There is missing money from the accounts of the building fund for the University. A Professor Ballard is suspect of the thefts but there is one problem, he’s dead, burned up in a car accident. His death would naturally close down the questions about the misappropriated funds but its doesn’t. The Professors grieving widow is the object of Gene’s attentions and rightfully so. Recently a known sketchy antiquities dealer has been hanging around the Professor so Gene follows this trail to a number of surprises that go back many years.
Personal Synopsis
Skeleton in the Cupboard is actually an interesting episode that clearly stands out amongst a large number of other episodes of this series. The elements are all right, a fake death (with exploding car), a grieving widow, skeletons, anthropology, a dodgy dealer and a host of good actors. Basil Dignam, a personal favourite, plays the Professor that slowly goes mad thinking about his experiments in human migration. Roy Kinnear, Johnnie Wade and Lance Percival are certainly some great names to me and have done this episode proud. As I have mentioned before, Gene Barry has become a lethargic actor but in this case the story benefits from this subdued character. Fun to watch and I recommend.
Original Air-Date: 1972
Directed by Cyril Frankel
Written by Donald James
Gene Bradley- Gene Barry
Mr. Parminter- Barry Morse
Farmer- Edwin Brown
John Ballard- Basil Dignam
Marks- Roy Kinnear
Carl Gardner- Lance Percival
Karen Ballard- Sylvia Syms
Sir Richard McKenzie- Richard Vernon
Johnson- Johnnie Wade
You can Buy the DVD here:
ITC Entertainment 