Production Information[]
| Production Number: | |
| Aired: October 8th, 1989 | |
| Written By: Peter S. Fischer | |
| Directed By: Vincent McEveety | |
| INSERT EPISODE SCREENSHOT HERE | |
| Created By: Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson & William Link | |
| Executive Producers: Peter S. Fischer | |
| Producer: Robert E. Swanson & Robert Van Scoyk | |
Summary[]
Jessica narrates a story from 40 years ago when another female mystery writer helped to solve a mysterious murder aboard the Queen Mary.
Trivia[]
The episode "The Grand Old Lady" was actually intended as an Ellery Queen (1975) episode but was shelved after the series was canceled. It was filmed as a Murder, She Wrote (1984) episode using entirely new names for the characters, and Jessica was given the prologue and epilogue that originally belonged to the Jim Hutton character Ellery Queen. The role of the radio reporter was intended for the Simon Brimmer character, who was played by John Hillerman. The role of the inspector, who's the "Ellery" character's father, was intended for David Wayne.
Filmed on board the Long Beach docked "Queen Mary" with the episode intended as a television series pilot. The interior corridors and state rooms, medical office, Captain's quarters were filmed at Universal Studios. The pilot was specifically filmed as a period 1946 scenario, with the "star cast" featured for the TV series pilot premise. MSW producer Peter Fischer first offered the pilot to CBS, which rejected the project. Peter Fisher then was rejected by ABC TV, and finally by NBC Programming.
The title "The Grand Old Lady" was a nickname for the R.M.S. Queen Mary during her active years crossing the Atlantic from Southampton to New York.
Second of 14 "bookend" episodes in which Jessica only appears at the beginning & end; the first was Murder in a Minor Key (Episode).
Victim: Peter Daniken (a.k.a. Krietzman)
Killer: Paul Viscard
Cause of death: Stabbed
Motive: He recognized him as a Nazi who had killed many of his countrymen
Starring[]
Regular Cast[]
Guest Stars[]
- Mark Lindsay Chapman as Paul Viscard
- Dane Clark as Henri Viscard
- June Havoc as Lady Abigail Austin
- John Karlen as Lt. Martin McGinn
- Gary Kroeger as Christy McGinn
- Joan McMurtrey as Eleanor Cantrell
- Aubrey Morris as Mr. Bellows
- Henry Polic II as Arthur Bishop
- James Stephens as Agent Lennihan
- Gordon Thomson as Daniel McGuire
- Robert Vaughn as Edwin Chancellor
- Paxton Whitehead as Captain Oliver
- Wolf Muser as Peter Daniken