Series 2 — Episode 17
Box of Tricks

Production details

Episode 44 (18)
Production Number : 3517
VTR/ABC/2299 & 2299A
Teddington Studio 1

Schedule

Wednesday 16th January 1963

Insert 2299-A - Scenes 33–35, Steed confronts Gallam and Gerry under the stage when they ry to transmit the tap carried by Kathleen.

Thursday 17th January 1963

Equipment

Running time

Expected: 51′25″
Actual running time with bumpers: 51′54″

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).

Regional broadcasts

TV Times listing

Episode availability

• Video - original footage held by Studio Canal, available on the Studio Canal series 1&2 DVD set
• Script - Tony Pelly’s copy of the camera script
• Publicity Stills - at least 13

Murders

Click a name to see the face

Transport

Continuity and trivia

1. 2:28 — there’s a 2 frame BCU of Steed before the vision is switched back to the previous shot.
2. 3:14 — The hostess delivers Steed’s brandy and he orders her a gin and tonic.
3. 3:36 (3:31) - the boom mike is visible for a second as the waiter approaches Steed’s table.
4. 12:05 — Kathleen tells the operator her number is Wimbledon 1068 (or maybe says “this is 1068”?) and asks for WELbeck 9291.
5. 17:16 — you can just see Patrick Macnee behind one of the curtains, waiting for his scene at 18:39.
6. !8:41 — Julie Stevens says “I was showing Denise how the cabinet works” but it was the other way round.
7. 18:54 (18:49) - a very unconvincing death. Denise has a stocking at her throat which was presumably used to strangle her, but she’s holding in place with her left hand rather than having it wrapped around her neck, and she visibly straightens her right hand when they’re looking down at her.
8. 24:55 — Posing as ‘Thackeray’, Steed lists his symptoms:
   Incurable lassitude, occasional spells of dizziness, acute internal disorders after heavy meals, and above all an indefinable, crushing sense that [he coughs] one is not, as it were, in tip-top condition.
9. 33:54 — horizontal banding across the screen.

The Songs

Venus Smith sings two songs, accompanied by the Dave Lee Trio.

• “It’s a Pity to Say Goodnight” [1:53 (1:47), 1:08 long]
  • Listen to “It’s a Pity to Say Goodnight”
  • 
    Watch the song
• “It’s De-Lovely” [42:04 (41:00), 1:00 long]
  • Listen to “It’s De-Lovely”
  • 
    Watch “It’s De-Lovely”

The Dave Lee Trio comprised Dave Lee, Art Morgan and Spike Heatley in 1962, all highly respected jazz players. Dave Lee also co-wrote the hit Avengers tie-in single “Kinky Boots” b/w “Let’s Keep it Friendly” with Herbert Kretzmer (who wrote the lyrics for “Togetherness” from The Murder Market). Dave also composed the Peter Sellers/Sophia Loren comic song “Goodness Gracious Me” with Kretzmer.