Tales of the Unexpected is a British anthology series, which was broadcast on ITV from 1979 to 1988. Each episode features a dramatised story that has been adapted from the works of several well-known writers, most notably, Roald Dahl.
During the course of the programme, 112 episodes of Tales of the Unexpected aired over nine series, between 24 March 1979 and 13 May 1988.
Nine episodes. First broadcast: Saturdays on ITV – 24 March to 19 May 1979
A young couple on holiday in Jamaica meet a mysterious old gentleman who makes one of them a macabre wager.
Unable to show her dentist husband Cyril the lavish mink fur coat her lover has given her, Mrs Bixby proceeds to hatch a clever plan.
When her husband William dies, Mary Pearl is shocked that his will stipulates that his brain should be kept alive – with interesting results.
When Mary kills her husband hitting him with a frozen leg of lamb, she must think quickly to hide the evidence.
When a young man arrives in Bath, he is shocked to find his seemingly charming landlady has a dark side.
A lady is cut down to size by her husband’s loyal butler when it is discovered she is having an affair.
When Edward grows tired of Louisa’s obsession with a stray cat and decides to get rid of it, Louisa exacts her revenge.
An American gambler must come up with a cunning plan to slow down a ship at sea in order to win a bet.
Mrs. Foster exacts an intriguing revenge on her husband after his dawdling causes her to miss a flight.
Sixteen episodes. First broadcast: ITV – Saturdays 1 March to 14 June 1980
Mabel’s baby is sick and her bee-obsessed husband thinks he has found a remedy. Will he get the baby buzzing back to health?
An old street beggar, a former tattooist, was a friend of the famous artist, Soutine. On his back, he has a tattoo by the artist, which is now priceless.
A man starts to suffer when he becomes haunted by the memory of the brutal treatment he received in his childhood.
When a driver picks up a hitch-hiker in his car, his journey turns into a thrilling ride.
A poisonous snake keeps a teacher prisoner in India. How can he escape from its evil glare?
A pharmacist tries to elope with his lover, but his larger than life wife stands in his way.
A dinner party takes a surprising turn when one pretentious guest is challenged to a wine-tasting contest.
When Pamela and Arthur invite a young couple over for the weekend, things take a surprising turn.
George has problems with female attention, but when a beautiful woman joins his congregation things are set to change.
Art dealer Lionel gets an artist to visualise his fiancée Janet nude and paint her accordingly. Janet, however, does not see the funny side.
A con man arrives in town and starts his scam.
A pregnant lady is worried that she may miscarry for the fourth time. Can her doctor reassure her?
A jaded businessman sells his company and attempts to change his life for the better by buying a strange piano.
A philandering physician with an obsession for orchids cultivates a deadly plot to see off his wife.
A man married three times might be lucky for the fourth time when he meets a new interest.
A young out-of-work seaman kills another man in a botched robbery. Convinced the police will trace the knife used back to him, he turns to his friend, Diane, for help.
Nine episodes. First broadcast: Saturdays, Sundays and a Friday on ITV – 9 to 30 August and 9 November to 19 December 1980
With a 12-year-old found dead and a killer perhaps on the loose, a young girl becomes paranoid.
Hazel is an elderly widow who lives in a farmhouse full of antiques. When a conman arrives he dupes her into selling him a picture at a knock-down price.
George is denying murder, even though he was in a locked room with the victim when he was shot. Inspector Walters just cannot find any evidence against him.
Mrs Wilbur gets more than she bargained for when she calls upon the unusual services of Brit and Canadian Tom and George, two starving writers turned entrepreneurs.
Struggling actresses Suzy and Pat meet Herbert, a wealthy widower. Seductive Suzy enjoys his money, but things soon do not look so rosy.
Cyril makes a profitable living as a rogue antiques dealer, but when he buys a farmer’s valuable furniture his luck may be about to run out.
When millionaire Jack runs into Harold, a boy he bullied at school, he gives him a job. But Harold soon suspects his wife of having an affair with his new boss.
When Roland leaves his cruel, millionairess wife Vivien for a fresh start with his mistress Anna, the snubbed spouse plans to make his life a living hell.
When disgruntled factory manager Harry is left feeling undervalued by his colleagues, he decides to take revenge.
