Haunting of Cassie Palmer
Encyclopedia
The Haunting of Cassie Palmer is a British television
drama
for children produced in 1981 by TVS (Television South) and first broadcast on 26 February 1982. The series was based on a novel by Vivien Alcock
. In the United States
, it was carried on the Nickelodeon
television channel as part of the series The Third Eye
.http://members.tripod.com/~djfury/latz.html
Nickelodeon had only been a cable channel for a short time when it added The Third Eye series to its live-action line up. The Third Eye was a sci-fi/supernatural anthology that included Into the Labyrinth
, The Haunting of Cassie Palmer, Children of the Stones
and Under the Mountain
. Later The Witches and the Grinnygog
was added.
Some modern sources erroneously state that The Haunting of Cassie Palmer was shot in New Zealand, whereas contemporary sources indicate Sussex, England. The confusion has probably arisen because of a 1986 New Zealand TV production called The Haunting of Barney Palmer.
Mrs. Palmer explains to Cassie that her powers are only intermittent, and as result she sometimes has to embellish the reading to produce results her clients will be happy with. Mrs. Palmer explains that Cassie, being seventh child of a seventh child, would develop great psychic powers as she reached maturity. However, Cassie has no wish to be a psychic. Unfortunately, these abilities have already manifested and Cassie is simply unaware of them.
Desperate to protect her mother from charges of fraud, Cassie goes to a cemetery to try to call up a spirit Charlotte Webb who died as a small child. Instead a dark figure appears from behind a tombstone. He tells her his name is Deverill and wants to know why she's summoned him. Cassie runs away.
Cassie eventually tells her mother who soon is gravely concerned for their safety. Deverill appears to Cassie several more times, but aside from Cassie and her mother, no one can see or hear him. Unsure of Deverill's intent, she invites him to her house so that her mother can find out what his motives are. He complies but vanishes before her mother can discern if he is a sinister or benevolent entity.
Eventually the Palmers have to sell their house and move to another town as a result of poor business and the bad reputation acquired from the clients who accused Mrs. Palmer of fraud. Deverill reveals to Cassie that when he was alive he buried a small treasure in the floor boards of a house in town. Cassie finds the treasure and is able to use it to purchase a new home for herself, and her mother and two older siblings to start a new life. In exchange for this good deed, Mr. Deveril is able to leave this plane of existence for the great beyond. Cassie had freed his restless spirit of an eternity of darkness and torment. Her psychic powers apparently were burned out during the struggle thus enabling her to lead a normal life, free from the influence of the supernatural.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
for children produced in 1981 by TVS (Television South) and first broadcast on 26 February 1982. The series was based on a novel by Vivien Alcock
Vivien Alcock
Vivien Alcock was an author of children's books. Born in Worthing, West Sussex in England, her family moved to Devizes in Wiltshire when she was aged 10. She then studied at the Oxford School of Art....
. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it was carried on the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
television channel as part of the series The Third Eye
The Third Eye (television series)
The Third Eye is a mini-series anthology that aired on Nickelodeon that consisted of a variety serials from the UK and New Zealand.When Nickelodeon premiered, The Third Eye was one of its first programs...
.http://members.tripod.com/~djfury/latz.html
Nickelodeon had only been a cable channel for a short time when it added The Third Eye series to its live-action line up. The Third Eye was a sci-fi/supernatural anthology that included Into the Labyrinth
Into the Labyrinth (TV series)
Into the Labyrinth is a British children's television series produced by HTV for the ITV network between 1980 and 1982. Three series, each consisting of seven 25-minute episodes, were produced and directed by Peter Graham Scott...
, The Haunting of Cassie Palmer, Children of the Stones
Children of the Stones
Children of the Stones is a television drama for children produced by HTV in 1976 and broadcast on the United Kingdom's ITV network in January and February 1977. A one-off serial, the story was depicted over seven episodes and produced by Peter Graham Scott, with Patrick Dromgoole as executive...
and Under the Mountain
Under the Mountain
Under the Mountain was an eight-part television series based on the novel of the same name written by Maurice Gee and produced by Television New Zealand and first transmitted in 1981...
