A New Lease of Death
1991: Adapted by Peter Berry from the Ruth Rendell novel.
Thirty years ago, Herbert Painter was hanged for the brutal murder of his ninety-year-old employer. The chief investigating officer was Reg Wexford, then a young detective sergeant in charge of his first murder case.
Now, thirty years later, the Reverend Henry Archery - a friend of the Chief Constable - arrives in Kingsmarkham determined to prove that Painter was innocent… Continue reading →
Background: The Reverend Archery’s son is played by Robin Lermitte who went on to play the pathologist - Mr Mavrikiev - in Simisola and Road Rage.
Audio Clip: “No different to our other customers…”
Audio Clip: “No different to our other customers…”
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Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Jenny Burden
- DIANE KEEN
- Rev Henry Archery
- PETER EGAN
- Imogen Ide
- SHARON MAUGHAN
- Roger Primero
- DENIS LILL
- Elizabeth Crilling
- SUZANNA HAMILTON
- Mrs Crilling
- DOROTHY TUTIN
- Alice Flower
- MAGGIE JONES
- Tessa Kershaw
- JENNY QUAYLE
- Charles Archery
- ROBIN LERMITTE
- Young Elizabeth Crilling
- KRISTY BRUCE
- Mrs Crilling (1959)
- AMANDA WARING
- Irene Painter (1959)
- SARAH WEBB
- Herbert Painter
- TREVOR SELLERS
- Prosecuting counsel
- SEAN SCANLAN
- Justice Brompton
- GRAHAM ROWE
- Sgt Willoughby
- COLIN CAMPBELL
- DS Martin
- KEN KITSON
- Irene Kershaw
- ANNA CROPPER
- Mr Kershaw
- MICHAEL TURNER
- Angela Primero
- CISSY COLLINS
- Magistrate
- RUTH TROUNCER
- Sister
- KATE LANSBURY
- Colonel Plashet
- JOHN HORSLEY
- Waitress
- EILEEN DAVIES
- Priest
- JOHN EVITTS
- Pub landlord
- ROBERT OATES
- Court clerk
- RICHARD CUBISON
- Estate Agent
- REUBEN PURCHASE
- Script Executive
- CORINNE CARTIER
- Original music composed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
- Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- TIP TIPPING
- Production Manager
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- Location Managers
- IAN STRACHAN
- 1st Assistant Director
- FRANCESCO REIDY
- Continuity
- SHAN PROSSER
- Production Secretary
- SUE BAILEY
- Production Secretary
- CATHIE WILLCOCKS
- Stage Manager
- MIKE FISHER
- Production Buyer
- GRAHAM CURTIS
- Graphic Designer
- JOHN HAMON
- Costume Designer
- JAN COLLINS
- Make Up Supervisor
- TONI HOLMES
- Camera Grip
- ALAN IMESON
- Designer
- CHRISTINE RUSCOE
- Dubbing Mixer
- TONY CUNNINGHAM
- Dubbing Editor
- PETER DANSIE
- Sound Recordist
- MAURICE HILLIER
- Lighting Cameraman
- MICHAEL D SMITH
- Film Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- HERBERT WISE
- A Television South Production
Principle Characters
A New Lease of Death
The Reverend Henry Archery (Peter Egan) arrives in Kingsmarkham determined to prove the innocence of a man hanged thirty years before.
Herbert Painter (Trevor Sellers) was sentenced to death for the brutal murder of his elderly employer Rose Primero. Mrs Primero lived with her long-serving maid, Alice Flower (Maggie Jones), in an ugly, sinister house on the Stowerton Road. Painter, an ex-soldier, was employed as an odd-job man and lived in a tied cottage with his wife and daughter.
Painter’s daughter - Tess (Jenny Quayle) - is now a successful woman and plans to marry Archery’s son, Charles (Robin Lermitte). However, she feels stigmatized by her past and is haunted by her mother’s assertion that her father was a gentle man who had committed no crime.
Rose Primero’s body was discovered by Elizabeth Crilling (Suzanna Hamilton), a young child whose disastrous life has also been haunted by the murder. Elizabeth lives with her mentally disturbed mother (Dorothy Tutin) and Inspector Burden believes that she may be concealing vital evidence.
Henry Archery meets Imogen Ide (Sharon Maughan), a famous ex-model, and there is an instant, mutual attraction. Archery is unaware that Imogen is married to Roger Primero (Dennis Lill), the grandson of the murdered woman. Roger was the sole beneficiary of the old lady’s will and Archery discovers that Reg Wexford - who was the chief investigating officer - had left Primero’s alibi unchecked.
Wexford, remains unwavering in his belief that Painter was the killer, and is incensed by the intrusion of this “Emissary of God”. The Chief Constable asks Mike Burden to investigate the case and Mike is torn between his loyalty to Reg and certain nagging doubts over the original investigation.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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