Series 3 — Episode 13
Death à la Carte
by John Lucarotti
Designed by Richard Harrison
Directed by Kim Mills
Production No 3604, VTR/ABC/2716
Production completed: June 7 1963. First transmission: December 21 1963.
Production Schedule
Episode 57
Production Number : 3604
VTR/ABC/2716
Teddington Studio 1
Thursday 6th June 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 |
| Line Up and Make Up | 19.00–19.30 |
| VTR Insert (VTR/ABC/2716A) between | 19.30–21.00 |
- VTR Insert 2716A - 43:53–45:29 — the sequence of Steed climbing out the penthouse window and up onto the roof.
Friday 7th June 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 (Honor Blackman, Patrick Macnee) | 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″
Actual running time with bumpers: 51′46″
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 credits (normally 0′16″ with a 2″ fade) and closing credits (anywhere from 0′41″ to 1′20″, hard cut or 1″ fade or mix).
Equipment
| Cameras: | 5 Pedestals |
|---|---|
| Sound: | 4 booms |
| Telecine: | ABC symbol and opening captions, 2 35mm. inserts; Caption Scanner. |
| VTR: | 1 Insert |
Transmission
| Broadcaster | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| ATV London | 21/12/1963 | 10.05pm |
| ABC Midlands | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| ABC North | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Anglia Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Border Television | 21/12/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Channel Television | 21/12/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Grampian Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Southern Television | 21/12/1963 | 10.05pm |
| Scottish Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Tyne Tees Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Ulster Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Westward Television | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Television Wales & West | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| Teledu Cymru (WWN) | 21/12/1963 | 8.55pm |
| ABN2 Sydney | 28/04/1964 | 8.00pm |
| ABV2 Melbourne | 26/11/1964 | 7.35pm |
TV Times listing
8.55 The Avengers
starring
Patrick Macnee
Honor Blackman
in
Death a la Carte
By John Lucarotti
Cast in order of appearance
| Catherine Gale | Honor Blackman |
| Emir Abdulla Akaba | Henry Soskin |
| Mellor | Robert James |
| Ali | Valentino Musetti |
| Umberto | Davis Nettheim |
| Lucien | Gordon Rollings |
| Arbuthnot | Ken Parry |
| John Steed | Patrick Macnee |
| Dr. Spender | Paul Dawkins |
| Josie | Coral Atkins |
Story Editor Richard Bates
Produced by John Bryce
Directed by Kim Mills
In which Steed turns chef and Cathy tries to prevent a murder
ABC Weekend Network Production
Murders
| Victim | Killer | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Emir Akaba | --- | natural causes (heart attack) |
| Lucien | Ali | broken neck (hit with crowbar) |
Continuity and trivia
Time codes here include the Studio Canal logo from the remastered 2010 set, which runs for 18 seconds.
- 6:17 — there’s a large smudge at the top right of the lens of camera 5, and two smaller spots near the top edge in the left corner - most obvious in the MS of Spender entering the suite (6:17) and the profile shot of the Emir speaking to Umberto (12:48) - they remain for the whole episode.
- 7:38 — there’s a small spot near the centre of the top of camera 2’s lens.
- 7:56 — there’s a small blurred smudge top left of centre of camera 3’s lens and several smaller smears bottom right, and another just left of centre - most visible in the CU of Mellor pouring drinks (7:56) and the MS of Emir & Umberto (12:23) - they remain for the whole episode.
- 30:44 — Steed, posing as chef Sebastian Stonemarten, is supposed to have a speciality of faisan à la langue docienne - he and Cathy are aghast when the Emir orders it for dinner.
- 33:10 — Umberto first reveals his East-end roots when he yells at Steed “You great big steamin’ nit” for knocking his cannelloni to the floor.
- 46:52 — Ali drops the key that Mellor throws to him.
Watch for the scene in the kitchen where the cameraman nearly knocks over a table when he raises the camera.