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Back in Time for the Factory (2018)
Another example of smug television
Like the other programmes in the 'Back In Time...' series, this basically consists of people who are totally ignorant of the past being asked for their views on what life was like back then. Where do they find them? The programme, far from educational, is just an excuse to trout out prejudices. Some of the old schools' programmes from yesteryear, such as 'How We Used To Live', had far more to offer. I'd love to see a programme someday called 'Forward In Time To The Apocalypse' in which a bunch of 21st century people are put in stasis and revived just in time to witness the end of the world. I bet they would not be laughing.
The Groove Tube (1974)
Richmond Baier, where are you now?
I first saw 'The Groove Tube' in 1980 when it was playing on a double-bill with the horror picture 'Phantasm'. I loved it. It would be many years before I saw it again. I still love it! Some reviewers seem to think Chevy Chase played the hitch-hiker. In fact it was the late Buzzy Linhart. His sexy and elegant co-star ( and doesn't she look amazing running in slow motion to the accompaniment of 'Move On Up' by Curtis Mayfield ) was Richmond Baier, who seems sadly to have vanished from real life as quickly as she did in the film! The sketches spoofed 1970's U. S. television, and if you weren't around then, its not going to appeal to you. The Koko The Clown sketch
would have to be done now in CGI. The film's legacy is that it inspired other similar romps like 'The Kentucky Fried Movie' and 'Tunnelvision'. But Ken Shapiro's movie is my all-time favourite. He dances pretty well too! The sketch 'The Dealers' should have been expanded into a movie! When I look at films being made today, I wish something like 'The Groove Tube' would happen again. Don't hold your breath.
Prime Suspect 1973 (2017)
Finger-wagging nonsense
'Prime Suspect 1973' was a prequel to the successful Lynda La Plante series starring Helen Mirren as 'Jane Tennyson'. Set in 1973, it is clearly trying to mimic the BBC's superior 'Life On Mars'. It says to the viewer in no uncertain terms: "Hey, women had it bad in the olden days! Here's the proof!". Tennyson's male colleagues are crudely depicted as one dimensional, sexist stereotypes. We are intended to hate them. The young audience this is aimed at probably do not realise what they are seeing is nonsense. Sexism existed long before 1973 and exists still. I do not like seeing history refracted through a 21st century prism. It should be told the way it was, and not distorted to appeal to modern sensibilities, There is enough bland stuff around as it is. Can we soon expect a new version of The Battle Of Hastings which concludes with a victory for King Harold?
Reg Varney (1973)
Reg tickles the ivories
How do you follow up a success like 'On The Buses'? Reg Varney, in 1973, tried to do just that with this short-lived series for A. T. V. He was keen to prove he could do more than drive buses and chat up clippies, so the new show had him playing the piano, singing songs and doing sketches. Despite the presence of guest-stars such as Henry McGee, it did not duplicate the success of 'Buses' and was swiftly axed. A recurring character was 'The Monologue Man, a hatted figure who looked like Oscar Wilde and spoke in rhyme. Perhaps Benny Bill ( Reg's former comedy partner ) could have made something of the character. Reg could not. Stanley Baxter did a hilarious, accurate take-off of the show entitled 'Thumpalong With Reg Varnish' which was superior to the real thing. Reg would next be seen in the dismal 'Down The Gate', in which he played Billingsgate fish porter 'Reg Furnell'. After that, he faded from the airwaves forever.
Christmas Hamper (1985)
Baxter Back On The BBC
After a successful decade on London Weekend Television, in 1985, Stanley Baxter returned to B. B. C.-1 for the first of two festive comedy specials. L. W. T. Could no longer afford to give Baxter the lavish budgets he was accustomed to. Fortunately, Michael Grade ( a huge Baxter supporter ) was B. B. C.-1 Controller, and threw Stanley a lifeline. 'Christmas Hamper' was every bit as good as the L. W. T. Shows. Its highlights include a hilarious parody of 'The Wizard Of Oz' with Dorothy out to find not the Wizard, but Margaret Thatcher ( who unfortunately was Prime Minister at the time ), 'A Raj Too Far', a spoof of Peter Sarstedt's song 'Where Do You Go To My Lovely? ', and a big dance number with Stanley impersonating bathroom products such as a lavatory brush and a tube of toothpaste. Some items ( notably the Queen sketch ) later found their way into Channel 4's 90's compilation 'Stanley Baxter Is Back!'. For some strange reason, neither this nor the follow-up show enjoyed many repeats, and are not commercially available ( unlike the L. W. T. Shows ). A few years later, old-school comedy would vanish from the airwaves, leaving us with uninspired dross from the alternative crowd.
