Keith Michell makes his final "MSW" appearance here as reformed-jewelry-thief-turned-insurance-company-investigator Dennis Stanton....
Passengers live on the edge when Dutchess Lines' "Lady Wellington" cruise ship sails the Carribbean from Miami, Florida, where a murder by gunshot occurs on the dock the night before she embarks onto the high seas, as burglary, smuggling, altercations, blackmail and murder have only yet begun.
Agnes Lowry (Sarah Partridge) doesn't make the trip because illegal trafficker Janet Fisk (Michelle Johnson) steals her identity, to pass herself off as Agnes.
Roland Devereux (George Tovar), who's booked on the tour to entertain passengers as a magician, works a con game with Diana Peale (Sharon Lee Jones) as his partner in crime, before Roland recognizes Janet from Buffalo, New York, three years back, but she makes a dangerous play for Lance Brinegar (Michael Woods), who arrives with his intended, Molly Altrip (Ellia Thompson), to determine whether or not they're compatible for potential marriage.
Leslie Hunter (Lee Meriwether) has been seeing Captain Rory O'Neil (Jon Cypher) for more than a year and considers settling down with him to operate a bread and breakfast in in Carmel, California, after this, his last voyage upon "Lady Wellington" although he hasn't declared his intentions for Leslie in his future.
Alma Sobel (Jane Withers), the widowed mother of a devoted son, Marvin Sobel (Albie Selznick), suffers from Kleptomania and cannot resist getting into the act of lifting small shiny objects from the possession of various passengers although Marvin does his best to return Alma's take with the sincerest of apologies.
Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives to sail the Carribbean at the suggestion of her publisher, after she completes her latest manuscript ahead of schedule. Upon boarding, she encounters old acquaintance Leslie, who hasn't seen Jessica in thirty years but requests Jessica's presence in the Captain's social circle.
In the dining room, Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) captures Jessica's attention, when she recognizes his voice with the usual, "Dennis!?" He speaks of having retired from his position at his San Francisco insurance agency but has one last assignment to conduct.
Jessica befriends Molly Altrip after Lance Brinegar leaves her at the table to chase after Janet Fisk, while ship's Steward Philip Polachek (Dwier Brown) also takes a shining to Molly, who must rethink her future plans after being stood up once too often by a potential fiancé who lands in the ship's jail when a body is discovered, the victim of a wrench bludgeoning and shooting, before being suspended inside a hanging fishing net, while others are celebrating the ship's crossing the 25th Parallel.
So, whether Jessica is able to champion young love among any combination of Diana, Roland, Janet, Lance, Molly, Philip and Marvin, or to help Leslie and Rory to reach a decision, or to help Alma with her Kleptomania even though Alma lifts one of Jessica's pens, this must all wait for now because Jessica teams with Dennis to uncover clues as to whodunit amid a smuggling operation aboard a "Ship of Thieves."
The cast is rounded out by Kim Delgado as Purser, Sammy Goldstein as Comic, Walter Kelley as Passenger, Towers Monaco as Seaman, J.R. Starr as Shopkeeper, and Jack Garner as Mr. Worthington, the object of one of Diana's con games.
This episode represents the the first acting credit by Sammy Goldstein, the first television role by J.R. Starr, the most recent appearance to date each by Sarah Partridge and Walter Kelley, and the only acting credit thus far by Towers Monaco.
This also marks the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Ellia Thompson, Albie Selznick and Michael Woods, the second of two each for Michelle Johnson and Jane Withers, the second of three for Lee Meriwether, the third of three for Jon Cypher, and the ninth of nine for Keith Michell (each in his role as Dennis Stanton).
Passengers live on the edge when Dutchess Lines' "Lady Wellington" cruise ship sails the Carribbean from Miami, Florida, where a murder by gunshot occurs on the dock the night before she embarks onto the high seas, as burglary, smuggling, altercations, blackmail and murder have only yet begun.
Agnes Lowry (Sarah Partridge) doesn't make the trip because illegal trafficker Janet Fisk (Michelle Johnson) steals her identity, to pass herself off as Agnes.
Roland Devereux (George Tovar), who's booked on the tour to entertain passengers as a magician, works a con game with Diana Peale (Sharon Lee Jones) as his partner in crime, before Roland recognizes Janet from Buffalo, New York, three years back, but she makes a dangerous play for Lance Brinegar (Michael Woods), who arrives with his intended, Molly Altrip (Ellia Thompson), to determine whether or not they're compatible for potential marriage.
Leslie Hunter (Lee Meriwether) has been seeing Captain Rory O'Neil (Jon Cypher) for more than a year and considers settling down with him to operate a bread and breakfast in in Carmel, California, after this, his last voyage upon "Lady Wellington" although he hasn't declared his intentions for Leslie in his future.
Alma Sobel (Jane Withers), the widowed mother of a devoted son, Marvin Sobel (Albie Selznick), suffers from Kleptomania and cannot resist getting into the act of lifting small shiny objects from the possession of various passengers although Marvin does his best to return Alma's take with the sincerest of apologies.
Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives to sail the Carribbean at the suggestion of her publisher, after she completes her latest manuscript ahead of schedule. Upon boarding, she encounters old acquaintance Leslie, who hasn't seen Jessica in thirty years but requests Jessica's presence in the Captain's social circle.
In the dining room, Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) captures Jessica's attention, when she recognizes his voice with the usual, "Dennis!?" He speaks of having retired from his position at his San Francisco insurance agency but has one last assignment to conduct.
Jessica befriends Molly Altrip after Lance Brinegar leaves her at the table to chase after Janet Fisk, while ship's Steward Philip Polachek (Dwier Brown) also takes a shining to Molly, who must rethink her future plans after being stood up once too often by a potential fiancé who lands in the ship's jail when a body is discovered, the victim of a wrench bludgeoning and shooting, before being suspended inside a hanging fishing net, while others are celebrating the ship's crossing the 25th Parallel.
So, whether Jessica is able to champion young love among any combination of Diana, Roland, Janet, Lance, Molly, Philip and Marvin, or to help Leslie and Rory to reach a decision, or to help Alma with her Kleptomania even though Alma lifts one of Jessica's pens, this must all wait for now because Jessica teams with Dennis to uncover clues as to whodunit amid a smuggling operation aboard a "Ship of Thieves."
The cast is rounded out by Kim Delgado as Purser, Sammy Goldstein as Comic, Walter Kelley as Passenger, Towers Monaco as Seaman, J.R. Starr as Shopkeeper, and Jack Garner as Mr. Worthington, the object of one of Diana's con games.
This episode represents the the first acting credit by Sammy Goldstein, the first television role by J.R. Starr, the most recent appearance to date each by Sarah Partridge and Walter Kelley, and the only acting credit thus far by Towers Monaco.
This also marks the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Ellia Thompson, Albie Selznick and Michael Woods, the second of two each for Michelle Johnson and Jane Withers, the second of three for Lee Meriwether, the third of three for Jon Cypher, and the ninth of nine for Keith Michell (each in his role as Dennis Stanton).