is that Frances is working with her lover Oliver Marchant to put Hilary in a position where he can be blackmailed, claiming that Hilary sexually assaulted Frances.

Knowing that his marriage and political career are on the line Hilary decides to hand over one hundred pounds – but soon realises that the blackmail won’t stop there. He goes to the police and Frances and Oliver are arrested. The pair plead not guilty to all charges leading to a potentially damaging court case for Hilary.

A cracking script from the always excellent Roger Marshall, the first half sets the scene nicely whilst the second focuses on the court case and the fall out for Hilary.

Despite the male sounding name Toby Robins, who played Frances, was a Canadian character player, with plenty of guest appearances in English TV shows of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Colin Douglas, who plays the cop Manton, was best known for playing the patriarch Edwin Ashton in early seventies ITV drama A Family at War.

production details
UK / Merton Park / 1×60 minutes / 1965

Writer: Roger Marshall / Producer: Jack Greenwood / Director: Gerry O’Hara

cast
Michael Gough as Robert Hilary
Mark Eden as Oliver
Toby Robins as Frances
Rachel Gurney as Adele
Allan Cuthbertson as Garsden
Al Mulock as Nick
Roger Hammond as Peter
Coin Douglas as Superintendent Manton
Toni Palmer as Jackie
Lockwood West as Justice Tree
Mark Dignam as Attorney General
Catherine Willmer as Miss Stewart
Frank Forsyth as Jimmy
David Lander as Burton
David Browning as Casey
Leslie Sarony as Harley
Kenneth Benda as Bryce
Anne Pichon as Miss Fawcett
Peter Bennett as Watkins