Mystery TV series

July 18, 2008 8:27 AM

Complete longshot, but can anyone tell me which TV show this is?

This has been bugging me for years. When I was about eight (1988), I went to my uncle's house here in the UK. It was a Saturday morning and my mum plonked me down in front of the TV. I watched this rather odd TV show, and I'd love to know what it was.

I'm pretty sure it was American, and probably from the 70s-early 80s. In it, a man - possibly a detective - visited a house by the sea. It was a big, semi-gothic place, and it had a grand staircase. He met the owner of the house, who went away. Then the eyes on a spooky painting on the wall "opened", and someone on the other side looked through them. I think I turned off then because I was a bit scared.

It was definitely live-action, and probably part of a series. I remember it quite vividly, undoubtedly because it freaked me out a bit. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

posted by hnnrs to media & arts (7 comments total)

That sounds like "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir".
posted by caddis at 8:33 AM on July 18 [2 favorites]

I just watched the opening on youtube, and I think you might be right. Many thanks!
posted by hnnrs at 8:47 AM on July 18

I wonder if it could be Kolchak: The Night Stalker.
posted by adamrice at 8:50 AM on July 18

My first thought was The Hardy Boys, but that's just based on a really fuzzy memory .
posted by jessenoonan at 9:48 AM on July 18

I was thinking Dark Shadows (or Scooby Doo, but I know you said live action).
posted by cjorgensen at 10:20 AM on July 18

Does this look like it? Because otherwise I'm thinking it wouldn't be the Ghost & Mrs. Muir. He was a ghost so he didn't "open" the eyes of his painting, he didn't need to hid behind walls since he was already invisible.

I seem to remember people hiding behind "cut out eyes" on paintings on a variety of shows, though... The Munsters, Gilligans Island, Hardy Boys, etc...
posted by miss lynnster at 7:09 PM on July 18

BTW, as a little girl I had SUCH a crush on Edward Mulhare in The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. Man, I think I'd be totally be okay with having that hunky lovestruck captain haunt my house...
posted by miss lynnster at 7:16 PM on July 18