Hello, you crazy, lovely Morse fans and welcome to part four of thirteen on the connections between the Endeavour series and the original Morse and Lewis series. For those who haven’t read the first three parts of this particular series of posts, (where have you been? But hey welcome, better late than never. 😉 ), click HERE for part one. Click HERE for part two and click HERE for part three. Each link will open in a new window.
As before the first connection should be the man who devised and wrote all thirteen of the Endeavour episodes and that is Russell Lewis. Here below is another reminder of what else he has written within the Morse universe.
Lewis (TV Series) (screenplay – 4 episodes, 2010 – 2012) (story – 1 episode, 2006)
– Fearful Symmetry (2012) … (screenplay)
– Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things (2011) … (screenplay)
– Falling Darkness (2010) … (screenplay)
– The Dead of Winter (2010) … (screenplay)
– Reputation (2006) … (story)
He also wrote the Morse episode, ‘The Way Through the Woods’. (One of my favourite Morse episodes).
CHARACTERS
Apart from the usual suspects, James Strange and Max DeBryn, sadly, I could find no other characters who were connected to either Morse or Lewis.
Actors who appeared in the Endeavour Series 1, Episode 3 ‘Rocket’ and/or Morse or Lewis.
Apart from Roger Allam, there are four actors who appeared in this episode and also appeared in either the Morse or Lewis series. So, let’s begin…
First up is the lovely Martin Jarvis. He stars in this episode as Henry Broom and also starred in the Morse episode, ‘Greeks Bearing Gifts’ as Randall Rees. (Series 5, Episode 4).
Martin Jarvis as Henry Broom in the Endeavour episode, ‘Rocket’.
Martin Jarvis as Randall Rees in the Morse episode, ‘Greeks Bearing Gifts.
Next we have William Houston who played Richard Broom in the Endeavour episode and George Stoker in the Lewis episode ‘Expiation’, (Series 1, Episode 3).
William Houston as Richard Broom in the Endeavour episode.
William Houston as George Stoker in the Lewis episode ‘Expiation’.
Update, 24/02/2016. Another senior moment as I thought I had included the following actor, as he was in my notes, but for what ever reason I excluded him. Anne Parker in the comments section thankfully reminded me of my ridiculous omission. Anyway we have Jack Roth who played Lenny Frost and in the Lewis episode, ‘The Mind has Mountains’ (series 5, episode 3) he played Jack Collins.
Jack Roth as Lenny Frost in ‘Rocket’.
Jack Roth in Lewis episode, ‘The Mind has Mountains’, as Jack Collins.
Last but not least the fragrant Jenny Seagrove. She played Nora Broom in the Endeavour episode. In the Lewis episode, ‘The Point of Vanishing’ (Series 3, Episode 3) she played the character Cecile Rattenburg.
Jenny Seagrove as Nora Broom in the Endeavour episode.
Jenny Seagrove as Cecile Rattenburg in the Lewis episode, ‘The Point of Vanishing’ (Series 3, Episode 3).
WHERE’S COLIN?
Colin appeared at 40 minutes and 10 seconds.
Again Greg Bennett appears as a Police Constable in this episode.
MUSIC
Only two main pieces of classical music in the episode but neither, as far as I know, were used in either Lewis or Morse. One of the pieces is ‘Nabucco: Va, pensiero, sull’ali dorate (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves)’ is played at the beginning of the episode. This wonderful piece can be found on the Endeavour soundtrack CD as can the second classical piece, ‘Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626: When I Am Laid in Earth’. Like the former piece I cannot find any link to the original Morse or Lewis series.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Randolph Hotel has made many an appearance in both the Morse and Lewis series and Endeavour is no different. However, in this episode of the Endeavour series they refer to a hotel as The Rudolph. This is supposedly where the Crown Prince Nabil was staying. The Randolph wasn’t used as a location for the Rudolph but i’m assuming it was a word play or joke reference by Russell Lewis.
Of course there was a reference to Susan (known also as Wendy) the woman who broke Morse’s heart. Alice Vexin, Henry Broom secretary had met Endeavour back in his college days in Oxford. She had lived in the room opposite Susan and as would come to light she had a huge crush on Morse and had hoped he would have looked to her for comfort after Susan broke off her relationship with Morse.
To end on note that tenuously connects the Endeavour and Morse series is mannerisms. At the moment Shaun Evans does utilise a few of John Thaw’s affectations when playing Morse but there is one that Morse/Thaw uses that as yet Shaun doesn’t. That particular affectation is when Morse/Thaw would put his hands together but only joining at the fingertips. Morse/Thaw did this quite often. Below are two examples from the Morse episode ‘Fat Chance’ (Series 5, Episode 2).
Maybe we will see this mannerism in the next series.
Well, that is all for this particular post. I hope you enjoyed it and I will hopefully get part five and the final episode of the first series posted soon. Thanks for all your support.
Did you notice that The Rudolph hotel is Gaddesden Place used in the Griffon episode of Lewis and used again in another Endeavour episode , I think.
Hi Françoise. No I hadn’t noticed it had been used in Lewis. I will watch for it in the other Endeavour episode.
fastastic¡¡¡
Thanks Maria 🙂
I enjoy your blog and have been re-watching Endeavour and saw Rocket last night. Jack Roth who played Lenny Frost, was also in Lewis, The Mind has Mountains – one of the people in the drug trial.
Hi Anne. I have updated the post. I did have him in my notes but I must have suffered another in a series of senior moments. Thank you for reminding me Anne and well spotted. 🙂 Hope you enjoy my other posts.
From the first Endeavour program I have been amazed at how Shaun Evans seems to be ‘channeling’ John Thaw. He is utterly believable as a younger Morse. I hope the writers of Endeavour are reading your blog.
It will be interesting to watch how the Endeavour series evolves. I think the Endeavour writers will to be busy to take notice of my little bit of the internet.
I just watched Rocket, and I think it is one of my favorite Endeavour episodes. The romantic in me so hoped it would work out with Alice, even though I knew too well that it wouldn’t. I think she told us a lot about why Morse will never really connect with anyone, let alone a woman.
It was a good idea to bring the Alice character into the episode as it showed the audience just how much his failed relationship with Wendy/Susan had affected his life and his relationships with women.
Re: Morse’s mannerisms, doesn’t he sometimes touch his earlobe? Shaun does that a couple of times in at least one episode (IIRC the pilot).
Re-watching Endeavour “Rocket” (airing on Knowledge Network, a public educational station in British Columbia), Nora claims she can block any proposal with her 33%, and the daughter’s proxy for her 2%; how does 35% override the 65% the others have? If Jenny Seagrove blew the line, that should have been 20, not 2, why no second take? Prime Suspect II also failed to reshoot a couple of scenes with similar mistakes; it must be a budget issue….