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Whodunnit? (British game show)

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This article is about the British game show. For the 1979 American adaption of the show, see Whodunnit? (American game show). For other uses, see Whodunit (disambiguation).

Whodunnit?
GenreGame show
Created byJeremy Lloyd
Lance Percival
Written byJeremy Lloyd
Lance Percival
Presented byShaw Taylor (1972: Pilot)
Edward Woodward (1973)
Jon Pertwee (1974-78)
Theme music composerSimon Park
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series6
No. of episodes48
Production
Running time35 minutes (pilot)
50 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companyThames
Original release
NetworkITV
Release15 August 1972 (1972-08-15) –
26 June 1978 (1978-06-26)
Related
Whodunnit?

Whodunnit? was a British television game show that aired on ITV from 15 August 1972 to 26 June 1978. The show was devised by Jeremy Lloyd and Lance Percival and was originally aired as a pilot with Shaw Taylor as host. It then became a full show, with the first series being hosted by Edward Woodward and then Jon Pertwee took over hosting duties from the second series until the show's end.

Format

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Each week it featured a short murder-mystery drama enacted in front of a panel of four celebrity guests who then had to establish who the murderer was. One week there was a smuggling mystery and no murder. The panel members could interview the remaining characters, with the proviso that only the guilty party or parties could lie. Each panellist could also request to see a short replay of one section of the initial drama, which would often include events as they occurred and flashbacks as seen and narrated by individual suspects. For series 1, the entire audience also took part in guessing who was guilty (with the winner winning a prop from the set). For series 2 and 3, four members of the audience formed a panel, but did not question the suspects, with the winner taking away a 'Whodunnit?' trophy (a magnifying glass in a frame). For series 4 and 5, the audience panel was dropped and a TV Times competition winner formed part of the main panel (taking away a prop from the set if they won the game). For series 6, they were dropped entirely. At the end the compere would reveal the guilty (usually a murderer) with the catchphrase "would the real 'Whodunnit' please stand up?". Whodunnit? originally adopted a conventional panel-game studio layout, for series 2 some episodes would use the murder scene for the panel part of the show, with this being fully adopted for series 3 onwards.

Transmissions

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Series Start date End date Episodes
Pilot 15 August 1972 1
1 25 June 1973 30 July 1973 6
2 24 June 1974 29 July 1974 6
Special 26 December 1974 1
3 14 July 1975 15 September 1975 10
4 28 June 1976 9 August 1976 7
5 27 June 1977 25 July 1977 5
6 3 April 1978 26 June 1978 12

Episode guide

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Pilot (1972)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
1-"Pilot"Edward Woodward, Frank Windsor, Anne Summer15 August 1972 (1972-08-15)[1]

Series 1 (1973)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
21"Missing on Voyage"Dick Francis, Frank Davies, Julie Ege, Kenneth Haigh25 June 1973 (1973-06-25)[2]
32"Knife in the Back"Shaw Taylor, Reginald Bosanquet, Daliah Lavi, Jon Pertwee2 July 1973 (1973-07-02)[3]
43"Crime after a Fashion"George Sewell, David Hemmings, Sally Geeson, Joe Lynch9 July 1973 (1973-07-09)[4]
54"Did He Fall or Was He Pushed?"Peter Byrne, Moira Lister, Kingsley Amis, Russell Hunter16 July 1973 (1973-07-16)[5]
65"Dead Likeness"Alfred Marks, Dulcie Gray, Michael Denison, Marius Goring23 July 1973 (1973-07-23)[6]
76"Happy New Year"Patrick Mower, Barbara Windsor, John Woodvine, Tom Tullett30 July 1973 (1973-07-30)[7]

