The Veiled One
1989: Adapted by Trevor Preston from the Ruth Rendell novel.
Sheila Wexford is arrested for cutting through wire on a nuclear missile base, Wexford narrowly escapes death in a car bomb attack and Inspector Burden has to take over the case of a woman found garroted in a Kingsmarkham car park… Continue reading →
Background: Burden is asked if he’s ever heard of The Fallacy of Enkekalymmenos: meaning “the veiled one - something to do with all of us and our parents, and with knowing and unknowing.” Ruth Rendell: “The Veiled One was written in the 1980s when CND was very active. I was involved in CND and it was a very serious time. I made Sheila active in the movement and had Wexford showing sympathy but not support.”
Audio Clip: “It’s Sheila we’re talking about…”
Audio Clip: “It’s Sheila we’re talking about…”
Next episode: Some Lie and Some Die »
Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Dorothy Sanders
- PAULA DIONISOTTI
- Lesley Arbel
- CAMILLE CODBURI
- Clifford Sanders
- IAN FITZGIBBON
- Ralph Robson
- HUGH LLOYD
- Reese
- SIMON CHANDLER
- Sheila Wexford
- DEBORAH POPLETT
- Roy Carroll
- TONY VOGEL
- Serge Olson
- DAVID FLEESHMAN
- Archie Greaves
- ARTHUR HEWLETT
- John Whitton
- PHILIP BRETHERTON
- Nina Jago
- PAULA JACOBS
- Nicola Resnick
- TEDHNA WILLIAMS
- Sandra Dale
- GILLIAN EATON
- Ms. Moore
- ANN WINDSOR
- Leary
- PHIL ATKINSON
- WPC
- SALLY TOFT
- Filmed on
- KODAK EASTMAN COLOUR
- Processed by
- RANK LABORATORIES DENHAM
- Panavision Camera supplied by
- CINE-EUROPE
- Music recorded by
- DICK LEWZY at CTS
- Production Manager
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- 1st Assistant Director
- JON OLDER
- Location Manager
- IAN STRACHAN
- Continuity
- PAM SANDERSON
- 2nd Assistant Director
- VAUGHAN WATKINS
- 3rd Assistant Director
- CHARLIE LEECH
- Stage Manager
- MIKE FISHER
- Script Executive
- CORINNE CARTIER
- Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Dialogue Coach
- JOAN WASHINGTON
- Costume Design
- SERENA BROWN
- Make Up Supervisor
- ANNE TOWNLEY
- Graphic Designer
- FREDDIE TRICCAS
- Production Buyer
- GRAHAM CURTIS
- Wardrobe Mistress
- ERIKA PHAROAH
- Wardrobe Assistant
- EMMA GINNETT
- Design Assistants
- PETER BULL
PAUL GOWELL - Camera Operator
- NICK BEEKS-SANDERS
- Focus Puller
- TONY BREEZE
- Clapper Loader
- JO HIDDERLEY
- Grip
- STEVE IMESON
Snowdonia Films - 2nd Grip
- DICK JACOB
- Sound Recordist
- MAURICE HILLIER
- Boom Operators
- ROB GREEN
ROGER BUNNEY - Dubbing Editor
- MARK THOMAS
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- DENISE RYAN
- Special Effects
- ALL EFFECTS
- Stunt Performers
- DENISE RYAN
JASON WHITE
ROD WOODRUFF - Gaffer Electrician
- TONY McCABE
- Chargehand Standby Props
- DICK COOMBES
- Standby Carpenter
- ALAN LAMBERT
- Standby Painter
- LEE ROGERS
- Construction Crew
- BRIAN BISHOP
GORDON CABLE
TONY HAND
MARK PAPWORTH
ANDY LOVEDAY
MAX GRANT
DEREK DAWSON - Electricians
- JOHN PORTER
DAVE LARAMAN
MIKE COOPER
JOHN DONOGHUE - Props Storeman
- STEVE THOMAS
- Driver
- DAVE ROGERS
- Gaffer Electrician
- TONY McCABE
- Chargehand Standby Props
- DICK COOMBES
- Standby Carpenter
- ALAN LAMBERT
- Standby Painter
- LEE ROGER
- Props Storeman
- STEVE THOMAS
- Driver
- DAVE ROGERS
- Production Accountant
- GRAHAM SCOVELL
- Production Secretary
- DEBRA CAWTHORNE
- Producers Secretary
- CATHIE WILLCOCKS
- Original music composed and conducted by
- RICHARD BLACKFORD
- Film Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Production Designer
- MARK WARD
- Director of Photography
- MICHAEL DAVIS
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- MARY McMURRAY
- A Television South Production
Principal Characters
The Veiled One
Sheila Wexford (Deborah Poplett) - Reg and Dora’s famous actress daughter - is arrested for damaging Ministry of Defence property during an anti-nuclear protest. Sheila tries to escape the glare of publicity by visiting her parents in Kingsmarkham.
Wexford is then injured by a bomb placed in his daughter’s car. Whilst the Chief Inspector recovers in hospital, an investigation begins to determine whether a deranged fan planted the bomb or if there is a more sinister conspiracy aimed at ending Sheila’s political activism.
Gwen Robson - a home help with a taste for blackmail - is found dead in a Kingsmarkham car park. Her body is discovered by Dorothy Sanders (Paula Dionisotti), a sinister woman who lives in a bleak farmhouse with her disturbed son Clifford. Inspector Mike Burden is convinced that Clifford Sanders (Ian Fitzgibbon) has murdered Mrs Robson. However, Mike is out of his depth and his clumsy attempts at interrogation have disastrous results.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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