Tales of the Unexpected

E1

1. The Man From the South

24 Mar 1979 · 24m

A young American couple on holiday meet a mysterious old gentleman who makes them a macabre wager.

E2

2. Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat

31 Mar 1979 · 25m

Unable to show her dentist husband, Cyril, the fur coat her lover has given her, Mrs Bixby pawns it and pretends that she found the ticket.

E3

3. William and Mary

7 Apr 1979 · 25m

When her husband William dies, Mary Pearl is shocked that his will stipulates that his brain should be kept alive.

E4

4. Lamb to the Slaughter

14 Apr 1979 · 25m

An enraged detective's wife kills her husband by smashing in his skull with a heavy blunt instrument - but no murder weapon can be found, and the police are baffled.

E5

5. The Landlady

21 Apr 1979 · 25m

When a young man arrives in Bath, he is shocked to find his seemingly charming landlady has a dark side.

E6

6. Neck

28 Apr 1979 · 24m

A lady is cut down to size by her husband’s loyal butler when it is discovered she is having an affair.

E7

7. Edward the Conqueror

5 May 1979 · 25m

When Edward grows tired of Louisa’s obsession with a stray cat and decides to get rid of it, she exacts her revenge.

E8

8. A Dip in the Pool

12 May 1979 · 25m

An American gambler must come up with a cunning plan to slow down a ship at sea in order to win a bet.

E9

9. The Way Up to Heaven

19 May 1979 · 25m

Mrs Foster exacts an intriguing revenge on her husband after his dawdling causes her to miss a flight.

E1

1. Royal Jelly

1 Mar 1980 · 27m

Mabel’s baby is sick and her bee obsessed husband thinks he has found a remedy. Will he get the baby buzzing back to health?

E2

2. Skin

8 Mar 1980 · 25m

An old street beggar, a former tattooist, was a friend of the famous artist, Soutine. On his back, he has a tattoo by the artist, which is now priceless.

E3

3. Galloping Foxley

15 Mar 1980 · 26m

A man starts to suffer when he becomes haunted by the memory of the brutal treatment he received in his childhood.

E4

4. The Hitch-Hiker

22 Mar 1980 · 26m

When a driver picks up a hitch-hiker in his car, his journey turns into a thrilling ride.

E5

5. Poison

29 Mar 1980 · 25m

A poisonous snake keeps a teacher prisoner in India. How can he escape from its evil glare?

E6

6. Fat Chance

5 Apr 1980 · 26m

The husband of a fat, greedy woman has a clever plan to get rid of her - but the plan is flawed.

E7

7. Taste

12 Apr 1980 · 27m

A dinner party takes a surprising turn when one pretentious guest is challenged to a wine tasting contest.

E8

8. My Lady Love, My Dove

19 Apr 1980 · 25m

When Pamela and Arthur invite a young couple over for the weekend, things take a surprising turn.

E9

9. Georgy Porgy

26 Apr 1980 · 26m

George has problems with female attention, but when a beautiful woman joins his congregation things are set to change.

E10

10. Depart in Peace

3 May 1980 · 26m

An art collector finds himself drawn into an unusual struggle with two beautiful women.

E11

11. The Umbrella Man

10 May 1980 · 26m

A con man arrives in town and starts his scam.

E12

12. Genesis & Catastrophe

17 May 1980 · 26m

A pregnant lady is worried that she may miscarry for the fourth time. Can her doctor reassure her?

E13

13. Mr Botibol's First Love

24 May 1980 · 26m

A jaded businessman sells his company and attempts to change his life for the better by buying a strange piano.

E14

14. Back for Christmas

31 May 1980 · 27m

A philandering physician with an obsession for orchids cultivates a deadly plot to see off his wife.

E15

15. The Orderly World of Mr Appleby

7 Jun 1980 · 27m

A man married three times might be lucky for the fourth time when he meets a new interest.

E16

16. The Man at the Top

14 Jun 1980

A young, unemployed seaman kills someone in a botched robbery. Convinced the police will trace the knife used back to him, he turns to his friend, Diane, for help.

E1

1. The Flypaper

9 Aug 1980 · 24m

With a 12-year-old found dead and a killer perhaps on the loose, a young girl becomes paranoid.

