"You Can Always Find a Fall Guy" is the twenty-fifth episode of the 1969 ITC British

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt (actor), Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Denn ...

'' starring Mike Pratt,

Kenneth Cope Kenneth Charles Cope (14 April 1931 – 11 September 2024) was an English actor and scriptwriter. He was best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in '' Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street,'' Ray Hilton in '' ...

and

Annette Andre Annette Andre (born 24 June 1939) is an Australian actress best known for her work on British television throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Early life and early career The daughter of an upholsterer, Annette Andre was born in Drummoyne, Australia ...

. The episode was first broadcast on 6 March 1970 on the ITV. It was directed by Ray Austin.

Synopsis

Arriving home after a long night, Jeff is greeted by a

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...

at his apartment. The nun proceeds to tell Jeff that she believes her convent's funds are being diverted by a recently employed accountant - Douglas Kershaw. Jeff reluctantly agrees to look into the case, and arranges to meet the nun at the convent the following night. With Marty in tow, he is met at the convent gates by the nun, who hands him a sealed envelope containing the account figures of the convent. Unbeknownst to Jeff, the nun replaces a sign for the convent with another sign - one for an electronics company. Before leaving, Jeff and Marty hear an alarm and then guard dogs. Jeff decides to leave, but before he can he is blocked in the drive by the Security Officer and sent to the office of Philip Yateman, where he tries to explain his reasons for being on the premises. Yateman decides to hold Jeff overnight, but, when attention is diverted by Marty, Jeff is able to escape. Jeff manages to retrieve the envelope he had earlier thrown away and opens it to find only newspaper cuttings. The next morning Jeff is met in his car by the Security Officer - Edwards. Believing that the envelope contains important information Edwards offers a deal to Jeff, not believing that the envelope contained only newsprint. After the meeting, Jeff decides to visit Douglas Kershaw. He refuses to divulge any information to Jeff - merely saying he is a dealer in information. Later, Marty goes to the office to find the police there who believe him to have stolen documents sworn by Yateman. Marty tells Jeff, who then realises the set up, and so decides to visit Yateman to tell his version of the story. Yateman doesn't believe Jeff's version of events, so Jeff decides to visit Kershaw instead, this time to get him to tell the police that he has never had any dealings with him. Kershaw refuses, and Jeff realises that Kershaw is in on the plot as well. Yateman then arrives, with the Personnel Manager, Miss Holiday, who posed as the nun. After a fight, Jeff is taken off by the pair, and locked away in a cellar. Jeff calls on Marty for help. Marty tells Jeff he has been working on a plan, and visits a local hospital, where he visits a patient undergoing surgery. The patient has a

near death experience A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death, which researchers describe as having similar characteristics. When positive, which the great majority are, such experiences may encompa ...

during which Marty tells him to phone the police with the information about Jeff's

kidnap Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...

. After surgery the patient awakens and demands a telephone. After a struggle he is allowed a phone and calls the police which leads to Jeff being freed by Edwards, and Yateman's arrest.

Cast

* Mike Pratt as Jeff Randall *

as Marty Hopkirk *

as Jeannie Hopkirk *

Patrick Barr Patrick David Barr (13 February 1908 – 29 August 1985) was an English actor. In his career spanning over half a century, he appeared in about 144 films and television series. Biography Born in Akola, British India in 1908, Barr was educat ...

... Philip Yateman *

Clifford Earl Kenneth Clifford Earl (29 August 1933 – 30 July 2015) was an English actor who appeared in numerous television programmes and films. Early years Earl was born in Romney Marsh, Kent, England. He carried out his National Service in a medical ...

... 1st Detective *

Juliet Harmer Juliet Linda Harmer (born 11 May 1941) is an English artist, children's author and actress who was best known in the role of Georgina Jones in the BBC TV series ''Adam Adamant Lives!'' (1966–67). Early career Juliet Harmer trained as a pr ...

... Miss Holiday *

Jeremy Young John Henry Young (28 July 1934 – 9 April 2022), known professionally as Jeremy Young, was a British actor. Young had numerous television credits, including ''Deadline Midnight'' (1960), ''Doctor Who'' (appearing as caveman Kal in three episo ...

... Douglas Kershaw *

Garfield Morgan Thomas Timothy Garfield Morgan (19 April 1931 – 5 December 2009) was an English actor who appeared mostly on television and occasionally in films. He had a regular role in ''The Sweeney'' as Detective Chief Inspector Frank Haskins. Early lif ...

... Edwards *

Maggie London Maggie or Maggy is a common short form of the name Magdalena (given name), Magdalena, Magnolia (given name), Magnolia, Margaret, or Marigold_(given_name), Marigold. People Maggie * Maggie Adamson, Scottish musician * Dame Maggie Aderin-Pococ ...

... Nurse *

Edward Caddick Edward Caddick (21 June 1931 – 9 June 2017) was an English television actor. He appeared in many British and Australian television series and films, which include ''Doctor Who'', '' The Vulture'', ''The Avengers'', '' Department S'', ''Robber ...

... Patient *

Tony Steedman Anthony Francis Steedman (21 August 1927 – 4 February 2001) was an English character actor, perhaps best known for roles in British TV drama series of the 1970s and 1980s, and for his role as Socrates in '' Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventur ...

... Surgeon * Michael Graham ... Anaesthetist

Production

Although the 25th episode in the series, ''You Can Always Find a Fall Guy'' was the 5th episode to be shot, filmed between July and September 1968. The exteriors of the convent in the episode were shot at

Grim's Dyke Grim's Dyke (sometimes called Graeme's Dyke until late 1891)How, Harry ''The Strand Magazine'', Vol. 2, October 1891, pp. 330–41, reprinted at ''The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive'', 20 November 2011 is a house and estate in Harrow Weald, in n ...

References

External links

*
Episode overview
at Randallandhopkirk.org.uk

at Randallandhopkirk.org.uk {{Randall and Hopkirk Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) episodes 1970 British television episodes