The Classic Murder (6 Dec. 1992)

The father of Jessica's editor disappears with $150 million.

Director:

Vincent McEveety

Writers:

Peter S. Fischer (creator), Richard Levinson (creator),

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, John D'Aquino, Michael E. Knight

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
John D'Aquino	...	Sgt. Tom Jarrow (as John Di Aquino)
Michael E. Knight	...	B.J. Wilson (as Michael Knight)
Louise Latham	...	Mrs. Oates
Natalija Nogulich	...	Marika Valenti (as Natalia Nogulich)
John Rubinstein	...	George Foster
Rita Taggart	...	Janine Foster
Wayne Tippit	...	Buck Wilson
Jessica Tuck	...	Sally Wilson
Stephen Liska	...	Carl Graham
Charles Hoyes	...	Phil
Julian Barnes	...	Inspector Moss
Lisa Melilli	...	Molly, the Waitress
Anthony S. Johnson	...	Deputy

Storyline

Jessica visits her editor Sally on the estate of her widowed dad,tycoon Buck Wilson, His son B.J. Wilson tells Buck's brother-in-law and firm lieutenant George Foster he's on the track of a $150,000 embezzlement. After a mystery affair Buck goes missing. A cop who had befriended the tycoon's children in their youth, Sergeant Tom Jarrow, investigates. Theatrical medium Marika Valenti claims, in a séance, to see Buck's corpse, but her corpse is found in a nearby cistern. Ex-con live-in driver Carl Graham is arrested. Jessica's research helps find Buck's corpse and solve all three crimes.

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Plot Keywords:

embezzlement | towel | handcuffs | in laws | kissing | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 December 1992 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 29, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Corymore Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Oil's Quiet on the Vintage Automobile Running Board (but Not the Corporate Board).

Billionaire Tulsa oil tycoon Buck Wilson (Wayne Tippit) has diversified his corporate holdings to venture into outlets such as Buck's Buckaroo Restaurant, in New York City, to feature everything from line dancing to fortune telling.

Buck's mansion outside of town provides residence to the family away from their positions in the city.

Most of the action in this episode centers around the posh living quarters of Buck, his sister, Janine Foster (Rita Taggart); Janine's husband and Buck's business partner, George Foster (John Rubinstein), Buck's son and protégé, B.J. Wilson (Michael E. Knight); Buck's daughter, a book editor, Sally Wilson (Jessica Tuck); plus the family's domestic staff, Housekeeper Mrs. Oates (Louise Latham), and Chauffeur Carl Graham (Stephen Liska).

Her position as editor finds Sally's working directly with author Jessica "J.B." Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), during their times together in New York City, where she prefers to work out of Jessica's apartment rather than in Sally's office.

When Sally invites Jessica to the opening of Buck's Buckaroo Restaurant, they meet the relatives, as well as fortune teller Marika Valenti (Natalia Nogulich), who provides lounge entertainment.

But the next morning at Jessica's apartment, Sally receives notification that a family member is missing, so Sally invites Jessica to the mansion, to which Marika Valenti is also summoned to provide psychic assistance, to Sally's disapproval.

B.J.'s old friend, now Police Sergeant Tom Jarrow (John D'Aquino), also arrives to investigate, to receive Sally's mixed feelings, while Jessica, Marika and Tom join forces to search the property with remaining family members and staff on hand.

Sergeant Tom Jarrow may well stand in contention for the record as the most polite and soft-spoken law enforcement officer of the twelve seasons of "Murder, She Wrote," with his efficient professionalism and caring manners even though he remains true to form to the lion's share of "MSW" officers' practice of jumping to the wrong conclusion, and focusing upon an innocent suspect, when it is discovered that $150 million has been embezzled from the family corporation, and Jessica begins to discover bodies around the premises.

One body surfaces beneath a dry cistern, as predicted by Marika, and another turns up in the rear seat of a vintage automobile, hence this episode title "The Classic Murder."

The cast is rounded out by Deputy (Anthony S. Johnson); Molly, the Waitress at Buck's Buckaroo (Lisa Melilli); Scotland Yard Inspector Moss (Julian Barnes); and Phil, the Shipping Clerk (Charles Hoyes).