A young staff member (Diana Canova) at Jessica's publishing firm gets Jesica to come to a Lake Tahoe resort by pretending to be the publisher's assistant. Jessica takes this better than many, and perhaps most, of us would and tells the young woman that she will overlook it and not tell the publisher. The young woman wanted to meet Jessica to pitch a story idea to her. They later attend a performance of the renown hypnotist Cagliostro - which is well played by Jose Ferrer. Cagliostro is soon revealed to be a real scumbag albeit a polished one. To prove that he is the real thing and not a fake he invites six journalists to attend a private hypnotism session and that he will tell them important information about his past but that when they awake they won't remember a thing he has told them. A group of people, including Jessica, are outside the room when they hear a bang from inside the room. Breaking in they discover Cagliostro dead and the six journalists hypnotized and motionless. Jessica, of course, investigates and as so often happens in this series she hears something that triggers her realizing the solution. Her face lights up and she says "Of course!" this is a good yarn and a good mystery ably supported by the guest stars especially Murray Hamilton and Robert Loggia. But the most interesting thing to me was to see Diana Canova in a lead role. I had to check but she is indeed Judy Canova's daughter. Judy Canova's hillbilly comedy is now long out of fashion but I still enjoy it today when listening to her radio shows. I find these shows to be funny but with no hint of the vulgarity or mean spiritedness that is standard today with comics. Those days are gone forever but seeing Diana Canova reminded me of them.
9 Reviews
Knife, Watch, Fireplace Poker -- Jackpot
WeatherViolet29 August 2009
This episode is set at a Lake Tahoe resort, but whether upon the Nevada or the California side isn't revealed. However, because "Elderly Lady" (Elvia Allman) greets Jessica at the slot machines, one may safely bet upon Nevada.
When Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives to meet publisher's assistant Marilyn, she is greeted by Marilyn's assistant Joan Germaine (Diana Canova), who says that she didn't think that Jessica would meet if she knew that the invitation were forged. Joan's reason is to attempt to convince Jessica to write a Mystery based upon Hypnosis, as practiced by the Great Cagliostro (José Ferrer), who is set to perform at the lodge this evening.
Mrs. Fletcher, in turns, informs Joan that she has no interest in pursuing the matter, but she would stay for the evening now that she's here and not report Joan to the publisher for misrepresentation. Together, they watch Cagliostro's performance, which the enthusiastic Joan records upon audiotape.
Jessica and Joan observe as Cagliostro and his entourage, assistant Sheri Diamond (Elaine Joyce) and bodyguard Zack Bernard (Mayf Nutter) join him in the dining room. where Regina Kellijian (Michelle Phillips) enters and exits, after catching Cagliostro's eye.
Regina's husband, hotel owner Joe Kellijian (Robert Loggia) threatens Cagliostro for chasing after Regina, and attempts to cancel his appearance contract.
Reporters Bud Michaels (Murray Hamilton) and Andy Townsend (Brian Kerwin) have an exchange with Cagliostro, who promises to prove that he's no phony, by welcoming them to his room to grant them an interview under hypnosis.
An apparently drunken Bud tells Andy to round up some of the local reporters, six of whom arrive in time to undergo Cagliostro's experiment in a locked hotel room.
Afterwards, Joan, once again, appeals to Jessica's sense of "Writer's Curiosity" to remain on hand to help to solve a resulting murder.
With the assistance of Psychologist Doctor Lambert (Conrad Janis), Jessica helps Lieutenant Bertcam (Robert Hogan) to follows a trail of treachery, deceit and blackmail, as she questions a long list of suspects, who surely do look guilty, hiding secrets of their own after "Death Casts a Spell."
When Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives to meet publisher's assistant Marilyn, she is greeted by Marilyn's assistant Joan Germaine (Diana Canova), who says that she didn't think that Jessica would meet if she knew that the invitation were forged. Joan's reason is to attempt to convince Jessica to write a Mystery based upon Hypnosis, as practiced by the Great Cagliostro (José Ferrer), who is set to perform at the lodge this evening.