The New Adventures of Lucky Jim: A Foot in the Door (1982)
Jim climbs the ladder!
Ex-teacher Jim Dixon ( Enn Reitel ) is back in England and, with no place of his own, moves in with friends Philip and Joanna Lassiter ( David Simeon and Barbara Flynn ). He is given messy jobs such as feeding their baby. When a cleaner calls round, Jim is surprised to see it is not an old woman with varicose veins, but a young trendy bloke. The job pays well, says the man, and there are fringe benefits such as lots of bored, attractive housewives eager for excitement. Jim decides to become a domestic...
A decent enough second episode. Things don't quite go according to plan for Jim. His first client is a camp man called 'Lambert' ( played by David Rayner from 'Not On Your Nellie' ). The work is tiring. When Jim calls on attractive 'Veronica Allen' ( Wanda Ventham ), however, it looks as though his luck has changed...
Ventham's real-life husband Timothy Carlton ( remember him as interviewer 'Colin Pillock' from 'The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin' ? ) is here too, playing 'Frank Allen. Lucky Jim gets to wine and dine Lucy in Alvaro's fashionable restaurant. She seems taken with him despite their character differences.
Funniest moment - Jim taking a bath in the Allen residence, only for their daughter to come home unexpectedly early from school.
The New Adventures of Lucky Jim: The Big Smoke (1982)
Jim's Back In England!
Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais' 'The Further Adventures Of Lucky Jim' ( a remake of a Keith Barron show from the 60's ) was broadcast on B. B. C.-2 in 1982 and then forgotten ( no D. V. D. Nor U. K. Gold re-run ). Thanks to You Tube, I have seen it again. It is 1967, and 28 year old Jim Dixon ( Enn Reitel ) returns home to England following a teaching job in Holland. Britain has changed since he was last there. As he passes through Customs, a horrid smell emerges from his luggage. "That'll be my cheese!", says Jim, "Or it could be my socks!". Catching a train, he is taken with his fellow passenger ( and who wouldn't be? ) fashion model 'Lucy Simmons' ( Glynis Barber, fresh from her role as 'Soolin' in 'Blake's 7' ). His clumsy attempt at chat is interrupted by the arrival of her friend 'Kevin' ( Steven Pacey, who'd also been in 'Blake's 7, as 'Del Tarrant' ). Kevin lights up a joint, which he gives to Jim. Not wishing to appear a prude, he takes a puff. Lucy and Kevin go off for dinner, leaving Jim alone. Unfortunately, the next occupant of the carriage is a policeman ( David Ashton ). Jim finds himself up before the local beak ( Geoffrey Chater ).
It is easy to see a similarity between Jim Dixon's misfit status and Terry Collier in the first episode of 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads'. Reitel was tipped for stardom at the time, but despite his enormous talent, it never happened. He is perfectly cast as the face-pulling, witty Dixon, and the show has a good supporting cast including David Simeon ( this was soon after his memorable contribution to L. W. T's 'End Of Part One' ) and Barbara Flynn ( of 'A Family At War' fame and Roy Clarke's 'Open All Hours'. ). They played Jim's friends, Philip and Joanna Lassiter. Good old Tim Barrett ( what sitcom wasn't he in? ) pops up as a Customs officer. I liked this show at the time, and was curious to see how it would stand up now. Very well indeed in my view. Some good dialogue and a blinding central performance from Reitel. Barber sounds as if she is impersonating Samantha Fox, who would have graced Page 3 of 'The Sun' ( I refuse to call it a newspaper ) in the 1980's.
Funniest moment - as Jim enjoys his joint, he imagines himself in a romantic clinch with Lucy, which is then interrupted by the unexpected arrival of his disapproving parents, played by Margery Mason and Peter Hughes!
The Stanley Baxter Picture Show (1972)
Baxter's triumph!