E2

2. A Picture of a Place

16 Aug 1980 · 26m

Hazel is a gullible, old widow whose farmhouse is full of antiques, and Merv is a charming conman who buys a valuable picture from her for a knockdown price. But all is not quite as it seems.

E3

3. Proof of Guilt

23 Aug 1980 · 26m

Hard-bitten police inspector Walters has a murder on his hands that he can't crack. The prime suspect is George Stamford, who was alone in a locked room with the dead man when he was shot - but he is admitting nothing, and there is no evidence against him.

E4

4. Vengeance is Mine Inc.

30 Aug 1980 · 27m

Mrs Wilbur gets more than she bargained for when she calls upon the unusual services of Tom and George, starving writers turned entrepreneurs.

E5

5. A Girl Can't Always Have Everything

9 Nov 1980 · 26m

Struggling actresses Suzy and Pat meet Herbert, a wealthy widower. Seductive Suzy enjoys his money, but things soon don't look so rosy.

E6

6. Parson's Pleasure

30 Nov 1980 · 28m

Cyril makes a profitable living as a rogue antiques dealer, but when he buys a farmer’s valuable furniture item, his luck may be about to run out.

E7

7. The Stinker

7 Dec 1980 · 26m

When millionaire Jack runs into Harold, a boy he bullied at school, he gives him a job. But Harold soon suspects his wife of having an affair with his new boss.

E8

8. I'll Be Seeing You

14 Dec 1980 · 27m

When Roland leaves his cruel, millionairess wife Vivien for a fresh start with his mistress Anna, the snubbed spouse plans to make his life a living hell.

E9

9. The Party

19 Dec 1980 · 25m

When disgruntled factory manager Harry is left feeling undervalued by his colleagues, he decides to take revenge.

E1

1. Would You Believe It?

5 Apr 1981 · 26m

Two archaeologists working in Jordan get more than they bargained for when they decide to smuggle the statue of a mysterious woman over the border to Israel.

E2

2. Vicious Circle

12 Apr 1981 · 26m

An old lady catches Rex Tobin, a young burglar who was planning to rob her, and makes friends with him. But what is she really up to?

E3

3. The Boy Who Talked with Animals

19 Apr 1981 · 27m

When David rescues a giant turtle, it looks as though he's found a new friend, but there could be more to his pet than meets the eye.

E4

4. The Best of Everything

26 Apr 1981 · 26m

Desperate to win the affections of his boss’s daughter, Arthur accepts the help of his friend Charlie. But is he ready to count the true cost of love?

E5

5. A Woman's Help

3 May 1981 · 26m

Henpecked Arthur decides to get rid of his demanding wife once and for all, so long as he gets her money. Unfortunately, his wife has a few secrets of her own.

E6

6. Shatterproof

10 May 1981 · 25m

Property tycoon Gerry Williams is married to the beautiful but unhappy Ellen, and somewhere the marriage has gone terribly wrong. Then an assassin is hired to kill Gerry, and he makes the mistake of getting too friendly with his target.

E7

7. The Sound Machine

17 May 1981 · 25m

A botanist has invented a machine that translates the sound of plants into speech. What he hears gives him a shock.

E8

8. Never Speak Ill of the Dead

24 May 1981 · 24m

David is accused of murder when his wife Irene vanishes. Her promiscuous lifestyle made her the talk of the town, but the gossip has escalated.

E9

9. The Best Policy

31 May 1981 · 26m

Harry Flock has had a temporary promotion as acting manager of a branch bank. He is honest and meticulous to a fault, but in danger of losing his job when head office gets anonymous complaints about alleged embezzlements. His accounts are immaculate - in fact, they seem too good to be true.

E10

10. The Last Bottle in the World

7 Jun 1981 · 26m

Kyros plans on giving his wife a priceless bottle of wine for their anniversary, but he has no intention of drinking to her health.

E11

11. Kindly Dig Your Grave

14 Jun 1981 · 26m

Madame Lagrue runs a smart but commercial art gallery in Montmartre, Paris, getting rich at the expense of struggling artists. Then one of her victims falls in love with Fatima, an artist's model, and Lagrue is up against someone even more cunning than she is.