Mrs. Fletcher, in turns, informs Joan that she has no interest in pursuing the matter, but she would stay for the evening now that she's here and not report Joan to the publisher for misrepresentation. Together, they watch Cagliostro's performance, which the enthusiastic Joan records upon audiotape.
Jessica and Joan observe as Cagliostro and his entourage, assistant Sheri Diamond (Elaine Joyce) and bodyguard Zack Bernard (Mayf Nutter) join him in the dining room. where Regina Kellijian (Michelle Phillips) enters and exits, after catching Cagliostro's eye.
Regina's husband, hotel owner Joe Kellijian (Robert Loggia) threatens Cagliostro for chasing after Regina, and attempts to cancel his appearance contract.
Reporters Bud Michaels (Murray Hamilton) and Andy Townsend (Brian Kerwin) have an exchange with Cagliostro, who promises to prove that he's no phony, by welcoming them to his room to grant them an interview under hypnosis.
An apparently drunken Bud tells Andy to round up some of the local reporters, six of whom arrive in time to undergo Cagliostro's experiment in a locked hotel room.
Afterwards, Joan, once again, appeals to Jessica's sense of "Writer's Curiosity" to remain on hand to help to solve a resulting murder.
With the assistance of Psychologist Doctor Lambert (Conrad Janis), Jessica helps Lieutenant Bertcam (Robert Hogan) to follows a trail of treachery, deceit and blackmail, as she questions a long list of suspects, who surely do look guilty, hiding secrets of their own after "Death Casts a Spell."
Solid episode
coltras3522 May 2022
A flamboyant hypnotist (Jose Ferrer) is stabbed in the back behind locked and guarded doors in front of an audience of journalists he had placed in a trance.
Another locked room mystery, which baffles Jessica for a while. The murder is clever, the set-up is grand and the detecting is fun. The unravelling of the killer came as a surprise. Jose Ferrer delivers a deliciously brilliant performance in the short time he is; short time because he gets a dagger in the back. Why? Cause he's made a lot of enemies with his nasty attitude.
Another locked room mystery, which baffles Jessica for a while. The murder is clever, the set-up is grand and the detecting is fun. The unravelling of the killer came as a surprise. Jose Ferrer delivers a deliciously brilliant performance in the short time he is; short time because he gets a dagger in the back. Why? Cause he's made a lot of enemies with his nasty attitude.
A brilliant, original mystery
Sleepin_Dragon8 November 2017
The Great Cagliastro draws in the rich and famous to the Hotel he works at, a master hypnotist, but also a womaniser. Cagliastro has a dubious past, and always resists granting the press an audience, but one night after more pressure, he agrees to inform the press of his past, on the condition that they attend, having been hypnotised, how is it possible for a murder to have been committed?
This is definitely one of my favourite episodes, it's a brilliant mystery, so smart and clever, never would have guessed the outcome. Cagliastro is a very good character, he's a bit of a bad guy, without being overly loathsome and upsetting every principle character. The location is fabulous, and the production values ooze quality. The humour is used to great effect, the random woman in the Hotel confusing Jessica's identity is a really nice touch, as is the hypnotised tape recording, very funny.
I can't really find any fault, other then the double on the bike, must have been one of her nieces.
Brilliant episode, 10/10
This is definitely one of my favourite episodes, it's a brilliant mystery, so smart and clever, never would have guessed the outcome. Cagliastro is a very good character, he's a bit of a bad guy, without being overly loathsome and upsetting every principle character. The location is fabulous, and the production values ooze quality. The humour is used to great effect, the random woman in the Hotel confusing Jessica's identity is a really nice touch, as is the hypnotised tape recording, very funny.
I can't really find any fault, other then the double on the bike, must have been one of her nieces.
Brilliant episode, 10/10
Jessica Fletcher and the hypnotist
TheLittleSongbird9 July 2017
Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.
As far as Season 1 episodes go (a decent season overall but understandably with a still settling vibe), "Death Casts a Spell" for me was one of the best up to this point alongside "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes", "Lovers and Other Killers" and "Hit, Run and Homicide", though up to this point not one of the episodes has been a stinker.
"Death Casts a Spell" is very slickly filmed with typically attractive locations and fashions. The music has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.
