"Murder, She Wrote" Mourning Among the Wisterias (1988)

Director:

Walter Grauman

Writers:

Peter S. Fischer (creator) and
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Murder, She Wrote" (1984)

Original Air Date:

14 February 1988 (Season 4, Episode 15)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Jessica is summoned to Savannah to help a friend with his play and receives an offer of marriage she didn't expect. Even more surprised are the man's plotting family.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Mystery Writer | Writing | Woman Detective | Amateur Detective

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Rene Auberjonois	...	Homicide Captain Walker Thorn
Penny Fuller	...	Grace Banfield
Frank Gorshin	...	Arnold Goldman
Matt McCoy	...	Todd Wendle
Barry Nelson	...	Eugene McClenden
Lois Nettleton	...	Deidre French
Linda Purl	...	Crystal Wendle
Elliott Reid	...	Jonathan
Beah Richards	...	Ola Mae
James Brown	...	Dr. Gordon Church (as James L. Brown)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Universal TV

Scorned Thorn Creek Born: Adorned, Torn, Worn, Sworn, Forlorn

This episode marks one of the last performances of Barry Nelson, a film and television star for fifty years.

Renown Playwright Eugene McClenden (Barry Nelson) invites fellow author Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to Thorn Creek Manor, in Savannah, Georgia, without revealing his purpose other than to read unto her his latest Play. He soon reveals a decline in his health, admonishing Jessica to maintain that his play isn't compromised.

Eugene and Jessica share common ground as successful writers, plus each rearing a nephew whose parents lost their lives in a vehicular accident. In Eugene's case, the nephew would be the carefree Todd Wendle (Matt McCoy), whom he put through school to emerge as an attorney, and now a newlywed to the social-climbing Crystal Wendle (Linda Purl).

Todd has also recently gained employment in the legal office of Attorney Jonathan Keeler (Elliott Reid), who also serves as his Uncle Eugene's business manager. (Jonathan isn't given a last name in the credits although one line of dialogue reveals this as "Keeler.")

Theatre Producer Arnold Goldman (Frank Gorshin) arrives for a visit to discuss Eugene's latest play, along with veteran actress Deidre French (Lois Nettleton), whom Eugene esteems as too mature for the role of Margarite although Deidre disagrees and schemes with Arnold to rework the script. "Somber Twighlight," by Eugene McClenden, had served them well several years back, but neither has experienced a hit in its aftermath.

Grace Banfield (Penny Fuller) soon returns to Savannah from a trip to Atlanta, at which she attempts to rekindle a flame with Eugene in spite of his mounting attention to Jessica. Grace, Arnold and Eugene are some of the clients who have encountered losses from Jonathan's corrupt business dealings.

Maid Ola Mae (Beah Richards) rounds out the cast of those present at Thorn Creek on the night during which gunshots are heard and a body is discovered at Thorn Creek.

Homicide Captain Walker Thorn (Rene Auberjonois) heads the investigation, revealing to Jessica that his family was also swindled by Jonathan, to lose Thorn Creek, their once opulent estate, thus welcoming her to aid in the search for clues.

Jessica also must reach a decision regarding Eugene's sudden proposal amid much "Mourning Among the Wisterias."