User Reviews

Episode 21, "Murder is Permanent" marked the last of 7 entries helmed by director Arthur Crabtree, and one of the better ones. Inspector Ames (Ewan Roberts) is none too pleased to find Scotland Yard being summoned by wealthy widow Mrs. Greer (Margaret Halston) because her dog has a tummy ache! Mrs. Greer, whose husband was very kind to Colonel March when he was a boy, owns a beauty salon run by Joseph Latour (Neal Arden), with two employees, masseur Paul Chalford (Patrick Holt), and Annette (Ruth Shiell), all three of whom despise their manipulative employer. Johanna Greer (Elspet Gray), Mrs. Greer's young daughter-in-law, is also widowed, and also has reason to hate her elderly benefactor, who turns up stabbed to death at the salon. By the time Ames learns of Latour's shady past as a plastic surgeon, he has already committed suicide, with his confession soon followed by several more- who to believe? The only thing certain is that that it wasn't Mary the housekeeper (Nora Gordon). Virtually the TV debuts for Neal Arden, Elspet Gray, and Patrick Holt, and the only credit for attractive actress Ruth Shiell. Holt was yet another actor who went on to do both THE AVENGERS (2 episodes) and a James Bond film, 1965's "Thunderball." The banter between Karloff and Roberts is particularly sharp this time around, often providing the best moments in the weaker shows.

Inspector Ames is called to the house of the wealthy widow Mrs. Greer who is an old friend of Colonel March. She had once named a rose after him, a fact with which Ames later teases March. Upon arriving at the house, Ames overhears a heated argument between Mrs. Greer and her daughter-in- law, Johannna, also a widow. Mrs. Greer called the police because, according to the vet, her dog Dobie had been poisoned by arsenic (the dog survived). Ames gives her very short shrift indeed and storms put of the house. Mrs. Greer suspects one of the employees of the posh beauty salon she owns is dipping into the till and she is harassing another of the employees. Pretty clearly all three of the employees at the salon hate her as does Johanna. When Mrs. Greer is murdered in the salon, there are plenty of suspects. The only person who seems to care that she's dead is her housekeeper Mary. This episode has a good gimmick which, of course, March figures out. A pretty good episode but not one of the best.

Colonel March isn't necessarily the first person you would associate with a spell at the beauty parlour, but that's the setting for this mystery.

It's a typical, good old fashioned pot boiler. March is caught up in a feud between a young widow, and her tyrannical mother in law, equal partners in the salon.

I can understand why this isn't everyone's favourite, but it has its feet very firmly on the ground, a good old fashioned tale of family fallout.

Elspet Grey is lovely as Joanna, you will recognise her by that glorious voice straight away.

Rather enjoyable, 7/10.

A more light-hearted episode of the Colonel March TV show. This one features a dog again although it's marginally more interesting than the one about the kidnapped poodle. The action is set in and around a hairdressers, of all places, and once again a stabbing takes place. When March and Inspector Ames show up, they discover that some of the people in the place aren't quite who they admit to being, and the hunt for the murderer ensues.

March and Inspector Ames share plenty of repartee in this rather stodgy story that involves hidden identities and skeletons in the closet. It's only the acting of the principal characters that keeps you watching really as it's entirely forgettable otherwise. Elspet Gray and Patrick Holt show up, but the lack of any bizarre elements make this one a bit of a chore to sit through.

There is murder at the beauty parlour.

Mrs Greer is an old friend of Colonel March who has sent Colonel Ames to see her because Mrs Greer's dog was poisoned.

Ames was not too pleased with this assignment. Later Mrs Greer is found dead in her beauty parlour.

Suspects range from Mrs Greer's staff to her daughter in law. None of whom liked her very much

Colonel March seems to have got all of them to confess but only one of them is the real murderer.

A dreary lumpy story only livened up by the banter between Ames and Colonel March.