Mr. & Mrs. North Weekend Murder (1952–1954) watch online HD

Mr. & Mrs. North was a great radio program. But perhaps television hadn't developed into a quality medium yet when this, the first episode of its TV run, was broadcast in 1952. Although Richard Denning and Barbara Britton are fine as the title characters, the supporting cast seems to have been culled from the worst community theatres. Rita Johnson as Lily Storm is perhaps the worst; like most amateurs, she never seems to know what to do with her hands. The story is OK: Mr. & Mrs. North leave for a weekend in the country. When they arrive, their hostess seems to have vanished. Only for die-hard fans of the stars, the radio program, or classic TV. If you search for this on DVD, beware the TV Guide/Genius Entertainment copies. They substitute new music over the titles, and it's a poor fit. The same is true for their Dragnet and Sherlock Holmes DVD's. How do you justify dubbing over the Dragnet theme?

Poor Jerry, all he wants is a weekend of needed rest. But, when Pam's invited to actress friend Lilly's weekend house, murder ensues. Now Jerry will never get his rest. Nifty little mystery with a good twist that had me guessing. Denning and Britton are charming as the title couple. This is really Britton's episode as she gets to flutter around in fetching fashion. Of course, a series like this depends greatly on the leads since the plots serve mainly to show off their appeal. Here the mystery is better than usual, still the crucial chemistry shows. It's also a good supporting cast of Hollywood vets like Cavanaugh and Padden, plus a good chance to catch women's flowing dresses, circa 1952. All in all, it's an entertaining initial entry in what I think has become a cult series.

In passing-- Catch actress Johnson (Lilly) and her bio on IMDb. What a tragic freak accident that essentially ended her life.