Seventeen episodes. First broadcast: Sundays and a Saturday on ITV – 5 April to 26 July and 26 December 1981.
Two archeologists working in Jordan get more than they bargained for when they decide to smuggle the statue of a mysterious woman over the border to Israel.
When an elderly lady catches a burglar trying to rob her she decides to help him go straight, but when he refuses to change she has to take a different approach.
When David rescues a giant turtle, it looks as though he's found a new friend. But there could be more to his pet than meets the eye.
Desperate to win the affections of his boss’s daughter, Arthur feels he needs style and enlists the suave Charlie for his wardrobe.[1]
Henpecked Arnold decides to get rid of his demanding wife once and for all, so long as he gets his money. Unfortunately, his wife has a few secrets of her own...
Property millionaire Gerry Williams has a beautiful wife, but she no longer loves him. An assassin is hired, but he soon becomes friendly with Gerry.
A botanist has invented a machine that translates the sound of plants into speech. What he hears gives him a shock.
David is accused of murder when his wife Irene vanishes, Her promiscuous lifestyle made her the talk of the town but the gossip has escalated.
Harry’s integrity and hard work have earned him a promotion at the bank. But despite his immaculate accounts, Harry is accused of embezzlement.
Kyros plans on giving his wife a priceless bottle of wine for their anniversary but he has no intention of drinking to her health.
The unscrupulous Madame Lagrue runs an art gallery, exploiting young artists. But she finally gets her comeuppance.
Wealthy New Yorker Joe Brisson is a self-made man with a plan to kill his disgruntled wife. Unfortunately for him, she has some deadly plans of her own.
Arthur and Margaret are a quiet couple. When Margaret inherits £50,000, Arthur reluctantly agrees to gamble it all on a dubious property deal. The title is a reference to the phrase "There's a sucker born every minute".
Nell and Emma are old friends who are reunited after years apart. However, things turn sour when the penniless Emma looks to drag Nell down into poverty with her. Nell's plan to get rid of her backfires.
Jack and Betsy are lovers. That is until Jack decides to go halfway across the world to be with his new Australian lover. However, Betsy is not going to make it easy.
The casino offers Roger an escape from his domineering aunt. He has a love for both gambling and a pretty hostess. But the casino boss has a score to settle.
A hijacker on an aeroplane takes a stewardess hostage before demanding a million dollars and a parachute. Will Captain Waterhouse give in to his demands?
Eighteen episodes. First broadcast: Sundays on ITV – 25 April 1982 to 2 January 1983
Blue Marigold is the face of a new perfume but not the voice. She goes crazy when a nice voice is dubbed over her common London accent. Then dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates, and she is placed in an asylum for 12 years. Years later, she is released and meets both her voice over and her ex-partner, with whom she now lives.
Moira hears a woman discussing a trip to Paris with her lover Donald. Not only is her husband called Donald, but he was in France Last week. Coincidence?
In an attempt to prove their safes are impregnable, a company challenges ex-safebreaker Sam to crack one for a cash prize. But are his skills sharp enough?
Robert visits a couple who housed him during the war. But in Paris, he discovers that the husband has died, and the hero’s wife has a big secret to tell.
A stranger arrives in town and soon endears himself to the local community – although his motives prove sinister.
Two cash-strapped business owners tunnel their way into a bank – only to find they missed a crucial notice on the door.
When a woman is murdered in a park, Constable Mary Bryan is used as bait to catch the suspected killer. But what if she is tracking the wrong man?
Police doctor Keith Briscoe is desperate to leave his wife for an ex but loses hope when she refuses to divorce him. Then, a serial killer gives him an idea.
When Mary learns her husband is having an affair, she invites her rival to a beach party. But the evening does not turn out as she expected.
An auditor finds out that Oliver is defrauding his firm. But when he demands some hush money, he discovers that Oliver has a nasty surprise in store.
Tired of gloves vanishing from his factory, Ralph hires a detective. Then, when he tells his wife about the thefts, gloves begin appearing in unexpected places.
Karen marries a rich landowner with a huge house in the country. But after moving in, she senses an evil spirit... and it's out to get her.
Richard and Fergus meet after 25 years. Pondering a girl they both loved, they discover that their marriages failed along with their careers.
