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Under-Used Characters

Tommy_A_Jones 31 Jan 09 at 4:51 p.m. GMT

I didn't know where to put this question as the answer could be Characters in Poirot Books or Miss Marple Books but which Characters could you have liked to appear in More Books? This is my choice;

Supt Battle

Bundle Brent

Bobby Jones and Lady Derwent

Ann Beddingfield

Suzy Blair

Lucy Eyelesbarrow

Jerry Burton

Miss Hinchcliffe

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65 replies

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Mr_Battle_Brent 10 Jul 11 at 5:40 p.m. GMT

And Bundle

Mr_Battle_Brent 10 Jul 11 at 1:20 p.m. GMT

I really like Battle.

NightRayDuck 11 May 11 at 1:53 a.m. GMT

aah.. I do like Nurse Leatheran. but she's a professional nurse, just as Poirot is a professional private sleuth. if Poirot begins to have quite a few future cases involving people engaging Nurse Leatheran as a home nurse, that becomes a rather odd coincidence.. and also wouldn't Nurse Leatheran be like "yikes! I can deal with doctors who like their little jokes. but a sleuth who likes his little jokes?!"

I feel about Lucy Eylesbarrow and Miss Marple in the same way. Now, if Nurse Leatheran appears in a Tommy'n'Tuppence case, or Lucy Eylesbarrow appears in a Poirot case, that would be more interesting.. we'll get to see different dynamics, different ways to use their talents.

I think this is also the reason I get tired of Captain Hastings. he used to put in a frequent appearance, and then he went away but whenever he came back he's just the same as ever. it's as though he's a professional "ordinary friend for brilliant pal to make fun of". o.O

mysteryfan18 11 Sep 10 at 2:25 a.m. GMT

I'm surprised Nurse Leatheran from Murder in Mesopotamia hasn't been mentioned yet. She was an excellent foil for Poirot, and I loved how she referred to him as "Doctor Poirot "

MissQuin 30 May 10 at 2:11 p.m. GMT

Ah yes, I remember that shrewd lady. I also found Mrs Bishop amusing in Sad Cypress, even though she was rather a jumped up snob!

Tommy_A_Jones 29 May 10 at 3:55 p.m. GMT

Miss Peabody was the Old Lady who liked to Talk and Sussed Poirot out, I might have her Title wrong but I think she is Miss Peabody rather than Mrs Peabody.

MissQuin 26 May 10 at 4:46 p.m. GMT

I can't remember her, can you recap me Tommy? The person I remember from DW is charming charles.

Tommy_A_Jones 26 May 10 at 4:31 p.m. GMT

I would also add Miss Peabody (Dumb Witness) to the list.

victoria_jones_1 07 May 10 at 6:24 p.m. GMT

For me it has to be my name-sake - Victoria Jones from They Came to Baghdad.

Onapi11 24 Apr 10 at 11:50 a.m. GMT

I think Caroline shepard is an underused character, I also like Rev. Clement

Tommy_A_Jones 23 Apr 10 at 4:43 p.m. GMT

I agree Miss Quin Wholeheartedly, I can see in afew decades time someone haveing the idea of creating stories with the children of |Characters like Sylvia Battle and Tommy and Tuppence's children and the Children that Jerry Burton and his wife (Sorry can't remember her name and don't want to ruin my flow so can't look her up) and Lucy and Brian's Children and and Clement and Grizelda's Children in the way that Detective Conan suggests with Sylvia Battle but that will be a long wayt off if it does happen and probably in Cartoon form for children.

MissQuin 20 Apr 10 at 4:06 p.m. GMT

We have all these ideas, so it's a shame they will never come to anything.

HeiseiHolmes 20 Apr 10 at 12:19 p.m. GMT

Sylvia Battle! She could appear in some books... Perhaps even one short story in which she solves some sort of school scandal, inspired by her father's police work. That would be great fun!!

MissQuin 15 Apr 10 at 9:22 a.m. GMT

I would have liked that as well.

Puffinjill 14 Apr 10 at 6:10 a.m. GMT

Fantastic idea, Tommy, alas now never to be. But I would have loved to read it!

Tommy_A_Jones 13 Apr 10 at 4:47 p.m. GMT

I don't know if I have said it before but a book of short stories where Poirot apears with a different friend each time would have been nice, 1 with Mrs Carnaby, 1 with Colin, 1 with Race, 1 with Ariadne, 1 with Battle, 1 with Hastings, 1 with Japp, 1 with Spence etc...

