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{{short description|1985 television film by Steven Hilliard Stern}}
{{short description|1985 television film by Steven Hilliard Stern}}
:'''''Murder in Space''' is also the title of a 1955 science fiction novel by [[David Vern Reed|David V. Reed]] and a 2007 mystery novel by [[Sydney J. Bounds]].''
:''Murder in Space'' is also the title of a 1955 science fiction novel by [[David Vern Reed|David V. Reed]] and a 2007 mystery novel by [[Sydney J. Bounds]].

{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| name = Murder in Space
| image =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_alt =
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| story =
| story =
| director = [[Steven Hilliard Stern]]
| director = [[Steven Hilliard Stern]]
| starring = [[Michael Ironside]]<br />[[Wilford Brimley]]<br />[[Martin Balsam]]<br />[[Damir Andrei]]<br />[[Tom Butler (actor)|Tom Butler]]<br />[[Wendy Crewson]]<br />[[Scot Denton]]<br />[[Peter Dvorsky (actor)|Peter Dvorsky]]<br />[[Leo Ilial]]<br />[[Alan Jordan]]<br />[[Jan Rubeš]]<br />[[Cathie Shirriff]]<br />[[Kate Trotter]]<br />[[Nerene Virgin]]<br />[[Alberta Watson]]<br />[[Arthur Hill (actor)|Arthur Hill]]
| starring = [[Michael Ironside]]<br />[[Wilford Brimley]]<br />[[Martin Balsam]]<br />[[Damir Andrei]]<br />[[Tom Butler (actor)|Tom Butler]]<br />[[Wendy Crewson]]<br />[[Scot Denton]]<br />[[Peter Dvorsky (actor)|Peter Dvorsky]]<br />[[Leo Ilial]]<br />[[Alan Jordan]]<br />[[Jan Rubeš]]<br />[[Cathie Shirriff]]<br />[[Kate Trotter]]<br />[[Nerene Virgin]]<br />[[Alberta Watson]]<br />[[Arthur Hill (Canadian actor)|Arthur Hill]]
| narrated =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = [[Arthur B. Rubinstein]]
| theme_music_composer = [[Arthur B. Rubinstein]]
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| runtime = 95 Minutes
| runtime = 95 Minutes
| company = [[CTV Television Network]]<br>[[Zenith Entertainment]]
| company = [[CTV Television Network]]<br>[[Zenith Entertainment]]
| distributor = [[Showtime Networks]]
| budget =
| budget =
| network = Showtime Networks
| network = [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1985|7|28}}
| released = {{Start date|1985|07|28}}
| last_aired =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website =
}}
}}


'''''Murder in Space''''' is a 1985 [[science fiction]] [[Crime fiction|murder]] [[Whodunit|mystery]] [[television movie]] set in the near future. The crew of an international space mission are on the return leg from [[Mars]] to [[Earth]] when an explosion occurs on the craft ''Conestoga'', shortly after a series of murders starts. The crew of the returning craft are forbidden to return until the murderer is caught.
'''''Murder in Space''''' is a 1985 [[science fiction]] [[murder mystery]] [[television movie]] set in the near future. The crew of an international space mission are on the return leg from [[Mars]] to [[Earth]] when an explosion occurs on the craft ''Conestoga'', shortly after a series of murders starts. The crew of the returning craft are forbidden to return until the murderer is caught.


On its initial worldwide premier, the film was shown without the ending and a competition was set for the viewers to solve the mystery of who the murderer or murderers were. The conclusion of the film was shown several days later, with the contestants eliminated one by one until the winner correctly identified the killer or killers. The final 15 minutes of the film was shown at a later date when the mystery was solved with only two countries provided winners with the correct answer.
On its initial worldwide premiere, the film was shown without the ending and a competition was set for the viewers to solve the mystery of who the murderer or murderers were. The conclusion of the film was shown several days later, with the contestants eliminated one by one until the winner correctly identified the killer or killers. The final 15 minutes of the film was shown at a later date when the mystery was solved with only two countries provided winners with the correct answer.