Norma owns a big house and lets her sister Emily and her husband live there. But when Emily disappears, Norma makes too much fuss...
Cara is determined to get back her family jewels, which have been hidden away in a safe. Hiring a safe cracker, she goes along with him undercover.
A rich and lonely American ventures to England in search of his long-lost family. But when he meets Jane and her flatmate Eva, things begin to go wrong.
When a piece of art is stolen, the gallery owner gets his girlfriend to make copies of it to sell. But did the work really leave the building?
A woman discovers a nasty side to her boyfriend's personality when he goes into hospital before a holiday.
Fourteen episodes.
Frank is struggling financially and will do anything for money. When he meets a rich and successful schoolmate, he realises it may even stretch to murder.
Down on his luck, 'Memory Man' Colin agrees to help a shady character remember the number of a station locker. But then Colin becomes too curious for his own good.
Claire Hawksworth runs a Caribbean hotel with her boyfriend, but they have fallen on tough times. Hopeful of some money, Claire turns to her rich aunt. Her aunt, however, tells her of a new heir to her fortune.
Paul Standing, the son of a recently deceased doctor, is sorting out his paperwork when he receives a bill from a bookshop for thousands of pounds worth of pornography. Paul is highly suspicious.
George Devon, a wealthy rancher, is found murdered. His identical twin nephews stand to inherit his fortune, but one of them was seen at the scene of the crime. Both have alibis and no one can tell the two boys apart.
George Forester is a compulsive prankster. His wife and friends have been victims for many years until one day he goes too far.
Gerry Armstrong, an American soldier in World War II, returns after 40 years to Norfolk, where he was based. While there, he attends a dance and meets a beautiful woman, but she is not all she seems to be.
Sitting on a garden bench, an old man called von Baden discusses with a friend an academic fencing duel that took place 50 years ago in Heidelberg, Germany. He has kept secret the events surrounding the death of one of the combatants, but now wants to relate what really happened.
A German businessman is staying at a hotel and in mood for celebration. He meets up with Molly, an attractive but strange girl. Despite being warned about her, he takes her to his room.
Susan Mandeville is a beautiful American woman who takes a shine to struggling writer Tony Medway. He takes her out to lunch in the hope of getting a lucrative offer for his book, but things are not so straightforward.
Three former colonial English ladies, notorious for their miserly ways, hear about the death of a former servant. They decide against putting a notice in the newspaper, inviting the woman's niece out to lunch instead.
Roger Ashburn, a young doctor, is deeply in love with his beautiful wife, but she does not feel the same way. He arranges a dinner party with some of his friends, but she disappears afterwards. Roger is desperately worried, but a surprise is in store for him.
Caroline Coates is promoted in her role as a television news reporter, but is worried that she will not last if her looks start to go. She is admired by a man who has come up with a formula for an anti-aging process.
An ex-lawyer is planning the perfect murder of an enemy of his. He plans meticulously, but he has overlooked one thing.
Fifteen episodes. First broadcast: Saturdays and Sundays on ITV – 12 May to 21 October 1984
Fred Pearson, a Vietnam veteran, is a broken man after years of punishment from his sergeant. One day, he walks into a bar and sees the sergeant, still very much the arrogant bully he always was.
Shaw, the owner of a newspaper, is controlling and very rich. His wife is content with the money he provides, but is having an affair. When Shaw finds out, he decides to act.
Three men are being blackmailed by a woman for money. One day, she is found murdered and the three worry that they will be suspected. Her chauffeur, however, has a plan.
Successful writer Sam Luke is being hounded by the feminist movement for his books, which speak of women being the weaker sex. Unable to deal with them, he returns to his wife, but now he is getting death threats.
A driver picks up a hitchhiker. They hear on the radio that a serial killer is on the loose nicknamed Willow the Wisp. The driver quickly realises that the description exactly matches that of his passenger.
A magazine editor has a wife and a secret lover. For his magazine, he launches a competition for a story involving the perfect murder. His wife encourages him to enter it himself.
Elizabeth kills her husband because she wants to be with her young lover Ray – who helped in the murder – but she feels insecure because of the age gap. She then sees a flyer for an anti-aging process known as the Gift of Beauty.
