Tales Of The Unexpected (ITV 1979-1988)

An anthology series of short dramas with a sting in the tail. Originally called Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected, Dahl introduced some of the early episodes.

The shows featured a veritable who’s who of top flight acting talent – everyone from Pamela Stephenson, Susan George, Wendy Hiller, Joseph Cotton, Julie Harris, Derek Jacobi, Joan Collins, Rod Taylor, Ron Moody, Elaine Stritch, John Mills, Alfred Burke, Denholm Elliott, Anthony Valentine, Richard Johnson, Colin Blakely, Anthony Quayle and Harry Andrews to name just a few.

production details
UK / ITV – Anglia / 72×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 24 March 1979 – 13 May 1988

Creator: Roald Dahl / Music: Ron Grainer / Executive Producer: John Woolf / Producer: John Rosenberg

THE EPISODES
SEASON ONE 24 March – 19 May 1979
1. MAN FROM THE SOUTH (24 Mar 79)
2. MRS BIXBY AND THE COLONEL’S COAT (31 Mar 79)
3. WILLIAM AND MARY (7 Apr 79)
4. LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER (14 Apr 79)
5. THE LANDLADY (21 Apr 790
6. NECK (28 Apr 79)
7. EDWARD THE CONQUEROR (5 May 79)
8. A DIP IN THE POOL (12 May 79)
9. THE WAY UP TO HEAVEN (19 May 79) Roald Dahl introduced many of the early episodes from his fireside.

SEASON TWO 1 March – 14 June 1980
1. ROYAL JELLY (1 Mar 80)
2. SKIN (8 Mar 80)
3. GALLOPING FOXLEY (15 Mar 80)
4. THE HITCH-HIKER (22 Mar 80)
5. POISON (29 Mar 80)
6. FAT CHANCE (6 Apr 80)
7. TASTE (12 Apr 80)
8. MY LADY LOVE, MY DOVE (19 Apr 80)
9. GEORGY PORGY (26 Apr 80)
10. DEPART IN PEACE (3 May 80)
11. THE UMBRELLA MAN (10 May 80)
12. GENESIS AND CATASTROPHE (17 May 80)
13. MR BOTIBOL’S FIRST LOVE (24 May 80)
14. BACK FOR CHRISTMAS (31 May 80)
15. THE ORDERLY WORLD OF MR APPLEBY (7 Jun 80)
16. THE MAN AT THE TOP (14 Jun 80)

SEASON THREE 9 August – 19 December 1980
1. THE FLYPAPER (9 Aug 80)
2. A PICTURE OF A PLACE (16 Aug 80)
3. PROOF OF GUILT (23 Aug 80)
4. VENGEANCE IS MINE, INC (30 Aug 80)
5. A GIRL CAN’T ALWAYS HAVE EVERYTHING 9 Nov 80)
6. PARSON’S PLEASURE (30 Nov 80)
7. THE STINKER (7 Dec 80)
8. I’LL BE SEEING YOU (14 Dec 80)
9. THE PARTY (19 Dec 80)

SEASON FOUR 29 March – 26 July 1981 and 26 December 1981
1. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT (29 Mar 81)
2. VICIOUS CIRCLE (5 Apr 81)
3. THE BOY WHO TALKED WITH ANIMALS (19 Apr 81)
4. THE BEST OF EVERYTHING (26 Apr 81)
5. A WOMAN’S HELP (3 May 81)
6. SHATTERPROOF (10 May 81)
7. THE SOUND MACHINE (17 May 81)
8. NEVER SPEAK ILL OF THE DEAD (24 May 81)
9. THE BEST POLICY (31 May 81)
10. THE LAST BOTTLE IN THE WORLD (7 Jun 81)
11. KINDLY DIG YOUR GRAVE (14 Jun 81)
12. COMPLETELY FOOLPROOF (21 Jun 81)
13. THERE’S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE (5 Jul 81)
14. BOSOM FRIENDS (12 Jul 81)
15. A GLOWING FUTURE (19 Jul 81)
16. THE WAY TO DO IT (26 Jul 81)
17. HIJACK (26 Dec 81)

