Crime Story (British TV series)

Last updated

Crime Story
Genre True crime
Created byVarious
Directed byVarious
StarringVarious
Theme music composerDan Jones
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes15
Production
Executive producersRobert Love
Christine Benson
ProducersBill Jones
Alan Macmillan
Jeff Pope
CinematographyLawrence Jones
Alan Pyrah
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network ITV
Release18 September 1992 (1992-09-18) 
8 February 1995 (1995-02-08)

Crime Story is a British true crime drama anthology television series, first broadcast on 18 September 1992 on ITV. [1] Two series were produced between 1992 and 1995, containing a total of fifteen episodes. Each episode depicts the events leading up to and encompassing a notable true crime, including cases such as the Erwin Van Haarlem mystery and the Teacup Poisoner murders.

Contents

The series is notable for including the first television script written by BAFTA-award-winning writer Jeff Pope. [2] Neither series has been released on DVD. In 2024, the show began airing on Talking Pictures TV. [3]

Episodes

Note: The 15 episodes are numbered differently on IMDB.com (below) vs. Britbox streaming channel

Series 1 (1992)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"All Good Friends"Julian JarroldFrank Cottrell Boyce18 September 1992 (1992-09-18)
The Case of the Handless Corpse: The murder of drug world figure Martin Johnstone, a crime spanning three continents and resulting in the conviction of five men.
Cast: Peter O'Brien, Suzanne Packer, Philip Quast and Victor McGuire
22"Gone Too Far"Simon MasseyGlenn Chandler25 September 1992 (1992-09-25)
The Mystery of Mrs. Muriel McKay : A twisty tale involving kidnapping, the media and the police.
Cast: Anne Reid, Jimmi Harkishin, Kulvinder Ghir, Ed Devereaux, Dicken Ashworth and Malcolm Tierney
33"Wallpaper Warrior"Tony KyshSteve Chambers2 October 1992 (1992-10-02)
Eddie Horner, a factory worker active in union politics, is radicalised to commit murder.
Cast: Derek Walmsley, Jonathan Copestake, Tony Caunter and Jack Watling
44"Deadly Obsession"Pennant RobertsRosemary Mason16 October 1992 (1992-10-16)
The conviction of businesswoman Kathleen Calhaem, who was drawn to murder by unrequited love, jealousy, and blackmail.
Cast: Janet Henfrey, David Hargreaves, Steven O'Donnell, Jeremy Nicholas and Victor Winding
55"The Britoil Affair"Alan MacmillanStuart Hepburn6 November 1992 (1992-11-06)
A cunning plan to defraud one of the world's largest oil companies of more than £20 million.
Cast: Edita Brychta, Bill Murdoch, Vivienne Brown and Peter D'Souza
66"A Question of Identity"Nigel MillerJeff Pope13 November 1992 (1992-11-13)
The story of Erwin van Haarlem, a Dutch art dealer spying for Czechoslovakia with a mission to track down supporters of the dissident group, Chapter 77.
Cast: Bernard Hill, Bob Mason, Shirley Cain, Tomek Bork, Simon Jessop and Sidney Kean
77"Dear Roy, Love Gillian"Graham TheakstonPeter Brooks21 November 1992 (1992-11-21)
A 16-year-old girl becomes a pen pal to an incarcerated convict, and her subsequent murder may or may not be linked to their on-paper romance.
Cast: John McEnery, Julia Booth, Eamonn Clarke and Bernard Merrick

Series 2 (1993–1995)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
81"The Prince"UnknownUnknown22 September 1993 (1993-09-22)
The Life and Crimes of Darius Guppy : A businessman stages a robbery at a jewellers in an attempt to reclaim the insurance money.
Cast: James Purefoy, Jo Stone-Fewings, Christine Ashe, Peter Hilton and Stevan Rimkus
92"When the Lies Run Out"Paul GreengrassPaul Greengrass29 September 1993 (1993-09-29)
The Ian Spiro Story: Following the murders of his wife and children, a CIA-Contracted intelligence operative is found dead in a suspected cyanide poisoning.
Cast: Alfred Molina, Lesley Manville, Amir Morangy and Louise Hunt
103"Terrible Coldness"Richard SignyUnknown6 October 1993 (1993-10-06)
Graham Young : The workplace murders committed by Graham Young, a young man previously convicted of death by poison.
Cast: Mark Womack, Trevor Peacock, Arthur Cox, John Middleton and Chrissie Cotterill
114"The Yugoslav Hitman"Alan MacmillanStuart Hepburn8 December 1993 (1993-12-08)
Stedul: Nikola Stedul, a former Yugoslavian Freedom Fighter, tries to avoid a gun-man who is sent to the quiet Scottish town where he lives to assassinate him.
Cast: Derek Lord, Simone Lahbib, John Stahl and Sandy West
125"The Stonehouse Affair"Alan MacmillanDon Shaw15 December 1993 (1993-12-15)
Following a period of deceptive creative accounting, a British Labour MP tries to fake his own death.
Cast: Tony Anholt, Estrid Barton, Peter O'Brien, Juliet Cadzow and Ahmed Khalil
136"The Whitehouse Farm Murders"Mike CockerUnknown22 December 1993 (1993-12-22)
When a married couple and three of their children are shot dead inside an isolated farmhouse one summer's night, their adopted son, Jeremy, becomes prime suspect.
Cast: Neil Roberts, Diane Keen, Fiona Dolman, Jerome Willis, Jonathan Wrather and Davyd Harries
147"The Ladies' Man"Simon MasseyPeter Whalley29 April 1994 (1994-04-29)
Archibald Hall : The story of a Scottish serial killer committing crimes while working in service to members of the British aristocracy.
Cast: John Shrapnel, Mark McGann and Freda Dowie
158"Hot Dog Wars"Alan BellJohn Milne8 February 1995 (1995-02-08)
A row between rival Hot Dog vendors over a backfired armed robbery results in a double murder.
Cast: Stephen Marcus, Nicola Duffett, Paul Kynman and Danny Cerqueira

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References

  1. Rawnet. "Crime Story: All Good Friends - The Case Of The Handless Corpse". ITV Studios. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  2. Galloway, Natasha. "Jeff Pope". United Agents. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  3. "Talking Pictures TV Wednesday, 3 July". tv24.co.uk. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.