==Conestoga crew==
==Conestoga crew==
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| Planned to defect
| Planned to defect
|-
|-
| Timothy Webber
| [[Timothy Webber]]
| Guy Sterling
| Guy Sterling
|
|
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|
|
| Vice President
| Vice President
| [[Arthur Hill (actor)|Arthur Hill]]
| [[Arthur Hill (Canadian actor)|Arthur Hill]]
|-
|-
| Dr. Andrew McCallister
| Dr. Andrew McCallister
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| Mitch Carlino
| Mitch Carlino
|
|
| Peter Dvorsky
| [[Peter Dvorsky (actor)|Peter Dvorsky]]
|-
|-
| Alexander Rostov
| Alexander Rostov
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==Related Prizes==
==Related Prizes==


PRIMETIME magazine, the FIRST CHOICE*SUPERCHANNEL program guide, featured a pull-out entry form which allowed viewers to identify the four murdered characters, their nationalities and, bizarrely, “how murdered?”. It then asked the ultimate question – “Who Committed the Murderers?”
PRIMETIME magazine, the FIRST CHOICE*SUPERCHANNEL program guide, featured a pull-out entry form which allowed viewers to identify the four murdered characters, their nationalities and, bizarrely, “how murdered?”. It then asked the ultimate question – “Who Committed the Murders?”


Readers who correctly guessed the answer had the opportunity to win a trip on the [[Orient Express]] however no entries received where actually correct so instead the closet answer to who was the murderer was given a years free subscription to the magazine.<ref name="Retronarios" />
Readers who correctly guessed the answer had the opportunity to win a trip on the [[Orient Express]] however no entries received were actually correct so instead the closest answer to who the murderer was given a year's free subscription to the magazine.<ref name="Retronarios" />


==Accompanying book==
==Accompanying book==


A novel also called "Murder In Space", published by Penguin, was produced around the same time; the last page of the book was an entry form for the competition to solve the mystery.
A novel also called "Murder In Space", published by Penguin, was produced around the same time; the last page of the book was an entry form for the competition to solve the mystery. It was written by "FX Woolf", a penname for Howard Engels and Janet Hamilton.<ref name="ukscifibook">{{cite web |url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.seymour1/ukbookguide/USASeries/MurderInSpace.html |title=The UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide: Murder in Space |accessdate=2010-08-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082545/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.seymour1/ukbookguide/USASeries/MurderInSpace.html |archivedate=2010-06-04 }} The UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide</ref>
It was written by "FX Woolf", a pen-name for Howard Engels and Janet Hamilton.<ref name="ukscifibook">{{cite web |url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.seymour1/ukbookguide/USASeries/MurderInSpace.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-08-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604082545/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.seymour1/ukbookguide/USASeries/MurderInSpace.html |archivedate=2010-06-04 }} The UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide</ref>


==Murder in Space: The Solution==
==Murder in Space: The Solution==


A television show, hosted in the [[UK]] by [[Anneka Rice]] and [[Roger Cook (journalist)|Roger Cook]] and broadcast in July 1985 on TV Channel [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]], featured members of the UK public who were close or knew who the murderer actually was, thus winning the £10,000 prize money. The solution was then shown in the final 15 minutes of the movie to reveal the answer.<ref name="Retronarios">{{cite web |url=http://blog.canuxploitation.com/2014/07/retrontarios-cable-tv-throwback-july-1985/ |title=Retronarios Cable TV Throwback |accessdate=2020-03-19}} Retronarios Cable TV Throwback</ref>
A television show, hosted in the [[UK]] by [[Anneka Rice]] and [[Roger Cook (journalist)|Roger Cook]](making his ITV Debut) and broadcast in September 1985 on UK TV Channel [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]], featured members of the UK public who were close or knew who the murderer actually was, thus winning the £10,000 prize money. The solution was then shown in the final 15 minutes of the movie to reveal the answer.<ref name="Retronarios">{{cite web |url=http://blog.canuxploitation.com/2014/07/retrontarios-cable-tv-throwback-july-1985/ |title=Retronarios Cable TV Throwback |accessdate=2020-03-19}} Retronarios Cable TV Throwback</ref>


==External links==
==External links==
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{Steven Hilliard Stern}}
{{Steven Hilliard Stern}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murder In Space (Tv Series)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murder In Space (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:Canadian television films]]
[[Category:1985 television films]]
⚫
[[Category:Canadian films]]
[[Category:Films about astronauts]]
[[Category:Films about astronauts]]
[[Category:Science fiction television films]]
[[Category:Canadian science fiction television films]]
[[Category:English-language Canadian films]]
[[Category:1980s mystery films]]
[[Category:1980s mystery films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Arthur B. Rubinstein]]
[[Category:Films scored by Arthur B. Rubinstein]]
[[Category:Films directed by Steven Hilliard Stern]]
[[Category:Films directed by Steven Hilliard Stern]]
⚫
[[Category:1980s Canadian films]]

[[Category:CTV Television Network original films]]

