Some Lie and Some Die
1990: Adapted by Matthew Jacobs from the Ruth Rendell novel.
John Burden’s hero, the rock star Zeno, comes to Kingsmarkham to perform at the Sunday’s Festival. The event passes peacefully until a young woman is found murdered. Why was the dead girl wearing someone else’s clothes? And could a secret relationship have led to her death?… Continue reading →
Background: The music for Zeno’s song, Let-Me-Believe, was written by Brian and Warren Bennett with lyrics by Ruth Rendell’s late cousin, Michael Richards. Warren Bennett provided the vocals and the other members of Zeno’s band are: Brian Bennett (drums), Ray Minhinnett (Guitar) and Mark Griffiths (keyboards). The Sundays Festival was shot on location at Knebworth in June 1990.
Audio Clip: “Hello, I’m Jenny Ireland…”
Audio Clip: “Hello, I’m Jenny Ireland…”
Next episode: The Best Man to Die »
Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Jenny Ireland
- DIANE KEEN
- Zeno
- PETER CAPALDI
- Leonard Dunsand
- DAVID LYON
- Nell Tate
- SUSAN WATKINS
- Godfrey Tate
- JOSEPH LONG
- DCC Freeborn
- DAVE HILL
- Mrs Peveril
- GEMMA JONES
- Edward Peveril
- DONALD SUMPTER
- Mrs Stoner
- MARY MacCLEOD
- Granny Peckham
- JOAN WHITE
- Joan Miall
- BELLA ENAHORO
- Louis Mbowele
- KWABENA MANSO
- Martin Silk
- HUGH MILLAIS
- Female Singer
- CAROLE KENYON
- DS Martin
- KEN KITSON
- Grace
- MARIAN McLOUGHLIN
- John Burden
- NOAH HUNTLEY
- Pat Burden
- EMMA SMITH
- Jean Burden
- ANN PENFOLD
- Mrs CLarke
- ANNETTE KERR
- PC Stevens
- ROBERT HANDS
- WPC Elaine Palmer
- JANE VAN HOOL
- Hotel Porters
- ANDREW SCHOFIELD
GLYN PRITCHARD - Rosie
- CATHY UNDERWOOD
- Daniel
- PAUL ANSDELL
- Supermarket Manager
- REG PRESLEY
- University Porter
- PETER MAIR
- Dawn Stoner
- TESSA VALE
- Hotel Receptionist
- PETRA MARKHAM
- Script Executive
- CORINNE CARTIER
- Original music composed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
- ‘Let Me Believe’ lyrics by
- MICHAEL RICHARDS
- ‘Let Me Believe’ music by
- BRIAN BENNETT
WARREN BENNETT - Performed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
WARREN BENNETT
RAY MINHINNETT
MARK GRIFFITHS - Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Production Manager
- LARS MacFARLANE
- Location Manager
- MARTIN ROBINSON
- 1st Assistant Director
- FRANCESCO REIDY
- P.A./Continuity
- GWEN HUGHES
- Stage Manager
- KERRY BIGNALL
- Production Secretary
- JILL PARTINGTON
- Graphic Designer
- JOHN HAMON
- Costume Designer
- SERENA BROWN
- Make Up Supervisor
- TONI HOLMES
- Dubbing Mixer
- TONY CUNNINGHAM
- Dubbing Editor
- PETER DANSIE
- Camera Grip
- ALAN IMESON
- Sound Recordist
- MAURICE HILLIER
- Camera Operator
- JULIAN BARBER
- Lighting Cameraman
- MICHAEL D SMITH
- Designer
- MARK WARD
- FIlm Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- SANDY JOHNSON
- A Television South Production
Principal Characters
Some Lie and Some Die
The huge Sundays music festival in Stowerton is headlined by Zeno (Peter Capaldi), the current darling of the rock world. During the festival, the body of Dawn Stoner (Tessa Vale) - a waitress who worked in a London club - is found in a field close to the Sundays land and The Pathways housing estate. Dawn’s flatmate in London tells Wexford that Dawn was a fantasist who liked to believe that she was having a secret relationship with Zeno.
Wexford questions Zeno and his entourage at the Cheriton Forest Hotel. Zeno goes everywhere with his manager Godfrey Tate (Joseph Long) and Tate’s wife, Nell (Susan Watkins). It’s a relationship that Inspector Burden describes as “a ménage à trois if ever there was one”.
Margaret Peveril (Gemma Jones), a nervous woman who lives on The Pathways estate, is able to give the police a very detailed description of what may have been the last sighting of Dawn Stoner. Mrs Peveril insists that she saw Dawn walk through The Pathways and out onto the fields where she would later meet her death. Wexford and Burden also question Mrs Peveril’s neighbour - the melancholic Leonard Dunsand (David Lyon) - who is a philosophy lecturer at the local university.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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