The writing, apart from one line, is charmingly light-hearted, gently amiable and down to earth but provokes thought too. The quote of "Death Casts a Spell" has got to be "I took my clothes off on a swing, that doesn't make me a daredevil!". Just priceless. The story is compelling, with a great set up and clever murder, which for the show before and since pretty unique.
Angela Lansbury is terrific in one of her best remembered roles (one of the roles that is most closely associated with me at any rate). Jose Ferrer (playing a scumbag to classy perfection), Robert Loggia, Murray Hamilton and Diane Canova give the best support performances.
My only complaint for the episode was the sloppiness of how the motive was revealed, a fairly obvious motive and one that Jessica should have been able to figure out easily.
Otherwise, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
As far as Season 1 episodes go (a decent season overall but understandably with a still settling vibe), "Death Casts a Spell" for me was one of the best up to this point alongside "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes", "Lovers and Other Killers" and "Hit, Run and Homicide", though up to this point not one of the episodes has been a stinker.
"Death Casts a Spell" is very slickly filmed with typically attractive locations and fashions. The music has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.
The writing, apart from one line, is charmingly light-hearted, gently amiable and down to earth but provokes thought too. The quote of "Death Casts a Spell" has got to be "I took my clothes off on a swing, that doesn't make me a daredevil!". Just priceless. The story is compelling, with a great set up and clever murder, which for the show before and since pretty unique.
Angela Lansbury is terrific in one of her best remembered roles (one of the roles that is most closely associated with me at any rate). Jose Ferrer (playing a scumbag to classy perfection), Robert Loggia, Murray Hamilton and Diane Canova give the best support performances.
My only complaint for the episode was the sloppiness of how the motive was revealed, a fairly obvious motive and one that Jessica should have been able to figure out easily.
Otherwise, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
6 eye witnesses, deaf, dumb, and blind
bkoganbing15 June 2018
This MSW story has Jessica Fletcher at a swanky resort on Lake Tahoe which is
owned by Robert Loggia and where the headliner is world famous hypnotist
Jose Ferrer. Ferrer brings in the business, but he's really quite the cad and has
a ton of enemies. No surprise that someone would put a steak knife in his
back and kill him. But Ferrer was in the middle of a demonstration for among
others members of the press. In fact Angela Lansbury just misses the demonstration.
In the room were six people all under a trance that Ferrer put them in before someone stabbed him. Six witnesses who can't tell investigating detective Robert Hogan.
I'm surprised I liked this one as much as I did. The solution is rather obvious in the how just a question of who. But this is a really fine cast assembled and I'll watch anything with Jose Ferrer in it.
I think you'll agree with my assessment.
In the room were six people all under a trance that Ferrer put them in before someone stabbed him. Six witnesses who can't tell investigating detective Robert Hogan.
I'm surprised I liked this one as much as I did. The solution is rather obvious in the how just a question of who. But this is a really fine cast assembled and I'll watch anything with Jose Ferrer in it.
I think you'll agree with my assessment.
A few flaws don't hurt this episode much
FlushingCaps6 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Mel Ferrer plays a hypnotist named Cagliastro, in Lake Tahoe. He is really good at his trade, but, like so many characters in these TV murder series-Perry Mason et al-he is not a nice guy and seems to be hated by all who know him. That lets the viewers know who is going to get killed.
In this one, Cagliastro has just been fired by the hotel owner, Joe Kellijian, for having an affair with Kellijian's wife. Jessica has come to this resort, tricked by her editor's assistant, Joan, into coming a day early so the assistant can pitch a book idea she has for Jessica about this hypnotist that she thinks is fantastic. The pair are in the restaurant of the hotel when they see a big argument between Cagliostro and a veteran reporter named Bud Michaels, who appears quite drunk at the time.
Michaels has been demanding an interview. Cagliostro then tells him that in half an hour, he will tell Michaels and any other news reporter who wants to come to his suite, his whole life history...but under the condition that they are all to be hypnotized before he tells them, and that afterwards, they will not remember a thing they heard.
Jessica has been invited to join them but she is on a crowded elevator that apparently stops on every floor for someone on or off, and is thus too late for the show in the suite. Hearing some broken glass, they rush into the suite to find six reporters all in a hypnotic trance and the dead hypnotist on the floor.
