The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby

Mr. Appleby owns an antique store. But he really shouldn't, as he;s obsessed with the items in his store...so much that he refuses to sell many of them...and there's no way you can stay in business that way. When one of his consignors threatens to remove their items from his shop since they aren't being sold, Applyby comes up with a novel solution....he murders his wife and uses her small fortune to pay for the items in question. But this won't last long, not if he wants to keep most everything, and soon he's looking for a rich wife...in case he needs to arrange an 'accident' once again in order to keep his things.

This is an interesting show about a truly awful person. And, like in most of these tales from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", he gets his in the end...making for a wonderful and fitting finale.

Again, there is nothing extraordinary in this good and however solid plot, just in the tradition of the ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS anthology show. The scheme of a man killing his wife and also having money problems. You see, nothing really new, and only the ending is really worth the watch, though it was used before in many anthology series episodes, and also after. To summarize, a pretty good entertainment for AH PRESENTS goers. And allso an episode that you will rapidly forget. Now, that's up to you to decide, you have been warned. That's the name of the game with such overlong anthology shows. Similar plots.

One of the BEST.

Robert H. Harris, a regular on the series, is perfectly cast as milk toast Mr. Appleby, the reserved owner of a prize antique shop. His unique problem is that he's slowly going broke because he simply refuses to sell anything. Otherwise, he would probably be a wealthy man. If we all could be in that predicament!

A customer with money (well played by Meg Mundy) stops in one day, accidentally breaks something, writes a fat check, and its love at first sight, or at least somebody to pay the rent. In typical Hitchcock fashion, he soon weds the lady -- after killing his own bickering wife --only to find she's even worse? Bottom line; they deserve each other.

Another classic tale that has to be seen and you'll be hooked. Robert Harris was a specialist at playing little guys with secret motives, also a master of makeup. He sometimes wore a hairpiece and became a totally different character. Also watch for Michael Ansara as a relentless bill collector and old timer Gage Clarke as Mr. Gainsborough. Gage appeared in several campy 50s films.

Directed by James Neilson, who headed 12 episodes for Hitch. Later behind ADAM 12 for years. A real late night treat. Best of SEASON 1 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2005. 4 dvd box set.

If this weren't so blatantly tongue-in-cheek, this would be a terrible episode. I'm always amazed how easily people die in television shows. What is odd is that Hitchcock, in his movies, never made dying a routine thing. Oh well, he was just the host here. The man in question kills his wife by luring her to a rug and then pulling it violently out from under her. I have to be quite honest. If I did this, they would most likely fall on their rear and get up and punch me in the nose. There is a subplot of the man trying to hang on to treasures in an antique/curio shop; an obsession not shared by his spouse. He needs money to continue buying all this junk and this becomes a sore point. Eventually, he hooks up with a woman who is obviously his equal and the sparks fly. Take this for what it is. Far fetched. If you accept it on those terms it's not so bad.

In his introduction, Alfred Hitchcock gives a warning to housewives.

Mr Appleby is an antiques dealer who cannot bear to part from his valuable antiquities.

With no sales, he cannot afford to pay his supplier in Turkey. Now facing an impossible deadline he better raise the money pronto.

Mr Appleby can obtain money from his wife, if she was dead.

With the help of a book called 'Murder or Accident.' He plans to kills his wife and make it look like an accident. Then collect from her insurance.

Money problems solved but not for long. His antiques supplier had obtained a valuable collection. He wants the money upfront from Mr Appleby.

Now he hits upon a idea to marry Martha Sturgis. A lonely but wealthy spinster. He better start wooing her quick, just in case someone pulls the rug from under him.

Entertaining but t never makes much sense. Does Mr Appleby seriously think he could get away with two accidental deaths of his spouses.