Series 2 (1974)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
81"The Last Act"Patrick Mower, Margaret Lockwood, Anthony Valentine, Robin Nedwell24 June 1974 (1974-06-24)[8]
92"It's Quicker by Train"Harry H. Corbett, Sheila Hancock, Leslie Crowther, Richard O'Sullivan1 July 1974 (1974-07-01)[9]
103"The Final Chapter"Jimmy Jewel, Aimi Macdonald, Francis Matthews, Henry Cooper8 July 1974 (1974-07-08)[10]
114"Goodbye Sarge"Rodney Bewes, Billie Whitelaw, George Sewell, Reginald Bosanquet15 July 1974 (1974-07-15)[11]
125"The Art of Theft"Kingsley Amis, Jackie Collins, Arthur Mullard, Pete Murray22 July 1974 (1974-07-22)[12]
136"Teddy Bears' Picnic"Hughie Green, Alfred Marks, Dawn Addams, Jackie Pallo29 July 1974 (1974-07-29)[13]

Christmas Special (1974)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
14-"A Piece of Cake"Patrick Mower, Wendy Craig, Derek Nimmo, Leslie Crowther26 December 1974 (1974-12-26)[14]

Series 3 (1975)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
151"Portrait in Black"Jackie Collins, Norman Bowler, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower14 July 1975 (1975-07-14)[15]
162"Final Drive"Aimi Macdonald, Alfred Marks, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower21 July 1975 (1975-07-21)[16]
173"Pop Goes The Weasel"Paula Wilcox, Richard O'Sullivan, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower28 July 1975 (1975-07-28)[17]
184"Evidence of Death"Polly James, Magnus Pyke, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower4 August 1975 (1975-08-04)[18]
195"Nothing to Declare"Nina Baden-Semper, Jack Smethurst, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower11 August 1975 (1975-08-11)[19]
206"Death at the Top"Diana Dors, William Franklyn, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower18 August 1975 (1975-08-18)[20]
217"Too Many Cooks"Julie Ege, Rodney Bewes, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower25 August 1975 (1975-08-25)[21]
228"Worth Dying For"Terry Scott, Dilys Laye, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower1 September 1975 (1975-09-01)[22]
239"Fly Me, I'm Dead"Honor Blackman, Leslie Crowther, Nerys Hughes, Patrick Mower8 September 1975 (1975-09-08)[23]
2410"Beware - Wet Paint"Rosemary Leach, Jimmy Jewel, Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower15 September 1975 (1975-09-15)[24]

Series 4 (1976)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
251"Dead Grass"Stratford Johns, Sheila Hancock, George Savalas28 June 1976 (1976-06-28)[25]
262"Future Imperfect"Magnus Pyke, Lindsay Wagner, Patrick Mower5 July 1976 (1976-07-05)[26]
273"A Time to Dye"Anouska Hempel, Terry Scott, Gareth Hunt12 July 1976 (1976-07-12)[27]
284"Final Verdict"Richard O'Sullivan, Honor Blackman, Norman Bowler19 July 1976 (1976-07-19)[28]
295"A Bad Habit"Robin Nedwell, Yootha Joyce, Brian Murphy26 July 1976 (1976-07-26)[29]
306"A Deadly Tan"June Whitfield, Rodney Bewes, Tony Selby2 August 1976 (1976-08-02)[30]
317"Dead Ball"William Franklyn, Sandra Dickinson, Gordon Honeycombe9 August 1976 (1976-08-09)[31]

Series 5 (1977)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
321"The Rajah's Ruby"Terry Wogan, Prunella Scales, Bill Pertwee27 June 1977 (1977-06-27)[32]
332"Village Fete"Jimmy Jewel, Liza Goddard, Trevor Bannister4 July 1977 (1977-07-04)[33]
343"No Happy Returns"Alfred Marks, Patrick Mower, Kate Williams11 July 1977 (1977-07-11)[34]
354"The Q43 Experiment"Magnus Pyke, Tessa Wyatt, Michael Aspel18 July 1977 (1977-07-18)[35]
365"Last Tango in Tooting"Anouska Hempel, Patrick Mower, Roy Plomley25 July 1977 (1977-07-25)[36]