MissQuin 12 Apr 10 at 5:08 p.m. GMT

This reply contains spoiler information. Show reply

She is fantastic, so many criminal ideas but with such a sweet personailty. I don't think there's any other AC characters like her.

Also I'd have liked to have known about Caroline Shepehard and how she got on afterwards. Was she lonely, was she different?

Tommy_A_Jones 12 Apr 10 at 5:05 p.m. GMT

I agree Miss Quin I thougt she was Great.

MissQuin 12 Apr 10 at 3:57 p.m. GMT

Under used characters- I think that Amy Carnaby from The Labours of Hercules could have been brought back for another book. She's just interesting. The fact she has so many great money making schemes, even if not legal.

Tommy_A_Jones 25 Jan 10 at 4:01 p.m. GMT

And after finishing Destination Unknown this morning I think Hilary Craven is an under-used Character.

Tommy_A_Jones 28 Sep 09 at 2:19 p.m. GMT

Yes I agree and I think it a shame they haven't put Dr Haydock in more Adapts

Bundle_ 28 Sep 09 at 2:12 p.m. GMT

Yeah, he was in Nemesis but you would think they would have added him in other adapts as well.

Tommy_A_Jones 28 Sep 09 at 2:07 p.m. GMT

I thought they had, Richard E Grant played him in Nemesis but I don't remember him in the book and was he in The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side? because he was in the JH version of that, he was played by the Writer T. P. Bowen who like the writer of the JM version of Murder Is Easy is a writer aswell as an Actor.

Bundle_ 28 Sep 09 at 1:51 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

I wonder why the powers that be haven't seen fit to put Ariadne, Col Race, Spence or Battle in books they should not be in? 

Good thinking! I never thought of why they never tried to put those 3 in adapts that they don't belong. However, it's funny that you should mention that, because just yesterday it came to me and I thought: "Why haven't they put Raymond (Miss Marple's nephew) in adapts he doesn't belong? Or create stories for him?"

Tommy_A_Jones 28 Sep 09 at 11:50 a.m. GMT

I think it mnust be difficult for Writers, Producers and Directors to decide wether to put Miss Lemon, Hastings or Japp into Adaptations they shouldn't be in, Adding them might encourage people to watch the Adaptations and might infact help to explain to the Viewer what is happening but having faithful Adaptations is also important ultimately it might comedown to wether Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran are available, I have just had a thought, I wonder why the powers that be haven't seen fit to put Ariadne, Col Race, Spence or Battle in books they should not be in? 

Bundle_ 24 Sep 09 at 2:14 p.m. GMT

I see your point, Cicely. While I would not want to see them put into adaptations where they do not belong, I would have liked to read more about Jane Grey, Elinor Carlisle, Bundle and Bill, Frankie and Bobbie, Sally Finch, and a slew of other characters in more Agatha Christie books. I feel as though these characters did have more of a story to tell and it would have been nice to find out what other events happened  to their characters :0)

go_leafs_nation 24 Sep 09 at 9:20 a.m. GMT

I thoroughly disagree. What happens to characters after the events of the mystery is no concern to the viewer. As for Bella, we only get references after the events of Murder on The Links, so why include her again?

Also, Japp, Hasting, and Lemon positively ruined most of the adaptations where they weren't part of the original book. They were great to see in the short stories, but unless they were part of the novel, they are out of place. Japp did not add anything to Hercule Poirot's Christmas or The Murder of Roger Ackroyd; rather, he took away from the whole thing. I like how Poirot's being done now: far darker, more mysterious, more interesting.

Cicely 24 Sep 09 at 2:57 a.m. GMT

I would love to see more of Hastings, Lemon, and Japp in all of the newer movies.  Their characters add so much to the story and it just doesn't seem right without them.  I would like to have seen more of Henrietta Savernake in The Hollow, i.e., what happened to her after John Cristow's death.  There could be another story there.  I also would like to see more of Hastings and his girlfriend in Murder on the Links, Bella Duveen, but that is another story that wasn't finished.  Another character I could hear from again would be Jane Gray from Death in the Clouds.  Of course, I am referring to the movies in all three examples.  In the book, Death in the Clouds, Miss Gray has an interesting future ahead at the close of the book.

Puffinjill 10 Sep 09 at 3:21 p.m. GMT

I've not read The life and Crimes of Agatha Christie. I'll have to hunt out a copy. See - I knew you would all put me right!!! Battle does make sense; I was just confused as I had it stuck in my brain that he had only girls.

