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Murder, She Wrote

The Perfect Foil

  • Episode aired Apr 13, 1986
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 47m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
310
YOUR RATING
S2.E21
  • S2
  • E21
All episodes
All
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Robert Forster, Angela Lansbury, Guerin Barry, Lisa Langlois, Raf Mauro, and Wendy Oates in Murder, She Wrote (1984)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery
In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica is falsely accused of murder.In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica is falsely accused of murder.In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica is falsely accused of murder.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
310
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Walter Grauman
  • Writers
    • Peter S. Fischer
    • Richard Levinson
    • William Link
  • Stars
    • Angela Lansbury
    • Barbara Babcock
    • Peter Bonerz
Top credits
  • Director
    • Walter Grauman
  • Writers
    • Peter S. Fischer
    • Richard Levinson
    • William Link
  • Stars
    • Angela Lansbury
    • Barbara Babcock
    • Peter Bonerz
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Robert Forster and Lisa Langlois in Murder, She Wrote (1984)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Angela Lansbury
    Angela Lansbury
    • Jessica Fletcheras Jessica Fletcher
    Barbara Babcock
    Barbara Babcock
    • Rosaline Gardneras Rosaline Gardner
    Peter Bonerz
    Peter Bonerz
    • Calhoun 'Cal' Fletcheras Calhoun 'Cal' Fletcher
    Cesare Danova
    Cesare Danova
    • Lt. Edmund Cavetteas Lt. Edmund Cavette
    George DiCenzo
    George DiCenzo
    • Johnny Blazeas Johnny Blaze
    • (as George Di Cenzo)
    Robert Forster
    Robert Forster
    • Gilbert Gastonas Gilbert Gaston
    David Hedison
    David Hedison
    • Mitch Payneas Mitch Payne
    Lisa Langlois
    Lisa Langlois
    • Kitty Manetteas Kitty Manette
    Penny Singleton
    Penny Singleton
    • Aunt Mildredas Aunt Mildred
    Granville Van Dusen
    Granville Van Dusen
    • Congressman Brad Gardneras Congressman Brad Gardner
    Morgan Jones
    Morgan Jones
    • Sergeant Baxteras Sergeant Baxter
    Joe Ross
    Joe Ross
    • Desk Clerkas Desk Clerk
    Hank Rolike
    Hank Rolike
    • Taxi Driveras Taxi Driver
    Sherry McFarland
    Sherry McFarland
    • Receptionistas Receptionist
    Raf Mauro
    Raf Mauro
    • Napoleanas Napolean
    • (as Rafael Mauro)
    Wendy Oates
    • Madame Draculaas Madame Dracula
    Guerin Barry
    • Sir Walter Raleighas Sir Walter Raleigh
    Richard Brose
    • Headsmanas Headsman
    • Director
      • Walter Grauman
    • Writers
      • Peter S. Fischer
      • Richard Levinson
      • William Link
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    Jessica goes to New Orleans during Mardi Gras to check on cousin-in-law Calhoun 'Cal' Fletcher as promised to Aunt Mildred. As her hotel was booked for the next night, she goes to Cal's place, but the only man in the Cyrano de Bergerac costume she was told he wears ignores her and storms, with drawn sword, into a room beside the party hall from where a fight is heard, which leaves a real corpse, Johnny Blaze, with Cal written in blood besides him. NOPD Lt. Edmund Cavette concludes from her eye for murder scene details who Jessica is and explains the Lafitte mansion, which Cal inherited, is no home but a gambling place. Cavette arrests Cal, who claims he didn't even know what happened there. Cavette knows he was indebted to Blaze, now Cal admits he recently accused Blaze of cheating. Fellow gambler attorney Mitch Payne promises bail tomorrow and considers pleading self-defense. He got Blaze off a murder charge, he probably committed, on Cavette's son, Eric. Jessica untangles more sordid intrigues concerning such matters as Congressman Brad Gardner's IOU's which his rich wife Rosaline tried to buy back, and Kitty Manette's infidelity, before trapping the killer at a reconstruction. —KGF Vissers
    • mardi gras
    • costume party
    • new orleans louisiana
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
    • Certificate
      • TV-PG
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Final on-screen appearance of Penny Singleton, movies' Blondie and television's Jane Jetson.
    • Goofs
      When Jessica is first talking to her cousin Cal in the police station, Cal doesn't have a pen in his shirt pocket. By the time the lawyer, Mitch Payne, enters the station and begins to engage in conversation with Jessica and Cal, a pen has mysteriously appeared in Cal's shirt pocket.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Calhoun 'Cal' Fletcher: I'll open.

      Johnny Blaze: Cards?

      Calhoun 'Cal' Fletcher: Two, please.

      Mitch Payne: Three.

      Congressman Brad Gardner: One.

      Johnny Blaze: Dealer's taking two.

    • Soundtracks
      Murder She Wrote Theme
      Written by John Addison

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Why the rush?
    Murder She Wrote should have had two-parters, this episode definitely should've been one - Gorgeous costumes, camera work, lighting and sets - good character work and actors - but rushed and unfinished.

    It was an amazing time in television that gave us so many wonderful shows with just the right mix of drama and light heartedness, and with such high production values, but if only they could've known how lacking that sort of thing would be today, they'd have valued it more, given episodes like this one more time, given the story and the characters more time to breathe and develop, and given the audience more time to bathe in the gorgeousness of this episode.
    helpful•1
    0
    • mytwopence
    • Jun 9, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 13, 1986 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Stage 29, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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