. Later The Witches and the Grinnygog
The Witches and the Grinnygog
The Witches and the Grinnygog is a children's novel by the writer Dorothy Edwards, published in 1981 and shortlisted for that year's Whitbread Prize for a children's book....
was added.
Some modern sources erroneously state that The Haunting of Cassie Palmer was shot in New Zealand, whereas contemporary sources indicate Sussex, England. The confusion has probably arisen because of a 1986 New Zealand TV production called The Haunting of Barney Palmer.
Cast
- Mary Palmer: Ruth Adcock
- Tom Palmer: Stephen Bint
- Cassie Palmer: Helen Probyn
- Deverill: Geoffrey Rose
- Mrs. Palmer: Elizabeth SpriggsElizabeth Spriggs-Early life and career:Born in Buxton, Derbyshire as Elizabeth Jean Williams, Spriggs had an unhappy childhood and grew up entirely without affection, particularly from her distant, domineering father, a master builder and farmer. She studied at the Royal College of Music and taught speech and...
Crew
- Director: Dorothea BrookingDorothea BrookingDorothea Brooking was a British television producer and director of children's television programmes for the BBC...
- Writer: Alfred ShaughnessyAlfred ShaughnessyAlfred James Shaughnessy , sometimes known as Freddy Shaughnessy, was an English scriptwriter and producer best known for being the script editor of Upstairs, Downstairs.-Early life:...
- Producer / Executive Producer: Anna Home
- Original Music Composer: Kenyon Emrys-Roberts
- Production Designer: John Newton-Clarke
- Stunt Arrangers: Sue Crossland & Paul WestonPaul WestonPaul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
Plot outline
The Haunting of Cassie Palmer is a story of 13 year old Cassie Palmer who lives with her mother, older brother, and sister. Cassie's mother is an eccentric "psychic" (medium). After some of her clients are incensed to discover her mother has tricked a woman into thinking that she is communicating with her deceased husband by brushing her face with a feather, the clients threaten to prosecute her. Mrs. Palmer pleads with them not to as such an action would render her homeless.Mrs. Palmer explains to Cassie that her powers are only intermittent, and as result she sometimes has to embellish the reading to produce results her clients will be happy with. Mrs. Palmer explains that Cassie, being seventh child of a seventh child, would develop great psychic powers as she reached maturity. However, Cassie has no wish to be a psychic. Unfortunately, these abilities have already manifested and Cassie is simply unaware of them.
Desperate to protect her mother from charges of fraud, Cassie goes to a cemetery to try to call up a spirit Charlotte Webb who died as a small child. Instead a dark figure appears from behind a tombstone. He tells her his name is Deverill and wants to know why she's summoned him. Cassie runs away.
Cassie eventually tells her mother who soon is gravely concerned for their safety. Deverill appears to Cassie several more times, but aside from Cassie and her mother, no one can see or hear him. Unsure of Deverill's intent, she invites him to her house so that her mother can find out what his motives are. He complies but vanishes before her mother can discern if he is a sinister or benevolent entity.
Eventually the Palmers have to sell their house and move to another town as a result of poor business and the bad reputation acquired from the clients who accused Mrs. Palmer of fraud. Deverill reveals to Cassie that when he was alive he buried a small treasure in the floor boards of a house in town. Cassie finds the treasure and is able to use it to purchase a new home for herself, and her mother and two older siblings to start a new life. In exchange for this good deed, Mr. Deveril is able to leave this plane of existence for the great beyond. Cassie had freed his restless spirit of an eternity of darkness and torment. Her psychic powers apparently were burned out during the struggle thus enabling her to lead a normal life, free from the influence of the supernatural.