Thriller: A Coffin For The Bride (ITV 1974, Helen Mirren, Michael Jayston)

In A Coffin For The Bride dashing Mark Walker is a major hit with women of a certain age, he likes to marry them and then,once they have left him all their money, kill them.

Finding himself footloose and fancy free following the death of his latest wife he is keen to make a good impression on the loud Stella, she is another wealthy widow and Mark thinks she would be perfect as his next victim. Then the beautiful Angela arrives on the scene and Mark falls for her in a big way…

One of the best loved of all Thriller episodes A Coffin For The Bride hangs on the fabulous performance by Helen Mirren in the central role and a very neat twist in the tale ending that as always, in best Thriller style, turns everything around.

Clemens claims the story was inspired by killer George Joseph Smith who was known as the Brides in the Bath murderer, in 1915 he was charged with three counts of murder. Michael Jayston (who had already appeared in the series) has the most outrageous fake beard at the beginning of the episode too!

production details
UK / ITV Network – ATV – ITC / 1×75 minute episode / Broadcast 1 June 1974

Writer: Brian Clemens / Production Design: Ken Wheatley / Director: John Sichel

Series: Thriller / Season Three Episode One

cast
MICHAEL JAYSTON as Mark Walker
HELEN MIRREN as Angela
MICHAEL GWYNN as Oliver Mason
RICHARD COLEMAN as Weston
MARGARET COURTENAY as Claire
JOSEPHINE TEWSON as Yvonne
ARTHUR ENGLISH as Freddy
TONY STEEDMAN as Detective Quilly
MARCIA FOX as Connie
HUGH MORTON as Judge
RICHARD HAMPTON as Sergeant Miles
JEFFREY TAYLOR as Warder
PETER MacKRIEL as Porter
MARK RODBERT as Young Lad