In the stage play Witness for the Prosecution, Mr John Mayhew is the defence solicitor of Leonard Vole. He is a partner in the law firm Mayhew and Brinskill.
He watches everything that happens in front of him and Sir Wilfred Robarts, he listens to Leonard Vole, Romaine Heiger and The Cockney Woman. After Vole is cleared he and Sir Wilfred learn the truth -- Romaine impersonated the Cockney woman and faked the evidence because Vole was truly guilty.
Adaptations[]
1957 film[]
In the 1957 film, Mr Mayhew is portrayed by Henry Daniell.
While Mayhew has scenes in the office, some of his scenes are shared with Nurse Plimsoll, the nurse that Robarts is given after his heart attack. However he gets extra moments like giving Robarts his cigars and swap the Cocoa Flask with one with Brandy. Also he is in Euston’s Station when Sir Robarts meets the Cockney Woman and positively identified the handwriting of Mrs Vole in the letters. He doesn't witness the reveal but after Christine stabs Leonard Vole he comes in and asks Robarts and Plimsoll tells him.
1982 film[]
In the 1982 film, Mr Mayhew is portrayed by David Langton.
Mayhew is played as a copy of the previous film the only difference is that the Cockney Woman meeting is done by Sir Robarts alone.
See also[]
With Agatha Christie, Mayhew was a popular name for lawyer characters. See: Mr Mayhew disambiguation. Within the Witness for the Prosecution family, the name also varied. See: Mr Mayherne (disambiguation).