A New Lease of Death
Episode 12 / Series 4
First transmitted in three parts in September 1991
Adapted from the novel by Peter Berry
Directed by Herbert Wise 1
Produced for ITV by Television South
After writing my cookbook and testing the recipes, I put on nearly a stone. When I knew I was going to play Wexford as he was 30 years ago, I decided it was time to diet.
Herbert Painter was hanged for the brutal murder of his ninety-year-old employer. The chief investigating officer was Reg Wexford, a young detective sergeant in charge of his first murder case. Thirty years later, the Reverend Henry Archery arrives in Kingsmarkham, determined to prove that Painter was innocent.
Credits
- DCI Wexford
- George Baker
- DI Burden
- Christopher Ravenscroft
- Dora Wexford
- Louie Ramsay
- Jenny Burden
- Diane Keen
- Rev Henry Archery
- Peter Egan
- Imogen Ide
- Sharon Maughan
- Roger Primero
- Denis Lilley
- Elizabeth Crilling
- Suzanna Hamilton
- Mrs Crilling
- Dorothy Tutin 2
- Alice Flower
- Maggie Jones 3
- Tessa Kershaw
- Jenny Quayle
- Charles Archery
- Robin McCallum
- Young Elizabeth Crilling
- Kristy Bruce
- Mrs Crilling (1959)
- Amanda Waring
- Irene Painter (1959)
- Sarah Webb
- Herbert Painter
- Trevor Sellers
- Prosecuting Counsel
- Sean Scanlon 4
- Justice Brompton
- Graham Rowe 5
- Sgt Willoughby
- Colin Campbell 6
- DS Martin
- Ken Kitson
- Irene Kershaw
- Anna Cropper 7
- Mr Kershaw
- Michael Turner 8
- Angela Primero
- Cissy Collins
- Isabel Primero
- Tina Marian
- Magistrate
- Ruth Trouncer
- Sister
- Kate Lansbury 9
- Colonel Plashet
- John Horsley 10
- Waitress
- Eileen Davies
- Priest
- John Evitts
- Pub Landlord
- Robert Oates
- Court Clerk
- Richard Cubison
- Estate Agent
- Reuben Purchase
- Script Executive
- Corinne Cartier 11
- Original music composed by
- Brian Bennett
- Casting Director
- Doreen Jones 12
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- Tip Tipping 13
- Production Manager
- Graeme MacArthur
- Location Manager
- Ian Strachan
- 1st Assistant Director
- Francesco Reidy
- Continuity
- Sian Prosser
- Production Secretaries
- Sue Bailey, Cathie Willcocks
- Stage Manager
- Mike Fisher
- Production Buyer
- Graham Curtis
- Graphic Designer
- John Hamon
- Costume Designer
- Jan Collins
- Makeup Supervisor
- Toni Holmes
- Camera Grip
- Alan Imeson
- Designer
- Christine Ruscoe
- Dubbing Mixer
- Tony Cunningham
- Dubbing Editor
- Peter Dansie
- Sound Recordist
- Maurice Hillier
- Lighting Cameraman
- Michael D Smith
- Film Editor
- Christopher Wentzell
- Executive Producer
- Graham Benson
- Producer
- Neil Zeiger
Soundtrack
- Wexford’s Theme
- A New Lease of Death
- Wexford’s Theme (Reprise)
Notes
The Wexford soundtrack was composed, performed, arranged and produced by Brian Bennett at Honeyhill Studios in Hertfordshire.
George Baker shed more than years when asked to play a young Wexford in the first part. George lost nearly 20lbs before filming began in February.
The younger Mrs Crilling, shown in flashbacks to 1959, is played by Dame Dorothy Tutin’s daughter Amanda Waring.
The Reverend Archery’s son is played by Robin McCallum, who went on to play the pathologist, Mr Mavrikiev, in Simisola and Road Rage.
Wexford travels to the Isle of Wight to interview Colonel Plashet. He and Dora later discuss the Painter case at St. Catherine’s Lighthouse at the southern tip of the island.
Footnotes
Herbert Wise 1931-2016: obituary by Philip Purser, The Guardian. ↩︎
Dame Dorothy Tutin 1931-2001: obituary by Lyn Gardner, The Guardian. ↩︎
Maggie Jones 1934-2009: obituary by Anthony Hayward, The Guardian. ↩︎
Anna Cropper 1938-2007: obituary by Philip Purser, The Guardian. ↩︎
Doreen Jones 1940-2017: obituary by Derek Granger, The Guardian. ↩︎