Stanley Baxter's L. W. T. Shows are among, in my view, the finest comedy shows commercial television has ever broadcast. It goes without saying that a lot of the targets ( such as Jess Yates, Bernard Braden, John Betjeman, and Eartha Kitt ) probably mean little to modern audiences. In which case, they'd do well to leave the D. V. D.'s alone and watch something else. Modern comedies do not go out of their way to avoid topical humour, so one should not expect older shows to do the same. I have not read Baxter's autobiography, so cannot comment on his allegations about the late Rikki Fulton. If Baxter had made them when Fulton was still alive, its most likely the 'Scotch & Wry' star would have seen his career crash and burn, and gotten a prison sentence. Baxter did him a favour by keeping quiet on the subject until after Fulton's death. This fine series led to Baxter's legendary one-hour specials which set new standards which have never been surpassed, much less equalled.
Billy Liar (1973)
"I don't want him! I want the Co-Op!"
I was stunned by the negative comments about this delightful 70's series. Have we seen the same show? Jeff Rawle was not seen to better comic effect in 'Drop The Dead Donkey'. As 'George Dent', he was part of an ensemble cast, which meant he was frequently overshadowed by the likes of David Swift and Neil Pearson. In 'Billy Liar', he is the star, and grabs the opportunity with both hands. George A. Cooper, Colin Jeavons, and Pamela Vezey were also terrific in their roles. If you could not understand what May Warden was saying, then buy a hearing aid. There was nothing remotely painful about this show. I guess people have become so used to modern sitcoms which aren't funny they can't handle anything that is. As I write this, the B. B. C. Is showing censored editions of 'Fawlty Towers'. A very sad situation indeed.
Hello Cheeky (1976)
Cheesy? No way!
'Hello Cheeky' was a very funny I. T. V. Programme based on a B. B. C. Radio show. Starring and written by three comedy geniuses - Barry Cryer, the late John Junkin, and the late Tim Brooke-Taylor ( and how heartbreaking it was last year to have to lose Tim to Covid-19 ), how could it not be hilarious? Alright, so none of it was filmed outdoors, but then it did not need to be. The cast ( including Denis King ) were clearly having a great time, and this was communicated to the audience. The big mistake was, however, the timeslot. If it had gone out in a post 'News At Ten' slot, I think it would been a hit. But, it went out on Monday nights at 8 o'clock, and stood no chance of getting the cult audience it deserved. Thankfully, it was released on D. V. D. A few years back, so we can all enjoy it once again. I'll tell you what really is cheesy - 'Tripper's Day' starring Leonard Rossiter. It too is on D. V. D.
And for some strange reason has been repeated on Forces T. V. It was lousy even back in 1984.
The Kenny Everett Video Show: Episode #4.1 (1981)
Goodbye Kremmen!
Kenny Everett's fourth series for Thames was also his last before he returned in triumph to the B.B.C. ( who'd sacked him a few years earlier ). Royston Mayoh ( who'd directed 'Opportunity Knocks', which Kenny's Video Show displaced in 1978 ) replaced David Mallet as producer. The show was cut down from 40 minutes an episode a week to 25. The 'Captain Kremmen' cartoons vanished, to be replaced by a live-action version starring Kenny himself as 'Kremmen' ( good casting! ) and the delectable Anna Dawson as his none-too bright sidekick 'Carla' ( we will gloss over the fact she was the wrong nationality for the role ). The musical items consisted now of one guest singer ( B.A. Robertson, in this case ) and, of course, Hot Gossip. The catchy Helen Chappelle song over the closing credits was by Alan Hawkshaw and was called 'Video Love'.
The balance between comedy and music shifted in favour of the former, and Kenny retained this new format for his BBC series. Guest stars in this edition included David Essex and Mel Smith of 'Not The Nine O' Clock News'.
Kenny was unhappy with the rescheduling of his show from Monday evenings to Thursdays, meaning it was up against the long-running 'Top Of The Pops'. So he upped sticks and went. Fans need not have worried. Cuddly Ben's BBC show was, if anything, even more successful. And it did not have Kremmen.