There were some cool scenes in this one, including Jessica being "recognized" by a lady in the casino as she is walking through, with the lady believing Jessica is on a soap opera she watches. Jessica cannot convince the woman of her error, not even when showing her the back cover of one of her novels with Jessica's photo on it.
The old woman was played by Elvia Allman, an easily recognizable actress to anyone from the 1960s. She was a semi-regular on Petticoat Junction as Selma Plout, and on 13 episodes of the Beverly Hillbillies as Elverna Bradshaw. Allman's first screen credit was for her voice acting in a Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1933. She has 141 different credits for movies and TV shows between then and 1990, with her second appearance years after this one on Murder She Wrote being her last time seen in a show. She was on, seemingly, almost every TV series in the 50s through the 70s, frequently having different characters in different episodes of those series.
Just after the murder was discovered, it seemed to me that the first thing the detective should do was X. (I'm hiding the thing so I won't ruin it for you.) When they didn't pursue this angle at all, I felt I almost knew it was because this was exactly what happened. Even then I didn't know who.
The biggest weakness to this episode is that we had no knowledge at all about the motive until the killer was revealed. In this series, and in other good shows, we usually have at least a hint about the motive, even though we don't know the details.
Another weakness was Cagliastro's challenge. He set it up so that he alone was in the room, along with the 6 journalists who all were to be hypnotized. If it all worked like he planned, and nobody remembered anything they heard, how would anyone believe that he actually told them anything? They might conclude that all he did was put some mild drug into their system, somehow, to make them drift off to sleep, and then woke them up without telling them anything at all. There would be nobody present to say that he indeed spent minutes, or longer, telling them the story of his life, as promised.
Of course, there are often significant flaws in any of these types of shows, but that doesn't keep us from enjoying the light-hearted murder mystery. It's fun to watch our detective solve the unusual cases and interact in humorous ways with those around her/him. This episode thus gets a score of 9 from me, as the flaws don't ruin the fun, anymore than the obvious stunt doubles for Jessica whenever she is seen in the distance running, bicycling or whatever.
In this one, Cagliastro has just been fired by the hotel owner, Joe Kellijian, for having an affair with Kellijian's wife. Jessica has come to this resort, tricked by her editor's assistant, Joan, into coming a day early so the assistant can pitch a book idea she has for Jessica about this hypnotist that she thinks is fantastic. The pair are in the restaurant of the hotel when they see a big argument between Cagliostro and a veteran reporter named Bud Michaels, who appears quite drunk at the time.
Michaels has been demanding an interview. Cagliostro then tells him that in half an hour, he will tell Michaels and any other news reporter who wants to come to his suite, his whole life history...but under the condition that they are all to be hypnotized before he tells them, and that afterwards, they will not remember a thing they heard.
Jessica has been invited to join them but she is on a crowded elevator that apparently stops on every floor for someone on or off, and is thus too late for the show in the suite. Hearing some broken glass, they rush into the suite to find six reporters all in a hypnotic trance and the dead hypnotist on the floor.
There were some cool scenes in this one, including Jessica being "recognized" by a lady in the casino as she is walking through, with the lady believing Jessica is on a soap opera she watches. Jessica cannot convince the woman of her error, not even when showing her the back cover of one of her novels with Jessica's photo on it.
The old woman was played by Elvia Allman, an easily recognizable actress to anyone from the 1960s. She was a semi-regular on Petticoat Junction as Selma Plout, and on 13 episodes of the Beverly Hillbillies as Elverna Bradshaw. Allman's first screen credit was for her voice acting in a Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1933. She has 141 different credits for movies and TV shows between then and 1990, with her second appearance years after this one on Murder She Wrote being her last time seen in a show. She was on, seemingly, almost every TV series in the 50s through the 70s, frequently having different characters in different episodes of those series.
Just after the murder was discovered, it seemed to me that the first thing the detective should do was X. (I'm hiding the thing so I won't ruin it for you.) When they didn't pursue this angle at all, I felt I almost knew it was because this was exactly what happened. Even then I didn't know who.