{{Canada-tv-film-stub}}

Latest revision as of 01:56, 22 December 2024

Murder in Space is also the title of a 1955 science fiction novel by David V. Reed and a 2007 mystery novel by Sydney J. Bounds.
Murder in Space
Written byWesley Ferguson
Directed bySteven Hilliard Stern
StarringMichael Ironside
Wilford Brimley
Martin Balsam
Damir Andrei
Tom Butler
Wendy Crewson
Scot Denton
Peter Dvorsky
Leo Ilial
Alan Jordan
Jan Rubeš
Cathie Shirriff
Kate Trotter
Nerene Virgin
Alberta Watson
Arthur Hill
Theme music composerArthur B. Rubinstein
Country of originCanada
United States
Production
ProducersRobert Cooper
Otto Penzler
CinematographyLaszlo George
EditorRit Wallis
Running time95 Minutes
Production companiesCTV Television Network
Zenith Entertainment
Original release
NetworkShowtime
ReleaseJuly 28, 1985 (1985-07-28)

Murder in Space is a 1985 science fiction murder mystery television movie set in the near future. The crew of an international space mission are on the return leg from Mars to Earth when an explosion occurs on the craft Conestoga, shortly after a series of murders starts. The crew of the returning craft are forbidden to return until the murderer is caught.

On its initial worldwide premiere, the film was shown without the ending and a competition was set for the viewers to solve the mystery of who the murderer or murderers were. The conclusion of the film was shown several days later, with the contestants eliminated one by one until the winner correctly identified the killer or killers. The final 15 minutes of the film was shown at a later date when the mystery was solved with only two countries provided winners with the correct answer.

Conestoga crew

[edit]
Actor Character Rank Country Murdered How Murderer's Possible Motive
Michael Ironside Neil Braddock Captain U.S.A. No
Cathie Shirriff Olga Denarenko U.S.S.R. Yes Strangled/Suffocated Pregnant with other crew member's child.
Damir Andrei Andrei Kalsinov Colonel U.S.S.R. Yes Blown up Planned to defect
Timothy Webber Guy Sterling Canada Yes Cyanide poisoning Needed to be silenced
Tom Butler Kurt Steiner Major East Germany Yes Strangled Judgment
Leo Ilial Phillipe Berdoux Doctor France No
Scot Denton David Tremayne Navigator U.S.A. No
Kate Trotter Pamela Cooper UK No
Alberta Watson Dominica Mastrelli Italy No

Other cast members

[edit]

Other cast members were reporters, wives and husbands, mission control staff and additional Russian characters.

Name Rank or part Played by
Vice President Arthur Hill
Dr. Andrew McCallister Space program director Wilford Brimley
Dinah Greenberg Secretary to McCallister Gloria Carlin
Jeffrey Kilbride Reporter Alan Jordan
Mitch Carlino Peter Dvorsky
Alexander Rostov Russian Politician Martin Balsam
Dr. Margaret Leigh Doctor Nerene Virgin
Grigori Denarenko husband of cosmonaut Olga Denarenko Jan Rubeš
Irene Tremayne Wife of astronaut David Tremayne Wendy Crewson

Prize money

[edit]
  • USA - $60,000
  • UK - £10,000
[edit]

PRIMETIME magazine, the FIRST CHOICE*SUPERCHANNEL program guide, featured a pull-out entry form which allowed viewers to identify the four murdered characters, their nationalities and, bizarrely, “how murdered?”. It then asked the ultimate question – “Who Committed the Murders?”

Readers who correctly guessed the answer had the opportunity to win a trip on the Orient Express however no entries received were actually correct so instead the closest answer to who the murderer was given a year's free subscription to the magazine.[1]

Accompanying book

[edit]

A novel also called "Murder In Space", published by Penguin, was produced around the same time; the last page of the book was an entry form for the competition to solve the mystery. It was written by "FX Woolf", a penname for Howard Engels and Janet Hamilton.[2]

Murder in Space: The Solution

[edit]

A television show, hosted in the UK by Anneka Rice and Roger Cook(making his ITV Debut) and broadcast in September 1985 on UK TV Channel ITV, featured members of the UK public who were close or knew who the murderer actually was, thus winning the £10,000 prize money. The solution was then shown in the final 15 minutes of the movie to reveal the answer.[1]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Retronarios Cable TV Throwback". Retrieved 2020-03-19. Retronarios Cable TV Throwback
  2. ^ "The UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide: Murder in Space". Archived from the original on 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2010-08-01. The UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide
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