The Silent Speaker: Part 1 (14 Jul. 2002)

In post-War America, where shortages are common, the Bureau of Price Regulations is a very controversial organization, and when its leader is murdered, Wolfe takes the case.

Director:

Michael Jaffe

Writers:

Michael Jaffe (teleplay), Rex Stout (novel)

Stars:

Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, Debra Monk

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Hutton	...	Archie Goodwin
Maury Chaykin	...	Nero Wolfe
Debra Monk	...	Mrs. Boone
Colin Fox	...	Fritz Brenner
Bill Smitrovich	...	Inspector Cramer
Cynthia Watros	...	Phoebe Gunther
Joe Flaherty	...	Dr. Vollmer
George Plimpton	...	Winterhoff
James Tolkan	...	FBI Agent Richard Wragg
Conrad Dunn	...	Saul Panzer
Fulvio Cecere	...	Fred Durkin
David Schurmann	...	Frank Erskine Sr.
Christine Brubaker	...	Hattie Harding
Bill MacDonald	...	Breslow
Matthew Edison	...	Ed Erskine Jr.

Storyline

In 1946 post-War America, shortages and price controls are in the hands of the the controversial Bureau of Price Regulations (BPR). The organization is very much at odds with the National Industrial Association (NIA), which opposes its policies. When Cheney Boone, the leader of the BPR, is bludgeoned to death by a monkey wrench just prior to a speech addressing the organizations, NIA members are suspected. A broke and nearly bankrupt Wolfe is forced to take the case out of financial necessity, so he feigns a mental breakdown in order to but himself the time that he needs. After Boone's secretary, Phoebe Gunther, is also murdered, Wolfe is convinced that a stolen Dictaphone cylinder holds the key to solving the homicides.

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Plot Keywords:

mental breakdown | price controls | secretary | dictaphone | monkey wrench | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Action

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2002 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E Television Networks, Fremantle Media, Jaffe/Braunstein Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "Stenophone" device was "played by" a pre-WWII Dictaphone machine and the "Stenophone" cylinders seen were actual pre-WWII Dictaphone wax cylinders. All Dictaphones manufactured after WWII used acetate (and later Mylar) "Dictabelts" instead of wax cylinders.

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Quotes

Phoebe Gunther: I have nothing to lie about.
Nero Wolfe: Phooey! Everybody has something to lie about!

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Soundtracks

"Piano at Midnight"
(uncredited)
Written by Dick Walter
KPM 443:36
A pianist plays while Archie and Nina Boone have lunch

User Reviews

i love them all.. but help!

i love the nero wolfe TV series! i really do! yet i cannot seem to be able to get hold of any dvds that will play in the UK. its sooo frustrating, and im desperate! i cant afford a multi regional DVD player, so does anyone think they can help?!

on the upside, the films themselves are absolutely outstanding. I've heard criticisms, because the same cast is used for various shows, but I think this only goes further to show the capabilities of the cast. Maury Chaykin, Timothy Hutton, Colin Fox (who is actually British, would you believe?) and the crew playing Saul, Fred and Orrie are also on top form throughout the series.

It is this reason more than any other that I need to get hold of these films/shows! I've spent years trying to find them, and shockingly, no-one in the UK stocked them for UK DVD players.

In conclusion, a must watch series or two, with not one flaw, and truly a model on which book-to-TV transitions should take place.