The Galton & Simpson Playhouse: I Tell You It's Burt Reynolds (1977)
Rossiter's tour-de-force
I don't know which programme the second reviewer saw back in 2014, but this is definitely Leonard Rossiter at his best, made just before he went into decline with 'The Losers' and the even worse 'Trippers Day'. Galton and Simpson must have been proud of the show as they talked about it on his C4 'Heroes Of Comedy' tribute. Rossiter plays 'Jim Knife', a twit who causes chaos in his house by insisting he has spotted Burt Reynolds in a 'Macmillan And Wife' repeat on ITV. Unable to prove his point, he goes out of control, eventually phoning the press and the star himself at his Hollywood home. Social media did not exist in 1977, of course, but its impossible to watch this now and not be put in mind of the trolls who unfortunately infest Facebook and Twitter. Jim Knife would be perfectly at home there. It is not Galton and Simpson's worst achievement; the Frankie Howerd movie 'Up The Chastity Belt' is more deserving of that dubious honour.
The Jeremy Kyle Show (2005)
Exploitative reality trash
It is sad that it has taken a man's death to make I.T.V. realise that Jeremy Kyle's show is unworthy of airtime. Many people have been saying this for years. With its aggressive, confrontational style, it was an accident waiting to happen. Now that it has gone, hopefully its stablemates ( anything with the word 'benefits' in the title, basically ) will soon be joining it. Kyle himself is reported to be 'devastated' by his show's axing. Hard luck, mate.
Premiere: Crest of a Wave (1978)
Jim and Nifty - then and now
Made by the B. B. C., 'Premiere' was an anthology of half-hours plays intended to showcase new directorial talent. Here it was Peter Bartlett, who went on to make a few other plays before retiring for good. 'Crest Of A Wave' was penned by Douglas Livingstone, a contributor to 'Budgie' and also the creator of the wonderful 'Born And Bred' starring Max Wall ( not to be confused with a B. B. C. Series of the same title which starred James Bolam ).
It starts in the present day, with a reunion between two middle-aged men called 'Jim' ( Denholm Elliott ) and 'Nifty' ( Ian Hendry ). They act like long-lost brothers, but then we flashback to the past and see that things were not quite as rosy as we were led to believe. Jim ( Mike Kemp ) and Nifty ( David Parfitt
of 'And Mother Makes Three' ) were both in the Boy Scouts at the same time. A local girl, 'Marian' ( Lynne Jones ) had a crush on Nifty and vice versa. One day, Marian turned up at the Scout camp to invite Nifty home to tea, and Jim proceeded to humiliate him in front of her. For instance, he told her that the nickname 'Nifty' came about because of his friend's so-called poor personal hygiene. "Haven't you noticed?", he says to her. "He niffs!".
Poor Nifty loses Marian. Back in the present day, Jim admits he is broke, and pleads with Nifty to help him get work. Nifty senses an opportunity for revenge...
I don't know if this still exists in the archives, but it would indeed be a pity if it does not. Good performances from all concerned, and Livingstone's script is wonderfully touching. A possible inspiration for his later I. T. V. Comedy drama 'The Quest Trilogy' which starred ( and was directed by ) David Jason.
Going a Bundle: Newspapers (1976)
Read all about it
A big "Thank You" to Talking Pictures T.V. or reviving this forgotten gem of a children's series from 1976. Made by the now-defunct Southern Television, 'Going A Bundle' starred the amiable Harry Fowler and a sidekick ( here its James Villiers, looking very John Steed like in a bowler and carrying a rolled umbrella ). Each week, they attempted to find out how things are made. Here it was newspapers. Harry and James attend an editorial conference at the London Evening News, and then gatecrash an interview with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman in Kew Gardens. We got a fascinating snapshot of how newspapers used to be produced ( using blocks of hot metal ). The story went through various stages of editing before hitting the news stands.
What was more interesting however was the noticeable difference in the standards of children's television of the time. No hyperactive twenty year old presenters or puerile farting jokes. We got a pair of nice blokes out to entertain ( and hopefully educate ) the viewers. I bet it was not just children watching the show, but their parents too. Chris Kelly's 'Clapperboard' was like that too. That kind of format is obsolete now, but is hugely missed.
The show ended amusingly with James attempting to sell newspapers on the street, bellowing at passers-by in a frightfully posh voice. Harry let him get on with it.
One can but hope that other editions of this charming show will resurface and get a repeat.
The Avengers: Game (1968)
Jigsaws 1 Snakes 0
I would like to respond to the unfair criticism of the scene where the manager of 'Jig Creations' ( Desmond Walter-Ellis ) completes a jigsaw in record time. It would not be the first time speeded up film was featuired in the show. The final scene of 'The Hour That Never Was' has Steed and Mrs.Peel chasing each other around an airfield runway Benny Hill-style. The jigsaw scene is amusing and very much in keeping with the stle of the series. Less forgivable however is the daft-looking snake which causes a zoologist to fall off a ladder. Still, 'Game' is a cracking episode, one of the gems of the Thorson series.
