LOST EPISODE - episode summary from The Avengers Dissolute website:
Hidden in an invitation card, Steel has concealed microdots of a new medical formula that Keel will carry unwittingly to Geneva. Keel gives the card to a young lady he meets and a pursuit ensues to retrieve the card. Having relocated the girl, Steed finds that his 'safe' contact has ulterior plans to sell the formula, so he invites the police to arrest the man and his heavies instead.
1.13 - One for the Mortuary
-
dissolute
- The Ministry
- Posts: 3097
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:03 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Has thanked: 180 times
- Been thanked: 195 times
- Contact:
All-new plot summary to honour the 60th anniversary of this episode:
ONE FOR THE MORTUARY
BY BRIAN CLEMENS
Production completed: 27 April 1961. First transmission: 29 April 1961
This episode summary is written from the original scripts and Leonard White's scrapbook of notes and tele-snaps as this episode is now lost. There may have been changes made during filming.
ACT 1
Steed meets Wilson at the docks and gives him an envelope containing microfilm but they are suddenly attacked by the one-eyed assassin Benson (Peter Madden) and his henchman. Wilson is stabbed by a sword stick but, at Steed's urging, manages to burnt the film while Steed fights off their attackers. He dies holding the charred film and Benson turns to unleash his fury on Steed but the sound of approaching police whistles leads the assailants to beat a hasty retreat.
The next morning, Dr Keel visits a Turkish Bath where Steed is getting treatment for his wounds from a huge man named Henry. Steed asks him to take the formula for a new drug, Morgantol, to a World Health Organisation conference in Geneva which Keel happened to already be attending anyway. Steed explains what happened to the first courier and Keel agrees to help after Steed explains he's been in hiding since the attack; Keel is not to change any flight or do anything unusual. Meanwhile the killer rings his boss in Geneva and explains they didn't get the film. The boss is annoyed but, after pondering a moment while toying with some chess pieces, comes up with a plan and tells him he will call back...
Carol is helping Keel get ready to go when a nervous mother calls, and Keel goes off to quickly deal with her, telling Carol that a caller from WHO will be arriving soon and she is to ask him to wait. Steed meanwhile is in the massage room, briefing an eager young agent called Scott (Ronald Wilson) on the delivery of the film, now hidden in microdots on a guest invitation to the conference. He reminds Scott not be seen with Keel and then calls Doctor Pallaine in Geneva, the committee member in charge of the delivery of the formula. Pallaine (Dennis Edwards) is worried, especially when Steed informs him of the death of the courier, but Steed reassures him one of his men is delivering the film to Doctor Keel who will be at the conference.
Scott arrives at the surgery and is shown in to Keel's office by Carol. Once she returns to her desk, he open Keel's suitcase and substitutes the new invitation for the one already there. Outside, Carol doesn't notice Benson slip in the side door; he enters the surgery and attacks Scott with his sword stick. Keel returns and Benson has just composed himself and hidden the envelope when Keel enters the surgery. Benson tells him the deal is off and he's not needed, then departs back out the side door so Carol won't see him. Keel is delighted and, heading out the door to his waiting taxi, describes him to Carol as "a one-eyed messenger of good cheer" which confuses her greatly.
On the flight to Switzerland, Keel is seated next to Yvette Declair (Malou Pantera), a beautiful woman stressed by the memories of a plane crash that injured her and killed her parents. She reacts badly when he says he's a doctor but they become friends nonetheless. Meanwhile, Benson reports another failure to his unseen boss and is ordered to be on the next flight to Geneva, it's already booked for him. Carol has by this time discovered Scott hidden in a cupboard and contacts Steed who arrives with some ambulance men. He is aghast when Scott tells him he never briefed Keel about the film and he doesn't know he has it. Steed calls Pallaine who tells him his man Borsh has already gone to the airport to meet Keel and he doesn't think he can contact him in time.