E12

12. Completely Foolproof

21 Jun 1981 · 26m

The very rich Joe Brisson is a self-made man with a number of enemies - including Lisa, his elegant but dangerously dissatisfied wife.

E13

13. There's One Born Every Minute

5 Jun 1981 · 27m

Arthur and Margaret are a quiet couple. When she inherits £50,000, he reluctantly agrees to gamble it all on a dubious property deal.

E14

14. Bosom Friends

12 Jun 1981 · 27m

Nell and Emma are old school friends who are reunited after years apart. However, things quickly turn sour.

E15

15. A Glowing Future

19 Jul 1981 · 26m

Jack and Betsy are lovers. That is until Jack decides to go halfway across the world to be with his new Australian girlfriend. But Betsy isn't going to make it easy.

E16

16. The Way to Do it

26 Jul 1981 · 26m

The casino offers Roger an escape from his domineering aunt. He has a love for both gambling and a pretty hostess, but the casino boss has a score to settle.

E17

17. Hijack

26 Dec 1981 · 27m

A hijacker on an aeroplane takes a stewardess hostage before demanding a million dollars and a parachute. Will the captain give in to his demands?

E1

1. Blue Marigold

25 Apr 1982 · 25m

Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold's mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback.

E2

2. The Eavesdropper

2 May 1982 · 26m

Moira hears a woman discussing a trip to Paris with her lover Donald. Is her husband, also called Donald, having an affair?

E3

3. Operation Safecrack

9 May 1982 · 27m

In an attempt to prove their safes are impregnable, a company challenges ex-safebreaker Sam to crack one for a cash prize. But are his skills sharp enough?

E4

4. Run, Rabbit, Run

16 May 1982 · 26m

Robert visits a couple who housed him during the war. But in Paris, he discovers that the husband has died, and the hero’s wife has a big secret to tell.

E5

5. Stranger in Town

23 May 1982 · 24m

A stranger arrives in town and soon endears himself to the local community – although his motives prove sinister.

E6

6. The Moles

30 May 1982 · 27m

Two cash-strapped business owners tunnel their way into a bank – only to find they missed a crucial notice on the door.

E7

7. Decoy

6 Jun 1982 · 27m

When a woman is murdered in a park, Constable Mary Bryan is used as bait to catch the suspected killer. But what if she is tracking the wrong man?

E8

8. Pattern of Guilt

13 Jun 1982 · 26m

Police doctor Keith Briscoe is desperate to leave his wife for an ex but loses hope when she refuses to divorce him.

E9

9. A Harmless Vanity

20 Jun 1982 · 26m

When Mary learns her husband is having an affair, she invites her rival to a beach party.

E10

10. Death Can Add

27 Jun 1982 · 26m

An auditor finds out that Oliver is defrauding his firm. But when he demands some hush money, he discovers a nasty surprise.

E11

11. Light Fingers

4 Jul 1982 · 27m

Tired of gloves vanishing from his factory, Ralph hires a detective. Then, gloves begin appearing in unexpected places.

E12

12. Death in the Morning

11 Jul 1982 · 27m

Karen marries a rich landowner with a huge house in the country. But after moving in, she senses an evil spirit.

E13

13. What Have You Been Up to Lately?

18 Jul 1982 · 26m

As Richard and Fergus ponder a girl they both loved, they realise their failures in life.

E14

14. The Absence of Emily

25 Jul 1982 · 27m

Norma owns a big house and lets her sister Emily and her husband live there. But then Emily disappears.

E15

15. In the Bag

1 Aug 1982 · 26m

Cara is determined to get back her family jewels, which have been hidden away in a safe. Hiring a safe cracker, she goes along with him, undercover.

E16

16. A Man with a Fortune

8 Aug 1982 · 26m

A rich and lonely American ventures to England in search of his long-lost family.

E17

17. Who's Got the Lady?

15 Aug 1982 · 27m

When a piece of art is stolen, the gallery owner gets his girlfriend to make copies of it to sell.

E18

18. The Skeleton Key

22 Aug 1982 · 27m

A woman discovers a nasty side to her boyfriend's personality when he goes into hospital before a holiday.

