The lowdown: Yet another show from ITC Entertainment, 'Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)' was first broadcast on ITV1 between
21 September 1969 and 13 March 1970, with a total of 26 episodes. It starred Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope as private detectives
Jeff Randall and as Marty Hopkirk. Familiar fare from ITC, perhaps, but the unique twist with this show was that Marty is a ghost,
who can only be seen by Randall. He is killed in the first episode, but returns from the grave to assist Randall to solve his murder.
However, he stays out of his grave for too long and is destined to remain on Earth for 100 years. Randall continues to operate the 
detective agency, assisted by Hopkirk's widow, Jeannie. Randall also assists Hopkirk whenever he can, using his ghostly powers.
This of course led to many humourous moments, as Randall is frequently seen talking to himself (as far as other people are
concerned). The series was remade in 2000, with a similar premise, and the addition of Tom Baker to the cast, and featured 
a similar mix of action, drama and humour.

'The Ghost Who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo' was the eleventh episode of the series, and was first broadcast on 30 November
1969. The episode sees the detectives and Jeannie travel to Monte Carlo with Marty Hopkin's Aunt Clara, who has devised a 
gambling system that she is convinced will win her a lot of money at the casino. She initially has tremendous success, and
quickly wins a large sum of money. Roger Delgado plays the manager of the casino, Tapiro, and is typically excellent in the role
(although he has very few scenes in this episode). The detectives and friends are followed to Monte Carlo by three British gangsters
(who include Nicholas Courtney and Brian Blessed) who want to get their hands on Clara's system. To complicate matters, a group 
of French gangsters are also after her system, and manage to steal the notebook that outlines her system. The episode's climax
sees Jeannie held at gunpoint while Clara plays the roulette table, but Marty uses his unearthly powers to ensure that Clara loses, 
so the gangsters will think her gambling system does not work. 

Trivia: 'Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)' was broadcast in the US under the title of 'My Partner the Ghost'.

  Quote:
Tapiro: "Naturally we are delighted with madam's good fortune."
Randall: "I'll bet you are."
Tapiro: "No, no, I am sincere. Why, perhaps tomorrow night
   we will get our revenge, eh?"		  Video Clip:
Randall meets Tapiro  (3.8mb)
Lost notebook  (4.2mb)
     
<<Back to the Roger Delgado page