The biggest weakness to this episode is that we had no knowledge at all about the motive until the killer was revealed. In this series, and in other good shows, we usually have at least a hint about the motive, even though we don't know the details.
Another weakness was Cagliastro's challenge. He set it up so that he alone was in the room, along with the 6 journalists who all were to be hypnotized. If it all worked like he planned, and nobody remembered anything they heard, how would anyone believe that he actually told them anything? They might conclude that all he did was put some mild drug into their system, somehow, to make them drift off to sleep, and then woke them up without telling them anything at all. There would be nobody present to say that he indeed spent minutes, or longer, telling them the story of his life, as promised.
Of course, there are often significant flaws in any of these types of shows, but that doesn't keep us from enjoying the light-hearted murder mystery. It's fun to watch our detective solve the unusual cases and interact in humorous ways with those around her/him. This episode thus gets a score of 9 from me, as the flaws don't ruin the fun, anymore than the obvious stunt doubles for Jessica whenever she is seen in the distance running, bicycling or whatever.
Death Casts a Spell
Prismark1025 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
After the pilot. The second episode Death Casts a Spell boasts a hypnotic cast. Murray Hamilton still insisting that there is no shark, Robert Loggia, Michelle Phillips among others.
The Great Cagliostro (José Ferrer) is a stage hypnotist who has been wowing the audiences. However his act is controversial, his past is mysterious. All people know that he came over from England a few years ago and he has made enemies.
Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) has been invited to by her publisher's assistant to write a mystery based upon Cagliostro 's act. Instead she ends up investigating his murder.
The Great Cagliostro had invited some journalists to ask questions about his life but they would all be hypnotised. He was murdered in the presence of six hypnotised journalists.
In essence this was a locked room mystery for Jessica to solve. The police have a lot of suspects including a trapeze artist who might have somersaulted into the room.
The actual method was deceptively easy but hypnotism does not work this way. Jessica Fletcher meets so many people that can do hypnotism here, by the end any random person can practice it.
The Great Cagliostro (José Ferrer) is a stage hypnotist who has been wowing the audiences. However his act is controversial, his past is mysterious. All people know that he came over from England a few years ago and he has made enemies.
Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) has been invited to by her publisher's assistant to write a mystery based upon Cagliostro 's act. Instead she ends up investigating his murder.
The Great Cagliostro had invited some journalists to ask questions about his life but they would all be hypnotised. He was murdered in the presence of six hypnotised journalists.
In essence this was a locked room mystery for Jessica to solve. The police have a lot of suspects including a trapeze artist who might have somersaulted into the room.
The actual method was deceptively easy but hypnotism does not work this way. Jessica Fletcher meets so many people that can do hypnotism here, by the end any random person can practice it.
The show would have been better without Joan Germaine
planktonrules19 October 2022
José Ferrer plays a stage hypnotist named Cagliostro. He's apparently quite good but like many characters on "Murder, She Wrote", he has a LOT of enemies. So, when he's killed there are tons of suspects...as well as a room full of folks who were hypnotized while the murder took place...and they remember nothing.
There are two main problems with this episode. The biggest is the character played by Diana Canova (Joan Germaine). I don't blame her, but her character was very poorly written and really annoying. The other problem, and it's a much smaller one, is that despite what you see in the show, stage hypnotists aren't as amazingly powerful as you see in the show. I am trained in hypnosis...and it really doesn't work that way.
So, apart from these two problems, is the show any good? Well, the actors are generally very competent and the script was interesting. However, the resolution to the murder seemed a bit, well, tough to believe and too perfect. Not a great episode but enjoyable in spite of its problems.
There are two main problems with this episode. The biggest is the character played by Diana Canova (Joan Germaine). I don't blame her, but her character was very poorly written and really annoying. The other problem, and it's a much smaller one, is that despite what you see in the show, stage hypnotists aren't as amazingly powerful as you see in the show. I am trained in hypnosis...and it really doesn't work that way.
So, apart from these two problems, is the show any good? Well, the actors are generally very competent and the script was interesting. However, the resolution to the murder seemed a bit, well, tough to believe and too perfect. Not a great episode but enjoyable in spite of its problems.
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