This spoof of the Sherlock Holmes stories finds Inspector Winship and Dr. Tart investigating a strange death in a possibly haunted mansion, while dealing with the beautiful heiress and the ...
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Title: The Private Eyes (1980)
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Tim Conway | ... | Dr. Tart | |
| Don Knotts | ... | Inspector Winship | |
| Trisha Noble | ... | Mistress Phyllis Morley | |
| Bernard Fox | ... | Justin | |
| Grace Zabriskie | ... | Nanny | |
| John Fujioka | ... | Mr. Uwatsum | |
 |
Stan Ross | ... | Tibet |
| Irwin Keyes | ... | Jock | |
| Suzy Mandel | ... | Hilda | |
| Fred Stuthman | ... | Lord Morley | |
|
|
Mary Nell Santacroce | ... | Lady Morley |
| Robert V. Barron | ... | Gas Station Attendant | |
| Patrick Cranshaw | ... | Roy | |
| Russi Taylor | ... | Doll Voice (voice) | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
This spoof of the Sherlock Holmes stories finds Inspector Winship and Dr. Tart investigating a strange death in a possibly haunted mansion, while dealing with the beautiful heiress and the crazed staff which live therein. Written by Afterburner <aburner@erols.com>
Taglines:
Who better to solve England's most puzzling mystery than these two international crime busters? See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
17 April 1980 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Detectives casi privados See more »Filming Locations:
Biltmore Estate - 1 Approach Road, Asheville, North Carolina, USAEdit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$18,014,000Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (Laserdisc) | (TV)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Inspector Winship: No I don't want another glass of pus!
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film was among a number of pictures, mostly comedies, made and released between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s, that revived the old dark house / mansion movie. These films include: The Spiral Staircase (1975), Neil Simon's Murder by Death (1976), The Cat and the Canary (1978), The Private Eyes (1980), House of the Long Shadows (1983), Kenny Everett's Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), Clue (1985), and Haunted Honeymoon (1986). See more »Goofs
When Winship and Tart pull up to the gas station they notice how expensive gas is - "10 cents a gallon" - but they are in England where they don't use dollars, or cents. See more »Quotes
Dr. Tart: You want another glass of pus?Inspector Winship: No I don't want another glass of pus!
See more »
Crazy Credits
During the main title sequence, the cartoon version of Inspector Winship (the Don Knotts character) is blowing on a tuba when the music credit comes up. The director of photography's name appears when two flashlight beams cross. See more »Alternate Versions
The television version which first aired in the early '80s included an extra scene, set in the dining room of Morley Manor. Inspector Winship and Dr. Tart switch identities trying to fool Mistress Phyllis and her staff. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Any movie that features Don Knotts as a brilliant detective and Tim Conway as his faithful assistant certainly has courage going for it.
But "Private Eyes" is better than you might expect; the setting (Biltmore Castle) is beautiful, the supporting cast (Fox in particular) is hilarious and a lot, if not all, of the gags are priceless.
Then again, what would you expect from Knotts' above-it-all air of pseudo-intelligence and Conway's endless pratfalls and an overcoat full of pigeons (don't ask)? They're two of the old-school comedians who know what's funny and never try to go further than the jokes will go.
"Private Eyes" works because Knotts and Conway are, more or less, just being themselves. Definitely a film worth seeking out.
You'll laugh. Trust me.
Seven stars. And don't drink the ink.