This thread has certainly got me thinking, though. All these different characters keep going through my head that I would like to have heard of in later books. Emily Trefusis, anyone?..

But thank you, Go Leafs Nation, for pointing me in the right direction!

Tommy_A_Jones 10 Sep 09 at 1:52 p.m. GMT

In The Clocks when Colin Lamb visits Poirot he mentions that he is a different line to his Fatherd I thought in Towards Zero it is mentioned he has a son but like you I could be wrong, I like to think Colin is Battle's son as Ariadne is mentioned in The Clocks as well as Hastings and Poirot so it would just be nice to have another Regular even if it is just indirectly, also Battle mentions Poirot in Towards Zero so it would be sought of like returning the compliment.

go_leafs_nation 09 Sep 09 at 8:31 p.m. GMT

Puffinjill

So you think Battle is Colin Lambs' father, Tommy. Perhaps I'm wrong but I thought Battle (and Mrs Battle) only had daughters. Towards the beginning of "Towards Zero" it mentions he has five children, of which Sylvia is the youngest and, later on, when he urges his wife to go ahead with her holiday without him he says

        "You and the girls go off to Britlington - the rooms have been booked since March..."

But I could be wrong. Not unheard of when its me!!

There are plenty of hints that point to Battle being his father. Check out Charles Osbourne's book, The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie, which is an interesting combination of a biography and a series of book reviews. The section on The Clocks elaborated on this, if I remember correctly.

Puffinjill 09 Sep 09 at 4:37 p.m. GMT

So you think Battle is Colin Lambs' father, Tommy. Perhaps I'm wrong but I thought Battle (and Mrs Battle) only had daughters. Towards the beginning of "Towards Zero" it mentions he has five children, of which Sylvia is the youngest and, later on, when he urges his wife to go ahead with her holiday without him he says

        "You and the girls go off to Britlington - the rooms have been booked since March..."

But I could be wrong. Not unheard of when its me!!

Bundle_ 09 Sep 09 at 4:33 p.m. GMT

LOL Thanks Frndorfoe. I just finished Strong Poison a few days ago and mixed up Bunter and poor forgotten Georges!

Frndorfoe 09 Sep 09 at 3:33 p.m. GMT

Bundle_

I agree that Bunter is a one-dimensional character.

Err, Bundle, I think you mean Georges, not Bunter. Bunter was in Sayers' books.

Tommy_A_Jones

I thought Parker Pyne was just in 1 book of short stories, I would have likesd to see him pop up in a Poirot story like Mr Satterthwaite did although I haven't read Three-Act Tragedy yet but by the end of Parker Pyne Investigates I think AC had it right with him, Not tgoo much and not too little of him.

Some of his other short stories were published in the book Problem at Pollensa Bay. Yeah, maybe there was not too much not too little of him, but I still yearn for more. I mean AC wrote so many Poirot stories, another two-three Parker Pyne books wouldn't have hurt anyone that much.

Bundle_ 09 Sep 09 at 1:15 p.m. GMT

I agree that Georges is a one-dimensional character. I guess for me it's more about what his character profession is: he's a butler - he's supposed to answer doors, announce guests and bring Poirot his tisane - but not Miss Lemon: she's supposed to write or type letters to correspondence, file cases, and organize his appointments. My problem is is that they had Miss Lemon doing not only her job but Georges as well, i.e opening up doors and announcing guests. I mean Poirot is well-off it doesn't make much since for him not have a butler in those times. To me they could have put in Georges all the same just so he could do his job. But if the screen writer was "afraid" of copying of Jeeves than he didn't have to involve Georges in the cases like w/ Miss Lemon. It makes more sense for Miss Lemon to get involve in Poirot's cases than Georges. I don't mean to sound so heated about it, for one there's nothing anyone can do about it especially since there is no chance of seeing Georges in the earlier adapts, but I just think that Poirot not having a butler makes the earlier adapts seem less real sometimes: the same goes w/ Poirot only crossing paths with the same detective: Japp.

Tommy_A_Jones 09 Sep 09 at 12:18 p.m. GMT

I thought Parker Pyne was just in 1 book of short stories, I would have likesd to see him pop up in a Poirot story like Mr Satterthwaite did although I haven't read Three-Act Tragedy yet but by the end of Parker Pyne Investigates I think AC had it right with him, Not tgoo much and not too little of him.

To Bundle, I agree it was self centred of him, but I think it is the same as the Producer behind 'Marple' self centred to put Miss Marple in books she shouldn't be in as they obviously think they can do a much better job which apart from being self-centred is arrogant opf them, I think Colin Lamb is quite clearly Battle's son, Chapter 15 of 'The Clocks' explains it isn't Race and it can't be Japp as Colin's Father knows Ariadne and no-one has suggested it is Spence so Colin's Dad must be Battle.       

