"Murder, She Wrote" It's a Dog's Life (1984)

Director:

Seymour Robbie

Writers:

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

TV Series:

"Murder, She Wrote" (1984)

Original Air Date:

4 November 1984 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

While Jessica attends a hunting party, someone tampers in the stables with the normally quiet horse of the rich host...

Plot Keywords:

Cult TV | Murder | Mystery Writer | Writing | Woman Detective

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Cathryn Damon	...	Morgana Cramer
Dean Jones	...	Marcus Boswell
Lenore Kasdorf	...	Trish Langley
Jared Martin	...	Spencer Langley
Roger Miller	...	Sheriff
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Denton Langley
Lynn Redgrave	...	Abby Benton Freestone
Forrest Tucker	...	Tom Cassidy
Gregory Walcott	...	Isaiah Potts
Cherie Currie	...	Echo Cramer
Byron Cherry	...	Deputy Will Roxie
James Hampton	...	Vet
Sandy Ward	...	Barnes
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Coroner

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Company:

Universal TV

There's where the Horses and the Dogs and the Swindlers Slay

This time around, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) pays a visit to dear cousin Abby Benton Freestone (Lynn Redgrave), a Trainer at the Langley Estate, in Greenville, Virginia.

Abby tends to the stable of horses for the fox hunt, as well as the forlorn canine, Teddy, who relishes her affection.

Members of the family consist of the widowed Denton Langley (Dan O'Herlihy) and his irresponsible offspring: eccentric daughter, Morgana Cramer (Cathryn Damon); semi-ambitious son, Spencer Langley (Jared Martin); carefree daughter, Trish Langley (Lenore Kasdorf); and Morgana's rebellious daughter, Echo Cramer (Cherie Currie).

Associates of the Langley clan include fellow fox hunter Tom Cassidy (Forrest Tucker), shrewd attorney Marcus Boswell (Dean Jones), complaisant Veterinarian (James Hampton), feuding neighbor Isaiah Potts (Gregory Walcott), and Security Guard Barnes (Sandy Ward).

And when a videotaped will reveals that Teddy, the family pet, is named as heir to the estate, this creates strong reaction, intense objection and fierce suspicion.

As the plot unfolds, we begin to observe that murders follow Jessica wherever she may visit, but here in Greenville, a horse and Teddy the canine become primary suspects, as Jessica investigates with Sheriff (Roger Miller), Deputy Will Roxie (Byron Cherry) and Greenville Coroner (Robert Cornthwaite), before whom she presents an elaborate demonstration at the inquest, with various suspects in attendance.

Hence, whether or not "It's a Dog's Life" remains to be seen.