No More Dying Then
1989: Adapted by Geoffrey Case from the Ruth Rendell novel.
An unsolved case - the disappearance of ten year old Stella Rivers - still haunts DCI Wexford. Then, one year later, another child goes missing. Wexford’s investigations are further complicated by concerns for Inspector Mike Burden who is still grieving the death of his much loved wife Jean. Burden begins an affair with the missing child’s mother that threatens to jeopardise both the case and his career… Continue reading →
Background The title is taken from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 146: ‘So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men, And Death once dead, there’s no more dying then.’
Christopher Ravenscroft: “We filmed in a house near Southampton, which was completely redecorated to fit Gemma’s exotic character. They even brought in a different bed! I was nervous at first, but there isn’t time to get embarrassed. You’re busy trying to make the scene work and there’s a crew of 50 people around you…”
Audio Clip: “Gemma…”
Audio Clip: “Gemma…”
Next episode: A Sleeping Life »
Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Gemma Lawrence
- CELIA GREGORY
- Chief Constable Freeborn
- DAVE HILL
- Ivor Fairfax Swan
- SIMON SHEPHERD
- Ros Swan
- MARION BAILEY
- DS Martin
- KEN KITSON
- Grace
- MARION McLOUGHLIN
- John Burden
- NOAH HUNTLEY
- Pat Burden
- EMMA SMITH
- Sylvia
- CHARON BOURKE
- WPC Johnson
- SUSAN BOVELL
- Sgt Willoughby
- COLIN CAMPBELL
- Dr Crocker
- JOHN BURGESS
- DC Thomas
- MICHAEL GUNN
- DC Loring
- TERRY JOHN
- Tracy Mitchell
- LYNDA ROOKE
- Gary Dean
- JASON BONNE-GREY
- Mrs Dean
- LINDA PHELAN
- Eileen Rushforth
- CECILY HOBBS
- Bob Rushworth
- DAVID SIBLEY
- Mrs Scott
- DILYS HAMLETT
- Ray Bucks
- ROBERT AUSTIN
- Steve Little
- NICK EDMETT
- Arnold
- CHRIS STANTON
- Mrs Foster
- CHRISTINE MOORE
- TV Reporter
- GUY PHILIPS
- Young Pat Burden
- CLARE STRATTON
- Young John Burden
- JAMES NICHOLSON
- Leonie West
- GAIL TAPHOUSE
- John Lawrence
- SAM MOORE
- Production Manager
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- 1st Assistant Director
- JAMES GREVILLE
- 2nd Assistant Director
- VAUGHAN WATKINS
- Location Manager
- IAN STRACHAN
- P.A./Continuity
- SUE BISHOP
- Stage Manager
- TIGGI TRETHOWAN
- Production Secretary
- THERESA SMITH
- Original music composed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
- Script Executive
- CORINNE CARTIER
- Casting Director
- SUSIE BRUFFIN
- Dialogue Coach
- JOAN WASHINGTON
- Costume
- RITA ANGELL
- Make Up
- MARION DURNFORD
- Graphic Design
- FREDDIE TRICCAS
- Production Buyer
- ALLAN BATES
- Technical Supervisor
- PETER MILLS
- Chief Electrician
- MIKE HOPLEY
- Camera Grip
- STEVE IMESON
- Sound Recordist
- MAURICE HILLIER
- Dubbing Mixer
- DANNY CURTIS
- Dubbing Editor
- MARK THOMAS
- Camera Operator
- JULIAN BARBER
- Designer
- CHRISTINE RUSCOE
- Videotape Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Lighting Director
- BRIAN TURNER
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- JAN SARGENT
- A Television South Production
Principle Characters
No More Dying Then
When ten-year-old Stella Rivers disappears without trace, Chief Inspector Wexford finds it hard to feel compassion for the child’s self-absorbed mother and stepfather. Investigations into the life of Stella’s stepfather - Ivor Fairfax Swan (Simon Shepherd) - reveal a narcissistic, indolent man who has left a trail of human disaster in his wake.
Twelve months later and another child - a boy - goes missing close to the road where Stella was last seen. John Lawrence is five-years-old and the police fear that he has been abducted by a slightly built man seen prowling around the area. Gemma Lawrence (Celia Gregory), the boy’s mother, is distraught and finds an unlikely source of comfort in the recently widowed Inspector Mike Burden. Mike falls in love with Gemma - a gentle, vulnerable woman - whose despair seems to mirror his own misery.
Mike is struggling to cope with his grief and is growing increasingly distant from his family. Grace Woodville (Marion McLoughlin) is his late wife’s younger sister and she has taken leave from her job as a nurse to care for Mike and his two children.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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