The Avengers: Requiem (1969)
Correction
Another reviewer has said that the villains do not actually recreate Steed's flat, just the remnants after an explosion has occurred. I have watched the episode again, and when Tara arrives at the fake flat it is intact. Then it goes up like Zabriskie Point. So it was not destroyed until after Tara arrived. ShadeGrenade's point was that the villains knew what the flat looked like, and there was no way they believably could have done this. Never mind. It is still a fun episode.
Q5: Episode #2.1 (1975)
"What are we going to do now?"
I'd like if I may to update slightly the previous review. Firstly, the 'Q' series has had a D.V.D. release despite the presence of Chris Langham, and the line uttered by Julia Breck's nurse was in fact: "Physician feel thyself!" which is much funnier.
On the Buses (1971)
Butler did not beat Bond
A popular fallacy says that this movie outperformed the Bond thriller 'Diamonds Are Forever'. The latter premiered in London on December 30th 1971, whereas the former opened on July 9th of that year. The Bond film did not go on general release until December 31st 1971. Comparisons between the two films' box office takings are therefore highly misleading. You could just as easily say it beat 'Avatar'!
Back in Time for the Weekend (2016)
A weekend that should have gotten lost
The BBC is heavily biased against the 1970's, not the other way round.
Unemployment stood at three million in the 1980's, double the amount it was in the previous decade. The Cold War ended officially in 1991. The three-day week and all the other catastrophes the other reviewer lists were the fault of a useless Tory government. Still, why let facts get in the way of a good rant.
The hidden agenda behind this and other series of its kind is to make the past appear worse than it actually was. Presumably to make all feel insufferably smug. A man claimed he had to use Sellotape and drawing pins to secure posters to his bedroom wall when he was young because 'Blue-Tack did not exist then'. In actual fact, it did. It was invented in 1970 by a laboratory scientist named Alan Holloway. A mother gave her family liver and potatoes for dinner, but for some strange reason did not include onions and gravy ( why not? They existed back then ). A man complained about the lack of power steering in a 1970's car, ignoring the fact it it had not then been invented. Female factory workers mocked a 1976 dress despite it looking prettier than many women's fashions do now.
The people who take part in these programmes seem to think themselves qualified to make sneering comments and judgments about the past whilst ignoring the sheer awfulness of much of the modern world.
A Sharp Intake of Breath: The Train Now Standing (1981)
The service now cancelled!
Peter is looking forward to a day of leisure, when Sheila reminds him that they have promised to visit her mother's. After a battle with a kitchen waste disposal unit, the Barnes' drive to the railway station. The nervous ticket seller ( Norman Chappell ) takes their money, but neglects to mention the service has been discontinued. Furious, Peter goes to London to British Rail's head office to have it out with 'Mr.Eliott' ( Anthony Sharp ).
An average episode, enlivened greatly by Jason's usual physical comedy. As well as the aforementioned troublesome waste disposal unit, there is a skirmish with an over-efficient hot drinks dispenser. Arthur White, who plays 'Bert' is Jason's real-life brother and was also in Season 1's 'The Gasman Cometh'. Malcolm Storry a.k.a. 'Tommy' ( who has a terrible habit of repeating the last word of Bert's sentences ), was the man in the surgery in Season 1's 'Your Life In Their Hands'. The man on the train is Noel Coleman, who was 'the Commander' in Jason's 'The Top Secret Life Of Edgar Briggs'.
Funniest moment - at the railway station, Peter tightly parks his car between two stationary vehicles, and has to climb out through the window and into another car to get free. Luckily, the woman passenger does not object.
A Sharp Intake of Breath: The Gasman Cometh (1978)
"We haven't got any gas!"
Chirpy engineer Alf ( Arthur White, real-life brother of David Jason ) suggests that Peter and Sheila convert their central heating from oil to gas. She is enthused, but he is not. Thinking the Gas Board will take 25 years to get round to the conversion, he allows it to happen. Before you know it, the Barnes are besieged by endless workmen and officials, one of whom wants to install a meter even though the gas supply is as yet non-existent. In desperation, Peter tracks down 'Wainwright' ( Richard Wilson ), the head of the Gas Board, and gets him to recall the signed invoices. But the nightmare is far from over yet...
