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- Another devastating loss to the world of film and TV, Angela Lansbury recently passed away, leaving a legacy of an incredible acting career. Her performances have remained among the favorites for many and Murder She Wrote will continue to be one of them. Many characters came in and out of episodes, but there are some notably great cast members, who had regular slots on the program.
Angela Lansbury had many brilliant roles in film and TV with Murder, She Wrote being one of the longest-running crime dramas in TV history. Her passing is a true loss to the industry and fans alike. Watched by millions of viewers year after year, people of all ages enjoyed watching Lansbury's performance as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery novelist who just so happens to solve murder mysteries week after week.
Jessica Fletcher may be the only character shown in the opening credits, but throughout the years, there have been many recurring characters that are just as fun to watch. Her relationships between people in Cabot Cove, her friends, and relatives help shape Jessica's character, and it is always exciting to see another beloved character in the series make an appearance. Here are 10 of the very best.
UPDATE: 2022/11/09 By Ruby Brown
Another devastating loss to the world of film and TV, Angela Lansbury recently passed away, leaving a legacy of an incredible acting career. Her performances have remained among the favorites for many and Murder She Wrote will continue to be one of them. Many characters came in and out of episodes, but there are some notably great cast members, who had regular slots on the program.
Charlie Garrett
Played by Wayne Rogers, Charlie Garrett is a private investigator who always ends up in trouble and needing Jessica's help. After Jerry Orbach stopped making appearances as Harry McGraw in the series, this new character appeared in the later seasons in order to give Jessica another P.I. to argue and join forces with during difficult situations.
He is a funny, flawed character, making him a perfect target for Jessica to communicate with and for viewers to enjoy their banter. His appearances are a highlight of the later years of the series.
Donna Mayberry/Fletcher
Donna is played by Debbie Zipp, the real-life wife of Michael Horton, known for portraying Grady Fletcher in the series. Donna is Grady's love interest. She has similarities to Grady, including having constant moments of low self-esteem and always willing to listen to Jessica's advice.
In a creepy episode of Murder She Wrote, Donna murders someone in self-defense in her first appearance, making her one of the very few characters to return to the series after the revelation that they are the murderer. The dynamic between her character and Grady is fun to watch, and their wedding episode is a highlight of the whole series.
Eve Simpson
Eve Simpson, played by Julie Adams, is one of the most memorable residents of Cabot Cove, a location with some of the best episodes of Murder She Wrote. She is a good friend to Jessica, and she is always determined to achieve success as a realtor.
She brings a lot of comic relief to the series, and she always seems to be flirting with some guest star in each of her appearances. Her flirty ways always seem to cause trouble and lead her to get involved in some of the murder investigations, but she never stops being full of energy and makes the most of her experiences as a resident of Cabot Cove.
Dennis Stanton
Keith Michell plays Dennis Stanton, a former jewel thief turned insurance salesman that gets mixed up in murder investigations. Dennis constantly flirts with Jessica, and he tries his best to use his charm to get what he needs in whatever investigation he is involved in.
In seasons six and seven, when Lansbury wanted to have some time off, a few episodes were dedicated to the character of Dennis Stanton and his own investigations. Some people have mixed feelings about these episodes, but the character himself is fun to watch, and episodes with Dennis and Jessica together are always a highlight in the series.
Harry McGraw
Jerry Orbach made multiple appearances as Harry McGraw, a private investigator who befriends Jessica early in the series. McGraw's behavior is very old-school, and his appearances seem like satires of classic 1930s movies about private investigators.
He is the only character in the series to get his own spin-off, The Law and Harry McGraw, but it sadly lasted only one season. Jerry Orbach and Angela Lansbury have great chemistry, and they worked together in other projects while Murder, She Wrote was on the air, including the classic Disney film, Beauty and the Beast. That fact alone makes McGraw's appearances even more fun to watch.
Grady Fletcher
Grady, played by Michael Horton, Jessica's nephew. His character tries his hardest to do the right thing and help people, which leads to him getting into a lot of trouble and becoming a suspect in murder investigations.
Grady is the reason why Jessica even became a novelist in the first place. In the pilot movie, he submitted Jessica's manuscript to a well-known publisher, and the rest is history. He may not be the smartest character on the show, but he is a loyal person, and the relationship between him and Jessica is sweet and nice to watch.
Amos Tupper
Amos is played by Tom Bosley, perhaps best known for his role in Happy Days. Amos was the sheriff of Cabot Cove in the first four seasons before Mort Metzger took over for the rest of the series. The relationship between Amos and Jessica, as well as the banter between Amos and Seth Hazlitt, is interesting to watch.
Amos always thinks he solves a murder with perfect ease before Jessica gets involved and proves that the case is never as simple as it seems. Even though Tom Bosley left the show to star in his own murder-mystery series, The Father Dowling Mysteries, his appearances in the first few seasons will always be memorable and a highlight of the 1980s years of the series.
Michael Hagarty
With many different types of characters in Murder She Wrote, Len Cariou portrayed Michael Hagarty, an Irish man who is an MI6 agent. He first appeared in the second season premiere of the series, and his character continued to make appearances until his final episode in the ninth season. In the series, Michael is intelligent and does whatever he thinks is best in any serious situation.
He has a friendly relationship with Jessica, and the two of them flirt in almost every episode he appears in. He is perhaps the only character as smart as Jessica, and even though Jessica is in danger every time she gets involved in Michael's business, Michael always puts Jessica's safety first.
Mort Metzger
After Tom Bosley left the series, Ron Masak started his long journey as Mort Metzger, the new sheriff of Cabot Cove. Mort became the new sheriff of Cabot Cove after he decided he wanted to leave the horror and violence he witnessed as an NYPD officer and live a simple life in a small town. He did not realize how dangerous Cabot Cove was going to be.
Mort is a very respectable sheriff. He is not portrayed as a dumb cop in order to make Jessica look smart. He cares about people and does everything he can to make the residents of Cabot Cove feel safe. There are multiple episodes where viewers learn about his past in New York as well as the relationships between his family and loved ones, making him an interesting character in the series.
Seth Hazlitt
Seth Hazlitt, played by William Windom, is in more episodes than any other recurring character. He is the town doctor of Cabot Cove and one of Jessica's closest friends. He is very old-fashioned and loves to tease Amos Tupper whenever he can. When Mort Metzger arrives, Seth is not a fan of him and misses Amos, but he grows to accept and appreciate Mort as the new sheriff of Cabot Cove.
Seth is a loyal friend to Jessica, and many viewers suspected there was some sort of romantic attraction between the two characters, which is most evident in the season five finale. Their relationship definitely stands out in the series, making him perhaps the most memorable recurring character in the series.