George Princey has a high standing in the community, and when his daughter kills a man, he endeavours to cover it up to prevent him facing a scandal.
Olivia starts a relationship with a younger man on the basis that she has killed her husband and gained his fortune. Her lover, however, still sees himself as a free agent and has an affair with another woman.
Jack and Edna's parrot lays a large, oversized egg. The parrot dies, so they keep the egg warm. On hatching, it reveals an aggressive, black-feathered bird. Jack is taken by it, but Edna is suspicious of the evil-looking creature.
Harry is a clothing manufacturer in Wilmington, Delaware. He is on the verge of bankruptcy, however. Being used to the good life, he ponders the idea of murdering his business partner to collect the insurance money.
Steve and Jane are con artists who gain access to people's homes claiming to be doing research into polish. While there, they assess the valuables in the house for later theft. Coming across a scruffy old man, they hear that he is actually rich, but they underestimate him.
James has walked out on his wife, who still loves him. His lawyer advises him that getting a divorce may be difficult unless he can catch her being unfaithful. With not much hope, he hires a private detective.
Gerald Overton, a politician, has fallen in love with a beautiful woman he met at a party. Things go wrong and his entire career and reputation are in jeopardy. Gerald decides to take the law into his own hands.
At a hunting lodge in Connecticut, a young man named Gregory meets Jane, the daughter of Marjorie, who owns the lodge. Jane tells Gregory that this is the third anniversary of her stepfather and his son having been killed in a hunting accident. But every year, Marjorie leaves the window open in the deluded belief that they will still come back.
Four episodes. First broadcast: 1 Saturday and 3 Sundays on ITV – 30 March and 14 to 28 July 1985
Reeve Baker is a successful romantic novelist. Gwen, the wife of a friend, falls for Baker and, despite her husband's warnings, carries on with the relationship.
Madame Myra is a fortuneteller with a lacklustre career and dim future. A man shows up eventually who is eager to guide her to a better life, but he has an ulterior motive.
A husband and wife are embarking on a long drive through the desert. They stop off at a rundown gas station, only to be told that their car is in need of extensive repair. They then agree to stay for a meal while the mechanic works on it. (Episode recorded in 1981)
Brenda is a lonely alcoholic living in Florida. Her life is turned around when an old friend, Eric, turns up.
Ten episodes. First broadcast: Fridays on ITV – 18 December 1987 to 29 January 1988 and 15 April to 13 May 1988
Robert has kept secret that he accidentally killed a ten-year-old girl in a car crash twenty years ago. A young woman, Jane, comes to the area trying to find a man whose name she does not know, but whom she knows arrived driving an MG.
Eve Hamilton-Peregrine has written a successful book of poetry. Her husband is suspicious about the subject of the poems and demands to know who the lover is about whom she writes.
When wealthy Prince Zawi gives surgeon Robert Sandy a diamond for saving his life, the doctor finds that his new jewel is really more of a liability than an asset.
When devoted verger Albert is forced to resign, he sets out to build a new life. But can he succeed in a modern world that has little time for his old-fashioned ways?
When sheltered young son Nicholas travels to London to complete in a fencing competition, he gets caught up in a very strange adventure.
When a timid provincial solicitor visits a smart London hotel on a business trip, he becomes embroiled in a curious case of mistaken identity.
Ken Johnson is having an affair with his secretary, Lillian. His wife finds out about it and is furious, but then, Lillian tells Ken that she has met someone else. In temper, he kills her and buries her body, but then he receives a phone call from her.
Happily married and living in the Middle East, American safe-cracker Steve is suddenly threatened with extradition for a crime he says he did not commit.
Yves’s marriage has gone stale and his young mistress has announced that she is pregnant but he then makes a decision which changes everyone’s lives forever.
When pretty hotel worker Elly is charmed by a guest, archaeologist Max Kelada, it seems that the Mr-Know-It-All professor might not be the man he claims to be.
Many of the earlier episodes were preceded by an introduction by Roald Dahl. The dancer in the title sequence was Karen Standley.
These episodes have frequently been repeated on British television, most recently on Sky Arts. All episodes have been released on DVD in a box set for each series, except the 1984–85 series, which was released together with the first episode of the eighth series.[2][3]