E1

1. A Passing Opportunity

9 Apr 1983 · 25m

Frank is struggling financially and will do anything for money. Even murder.

E2

2. The Memory Man

16 Apr 1983 · 26m

Down on his luck, 'Memory Man' Colin agrees to help a shady character remember the number of a station locker. But then he becomes too curious for his own good.

E3

3. A Sad Loss

23 Apr 1983 · 26m

Claire and her boyfriend have always counted on inheriting her wealthy aunt's fortune - but they are forced to act fast.

E4

4. Clerical Error

30 Apr 1983 · 27m

While winding up his late father's affairs, Paul finds a bill demanding over £1,000 for pornography.

E5

5. Heir Presumptuous

7 May 1983 · 27m

George Devon, a wealthy rancher, is found murdered. His identical twin nephews stand to inherit his fortune, but one of them was seen at the scene of the crime. Both have alibis and no one can tell them apart.

E6

6. Where's Your Sense of Humour?

14 Apr 1983

George Forester is a compulsive prankster. His wife and friends have been victims for many years until one day he goes too far.

E7

7. Down Among the Sheltering Palms

21 May 1983 · 27m

An ex-soldier meets a beautiful woman on a nostalgic trip back to his old base. But she isn't all she seems.

E8

8. The Vorpal Blade

28 May 1983 · 26m

Elderly Teuton Von Baden recalls two men's duel to the death during his student days in Germany.

E9

9. The Wrong 'Un

11 Jun 1983 · 26m

After closing a deal, a German businessman meets an attractive but mysterious girl in a hotel bar.

E10

10. The Luncheon

19 Jun 1983 · 27m

Tony eats a pricey meal with Susan Mandeville, the extravagant wife of a filmmaker who wants the rights to his book.

E11

11. The Tribute

25 Jun 1983 · 27m

Three aristocratic women hear of the death of a woman who once served them as a nanny. They agree to go for lunch in her memory.

E12

12. Hit and Run

10 May 1983 · 27m

Dr Roger Ashburn's beautiful wife tells him their marriage is over. Devastated, he begins a new life.

E13

13. Youth from Vienna

2 Jul 1983 · 27m

Being admired by the inventor of an anti-ageing formula is handy for Caroline, who is eager to keep her looks.

E14

14. The Turn of the Tide

3 Sep 1983 · 26m

Criminal lawyer Slade has his reasons for wanting his colleague dead. He meticulously plans the perfect murder.

E1

1. The Dirty Detail

12 May 1984 · 24m

Fred Pearson, a Vietnam veteran, is a broken man after years of punishment from his sergeant. One day, he walks into a bar and sees the sergeant, still very much the arrogant bully he always was.

E2

2. The Best Chess Player in the World

19 May 1984 · 27m

Shaw, the owner of a newspaper, is controlling and very rich. His wife is content with the money he provides, but is having an affair. When he finds out, he decides to act.

E3

3. Proxy

26 May 1984 · 24m

Three men are being blackmailed by a woman for money. One day she is found murdered and the three worry that they will be suspected.

E4

4. Have a Nice Death

2 Jun 1984 · 26m

A writer is being hounded by the feminist movement over his books. If only he was at home with his wife everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?

E5

5. Number Eight

9 Jun 1984 · 26m

A driver picks up a hitchhiker. They hear on the radio that a serial killer is on the loose, nicknamed Willow the Wisp, and the description matches that of the passenger.

E6

6. The Last of the Midnight Gardeners

16 Jun 1984 · 26m

Walter is a vain writer and publisher with a wife and a mistress, based in London, and he likes to show off. He stages a story writing competition, with a £5,000 prize, to find the plot for a perfect murder.

E7

7. The Gift of Beauty

30 Jun 1984 · 25m

After killing her husband to be with her young lover, an insecure woman is drawn in by a flyer for an anti-ageing process known as the Gift of Beauty.

E8

8. Wet Saturday

7 Jul 1984 · 24m

George Princey has a high standing in the community, and when his daughter kills a man, he endeavours to cover it up to prevent a scandal.

