Agatha Christie's Marple is a BritishITVtelevision series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie.[1] It is also known as Marple. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced by Julia McKenzie, from the fourth series onwards. Each episode is known for having many well-known co-stars.
The first six episodes were all adaptations of Miss Marple novels by Christie. Subsequent episodes were derived from Marple novels and short stories together with other works by Agatha Christie that did not originally feature Miss Marple.
Anna Rawlins (as Beatrice) Robin Soans (as Dr Haydock) Mary Stockley (as Josie Turner) Zoe Thorne (as Florence) Emma Williams (as Ruby Keene) Steven Williams (as Peter Carmody) David Walliams (as George Bartlett)
Meritxell Lavanchy (as Anna Stravinska) Toby Marlow (as James Stoddard-West) Neve McIntosh (as Lady Stoddard-West) Ciarán McMenamin (as Cedric Crackenthorpe) Kurtis O'Brien (as Alexander Eastley) Tim Stern (as Steward) Pip Torrens (as Noël Coward)
Vincent Leigh (as Jim Tutt) Geraldine Chaplin (as Mrs Fane) Russ Abbot (as CI Arthur Primer) Harriet Walter (as the Duchess of Malfi) Emilio Doorgasingh (as Sergeant Desai) Aidan McArdle (as Hugh Hornbeam) Darren Carnall (as Dresser)
James Howard (as 1891 Hotel Doorman) Adam Smethurst (as Cab Driver) Tony Bignell (as Newsboy) Shenton Dixon (as Louis Armstrong) Sarah London (as Miss Tibbs) Georgia Allen (as Mrs Rice)
Ben Meyjes (as Inspector Tipping) Thomas Arnold (as Jones) Mike Burnside (as George) Eleanor Turner-Moss (as Diana Brinton) Guy Williams (as Dr Lazenby)
Hannah Murray (as Dorothy Savage) Freddie Fox (as Tom Savage) Basher Savage (as Young George Savage) Sarah Ridgeway (as Young Sylvia Savage) Rupert Savage (as Young Jack Savage)
Laura O'Toole (as Agnes Parker) Alex Knight (as Jaffers) Robert Dunbar (as Young Count Ludwig) Letty Butler (as Young Constance Treadwell) Ian Weichardt (as Young George Lomax)
Derek Hutchinson (as Concierge) Rebekah Manning (as Susan Carstairs) Ian East (as John the Gardener) Richard Betts (as Clerk of the Court) Benjamin Harcourt (as Peter Pritchard) Thomas Harcourt (as Michael Pritchard) Molly Harcourt (as Susan Pritchard)
Neil Stuke (as Dr Haydock) Will Young (as Casey Croft) Anna Andresen (as Maisie Cooper) Gene Goodman (as Louis Charles) Isabella Parriss (as Marie Thérèse) Jonathan Coyne (as French Officer) Don Gallagher (as Man in Livery)
Marple has been aired in the United States and British Columbia, Canada on PBS on Mystery! as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and in the whole of Canada on CBC and in French on Radio-Canada. In Australia, Marple airs as Agatha Christie's Marple or simply Marple on ABC1.
Marple is also being broadcast on ATV World in Hong Kong. In China, the first four seasons of "Marple" are presented on CCTV-8, but 'The Body In the Library' and 'Murder is Easy' haven't been shown due to the involvement of lesbian affair and incest rape separately, 'Why Din't They Ask Evans' has also been hugely edited due to involving War-period China. Marple has been broadcast on the Hallmark Channel in Israel. Marple has been shown in South Korea in EBS, and currently is viewed by many audience from MegaTV. In Southern Africa it was shown on Hallmark Channel on the Satellite service DStv. "Marple" has been broadcast in Italy on the Hallmark Channel and on Rai1. In Norway the series has been airing on state broadcaster NRK1 as "Miss Marple". In Sweden the series airs on TV4, the biggest commercial TV station.
Changes to novels
The show has sparked controversy with some viewers for its adaptations of the novels. The first episode, The Body in the Library, changed the identity of one of the killers and introduced lesbianism into the plot; the second episode explored Miss Marple's earlier life; the third episode contained a motive change and the fourth episode cut several characters and added affairs into the story and emphasized a lesbian subplot that was quite discreet in the original novel. The second series also saw some changes. By the Pricking of My Thumbs was originally a Tommy and Tuppence story, while The Sittaford Mystery was also not originally a Miss Marple book and the identity of the killer was changed. The third series has two adaptations that were not originally Miss Marple books: Towards Zero and Ordeal by Innocence. The fourth series continues the trend with Murder is Easy and Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. The fifth series does the same, with The Secret of Chimneys and The Pale Horse, as will the future sixth series with Endless Night and The Seven Dials Mystery.
The Body in the Library makes some significant changes, and also changes the identity of one of the killers and adds a lesbian affair.
The first series of Marple was released in 2005 in the UK, followed by the second series in 2006. The third series was released in autumn 2007 in the US, but its UK release was delayed because of ITV1's decision to defer airing the final instalment.
Series One was released as four individual DVDs and as a "bundle" in Australia (Region 4) with Series Two released on 1 August 2007. The third series was released individually in April 2008.
Series Four will be released in Region 1 on 4 August 2009 after the conclusion of the broadcast on PBS Mystery![needs update]
Series 1 to 4 were released in a 16-DVD-box as "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - The Collection" in August 2010 in U.K. Region 3.
Series 5 was released in the UK (Region 2) in June 2011
^Blood on the Stage, 1925-1950 Page 762 Amnon Kabatchnik - 2009 "Starting in 2004, the UK's ITV presented eleven Jane Marple movies starring Geraldine McEwan, including The Body in the Library, The Murder at the Vicarage, 4:50 from Paddington, and A Murder Is Announced. Julia McKenzie took over the ..."