Frndorfoe 09 Sep 09 at 10:07 a.m. GMT

Puffinjill, I too wish there were more books featuring Parker Pyne. I think I've read every story he was ever featured in. It's shameful the way he is almost never mentioned by anyone. He was so unique and the stories featuring him were interesting.

Puffinjill 09 Sep 09 at 8:51 a.m. GMT

I think Georges was very one-dimentional, really just a someone for Poirot to bounce his thoughts off than a character in his own right. Hastings was there for the same reason but was written as a more rounded character as he was also personally invovled with Poirot in whatever drams was unfolding. I think in a couple of short stories Georges does assist Poirot in his investigations (The Labours of Hercules) but he doesn't really feature in any other way. Shame the role wasn't filled out a little - such as Bunter in Dorothy L Sayers books - as it would have been interesting.

Other characters I would have like to have heard of again would include:-

Colin Lamb (always wondered who his father was)

Superintendant Battle

Mark Easterbrook

Parker Pyne (perhaps we could have had more Miss Lemon if she was still working for him)

Oh, and many, many more!! But shouldn't a good author always leave her public wanting more?

Bundle_ 24 Aug 09 at 4:10 p.m. GMT

Tommy_A_Jones

I can't remember which story but in one of the Labours of |Hercules Miss Lemon is described as Ugly and yes Bundle George was under used and it is a shame he isn'rt in more of the Adaptations but the Director (I think it was the Director) had just finished working on Jeeves and Wooster and didn't want to do something else with a Butler, Personally I don't see why they couldn't have both Miss Lemon and George.

Wow! I didn't know that, Tommy.

I think that was pretty self centered of him, though. AC wrote the character, not him, he could have at least used Bunter as a background character; he could just be seen doing his daily chores around the flat, like fetching Poirot's hat and coat, and opening the door for guests etc. He didn't actually have to get invloved w/ the cases.

Tommy_A_Jones 24 Aug 09 at 1:23 p.m. GMT

I can't remember which story but in one of the Labours of |Hercules Miss Lemon is described as Ugly and yes Bundle George was under used and it is a shame he isn'rt in more of the Adaptations but the Director (I think it was the Director) had just finished working on Jeeves and Wooster and didn't want to do something else with a Butler, Personally I don't see why they couldn't have both Miss Lemon and George.

Lone_Wolf 23 Aug 09 at 1:26 p.m. GMT

I don't remember Miss Lemon being described as ugly, just plain.

Tommy_A_Jones 23 Aug 09 at 1:17 p.m. GMT

Although Pauline Moran's portrayal of Miss Lemon is wonderful, in the books Miss Lemon is described as Ugly and Pauline Moran is far from Ugly.

Frndorfoe 23 Aug 09 at 10:58 a.m. GMT

Mrs. Dane Calthrop from The Moving Finger and The Pale Horse should have appeared in some more books. She is funny but wise which is a strange combination.

Lone_Wolf 22 Aug 09 at 10:58 p.m. GMT

I can understand wanting a more fleshed-out George, but he never striked me as an underused character per se.

In general, I think that Poirot's companions are fine the way they are. Hastings, Japp and co. in more books would've been an overkill for me.

I actually prefer Poirot as a loner, but with his usual companions appearing in less books, some warmth in his character would've been missed. So I think Dame Agatha managed to reach a perfect balance here.

Bundle_ 22 Aug 09 at 10:40 p.m. GMT

The same could be said about Gudgeon, at first -- but as you read on in "The Hollow" it's easy to see that he is not some run of the mill butler.

I do enjoy Pauline Moran's portrayal of Miss Lemon, it would have also been nice to see her in more books instead of just the adapts. But I really miss seeing Georges in the Poirot adapts because it just doesn't seem right when Poirot asks Miss Lemon to answer the door!

Lone_Wolf 22 Aug 09 at 10:18 p.m. GMT

George is a pretty uninspired character.

Canon Ms. Lemon is uninspired too, but I enjoyed Pauline Moran's much more warm (but still efficient) portrayal.

Bundle_ 22 Aug 09 at 10 p.m. GMT

Does any one think that Georges, Poirot's butler, was under used? I think so, I could easily see him helping Poirot out in more cases.

