"My Partner the Ghost" (1969) "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)" (original title), TV series 1969-1971

Creator:

Dennis Spooner
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery

Plot:

Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk are private detectives who specialize in divorce cases. Their long-running...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Detective | Supernatural | 1960s

Cast

Mike Pratt	...	Jeff Randall (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Kenneth Cope	...	Marty Hopkirk (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Annette Andre	...	Jeannie Hopkirk (25 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Directed by
Jeremy Summers		(7 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ray Austin		(6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Cyril Frankel		(6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Leslie Norman		(3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Roy Ward Baker		(2 episodes, 1969)

Series Writing credits
Dennis Spooner		(26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Donald James		(11 episodes, 1969-1970)
Tony Williamson		(9 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ralph Smart		(2 episodes, 1969)
Gerald Kelsey		(2 episodes, 1970)

Series Produced by
Monty Berman	....	producer (26 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Original Music by
Edwin Astley		(16 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Cinematography by
Brian Elvin		(14 episodes, 1969-1970)
Gerald Moss		(7 episodes, 1969-1970)
Frank Watts		(4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Eric Coop		(2 episodes, 1969)

Series Film Editing by
Jack T. Knight		(6 episodes, 1969-1970)
John Ireland		(5 episodes, 1969-1970)
Harry Ledger		(5 episodes, 1969-1970)
Lee Doig		(3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Rod Nelson-Keys		(3 episodes, 1969)
Stephen Cross		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Casting by
John Owen		(25 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Art Direction by
Charles Bishop		(26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Robert Cartwright		(5 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Makeup Department
Elizabeth Romanoff	....	makeup artist (19 episodes, 1969-1970)
Jeanette Freeman	....	hairdresser (14 episodes, 1969-1970)
Gerry Fletcher	....	makeup supervisor (8 episodes, 1969-1970)
Janet Wadeson	....	hairdresser (6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Henry Montsash	....	hairdresser (3 episodes, 1969)
Ramon Gow	....	hairdresser (2 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Production Management
Ronald Liles	....	production supervisor (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Malcolm Christopher	....	production manager (15 episodes, 1969-1970)
Jack Morrison	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ernest Morris	....	production manager (5 episodes, 1969-1970)
Philip Aizlewood	....	post-production supervisor (2 episodes, 1969)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Lowin	....	second unit director (23 episodes, 1969-1970)
Michael Meighan	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ken Baker	....	assistant director (6 episodes, 1969-1970)
Gino Marotta	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Art Department
Peter Dunlop	....	production buyer (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Bill Greene	....	construction manager (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
A.J. Van Montagu	....	scenic artist (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Sue Long	....	set dresser (16 episodes, 1969-1970)
Roger Christian	....	set dresser (8 episodes, 1969-1970)
Cliff Robinson	....	set dresser / associate art director (3 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Sound Department
Denis Porter	....	sound recordist (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Guy Ambler	....	sound editor (18 episodes, 1969-1970)
Bill Rowe	....	sound recordist (10 episodes, 1969-1970)
Dennis Whitlock	....	sound recordist (8 episodes, 1969-1970)
David Stephenson	....	boom operator (7 episodes, 1970)
Len Abbott	....	sound recordist (5 episodes, 1969-1970)
Peter Lennard	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Len Shilton	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Rydal Love	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1969)

Series Stunts
Harry Fielder	....	stunt double: Mike Pratt (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Frank Maher	....	stunt coordinator (25 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Lemming	....	camera operator (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Val Stewart	....	camera operator (18 episodes, 1969-1970)
Gerald Moss	....	camera operator: second unit / photography: second unit (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Brian Elvin	....	camera operator: second unit / photography: second unit (6 episodes, 1969-1970)
David Harcourt	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Stephen Dade	....	camera operator: second unit (2 episodes, 1969)
Harry Gillam	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1969)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Nightingale	....	costume supervisor / wardrobe supervisor (26 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Editorial Department
Philip Aizlewood	....	post-production / post production (21 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Music Department
Edwin Astley	....	musical director (24 episodes, 1969-1970)
Alan Willis	....	music editor (22 episodes, 1969-1970)
Deveril Goodman	....	music editor (4 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Other crew
Dennis Spooner	....	executive story consultant (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Cyril Frankel	....	creative consultant (25 episodes, 1969-1970)
Sally Ball	....	continuity (21 episodes, 1969-1970)
Elizabeth Wilcox	....	continuity (3 episodes, 1969-1970)

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Distributors

• Eesti Televisioon (ETV) (1998) (Estonia) (TV)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chambers & Partners  titles (as Chambers + Partners)
• Cinesound Effects Library Ltd.  sound effects (as Cinesound)

Also Known As:

"Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)" - UK (original title)

Runtime:

60 min (26 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

The white car driven by Mike Pratt was a "Vauxhall Victor FD". This was more or less unique to the Randall and Hopkirk show, but is commonly mistaken for the "Vauxhall Ventora" used in the Department S show and had a similar but different registration. The Vauxhall Ventora has a six cylinder engine, therefore a different sound and has a slightly different grill and lights arrangement at both front and rear, compared to the Victor.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In most of the shows with stunt and fight scenes, the stunt doubles are obvious to spot and never resemble the people they're doubling.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Shameless: Episode #1.7" (2004)

Classic fantasy 60's show

As a child of the 60's and 70's, I was a complete sucker for all the ABC fantasy / thriller programmes which were so much in abundance at the time. I guess it started with "The Avengers" and "The Saint", continued with "The Baron", "Man in a Suitcase" and "The Prisoner" but for me it really kicked in with the more "out-there" shows - "Department S", "The Champions" and of course this, the great "Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)". I remember having to watch it on re-runs very late at night but always thrilling to the outlandish mis-en-scene, and slightly tongue-in-cheek lead acting of hangdog Jeff Pratt and chirpy Kenneth Cope. Each episode was not unnaturally a variation on a theme, with down on his luck private eye Randall invariably taking on a case which got him into hot water and required the assistance of his partner the ghost. The plotting was always inventive, the acting engaging and looking back now of course you get the extra benefit of seeing vintage exteriors, cars and fashions - and yes, Annette Andre was a visual delight to my 10 year-old eyes. I'm so pleased to own this and many of the other series mentioned above. Haven't got round to watching them all yet (the curse of the DVD boxed set!) but as I write this, somewhere there's a voice coming through the ether saying "Only you, Jeff, only you" and I know that I will sit down one day in my dotage and view them all wall-to-wall and I know I'll forgive the continuity errors, low-budget sets and corny special effects as I happily regress again to age 10.