ACT 2
At the end of the flight, Yvette feels weak and Keel assists her to her flat, brushing aside the courier Borsh (Steven Scott) at the gate. He discovers that it's psychosomatic stress-triggered pain and gives her a sedative. Yvette notices his guest invitation to the conference when it falls out of his case and he gives it to her as a gift. She opens up about the crash, telling him she only has an uncle left in Geneva now and she will take it easy, as "a visit to Bernard Bourg is hardly strenuous". When Keel finally returns to his hotel, Borsh is waiting in the hallway outside his room and insists they talk but when they enter the room Benson is inside, brandishing a gun. Borsh reaches for his own and is shot, then Keel is knocked out when Benson clubs him with the gun.
Keel comes to, finding the room full of detectives, Borsh dead, and his luggage slashed and ransacked. The lead detective Dubois (Frank Gatliff) starts to interrogate him but he claims he knows nothing about the dead. Steed arrives in Geneva and is astonished to hear that Keel "went off with some woman" and can't be found. Steed immediately tracks Keel down at his hotel where the police are continuing the interrogation - Keel deciding it's better not to tell them he recognised the man who shot Borsh as the courier who was at his London surgery. Steed bursts in and hold the police at gunpoint so he can whisk Keel away1.
In Pallaine's office, Keel is confused as to why he had the film planted on him as the courier was the man who just attacked him. Steed realises it was a different man, not Scott, that Keel had seen in London, it was the killer - and now he's in Geneva! When Steed reveals the microfilm was hidden on the invitation Keel is elated - Yvette has it! He tells Steed and Pallaine Yvette's name and address. Dr Keel and Steed head to Yvette's while Pallaine makes some calls but Benson has got there ahead of them and ransacked the apartment, finding nothing and escaping as Steed and Keel arrive. They worry how they are going to find Yvette and Steed goes off to placate the local police while Keel searches the flat to try to discover where Yvette has gone. A maid (Irene Bradshaw) arrives to clean the flat and is shocked at the mess, thinking Dr Keel is responsible. He assures her he's a friend of Yvette's and the maid confesses she's new to the job, having been recommended by her uncle. This jogs Keel's memory and he searches the phone book for "Uncle Bernard Bourg", greatly confusing the maid who tells him her uncle is called Maurice.
ACT 3
Keel arrives at Bourg's house at 37 Rue Viennes and discovers that Bourg (Toke Townley) is a strange old taxidermist with thick glasses who tries to sell stuffed animals to Keel. Bourg toys with a knife as he says he has no niece and has never heard of Yvette Declair. He realises Keel's confusion and tells him that rather than Bernard Bourg she probably said she was going to Bern Ardbourg, a nearby village. Fortunately it is a tiny place and the telephone operator would be sure to know where she was. Keel calls the village and manages to reach Yvette. He learns that she still has the invitation and arranges for her to come to Bourg's house. Keel calls Pallaine who is toying with his chess pieces as he talks to Steed. Pallaine is cagey on the phone and doesn't reveal to Steed that Yvette has been found, simply telling him he has to go and meet some more guests when he hangs up. He tells Steed to "stay by the telephone and pull strings" as he leaves, which makes Steed frown.
Yvette arrives at Bourg's, followed closely by Pallaine, who asks for Keel to hand over the invitation. Keel is unsure as he was expecting Steed as well and when he refuses to hand it over Pallaine summons Benson who enters, pointing a gun at Keel after grabbing Yvette and two other men grab Dr Keel. Keel realises Pallaine intended all along for it to fall into the wrong hands - Pallaine's! Pallaine explains it's personal jealousy, he had worked for Morgan and thinks he deserves the profit despite being nowhere near as good a chemist. Keel knocks a specimen case onto Benson and they fight, then Steed bursts in with the police, led by Dubois, and the crooks are arrested.
Keel is astonished that Steed found them and Steed explains he was in the office when Pallaine took Keel's call. He realised from what Pallaine said when he was leaving that Keel must have said "Tell Steed to stop pulling strings at once" so he tailed Pallaine then contacted Dubois. Dubois tells Dr Keel that Steed has cleared everything up and he is free to go.2. Yvette and Steed then untie Bourg and Dr Keel introduces Yvette as Miss Declair to Steed, who insinuates, "I feel I know you almost well enough to call you Yvette". Quickly taken by his charm and forwardness, she blushes and replies, "And so you shall - when you really know me well enough." All three then depart Bourg's house with our two heroes on each of Yvette's arms.