Like 'See You In Court', this is never as funny as it could be. Most of the laughs come from Jason's physical comedy rather than the script. The production team must have realised this too. Creator Ronnie Taylor would write every episode of the next two seasons.
Funniest moment - Sheila is washing dishes and Peter pours himself a glass of red wine. She contrives to hit it with her elbow, spilling it all down his front.
A Sharp Intake of Breath: See You in Court (1978)
She's leaving home
Peter is at a wild office party, and phones Sheila, who assumes he is at an orgy and angrily moves into the spare room. When Peter finally comes home, he brings his paralytic boss 'Mr.Mathews' ( Roger Booth ) with him, as his wife had thrown him out. He puts him to bed, unaware Sheila is there already. She files for divorce. Naturally, her family ( especially her domineering mother, played by Margaret Courtenay ) are fully on her side...
This was one of two Season 1 episodes not penned by the show's creator Ronnie Taylor. It is not as good as the Taylor ones, and has a rushed feel to it. A two-parter might have worked better. Richard Wilson is 'Mr.Fraser', a smarmy solicitor who cannot conceal his pleasure as he lists Peter's alleged shortcomings as a husband. Sheila's pregnancy is never alluded to again so she must have made it up to try and save the marriage. Alun Armstrong plays 'Brian', one of Peter's drinking buddies. One of the party guests is future 'Hi-de-Hi!' star Rikki Howard.
Funniest moment - Sheila comes home and heads for the spare room, onbly to find three men playing cards ( they'd earlier been tidying the house ). Her scream startles Peter so much he almost drowns himself n champagne.
Dead Ernest (1982)
Laughter in the hereafter
Made by Granada, John Stevenson and Julian Roach's 'Dead Ernest' was a vehicle for Andrew Sachs, then a hot property thanks to 'Fawlty Towers'. He played 'Ernest Springer', a mild-mannered teacher who dies accidentally whilst celebrating a big win on the football pools. He goes to Heaven, is reunited with his parents ( and meets famous people such as Bach and Beethoven ) but refuses to accept his predicament and demands he be returned to Earth so he can enjoy his winnings. Among the crazy characters he meets in the hereafter are 'Archangel Derek' ( Ken Jones ) and 'Cherub Fred' ( Harry Fowler ). John Le Mesurier guested in one episode. The premise was very unusual for an ITV sitcom of the time and there were some amusing scenes, including Ernest finding himself in the Rovers Return and meeting 'Ernie Bishop' ( actor Stephen Hancock did not appear ).
But the show - made by Witzend - did not click with viewers, possibly because it was wrong for peak-time and the novelty of the main premise wore off pretty quickly. Sachs was later heard to comment: "I died on that show - in more ways that one!".
A Sharp Intake of Breath: Pilot (1977)
Spending Hubby's money!
In the summer of 1977, ATV decided to make its own version of the B.B.C.'s 'Comedy Playhouse'. 'The Sound Of Laughter' was an anthology of six half-hour shows. The first - 'A Sharp Intake Of Breath' - was the only one to be developed into a series. Written by Ronnie Taylor, it starred David Jason as much put-upon 'Peter Barnes' with Patricia Brake as 'Sheila', his wife. Over breakfast one morning, she announces she wants an extension built to the kitchen, and, to this end, has already commissioned builder 'George Manson' ( the late Bryan Pringle ) to make an estimate. Before you know it, Peter is having to go to the bank to beg for a loan...
This is good stuff, and scores highly from the fact that many of us have had at some point in our lives to deal with money-grabbing builders and smarmy bank managers. Pringle and Richard Wilson are both excellent; the former did not return for the series proper ( his place was taken by Alun Armstrong ) but fortunately the latter did. Patricia Brake was also good as the wife. Jacqueline Clarke replaced her in the series.
Funniest moment - Barnes tells bank manager 'Mr.Ramskill' he has come about a loan. "Oh good. How much are you prepared to lend us?", asks Ramskill.
The other editions of 'The Sound Of Laughter' included 'What A Performance' by Kenneth Cope which starred Andrew Sachs as head of a theatre reperatory company, and 'Young At Heart' ( another Ronnie Taylor script ) with Stratford Johns and Richard Pearson as two elderly men who compete for the affections of a mutual grandson.