SEASON FIVE 25 April – 6 June 1982
1. BLUE MARIGOLD (25 Apr 82)
2. THE EAVESDROPPER (2 May 82)
3. OPERATION SAFECRACK (9 May 82)
4. RUN, RABBIT, RUN (16 May 82)
5. STRANGER IN TOWN (23 May 82)
6. THE MOLES (6 June 82)

SEASON SIX 21 August 1982 – 2 January 1983
1. DECOY (21 Aug 82)
2. PATTERN OF GUILT (5 Sep 82)
3. A HARMLESS VANITY (12 Sep 82)
4. DEATH CAN ADD (19 Sep 82)
5. LIGHT FINGERS (17 Oct 82)
6. DEATH IN THE MORNING (31 Oct 82)
7. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY? (14 Nov 82)
8. THE ABSENCE OF EMILY (21 Nov 82)
9. IN THE BAG (28 Nov 82)
10. A MAN WITH A FORTUNE (5 Dec 82)
11. WHO’S GOT THE LADY (12 Dec 82)
12. THE SKELETON KEY (2 Jan 83

SEASON SEVEN 9 April – 16 July 1983 and 3 September 1983
1. A PASSING OPPORTUNITY (9 Apr 83)
2. THE MEMORY MAN (16 Apr 83)
3. A SAD LOSS (23 Apr 83)
4. CLERICAL ERROR (30 Apr 83)
5. HEIR PRESUMPTUOUS (7 May 83)
6. WHERE’S YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR? (14 May 83)
7. DOWN AMONG THE SHELTERING PALMS (21 May 83)
8. THE VORPAL BLADE (28 May 83)
9. THE WRONG ‘UN (11 Jun 83)
10. THE TRIBUTE (25 Jun 83)
11. YOUTH FROM VIENNA (2 Jul 83)
12. HIT AND RUN (10 Jul 83)
13. THE LUNCHEON (16 Jul 83)
14. TURN OF THE TIDE (3 Sep 83)

SEASON EIGHT 12 May 1984 – 30 March 1985
1. THE DIRTY DETAIL (12 May 84)
2. THE BEST CHESS PLAYER IN THE WORLD (19 May 85)
3. PROXY (26 May 84)
4. HAVE A NICE DEATH (2 Jun 84)
5. NUMBER EIGHT (9 Jun 84)
6. THE LAST OF THE MIDNIGHT GARDNERS (16 Jun 84)
7. THE GIFT OF BEAUTY (30 Jun 84)
8. WET SATURDAY (7 Jul 84)
9. SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE (21 Jul 84)
10. BIRD OF PREY (4 Aug 84)
11. I LIKE IT HERE IN WILMINGTON (11 Aug 84)
12. ACCIDENTAL DEATH (19 Aug 84)
13. THE RECONCILIATION (16 Sep 84)
14. THE OPEN WINDOW (21 Oct 84)
15. PEOPLE DON’T DO SUCH THINGS (30 Mar 85)

SEASON NINE 7 July – 28 July 1985 and 18 December 1986
1. THE MUGGER (7 Jul 85)
2. IN THE CARDS (14 Jul 85)
3. NOTHIN’ SHORT OF HIGHWAY ROBBERY (21 Jul 85)
4. SCRIMSHAW (28 Jul 85)
5. SKELETON IN THE CUPBOARD (18 Dec 86)

SEASON TEN 8 January – 29 January 1988
1. THE COLONEL’S LADY (8 Jan 88)
2. THE SURGEON (15 Jan 88)
3. THE VERGER (22 Jan 88)
4. THE FACTS OF LIFE (29 Jan 88)

SEASON ELEVEN 15 April – 13 May 1988
1. WINK THREE TIMES (15 Apr 88)
2. THE DEAD DON’T STEAL (22 Apr 88)
3. THE FINGER OF SUSPICION (29 Apr 88)
4. A TIME TO DIE (6 May 88)
5. MR KNOW-ALL (13 May 88)