Todd Amberson (Leigh McCloskey) invites his old college buddy Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton) to apply for an accounting position with the cosmetics company owned by Todd's Aunt Lila Lee Amberson (Jayne Meadows) and operated by Todd's father, Norman Amberson (Robert Culp).
Lila Lee Cosmetics Convention is being held this week, at Castleton Hotel in New York City, while Grady's Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) visits him and is not only welcomed to the convention, but encouraged by the perpetually-lavender-clad-from-pillbox-hat-to-hem-line Lila Lee herself, for Jessica to become a cosmetics consultant and vendor, and handed a lavender sales kit At the convention, Jessica observes an altercation between a Photographer (Robert Stoneman) and the management, Lila Lee confiscating a tube of the discontinues Tangerine Twist lipstick #9854321 from his person.
Norman's Administrative Assistant, Glenda Vandevere (Millie Perkins), is handed the task of setting up an appointment for Norman to interview Grady, which becomes continually postponed. While Glenda receives high marks for her effectiveness with her responsibilities, she is reprimanded by Lila Lee for Glenda's attempting to capture Norman's eye to attempt to fulfill her unrequited romantic notions.
Lila Lee and Todd each objects to Norman's involvement with his new fiancée, Elizabeth Gordon (Ann Dusenberry), soon after Todd's mother passes. While Norman and Todd exchange words, Lila Lee attempts to hand Elizabeth $50,000 to disappear from Norman's life.
Elizabeth has a past of her own. She had been employed by Fiona Keeler (Christine Belford) in a risqué business venture. Elizabeth had also gone steady with theatre actor Roger Adiano (Robert Desiderio). And long before either association, Elizabeth had been an exceptional pupil in the twelfth grade English course instructed by Mrs. Fletcher, back in Cabot Cove.
(Often, any former pupil will recall Jessica as "Freshman English teacher," but in this case, Mrs. Fletcher taught "Senior English.") But because of her in-between past after leaving Cabot Cove and before her engagement to Norman, Elizabeth tries to avoid reuniting with Jessica, but encounters her in the hotel lobby for a pleasant reminiscence.
Later that evening, when one member of their dinner party doesn't show at the restaurant, Jessica and her host check in at the apartment to discover it ransacked and a portrait defaced, while the body lies in the bedroom, a victim of strangulation.
Lieutenant Varick (Herb Edelman) enters the case, accepting Jessica's assistance in her capacity as an untrained investigator, who generally out-shows the professionals, by piecing together minute clues, which she uncovers through witnessing and discussing details.
The cast is rounded out by Actress #1 (Catherine Battistone) and Actress #2 (Cathy McAuley) in the dressing room at a theatre on Fourth Street, and Mr. Hillsdale (Fred Ponzlov), the chemist who invented Tangerine Twist lipstick ##9854321.
Whether or not Grady gets the accounting job remains to be seen for now is not the time for Lila Lee Cosmetics to schedule interviews, but "Murder By Appointment Only."
Lila Lee Cosmetics Convention is being held this week, at Castleton Hotel in New York City, while Grady's Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) visits him and is not only welcomed to the convention, but encouraged by the perpetually-lavender-clad-from-pillbox-hat-to-hem-line Lila Lee herself, for Jessica to become a cosmetics consultant and vendor, and handed a lavender sales kit At the convention, Jessica observes an altercation between a Photographer (Robert Stoneman) and the management, Lila Lee confiscating a tube of the discontinues Tangerine Twist lipstick #9854321 from his person.
Norman's Administrative Assistant, Glenda Vandevere (Millie Perkins), is handed the task of setting up an appointment for Norman to interview Grady, which becomes continually postponed. While Glenda receives high marks for her effectiveness with her responsibilities, she is reprimanded by Lila Lee for Glenda's attempting to capture Norman's eye to attempt to fulfill her unrequited romantic notions.
Lila Lee and Todd each objects to Norman's involvement with his new fiancée, Elizabeth Gordon (Ann Dusenberry), soon after Todd's mother passes. While Norman and Todd exchange words, Lila Lee attempts to hand Elizabeth $50,000 to disappear from Norman's life.
Elizabeth has a past of her own. She had been employed by Fiona Keeler (Christine Belford) in a risqué business venture. Elizabeth had also gone steady with theatre actor Roger Adiano (Robert Desiderio). And long before either association, Elizabeth had been an exceptional pupil in the twelfth grade English course instructed by Mrs. Fletcher, back in Cabot Cove.
(Often, any former pupil will recall Jessica as "Freshman English teacher," but in this case, Mrs. Fletcher taught "Senior English.") But because of her in-between past after leaving Cabot Cove and before her engagement to Norman, Elizabeth tries to avoid reuniting with Jessica, but encounters her in the hotel lobby for a pleasant reminiscence.
Later that evening, when one member of their dinner party doesn't show at the restaurant, Jessica and her host check in at the apartment to discover it ransacked and a portrait defaced, while the body lies in the bedroom, a victim of strangulation.
Lieutenant Varick (Herb Edelman) enters the case, accepting Jessica's assistance in her capacity as an untrained investigator, who generally out-shows the professionals, by piecing together minute clues, which she uncovers through witnessing and discussing details.
The cast is rounded out by Actress #1 (Catherine Battistone) and Actress #2 (Cathy McAuley) in the dressing room at a theatre on Fourth Street, and Mr. Hillsdale (Fred Ponzlov), the chemist who invented Tangerine Twist lipstick ##9854321.
Whether or not Grady gets the accounting job remains to be seen for now is not the time for Lila Lee Cosmetics to schedule interviews, but "Murder By Appointment Only."
