Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

The idea for the series was conceived by Dennis Spooner, who had an office adjoining producer Monty Berman at Elstree Studios.

The idea was put to Head of ATV Lew Grade but he was not enthusiastic as the series lacked a leading American, which he felt would inhibit overseas sales.

Cyril Frankel told Monty Berman, and then directed a screen test, and Kenneth Cope got the part.

She had been short listed for one of the lead roles in The Champions, but lost to Alexandra Bastedo, reportedly at the whim of an American CBS executive.

The bulk of filming with the main cast was on two sound stages at ABC Elstree in Borehamwood where Department S and other series were also in production.

Walking through walls was costly and time consuming using an image reflected on plain glass at an angle in front of the camera often used in the theatre called Pepper's ghost.

[7] Numerous country houses in the northern Greater London and Hertfordshire area were used for the external shots of the many mansions featured in the series.

In the episode "For the Girl Who Has Everything", the exterior of Hilfield Castle in Aldenham was used for Kim Wentworth's (Lois Maxwell's) home.

[9] The exterior of the Lambert Clinic in the comical episode "A Disturbing Case", written by Mike Pratt himself, is now the Institute of Grocery Distribution in Letchmore Heath, Hertfordshire.

It was also used in two episodes of Department S; in that series Joel Fabiani's character Stewart Sullivan drove a white Vauxhall Ventora with the registration RXD 997F.

On October 2, 2017, the complete series of Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) was released on Blu-ray in the UK by a company called Network.

In 2000–2001, the series was remade by Working Title Films for the BBC with a more elaborate storyline, starring Vic Reeves as Hopkirk (once again in a white suit) and Bob Mortimer as Randall, with Emilia Fox as Jeannie.

The show was produced and primarily written by Charlie Higson, who also directed some episodes, and featured numerous writers including Gareth Roberts, Mark Gatiss, Paul Whitehouse and Jeremy Dyson.

Jeff Randall
Series title over an image of Randall and Hopkirk in a graveyard
American titlecard