~Bundle a.k.a TheMole

Mr_Satterthwaite 23 Feb 09 at 11:44 a.m. GMT

I think it is obvious who Lucy picks, isn't? Good characters but I would also have liked to have seen more of Bobbby Jones and Co. On a lighter note what about the Chap, is it Lamont, from 'Then There were None' getting his own series. More seriously, I really liked the Quin books and would have liked to have read more.

mirror 23 Feb 09 at 1:34 a.m. GMT

Reverend Clement and Dr. Haydock would have been good ones in more books because they have different views about crimes than detectives, which is really interesting. （Read "The Murder at the Vicarage"）Therefore it makes the whole story profound. Also, I think that they should have been one of the main casts not just as cameos though they are quite among the main casts in some books.

Tommy_A_Jones 20 Feb 09 at 3:11 p.m. GMT

There were Characters in Poirot books in books with out him - Race and Battle but it would have been great if there were Characters in Miss Marple books in their own books and Lucy Eyelesbarrow would have been a perfect Character to be in other books.

squatty 15 Feb 09 at 11:02 a.m. GMT

I did enjoy the character of Lucy and I think she fits into 4.50 From Paddington very well. However,the point that Dolly makes about her being always right (a bit like Mary Poppins) means that I would probably have got irritated by her if she popped up in any more books

susandiane 14 Feb 09 at 10:07 p.m. GMT

Lucy Eyelesbarrow all the way. She probably should have had her own series. And I STILL want to know who she gets with! I hope it's the boy's father, not the artist!

GKCfan 14 Feb 09 at 12:12 a.m. GMT

Maureen Summerhayes does get a mention in "Cat Among the Pigeons"- we learn that the Upjohns are friends of hers and that Poirot taught her how to make "smashing omelettes."

major_pallgrave 05 Feb 09 at 12:07 a.m. GMT

It would have been great if Maureen Summerhayes from Mrs.McGinty's Dead could have poped up somewhere again. She was such good fun.

Dolly_B 04 Feb 09 at 10:22 p.m. GMT

Poirot's manservant, George, and Bunter, Lord Peter's man, are perfect too, always on top of the situation and always right in anticipating their "master's" needs. This is how I see Lucy. She is always right. Whereas, Hastings is so human in his sincere and sometimes stumbling, bumbling way - but a lot of the time he is on the mark. He just seems so genuine.

Tommy_A_Jones 04 Feb 09 at 3:57 p.m. GMT

Lucy is as near to perfect as makes no difference, a sort of Female Jeeves or Bunter, (I am a fan of P. G. Wodehouse and currently reading a Dorothy L Sayers short story).

ariadnepoirotmarple 04 Feb 09 at 1:51 p.m. GMT

Dolly B I think Lucy Eyelesbarrow was fantastic. I don't think she was "perfect", she was quite human, in my opinion.

Dolly_B 03 Feb 09 at 4:52 p.m. GMT

Definitely Hastings, also Miss Lemon and Bundle Brent. Not Lucy Eyelesbarrow - she was too perfect to be real.

ariadnepoirotmarple 02 Feb 09 at 2:01 p.m. GMT

Miss Lemon, Lucy Eyelesbarrow, Ariadne Oliver and Hastings. I really love Hastings and probably all of you are right about him but I have a crush on him! Ariadne Oliver, I think she was amazing and I would love to read more books with her.

RobinHerne 02 Feb 09 at 9:27 a.m. GMT

Miss Lemon. Though that is inspired more on the way Pauline Moran brought the character to life on the TV series than how Christie wrote it. Wish they'd bring her back to the show. Robin

Santonix 01 Feb 09 at 6:55 p.m. GMT

Mrs. Price-Ridley. How fun she would have been in Poirot and Marple both!

Tommy_A_Jones 01 Feb 09 at 1:46 p.m. GMT

Yes in Hindsight I perhaps I shouldn't have added Hastings and Ariadne Oliver to my list, I just had an idea for a Tommy and |Tuppence story including him but perhaps not.

Lone_Wolf 01 Feb 09 at 12:55 p.m. GMT

Hastings is used as much as he is needed. Seriously, while that somewhat flanderized Watson can be amusing, he can sometimes be quite tiring also.

detectivepauljohn 01 Feb 09 at 3:53 a.m. GMT

Hastings, Poirot's bestfriend

Aurora 31 Jan 09 at 6:51 p.m. GMT

Gosh! Ann Beddingfield and Jerry Burton are good choices. I would have liked to have seen Inspector Slack learn from his early mistakes and apply the Marple method too. Really good question. I hope this one runs and runs.