As Kenneth Branagh brings his third Hercule Poirot film to theaters with “A Haunting in Venice,” fans of the Agatha Christie character might debate: Who is the best actor to ever play the mustachioed Belgian detective? And which versions simply didn’t work?
We’ve compiled a list of the most notable actors to portray the famously fussy sleuth —from Tony Randall to PBS favorite David Suchet — and ranked them with both how true they are to Christie’s vision and how enjoyable their portrayal is to audience.
MGM
7. Tony Randall (1965)
The “Odd Couple” actor’s one outing as the detective in the Frank Tashlin-directed film “The Alphabet Murders” leans very hard into comedy. The result: Despite the mustache and bald cap and an occasionally passable accent, we get very little of “the little grey cells” character we expect and far more sight gigs and slapstick.
Prime Video
6. John Malkovich...
We’ve compiled a list of the most notable actors to portray the famously fussy sleuth —from Tony Randall to PBS favorite David Suchet — and ranked them with both how true they are to Christie’s vision and how enjoyable their portrayal is to audience.
MGM
7. Tony Randall (1965)
The “Odd Couple” actor’s one outing as the detective in the Frank Tashlin-directed film “The Alphabet Murders” leans very hard into comedy. The result: Despite the mustache and bald cap and an occasionally passable accent, we get very little of “the little grey cells” character we expect and far more sight gigs and slapstick.
Prime Video
6. John Malkovich...
- 9/17/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
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Jokers, circus masters and demonic dolls. Which TV characters terrify you? Den Of Geek asked its writers that very question…
The subconscious is a terrible place; dark, mysterious and peopled by spectres from the past. As a bit of a laugh then, we sent our writers journeying into theirs and asked them to drag out any TV terrors they found lurking in the shadows.
Some television fears had been ensconced there since childhood, others were more recent tenants. Some were morally terrifying; human beings with icy hearts capable of atrocities, others were simply… atrocities.
Join us as we count down in order of terror from the sort-of-creepy to the downright terrifying, the 50 TV characters that, for whatever reason, give our writers chills. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, so feel free to fill in gaps by adding your own peculiar television nightmares below…
50. Charn -...
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Jokers, circus masters and demonic dolls. Which TV characters terrify you? Den Of Geek asked its writers that very question…
The subconscious is a terrible place; dark, mysterious and peopled by spectres from the past. As a bit of a laugh then, we sent our writers journeying into theirs and asked them to drag out any TV terrors they found lurking in the shadows.
Some television fears had been ensconced there since childhood, others were more recent tenants. Some were morally terrifying; human beings with icy hearts capable of atrocities, others were simply… atrocities.
Join us as we count down in order of terror from the sort-of-creepy to the downright terrifying, the 50 TV characters that, for whatever reason, give our writers chills. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, so feel free to fill in gaps by adding your own peculiar television nightmares below…
50. Charn -...
- 10/29/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
The Woman in Black
Written by Nigel Kneale, based on a novel by Susan Hill
Directed by Herbert Wise
Aired on ITV on December 24, 1989
My first memories of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black were not from the long-running stage play nor the recent film starring Daniel Radcliffe. Instead, my first memories of the classic ghost story were through the TV spots for the UK adaptation that were so chilling, they caused many sleepless nights. 23 years later, it is now time to lay those ghosts to rest.
First broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1989, though rarely repeated since, The Woman in Black stars Adrian Rawlins as Arthur Kidd (the name was changed from Kipps for the adaptation), a young lawyer who is sent to the small town of Crythin Gifford to overlook the sale of Eel Marsh House after the recent death of its owner, Mrs. Drablow. Upon arriving in Crythin...
Written by Nigel Kneale, based on a novel by Susan Hill
Directed by Herbert Wise
Aired on ITV on December 24, 1989
My first memories of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black were not from the long-running stage play nor the recent film starring Daniel Radcliffe. Instead, my first memories of the classic ghost story were through the TV spots for the UK adaptation that were so chilling, they caused many sleepless nights. 23 years later, it is now time to lay those ghosts to rest.
First broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1989, though rarely repeated since, The Woman in Black stars Adrian Rawlins as Arthur Kidd (the name was changed from Kipps for the adaptation), a young lawyer who is sent to the small town of Crythin Gifford to overlook the sale of Eel Marsh House after the recent death of its owner, Mrs. Drablow. Upon arriving in Crythin...
- 10/15/2014
- by Katie Wong
- SoundOnSight
Poirot
David Suchet recently bade a fond farewell to Agatha Christie’s Poirot but the shows lives on in the form of Blu-Ray and DVDs. Acorn are releasing the latest batch of Belgian brilliance just in time for Thanksgiving. Poirot: Series 10 features four newly remastered episodes that debuted in 2005 and 2006. As ever, Suchet is joined by cast regulars Hugh Fraser (Sharpe), Philip Jackson (Little Voice), and Pauline Moran.
The Mystery of the Blue Train concerns the murder of an American heiress and the theft of a jewel from aboard a train. American fans will recognize many of the guest co-stars including Elliott Gould (Friends) and Roger Lloyd-Pack (Vicar of Dibley). In Cards on a Table, a wealthy Londoner (Alexander Siddig) arranges an unusual gathering involving four murderers and four detectives. In After The Funeral, Poirot is called in to investigate when a wealthy man changes his will just before his untimely demise.
David Suchet recently bade a fond farewell to Agatha Christie’s Poirot but the shows lives on in the form of Blu-Ray and DVDs. Acorn are releasing the latest batch of Belgian brilliance just in time for Thanksgiving. Poirot: Series 10 features four newly remastered episodes that debuted in 2005 and 2006. As ever, Suchet is joined by cast regulars Hugh Fraser (Sharpe), Philip Jackson (Little Voice), and Pauline Moran.