ONE FOR THE MORTUARY
BY BRIAN CLEMENS
Production completed: 27 April 1961. First transmission: 29 April 1961
This episode summary is written from the original scripts and Leonard White's scrapbook of notes and tele-snaps as this episode is now lost. There may have been changes made during filming.
ACT 1
Steed meets Wilson at the docks and gives him an envelope containing microfilm but they are suddenly attacked by the one-eyed assassin Benson (Peter Madden) and his henchman. Wilson is stabbed by a sword stick but, at Steed's urging, manages to burnt the film while Steed fights off their attackers. He dies holding the charred film and Benson turns to unleash his fury on Steed but the sound of approaching police whistles leads the assailants to beat a hasty retreat.
The next morning, Dr Keel visits a Turkish Bath where Steed is getting treatment for his wounds from a huge man named Henry. Steed asks him to take the formula for a new drug, Morgantol, to a World Health Organisation conference in Geneva which Keel happened to already be attending anyway. Steed explains what happened to the first courier and Keel agrees to help after Steed explains he's been in hiding since the attack; Keel is not to change any flight or do anything unusual. Meanwhile the killer rings his boss in Geneva and explains they didn't get the film. The boss is annoyed but, after pondering a moment while toying with some chess pieces, comes up with a plan and tells him he will call back...
Carol is helping Keel get ready to go when a nervous mother calls, and Keel goes off to quickly deal with her, telling Carol that a caller from WHO will be arriving soon and she is to ask him to wait. Steed meanwhile is in the massage room, briefing an eager young agent called Scott (Ronald Wilson) on the delivery of the film, now hidden in microdots on a guest invitation to the conference. He reminds Scott not be seen with Keel and then calls Doctor Pallaine in Geneva, the committee member in charge of the delivery of the formula. Pallaine (Dennis Edwards) is worried, especially when Steed informs him of the death of the courier, but Steed reassures him one of his men is delivering the film to Doctor Keel who will be at the conference.
Scott arrives at the surgery and is shown in to Keel's office by Carol. Once she returns to her desk, he open Keel's suitcase and substitutes the new invitation for the one already there. Outside, Carol doesn't notice Benson slip in the side door; he enters the surgery and attacks Scott with his sword stick. Keel returns and Benson has just composed himself and hidden the envelope when Keel enters the surgery. Benson tells him the deal is off and he's not needed, then departs back out the side door so Carol won't see him. Keel is delighted and, heading out the door to his waiting taxi, describes him to Carol as "a one-eyed messenger of good cheer" which confuses her greatly.
On the flight to Switzerland, Keel is seated next to Yvette Declair (Malou Pantera), a beautiful woman stressed by the memories of a plane crash that injured her and killed her parents. She reacts badly when he says he's a doctor but they become friends nonetheless. Meanwhile, Benson reports another failure to his unseen boss and is ordered to be on the next flight to Geneva, it's already booked for him. Carol has by this time discovered Scott hidden in a cupboard and contacts Steed who arrives with some ambulance men. He is aghast when Scott tells him he never briefed Keel about the film and he doesn't know he has it. Steed calls Pallaine who tells him his man Borsh has already gone to the airport to meet Keel and he doesn't think he can contact him in time.
ACT 2
At the end of the flight, Yvette feels weak and Keel assists her to her flat, brushing aside the courier Borsh (Steven Scott) at the gate. He discovers that it's psychosomatic stress-triggered pain and gives her a sedative. Yvette notices his guest invitation to the conference when it falls out of his case and he gives it to her as a gift. She opens up about the crash, telling him she only has an uncle left in Geneva now and she will take it easy, as "a visit to Bernard Bourg is hardly strenuous". When Keel finally returns to his hotel, Borsh is waiting in the hallway outside his room and insists they talk but when they enter the room Benson is inside, brandishing a gun. Borsh reaches for his own and is shot, then Keel is knocked out when Benson clubs him with the gun.