Series 6 (1978)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleCelebrity panellistsOriginal air date
371"All Part of the Service"Patrick Mower, Liza Goddard, Diana Coupland, Alfred Marks3 April 1978 (1978-04-03)[37]
382"Which Eye, Jack?"Patrick Mower, Liza Goddard, Joanna Lumley, Bill Maynard10 April 1978 (1978-04-10)[38]
393"Diamonds Are Almost Forever"Patrick Mower, Liza Goddard, June Whitfield, Alfred Marks17 April 1978 (1978-04-17)[39]
404"Before Your Very Eyes"Patrick Mower, Liza Goddard, Mollie Sugden, Roy Plomley24 April 1978 (1978-04-24)[40]
415"A Bad Sign"Patrick Mower, Liza Goddard, Nerys Hughes, Reginald Bosanquet1 May 1978 (1978-05-01)[41]
426"Adieu Monsieur Chips"Patrick Mower, Lynsey de Paul, Liza Goddard, Bill Maynard8 May 1978 (1978-05-08)[42]
437"A Safe Way to Die"Patrick Mower, Jenny Hanley, Liza Goddard, Rodney Bewes15 May 1978 (1978-05-15)[43]
448"Final Trumpet"Patrick Mower, Una Stubbs, Liza Goddard, Robin Nedwell22 May 1978 (1978-05-22)[44]
459"Instant Coffee"Anouska Hempel, Michael Holoway, Anna Dawson, Jimmy Jewel5 June 1978 (1978-06-05)[45]
4610"A Dead Cert"Katie Boyle, Victor Spinetti, Anna Dawson, Cardew Robinson12 June 1978 (1978-06-12)[46]
4711"Underneath the Archers"Ted Moult, Anna Dawson, Magnus Pyke, Janet Brown19 June 1978 (1978-06-19)[47]
4812"Which Way Did He Go?"Cardew Robinson, Anna Dawson, David Nixon, Joyce Blair26 June 1978 (1978-06-26)[48]

DVD releases

[edit]

All six series of Whodunnit? have been released on DVD by Network.

DVD Title Discs Year Episodes Release date
Complete Series 1 2 1972-1973 6 (+ pilot) 31 January 2011
Complete Series 2 2 1974 6 13 August 2012
Complete Series 3 3 1974-1975 10 (+ special) 4 June 2012
Complete Series 4 2 1976 7 25 March 2013
Complete Series 5 1 1977 5 27 April 2015
Complete Series 6 3 1978 12 20 November 2017
The Complete Series 13 1972-1978 48 20 November 2017

References

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  1. ^ "Whodunnit? [Pilot]". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Missing on Voyage". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Knife in the Back". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Crime after a Fashion". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Did He Fall or Was He Pushed?". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Dead Likeness". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Happy New Year". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  8. ^ "The Last Act". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  9. ^ "It's Quicker by Train". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  10. ^ "The Final Chapter". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Goodbye Sarge". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  12. ^ "The Art of Theft". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Teddy Bears' Picnic". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  14. ^ "A Piece of Cake". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Portrait in Black". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Final Drive". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Pop Goes The Weasel". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Evidence of Death". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Nothing to Declare". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Death at the Top". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Too Many Cooks". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Worth Dying For". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Fly Me, I'm Dead". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  24. ^ "Beware - Wet Paint". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  25. ^ "Dead Grass". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Future Imperfect". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  27. ^ "A Time to Dye". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  28. ^ "Final Verdict". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  29. ^ "A Bad Habit". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  30. ^ "A Deadly Tan". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Dead Ball". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  32. ^ "The Rajah's Ruby". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  33. ^ "Village Fete". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  34. ^ "No Happy Returns". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  35. ^ "The Q43 Experiment". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  36. ^ "Last Tango in Tooting". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  37. ^ "All Part of the Service". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  38. ^ "Which Eye, Jack?". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  39. ^ "Diamonds Are Almost Forever". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  40. ^ "Before Your Very Eyes". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  41. ^ "A Bad Sign". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  42. ^ "Adieu Monsieur Chips". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  43. ^ "A Safe Way to Die". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  44. ^ "Final Trumpet". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  45. ^ "Instant Coffee". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  46. ^ "A Dead Cert". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  47. ^ "Underneath the Archers". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  48. ^ "Which Way Did He Go?". British Film Institute. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
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