Played by Ian Carmichael, gentleman amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey investigates murder in the 1920’s aided and abetted by his faithful manservant Bunter and with a police contact in the shape of Mark Eden’s DCI Charles Parker, Wimsey uses his upper class foolery to get one over on those he is investigating who always underestimate him.
The character of Wimsey was created by golden age of detective fiction author Dorothy L. Sayers and rather than a continuing series this is really a collection of individual serials. Each running between 4 and 5 episodes.
Guest stars were generally high quality and included the likes of David Langton, George Coulouris, Clifford Rose, Terence Alexander, Brian Murphy, Christopher Timothy, Paul Darrow, Spencer Banks, Peter Bowles and John Duttine to name a few.
Regular viewers may have perturbed to find that Bunter was played by Glyn Houston in the first serial, Derek Newark in the second, by no one in the third and then back to Houston for the final two stories.
production details
UK / BBC One / 21×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 5 April 1972 – 18 August 1975
Producers: Richard Beynon, Bill Sellars / Characters: Dorothy L. Sayers / Theme Music: Herbert Chappell
cast
Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter Wimsey
Glyn Houston as Bunter (Stories 1,4,5)
Derek Newark as Bunter (Story 2)
Mark Eden as Inspector Charles Parker
THE STORIES
1. CLOUDS OF WITNESS (5 April – 3 May 1972 / 5 part story)
2. THE UNPLEASANTNESS AT THE BELLONA CLUB (1-22 Feb 1973 / 4 part story)
3. MURDER MUST ADVERTISE (30 Nov – 12 Dec 1973 / 4 part story)
4. THE NINE TAILORS (22 Apr – 13 May 1974 / 4 part story)
5. FIVE RED HERRINGS ( 23 Jul – 13 Aug 1975 / 4 part story)