Keel comes to, finding the room full of detectives, Borsh dead, and his luggage slashed and ransacked. The lead detective Dubois (Frank Gatliff) starts to interrogate him but he claims he knows nothing about the dead. Steed arrives in Geneva and is astonished to hear that Keel "went off with some woman" and can't be found. Steed immediately tracks Keel down at his hotel where the police are continuing the interrogation - Keel deciding it's better not to tell them he recognised the man who shot Borsh as the courier who was at his London surgery. Steed bursts in and hold the police at gunpoint so he can whisk Keel away1.
In Pallaine's office, Keel is confused as to why he had the film planted on him as the courier was the man who just attacked him. Steed realises it was a different man, not Scott, that Keel had seen in London, it was the killer - and now he's in Geneva! When Steed reveals the microfilm was hidden on the invitation Keel is elated - Yvette has it! He tells Steed and Pallaine Yvette's name and address. Dr Keel and Steed head to Yvette's while Pallaine makes some calls but Benson has got there ahead of them and ransacked the apartment, finding nothing and escaping as Steed and Keel arrive. They worry how they are going to find Yvette and Steed goes off to placate the local police while Keel searches the flat to try to discover where Yvette has gone. A maid (Irene Bradshaw) arrives to clean the flat and is shocked at the mess, thinking Dr Keel is responsible. He assures her he's a friend of Yvette's and the maid confesses she's new to the job, having been recommended by her uncle. This jogs Keel's memory and he searches the phone book for "Uncle Bernard Bourg", greatly confusing the maid who tells him her uncle is called Maurice.
ACT 3
Keel arrives at Bourg's house at 37 Rue Viennes and discovers that Bourg (Toke Townley) is a strange old taxidermist with thick glasses who tries to sell stuffed animals to Keel. Bourg toys with a knife as he says he has no niece and has never heard of Yvette Declair. He realises Keel's confusion and tells him that rather than Bernard Bourg she probably said she was going to Bern Ardbourg, a nearby village. Fortunately it is a tiny place and the telephone operator would be sure to know where she was. Keel calls the village and manages to reach Yvette. He learns that she still has the invitation and arranges for her to come to Bourg's house. Keel calls Pallaine who is toying with his chess pieces as he talks to Steed. Pallaine is cagey on the phone and doesn't reveal to Steed that Yvette has been found, simply telling him he has to go and meet some more guests when he hangs up. He tells Steed to "stay by the telephone and pull strings" as he leaves, which makes Steed frown.
Yvette arrives at Bourg's, followed closely by Pallaine, who asks for Keel to hand over the invitation. Keel is unsure as he was expecting Steed as well and when he refuses to hand it over Pallaine summons Benson who enters, pointing a gun at Keel after grabbing Yvette and two other men grab Dr Keel. Keel realises Pallaine intended all along for it to fall into the wrong hands - Pallaine's! Pallaine explains it's personal jealousy, he had worked for Morgan and thinks he deserves the profit despite being nowhere near as good a chemist. Keel knocks a specimen case onto Benson and they fight, then Steed bursts in with the police, led by Dubois, and the crooks are arrested.
Keel is astonished that Steed found them and Steed explains he was in the office when Pallaine took Keel's call. He realised from what Pallaine said when he was leaving that Keel must have said "Tell Steed to stop pulling strings at once" so he tailed Pallaine then contacted Dubois. Dubois tells Dr Keel that Steed has cleared everything up and he is free to go.2. Yvette and Steed then untie Bourg and Dr Keel introduces Yvette as Miss Declair to Steed, who insinuates, "I feel I know you almost well enough to call you Yvette". Quickly taken by his charm and forwardness, she blushes and replies, "And so you shall - when you really know me well enough." All three then depart Bourg's house with our two heroes on each of Yvette's arms.
Mrs Peel, you're needed!
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
-
Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
- Posts: 6528
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Carmadoc Research Establishment
- Has thanked: 323 times
- Been thanked: 251 times
Just a general comment on the site home page for Series 1,
https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avenge ... /series-1/
is this up to date? It says, "B to indicate that the episode has an audio adaptation released by Big Finish." I thought they had adapted all the missing episodes in some form? But episode 13, halfway through the series, is the last one marked.
