Ann Merriweather (Thriller)

**Ann Merriweather** (Bethel Leslie; 1929-1999) is the hidden main villainess from "The Merriweather File," episode 1.21 of *Thriller* (airdate February 14, 1961).

## Backstory/Introduction

Ann Merriweather is the wife of Charles Merriweather, though their backstory revealed tragedy, as some time prior to the events, Ann had accidentally killed the couple's only son when she backed her car into him. She had carried immense guilt over the accident, revealing this to Howard Yates (the couple's good friend), after Ann survived a murder attempt early in the episode. After a man's body was found in the trunk of Charles' car, Charles ended up suspected of killing the man (revealed as Jake Harbor), as well as attempting to kill Ann.

Charles denied the claims, though a visit to the home of Virginia Grant, revealed that she had known Charles, as well as the fact that their perfect marriage was a facade. Charles ended up put to trial (with Howard defending him) due to the many holes in his story and alibi, and the episode's climax revealed that Charles ended up convicted and executed for the crimes against him. However, the episode's epilogue saw Lt. Giddeon visit Howard at his home and reveal that Charles had masterminded the attempt to kill Ann, with Virginia breaking into Ann's home and making the attempt in the episode's opening. Charles and Virginia enlisted Jake to kill Ann later, but Ann feigned being asleep and was ready for the intruder, after which she shot Jake to death.

## Heel Turn

Having also figured out that Jake's appearance was part of Charles' attempt to kill her, Ann turned heel after killing Jake by planning to set up her husband in the murder, which began with planting Jake's body in the trunk of Charles' car, while also putting the key inside his watch pocket. Afterwards, the villainess planted the gun in the garbage to make it appear that Charles ditched the weapon after the murder, and as for Charles, he couldn't reveal the entire truth due to the fact that he would be implicated in the attempt.

All the while, the evil Ann remained silent as Charles went on to be tried, convicted, and executed due to her villainous set-up. After Ann entered Howard's home, an additional reveal was provided by Howard:  Ann became Howard's wife after Charles' execution, after which Giddeon wished the couple a Merry Christmas before leaving.

## Personality

* Ann was introduced as a woman with a tragic backstory (the accidental killing of her son), as well as a devoted wife to Charles, whose anger towards Ann drove him to plan her murder. Ann's Freudian Excuse was maintained when she killed Jake in self-defense, but it was quickly eliminated when Ann fully turned heel and set up Charles in the murder, with Giddeon himself stating that Ann's villainous actions after the self-defense killing officially made her a criminal. Ann's heel turn changed her demeanor from a devoted wife to a remorseless villainess bent on destroying her husband, whose execution was caused by her frame-up; thus making Charles' death the only one Ann intentionally (albeit indirectly) caused.

## Trivia

* Just months prior, Bethel Leslie appeared on *Alfred Hitchcock Presents*as the villainous Mabel Wagner, and she later appeared on *Mannix* as the evil Lois Graham.