E9

9. Sauce for the Goose

21 Jul 1984 · 24m

Olivia starts a relationship with a younger man on the basis that she has killed her husband and gained his fortune. Her lover, however, still sees himself as a free agent and has an affair with another woman.

E10

10. Bird of Prey

4 Aug 1984 · 26m

Jack and Edna's pet parrot dies after laying an unusually large egg. On hatching, it reveals an aggressive black-feathered bird.

E11

11. I Like it Here in Wilmington

8 Nov 1984 · 26m

When a clothing manufacturer finds himself on the verge of bankruptcy, he ponders the idea of murdering his wife for the insurance money.

E12

12. Accidental Death

19 Aug 1984 · 26m

Steve and Jane are con artists who gain access to people's homes claiming to be doing research into polish. But eventually, they meet their match.

E13

13. The Reconciliation

16 Sep 1984 · 27m

James has walked out on his wife, who still loves him. His lawyer advises him that getting a divorce may be difficult unless he can catch her being unfaithful. With not much hope, he hires a private detective.

E14

14. The Mugger

14 Oct 1984 · 26m

When a married politician falls in love with a woman at a party, things soon go wrong and his entire career and reputation are put in jeopardy.

E15

15. The Open Window

21 Oct 1984 · 26m

When a young man climbs through the window of a Connecticut hunting lodge, he emerges on the other side in a strange new world.

E1

1. People Don't Do Such Things

30 Mar 1985 · 24m

Trouble looms when married woman Gwen falls for a successful romantic novelist.

E2

2. In the Cards

14 Jul 1985 · 24m

Madame Myra is a third-rate fortune teller who foresees a dim future for herself. And then she meets a stranger in town who shows her a way to do a whole lot better. What, though, is in it for him?

E3

3. Nothin' Short of Highway Robbery

21 Jul 1985 · 24m

On a long drive through the desert, a couple get their car serviced and are handed an extortionate bill. But they plan on turning the tables.

E4

4. Scrimshaw

28 Jul 1985 · 24m

Brenda is a lonely drifter living in the island paradise of Key West. She has no friends and drinks a lot to forget her tragic past. Then she runs into Eric, a man she knew long ago in her college days, and suddenly life takes on new meaning.

E1

1. Skeleton in the Cupboard

18 Dec 1987 · 27m

Robert Smythe is a ruthless executive with a dangerous twenty year old secret. An echo from the past prompts him into a new cover up of the truth, but his wife becomes suspicious.

E2

2. The Colonel's Lady

8 Jan 1988 · 27m

A colonel's comfortable life is disturbed when his wife writes a bestselling book of poetry. Is this evidence that she's having an affair?

E3

3. The Surgeon

15 Jan 1988 · 24m

When wealthy Prince Zawi gives surgeon Robert Sandy a diamond for saving his life, the doctor finds that his new jewel is really more of a liability than an asset.

E4

4. The Verger

22 Jan 1988 · 27m

When devoted verger Albert is forced to resign, he sets out to build a new life. But can he succeed in a modern world that has little time for his old-fashioned ways?

E5

5. The Facts of Life

29 Jan 1988 · 24m

When sheltered young son Nicholas travels to London to complete in a fencing competition, he gets caught up in a very strange adventure.

E6

6. Wink Three Times

15 Apr 1988 · 27m

A timid provincial solicitor visits a smart London hotel on a business trip, and becomes embroiled in a curious case of mistaken identity.

E7

7. The Dead Don't Steal

22 Apr 1988 · 26m

Ken Johnson runs a charter plane service with his lover and air stewardess Lilian, who indulges in a little smuggling on his behalf. Then disaster strikes for him when his wife discovers his affair.

E8

8. The Finger of Suspicion

29 Apr 1988 · 24m

Happily married and living in the Middle East, American safe-cracker Steve is suddenly threatened with extradition for a crime he says he didn't commit.

E9

9. A Time to Die

6 May 1988 · 27m

Yves's marriage has gone stale and his young mistress has announced that she is pregnant. But he then makes a decision which changes everyone's lives.

E10

10. Mr Know-All

13 May 1988 · 27m

When pretty hotel worker Elly is charmed by a guest, archaeologist Max Kelada, it seems that he might not be the man he claims to be.