Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter
1992: Adapted by Matthew Jacobs from the Ruth Rendell novel.
When DS Caleb Martin confiscates a replica gun from his son’s school briefcase, he innocently triggers a tragic chain of events that leads to a number of deaths including his own. The off-duty police officer is callously gunned down in a Kingsmarkham bank during an armed raid that baffles his colleagues. The murder weapon is never found. Six months later, three people are murdered during a bloody massacre at Tancred House, the home of novelist Davina Flory… Continue reading →
Background: Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter is the final title produced for TVS. Jacqueline Defferary left her course at drama school to accept the role of Daisy: “I couldn’t believe it when I was given the part. I couldn’t have asked for a better first job.’’
Audio Clip: “Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter is a dangerous enterprise”
Audio Clip: “Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter is a dangerous enterprise”
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Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Jenny Burden
- DIANE KEEN
- Daisy Flory
- JACQUELINE DEFFERARY
- DS Barry Vine
- SEAN PERTWEE
- DS Martin
- KEN KITSON
- Nicholas Virson
- STEVEN MacKINTOSH
- Mrs Virson
- ANNE REID
- Bib Mew
- JACQUELINE TONG
- DC Karen Malahyde
- SASHA MITCHELL
- Joanna Garland
- BERNICE STEGERS
- Sylvia Fairfax
- CHARON BOURKE
- Sheila Wexford
- DEBORAH POPLETT
- Jonathan Hogarth
- NIGEL WHITNEY
- Ishbel MacSamphire
- JULIA WALLACE
- Brenda Harrison
- SUSAN BROWN
- Dr Crocker
- JOHN BURGESS
- Dr Basil Sumner-Quist
- ANTHONY HIGGINSON
- Ken Harrison
- COLIN McCORMACK
- John Gabbitas
- ROBERT MORGAN
- Gunner Jones
- BILLY MURRAY
- Ed Martin
- HARRY PEACOCK
- Jem Hacking
- JOSEPH PETERS
- Andy Griffin
- JAMES RYLAND
- Alan Rodgers
- HOWARD SOUTHERN
- Augustus Casey
- JOHN WARNABY
- Mrs Chowney
- PEGGY ANN WOOD
- Waiter
- CHARLES COLLINGWOOD
- Original music composed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
- Production Associate
- GEORGE BAKER
- Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Cat trained by
- ANN HEAD at ANIMALATION
- Stunt Arranger
- DENISE RYAN
- Stunt Drivers
- NICK WILKINSON
PETER BRACE
PAUL JENNINGS
MARK SOUTHWORTH
SY HOLLANDS - Special Effects
- STEVE TOMKOW
- Computer Programme Designer
- JOSH SPARKS
- Production Manager
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- Location Managers
- TONY ANNIS
IAN STRACHAN - 1st Assistant Director
- JON OLDER
- 2nd Assistant Director
- STEPHANIE SULLIVAN
- 3rd Assistant Director
- SARAH BAKER
- Continuity
- GWEN HUGHES
- Production Co-ordinators
- CATHERINE BOLWELL
DAWN MORTIMER - Producer’s Secretary
- LESLEY GOURLAY
- Costume Designer
- RITA ANGELL
- Wardrobe Mistress
- SHERYL BRITTAIN
- Wardrobe Assistant
- RICHARD EVANS
- Make Up
- TONI HOLMES
DEBORAH McKINLAY - Production Buyer
- GRAHAM CURTIS
- Art Director
- PETER BULL
- Design Assistant
- HEATHER GIBSON
- Graphics
- JOHN HAMON
- Camera Operator
- JULIAN BARBER
- Focus Puller
- BRUCE BARRACLOUGH
- Camera Grip
- ALAN IMESON
- Sound Recordist
- ANDREW BOULTON
- Boom Swinger
- GEOFF SMITH
- Gaffer Electrician
- JOHN DONOGHUE
- Best Boy
- STEVE PHILIPS
- Electricians
- MICK LAY
ROY ROBBERTS - Prop Master
- PAUL KEARNEY
- Construction
- COLIN BRADBURY
MIKE SWANSTON - Standby Propmen
- KENNY PALMER
LEE ROGERS - Standby Craftsman
- MAX GRANT
- Assistant Film Editors
- JIM LOWNIE
STEVE CRABE - Dubbing Editor
- PETER DANSIE
- Assistant Dubbing Editor
- MARK NEWSON
- Dubbing Mixer
- DAVE FALLON
- Production Accountant
- PETER HARVEY
- Assistant Accountant
- GAY HUSE
- Music recorded by
- DICK PLANT at HONEYHILL STUDIOS, HERTS
- Film shot on 16mm
- EASTMANCOLOR
- Processed by
- RANK FILM LABS, DENHAM
- Lighting equipment supplied by
- MICHAEL SAMUELSON LIGHTING LTD
- Grip equipment supplied by
- SNOWDONIA FILMS
- Film Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Production Designer
- MARK WARD
- Director of Photography
- NIGEL WALTER
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- MARY McMURRAY
- A Blue Heaven Production for
- TVS
Principle Characters
Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter
Six months after the chilling murder of Sergeant Martin (Ken Kitson), and his colleagues are still no closer to catching his killer. Wexford’s anger and frustration are further compounded when his daughter, Sheila (Deborah Poplett), threatens to destroy their relationship by disappearing to Nevada with a pretentious writer (John Warnaby).
Meanwhile, a call comes through to the station that there has been a violent gun attack at Tancred House: the large estate in Cheriton Forest owned by popular novelist Davina Flory. Inspector Burden and Martin’s replacement - Sergeant Barry Vine (Sean Pertwee) - arrive at the house and are met with a gruesome scene. Davina Flory, her husband and her daughter have all been murdered and the sole survivor, seventeen-year-old granddaughter Daisy, is discovered cowering in the corner.
Wexford and his team begin to question the small handful of staff who live on the estate. Brenda Harrison (Susan Brown) is the housekeeper and her callous reaction to the murders shocks the Chief Inspector. Brenda believes that the killer might be Andy Griffin (James Ryland), the disturbed son of a couple who once worked for Davina Flory. Wexford also questions John Gabbitas (Robert Morgan), a woodsman, Bib Mew (Jacqueline Tong), the slow-witted cleaner, and Thanny Hogarth (Nigel Whitney), an American student.
Daisy Flory (Jacqueline Defferary) has been badly wounded and is taken to Stowerton Infirmary. Wexford is captivated by Daisy and Burden worries that this - coupled with the possible loss of Sheila - is clouding his judgement. Daisy’s estranged father is tracked down and discovered to be “Gunner” Jones (Billy Murray), an ex-Arsenal player who has bitter memories of his life with the Flory family.
Daisy’s boyfriend is Nicholas Virson (Steven MacKintosh): an uptight young man who is desperate to escape the clutches of his controlling mother (Ann Reid). Nicholas is devastated when Daisy moves back to live at Tancred House and then becomes involved with Thanny Hogarth.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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