The Mystery of the Blue Train concerns the murder of an American heiress and the theft of a jewel from aboard a train. American fans will recognize many of the guest co-stars including Elliott Gould (Friends) and Roger Lloyd-Pack (Vicar of Dibley). In Cards on a Table, a wealthy Londoner (Alexander Siddig) arranges an unusual gathering involving four murderers and four detectives. In After The Funeral, Poirot is called in to investigate when a wealthy man changes his will just before his untimely demise.
- 11/24/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
B van Heusen
The end is nigh for Hercule Poirot — well the David Suchet version anyway. Two and a half decades’ worth of mystery and intrigue culminate in four all new episodes that are set to air on ITV this Fall. Appropriately enough, the first of the quartet is titled The Big Four and it sees David Suchet reunited with past cast regulars Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran.
In The Big Four, Poirot finds himself heading into Foyle’s War territory as he is asked to investigate the murder of a Soviet chess master on the eve of World war II. The first episode airs on ITV on Wednesday 23 October and it is scheduled to be broadcast by PBS early next year. The season concludes with Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case. Click the link below for a preview.
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or...
The end is nigh for Hercule Poirot — well the David Suchet version anyway. Two and a half decades’ worth of mystery and intrigue culminate in four all new episodes that are set to air on ITV this Fall. Appropriately enough, the first of the quartet is titled The Big Four and it sees David Suchet reunited with past cast regulars Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran.
In The Big Four, Poirot finds himself heading into Foyle’s War territory as he is asked to investigate the murder of a Soviet chess master on the eve of World war II. The first episode airs on ITV on Wednesday 23 October and it is scheduled to be broadcast by PBS early next year. The season concludes with Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case. Click the link below for a preview.
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or...
- 10/17/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
Reviewed By Matt Blythe, MoreHorror.com
The Woman in Black (1989) is one of those made for TV horror movies that although lacks the shine of a theatrical production manages to create a truly fearful atmosphere and deliver lasting chills. I’m thinking of the likes of It and Salem’s Lot – not perfect films by any means but they managed to scare the crap out of unsuspecting audiences when first beamed into family homes.
As you may have seen in the more recent adaption of the same novel by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black is a haunted house tale in which solicitor and bereaved young father, Arthur Kidd, travels to a bleak English coastal town to clear-up the estate of recently deceased Alice Drablow. She lived a long and miserable life cut-off from local folk, surrounded by marshland, in a decrepit mansion called Eel Marsh House. Kidd quickly discovers...
The Woman in Black (1989) is one of those made for TV horror movies that although lacks the shine of a theatrical production manages to create a truly fearful atmosphere and deliver lasting chills. I’m thinking of the likes of It and Salem’s Lot – not perfect films by any means but they managed to scare the crap out of unsuspecting audiences when first beamed into family homes.
As you may have seen in the more recent adaption of the same novel by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black is a haunted house tale in which solicitor and bereaved young father, Arthur Kidd, travels to a bleak English coastal town to clear-up the estate of recently deceased Alice Drablow. She lived a long and miserable life cut-off from local folk, surrounded by marshland, in a decrepit mansion called Eel Marsh House. Kidd quickly discovers...
- 10/9/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Hard at work on her latest project, Kate Winslet filmed for the upcoming flick, "A Little Chaos" in the English Countryside on Sunday (April 21).
Sporting curly blonde hair and a long blue tunic, the 37-year-old actress got into character for the Alan Rickman-directed drama.
Also starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Pauline Moran, the film follows a pair of landscape gardeners who compete to design a fountain at Versailles for Louis Xiv.
Aside from her current commitments, it was also announced last month that Miss Winslet will play a darker role in the Neil Burger directed sci-fi, "Divergent," which is set for a 2014 release date.
Sporting curly blonde hair and a long blue tunic, the 37-year-old actress got into character for the Alan Rickman-directed drama.
Also starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Pauline Moran, the film follows a pair of landscape gardeners who compete to design a fountain at Versailles for Louis Xiv.
Aside from her current commitments, it was also announced last month that Miss Winslet will play a darker role in the Neil Burger directed sci-fi, "Divergent," which is set for a 2014 release date.
- 4/21/2013
- GossipCenter
By Erin Lashley, MoreHorror.com
When Michael Calls - 1972
Helen begins receiving phone calls from a troubled child who claims to be her nephew Michael. The problem is that Michael died fifteen years ago.
Phone calls from beyond the grave are bad enough, and these sound mighty eerie, if you are affected by sounds in horror films the way that I am. But what really has the potential to be chilling is the idea that, if it’s not a ghost calling, then someone has to be absolutely batshit crazy to perpetrate a hoax like this. Not only that, but they’ve managed to coerce a living child into making the phone calls.
Michael Douglas is here in an early role, and if you’re a fan of Falling Down then you know that he does disturbed characters very well.
When Michael Calls stars Ben Gazzara, Elizabeth Ashley, and Michael Douglas,...
When Michael Calls - 1972
Helen begins receiving phone calls from a troubled child who claims to be her nephew Michael. The problem is that Michael died fifteen years ago.
Phone calls from beyond the grave are bad enough, and these sound mighty eerie, if you are affected by sounds in horror films the way that I am. But what really has the potential to be chilling is the idea that, if it’s not a ghost calling, then someone has to be absolutely batshit crazy to perpetrate a hoax like this. Not only that, but they’ve managed to coerce a living child into making the phone calls.
Michael Douglas is here in an early role, and if you’re a fan of Falling Down then you know that he does disturbed characters very well.
When Michael Calls stars Ben Gazzara, Elizabeth Ashley, and Michael Douglas,...
- 8/14/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
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