Also, only two, I think, are marked as having been reconstructed on the StudioCanal sets; but there are more, especially on the Tunnel of Fear DVD.
https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avenge ... /series-1/
is this up to date? It says, "B to indicate that the episode has an audio adaptation released by Big Finish." I thought they had adapted all the missing episodes in some form? But episode 13, halfway through the series, is the last one marked.
Also, only two, I think, are marked as having been reconstructed on the StudioCanal sets; but there are more, especially on the Tunnel of Fear DVD.
Last edited by Frankymole on Sun May 02, 2021 3:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Last watched: "Mandrake"
-
dissolute
- The Ministry
- Posts: 3097
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:03 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Has thanked: 180 times
- Been thanked: 195 times
- Contact:
Thanks Franky, I'm updating it at the moment. I must have not finished adding those marks (I'm thinking about changing the layout to make it clearer anyway)
Mrs Peel, you're needed!
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
-
dissolute
- The Ministry
- Posts: 3097
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:03 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Has thanked: 180 times
- Been thanked: 195 times
- Contact:
The improved series 1 index page is now live!
https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avenge ... /series-1/
https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avenge ... /series-1/
Mrs Peel, you're needed!
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/
Every episode from 1961 to 1977 plus more trivia than you can shake a brolly at.
-
Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
- Posts: 6528
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Carmadoc Research Establishment
- Has thanked: 323 times
- Been thanked: 251 times
-
Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
- Posts: 6528
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: Carmadoc Research Establishment
- Has thanked: 323 times
- Been thanked: 251 times
I've just listened to Big Finish's audio version, and read the synopses and watched the reconstruction from the Canal+ disk.
As the Canal+ reconstruction was done before the script was found, it has some errors, which thankfully were put right by the time the McGinlay/Hayes book came out (at least the one-volume version, I haven't been back to the original to check).
An enjoyably weird tale. Only by being set largely in Switzerland does it feel unusual for a Brian Clemens "Avengerland" script, otherwise all the eccentricity is there, fairly fresh as most episodes up to now have not been this weird or had such odd characters popping up! There is more grittiness though (lots of violence, and Keel being framed for murder), and no really active female protagonist, even Carol takes a back seat for this one as she doesn't go to the Continent with the two men.
At this stage, halfway through Season 1, it does seem as if Steed has pulled focus from Keel. Maybe it's just the espionage nature of this story, which even though it's about a medical drug, has Dr Keel more as a patsy than a problem-solver.
He gets some nice almost-romantic interest with the plane crash survivor, Yvette Declair, who has some nice character development from fearful (with psychosomatic pain) to bravely overcoming her fears during the dramatic events. But then Steed even muscles in on Yvette, at the end! Poor Dr Keel. Always unlucky with the ladies. I hope Carol carries a torch for him by the end of the series.
As the Canal+ reconstruction was done before the script was found, it has some errors, which thankfully were put right by the time the McGinlay/Hayes book came out (at least the one-volume version, I haven't been back to the original to check).
An enjoyably weird tale. Only by being set largely in Switzerland does it feel unusual for a Brian Clemens "Avengerland" script, otherwise all the eccentricity is there, fairly fresh as most episodes up to now have not been this weird or had such odd characters popping up! There is more grittiness though (lots of violence, and Keel being framed for murder), and no really active female protagonist, even Carol takes a back seat for this one as she doesn't go to the Continent with the two men.
At this stage, halfway through Season 1, it does seem as if Steed has pulled focus from Keel. Maybe it's just the espionage nature of this story, which even though it's about a medical drug, has Dr Keel more as a patsy than a problem-solver.
He gets some nice almost-romantic interest with the plane crash survivor, Yvette Declair, who has some nice character development from fearful (with psychosomatic pain) to bravely overcoming her fears during the dramatic events. But then Steed even muscles in on Yvette, at the end! Poor Dr Keel. Always unlucky with the ladies. I hope Carol carries a torch for him by the end of the series.
Last watched: "Mandrake"