The Taxman Cometh (17 Feb. 1991)

An IRS-plagued women may have killed her informer husband.

Director:

Anthony Pullen Shaw

Writers:

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

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, Robin Dearden, Gregg Henry

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Robin Dearden	...	Gail Manning
Gregg Henry	...	Richard Wellstood
Macon McCalman	...	Nolan Hayes
Kent McCord	...	George Harris
Phyllis Newman	...	Edna Hayes
Roy Thinnes	...	J. K. Davern
Fred Willard	...	Lt. Phillips
Max Wright	...	Gerald Yelverton
Joan Crosby	...	Maid
Dominic Oliver	...	Pizza Man
Greg Allan Martin	...	Officer #1
Annie O'Donnell	...	Mrs. Leeman (as Annie O' Donnell)
Larry Eisenberg	...	Clerk
John Christopher	...	Officer #2

Storyline

Jessica's college dorm friend, Edna Hayes, asks for her help when the firm (Aunt Edna's Pies) that she founded in Missouri and her ex Nolan are pressured by IRS St. Louis director Gerald Yelverton. After Nolan is found murdered, actually later moved, Edna is arrested, but Jessica convinces police lieutenant Philips to let her go and gets to the bottom of the embezzlement which like the murder is traced to an elusive employee, or is that a phantom?

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Plot Keywords:

embezzlement

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1991 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References The Iceman Cometh (1973)

User Reviews

Tracking Down Facts, Figures, Witnesses and the Bodies

Aunt Edna's Baked Goods founder and President Edna Hayes (Phyllis Newman) faces multiple difficulties around her multi-million dollar company's headquarters, in Joneburg, Missouri Corportate Accounting Supervisor Gail Manning (Robin Dearden) informs Edna that Plant renovation loan payments are coming due.

Sales and Marketing Director George Harris (Kent McCord) informs Edna that Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Auditor Gerald Yelverton (Max Wright) claims that Aunt Edna's Baked Goods owes the government a two-million dollar payment for unpaid payroll withholding taxes for its 15,000 employees across the nation.

Vice-President J.K. Davern (Roy Thinnes) and Richard Wellstood (Gregg Henry) report that St. Louis-based tax accountant Spencer Prince, who is sometimes seen leaving the offices, may have been embezzling funds.

Edna's ex-husband, Nolan Hayes (Macon McCalman), reports to her that the IRS claims that he owes back taxes upon his $300,000 share of their divorce settlement even though he had received $100,000, and had remitted his share of tax payments.

And so, when her old college chum Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) flies into Jonesburg to pay a visit, Edna welcomes the distraction with open arms, at least until the plot thickens with murder to follow not far behind.

Lieutenant Phillips (Fred Willard) is summoned to investigate the homicide, interrogating Edna, while Tax Auditor Gerald Yelverton, in turn, questions him, with Jessica obtaining the idea to enlist Gerald Yelverton's resources to investigate the mysterious Spencer Prince.

Spencer's Maid (Joan Crosby), Mrs. Leeman (Annie O'Donnell), Pizza Shoppe Owner (Dominic Oliver), Officer #1 (Greg Allan Martin), Officer #2 (John Christopher) and a Clerk (Larry Eisenberg) round out the cast of this mystery.

But before Edna is able to prove the innocence on all counts, which she steadfastly upholds, while Jessica embarks upon her search to find and to question prospective witnesses, Edna and Jessica witness a second murder after "The Taxman Cometh" to town.

Extra points afforded for the performances of Phyllis Newman's maintaining integrity and Roy Thinnes's exercising decorum.