The Undertakers
by Malcolm Hulke
Designed by David Marshall
Directed by Bill Bain
Production Schedule
Episode 61
Production Number : 3608
VTR/ABC/2899
Teddington Studio 1
Thursday 1st August 1963
| Camera rehearsal |
10.00-12.30 |
| Lunch break |
12.30-13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal |
13.30-18.00 |
| Supper break |
18.00-19.00 |
| Camera rehearsal |
19.00-21.00 |
Friday 2nd August 1963
| Camera rehearsal |
10.00-12.30 |
| Lunch break |
12.30-13.30 |
| Camera rehearsal |
13.30-15.20 |
Tea break, line up,
normal scan, make-up |
15.20-16.05 |
| Photo oall (Pat/Honor) |
16.05-16.15 |
| Dress rehearsal |
16.15-17.30 |
| Notes |
17.30-18.00 |
| Line-up |
18.00-18.30 |
| VTR |
18.30-19.30 |
Running time
Expected: 51'25" + 2 commercial breaks 2.05
Actual running time with bumpers: 51'41"
The bumpers between the acts are generally 10 seconds from fade in to the "End of Act" bumper to the end of audio before the commercial, a 10 second still without audio, then cut to the next act bumper. This would play with the theme for around 10 seconds. Accordingly, with the episodes being in 3 acts, the running time of the action is approximately a minute less than listed above, minus the opening and closing credits (normally 0'16", with a 2" fade, and anywhere from 0'41" to 1'20", hard cut or 1" fade or mix, respectively).
Transmission
| London |
5th October 1963 |
| Sydney |
12th May 1964 |
| Melbourne |
10th December 1964 |
Equipment
| Cameras: |
5 Pedestals |
| Sound: |
3 booms, lazy-arm (Laboratory), 5 pract. telephones (Madden's Living Room, Adelphi Park Office, Renter's Living Room & Adelphi Park Hall (extension), Funeral Parlour Office (to ring only)), grams, tape, possible echo, distort stand mic. (outside Cathy's Kitchen). |
| Telecine: |
ABC symbol, 4 35mm. specially shot sequences (1 mute, 2 s.o.f.), 1 slide, caption scanner. |
Murders
Minutiæ
Time codes here include the Studio Canal logo from the remastered 2010 set, which takes 0:18 seconds.
- 0:00 - The episode starts with a new "ABC presents" telecine
- 2:15 - The episode title super is black instead of the usual white.
The opening credits feature a cut under the titles, from the empty coffin to the gun left on the table.
- 10:19-11:02 - Mix telecine (B) - Steed arriving at Ade1phi Park - 0 '48"
- An unusual episode for the season, with a lot of exteriors and location footage, especially the climax gun battle in the grounds of Adelphi Park.
- 10:30 - This episode also has a car in it, an old Rolls Royce split-windscreen hearse, XV 6015 - which almost certainly appeared in Don't Look Behind You as well.
- 16:30 - picture breakup
- 19:15 - the shadow of the crane passes over Steed's face just before the change of shot to Mrs Lomax in the coffin
- 30:28 - minor distortion
- 31:30 - the lens of the camera is covered in spots
- 38:31 - the boom mic. dips into clear view when Daphne asks Wilkinson where her father is.
- 45:11 - a boom microphone appears in to top right of the screen as Steed runs up the steps after Madden and Green. You can also catch a glimpse of a crew member through the open door.
- 45:20-45:53 - TELECINE (c) - 1st half of chase - ending with Madden & Green running over bridge _ 0'40"
- 46:09-49:29 - TELECINE (D) - 2nd half of chase + gun fight - 3' 20"
(Last shot on T/C: Steed patting statue & climbing down)
- 50:47 - Steed says Madden's trila is "a couple of week ago" then corrects himself and says "ahead" (the script reads: "Two weeks off")
- 51:07 - the cameraman isn't ready for the change of shot to the MS and sways his camera around alarmingly to get Steed & Cathy in shot.
- 51:10 - Macnee is sweating profusely in his last CU
- This episode was later remade (after a fashion) as the Tara King episode Bizarre.
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© Piers Johnson 2004-2011
