Series 3 — Episode 2
The Undertakers

Production Schedule

Episode 61
Production Number : 3608
VTR/ABC/2899
Teddington Studio 1

Thursday 1st August 1963

Friday 2nd August 1963

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 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

Transmission

This episode was broadcast in Italy on 1^st December 1965 (9:15pm, RAI 2) under the title of “I filanthropi”. It had originally been scheduled for 10pm on 26^th August 1965 but with The Removal Men being pre-empted the week before, that episode took the 26^th August slot. It was one of a limited run of ten episodes from series 2 and 3 that were broadcast on RAI intermittently throughout 1965 and 1966 under the title “Agente speciale”. (see above)

TV Times listing

Murders

Click a name to see the face

Continuity and trivia

Time codes here include the Studio Canal logo from the remastered 2010 set, which runs for 18 seconds.

1. 0:00 — The episode starts with a new “ABC presents” telecine.
2. 1:53 — Just as Howard Goorney approaches Madden, he glances to his right twice to make sure the gun is properly lined up with the camera to get the shot of the slide and extractor in motion.
3. 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.
   
4. 6:17 — The painting of Professor Renter appears to be an oil painting of Brian Clemens, dressed in an Edwardian era academic gown and wing collar.
5. 10:19–11:02 — Mix telecine (B) - Steed arriving at Ade1phi Park - 0 '48"
6. An unusual episode for the season, with a lot of exteriors and location footage, especially the climactic gun battle in the grounds of Adelphi Park. The location used for Adelphi Park was York House and its gardens at The Riverside, Twickenham, which serves as Twickenham Town Hall - once again, a short drive from the ABC studios at Teddington Lock.
7. 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.
8. 13:35 — a shadow passes over Mrs. Lomax's forehead
9. 16:30 — picture breakup
10. 19:15 — the shadow of the crane passes over Steed’s face just before the change of shot to Mrs. Lomax in the coffin
11. 20:00 — when Steed returns to Renter's flat he goes to steal another flower for his lapel then notices they are white lillies and grimaces
12. 23:18 — you can just see the bottom of the boom microphone at to top of the screen as Daphne asks Steed if he's a burglar
13. 30:28 — minor distortion
14. 31:30 — the lens of the camera is covered in spots
15. 38:31 — the boom mic. dips into clear view when Daphne asks Wilkinson where her father is.
16. 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.
17. 45:20–45:53 — TELECINE (c) - 1st half of chase - ending with Madden & Green running over bridge _ 0′40″
18. 46:09–49:29 — TELECINE (D) - 2nd half of chase + gun fight - 3′20″
    (Last shot on T/C: Steed patting statue & climbing down)
19. 50:47 — Steed says Madden’s trial is “a couple of week ago” then corrects himself and says “ahead” (the script reads: “Two weeks off”)
20. 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.
21. 51:10 — Macnee is sweating profusely in his last CU
22. This episode was later remade (after a fashion) as the Tara King episode Bizarre.