Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) was shown in the US during the 1970s under the name My Partner the Ghost. As a child, I remember this series with foundness and every time I think about it a smile appears on my face. I have never been able to see it again since then but I yearn to one day. Once in a while they sell the complete series for about $100 but in Region 2 (UK). I hope that I may stumble on a used version in a used DVD store. It would be like striking oil! I can't express how mesmerizing the theme was or the enticement of waiting for Saturday afternoon to come around so I could watch the episodes when I was a child. I highly recommend for everyone that has any artistic blood for european culture or the swining 60s to see the original series! They are releasing the remade series on A & E Home Video but I fear that the improved special effect will take away from the magic that great acting, wonderfully clever storylines and cheesy special effects gave me three decades ago. If you can get your hands on a copy.....buy it and watch them.

As a child of the 60's and 70's, I was a complete sucker for all the ABC fantasy / thriller programmes which were so much in abundance at the time. I guess it started with "The Avengers" and "The Saint", continued with "The Baron", "Man in a Suitcase" and "The Prisoner" but for me it really kicked in with the more "out-there" shows - "Department S", "The Champions" and of course this, the great "Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)". I remember having to watch it on re-runs very late at night but always thrilling to the outlandish mis-en-scene, and slightly tongue-in-cheek lead acting of hangdog Jeff Pratt and chirpy Kenneth Cope. Each episode was not unnaturally a variation on a theme, with down on his luck private eye Randall invariably taking on a case which got him into hot water and required the assistance of his partner the ghost. The plotting was always inventive, the acting engaging and looking back now of course you get the extra benefit of seeing vintage exteriors, cars and fashions - and yes, Annette Andre was a visual delight to my 10 year-old eyes. I'm so pleased to own this and many of the other series mentioned above. Haven't got round to watching them all yet (the curse of the DVD boxed set!) but as I write this, somewhere there's a voice coming through the ether saying "Only you, Jeff, only you" and I know that I will sit down one day in my dotage and view them all wall-to-wall and I know I'll forgive the continuity errors, low-budget sets and corny special effects as I happily regress again to age 10.

Private Investigator Geoff Randall (Mike Pratt) is aided in his investigations by the ghost of his partner Marty Hopkirk (Kenneth Cope). The latter was murdered during an investigation in the first episode, "My Late Lamented Friend And Partner". Additional characters who appear are Annette Andre as Jean Hopkirk, Marty's wife and Geoff's friend and secretary and Ivor Dean as Inspector Large, who disliked Randall when he appeared to be leading him on a wild goose chase, but Randall always came out on top in the end.

The original series ran for twenty-six hour long episodes between the autumn of 1969 and through part of 1970, it was successful enough in Britain but failed to take on across the Atlantic. The fact that it was transmitted in America under the inept title, "My Partner The Ghost" probably didn't help matters. It was the creation of writer Dennis Spooner and has gained cult status in Britain. Enough so that it was remade in the year 2000 with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in the Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope roles, but the less said about this the better! The original may have laughable special effects by todays standards (i.e very visible wires on objects apparently moved by ghosts), but at least you had a good story and fine acting. In the remake it's quite the reverse, all special effects, rubbishy acting and no comprehensible storyline.

The original series has a very special place in my heart because I used to look forward to watching the re-runs on BBC Two every Friday evening. This would of been around 1994 when I was eleven, so even though I wasn't around when it was first aired, I still have the distinction of seeing the original before the so called remake three years ago!

This is a fantastic piece of 1960's British TV. It is such a unique show, with the premise being a couple of private detectives on adventures every week, with the one snag that one of them is in fact dead, and only appears as a ghost to his ex-colleague. The show is made additionally watchable for male viewers as it stars the gorgeous Annette Andre (now i know why Benny Hill proposed to her!) Just a brilliant show allround, I wish it was video!

I have to be honest, being a fan of nostalgic tv shows I avoided this show as I thought it was a ludicrous concept, Only recently did I accidentally watch an episode prompting me to watch the first episode, and I was hooked. I can't believe now that it did not get a longer run, main actors highly underrated. Marty and Jeff's relationship is pure bro code, Jeff looking after/providing for Marty's widow Jeanie for no other reason but she is his best friend's widow. Jeanie is a very strong and likeable character, which is unusual in these shows. Marty, finally, is comedy gold, great chemistry between him and Jeff.