Writing
Alan Francis Simpson was an English scriptwriter. He was best known as part of the Galton and Simpson comedy writing partnership with Ray Galton.
A profile of the comedy actor, best known for starring in many films of the Carry On franchise, with contributions from family, friends, co-stars and fans. The programme looks at his early life in South Africa, his start in films as a heavy in 1940s and 1950s crime thrillers, and his big break appearing in Hancock's Half Hour on radio and TV.
Ex-colleagues reflect on the comic genius and sometimes difficult character of Tony Hancock.
A study of the life and career of the actor Sid James, best known for the long-running Carry On series of bawdy British film comedies.
The difficult off-screen relationship between actors Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell who grew to hate one another during their years on screen. It charts their rise to fame with 'Steptoe and Son' in the early 60's, to their final falling out during an Australian stage show in the late 70's.
A police inspector (Donald Sinden) tracks down Russian anarchist Peter the Painter (Peter Wyngarde) and his gang in circa-1911 London.
A peek behind the scenes at the business of the comedian and how it is being expanded for film and television.
Albert Steptoe and his son Harold are rag-and-bone men, complete with horse and cart to tour the neighbourhood. They also live together at the junk yard. Harold, who likes the bright lights in the West End of London, meets a stripper, marries her and takes her home. Albert is furious and tries every trick he knows to drive the new bride from his household.
A funny thing happened to Lurkalot, serf to Sir Coward de Custard, on the way to Custard Castle. Lurkalot sells lusty love potions and rusty chastity belts in the market place, but on this day Sir Graggart de Bombast arrives to sack the castle, and to get the lovely Lobelia Custard in the sack! Lurkalot must help Custard cream the knight in pining armour...
The crooks in London know how it works. No one carries guns and no one resists the police. Then a new gang appears that go one better. They dress as police and steal from the crooks. This upsets the natural order of the police/criminal relationship and the police and the crooks join forces to catch the IPOs (Impersonating Police Officers), including an armoured car robbery in which the police must help the gangs to set a trap.
Albert Steptoe and his son Harold are rag-and-bone men, complete with horse and cart to tour the neighbourhood. They also live amicably together at the junk yard. Always on the lookout for ways to improve his lot, Harold invests his father's life savings in a greyhound who is almost blind and can't see the hare. When the dog loses a race and Harold has to pay off the debt, he comes up with another bright idea. Collect his father's life insurance. To do this his father must pretend to be dead.
Based on the television sitcom Fleksnes Fataliteter. Marve Fleksnes (Wesenlund) lives a comfortable life with his mother (Schønemann), but misses a woman in his life. He is afraid he might become the last Fleksnes. His mother enrols him in a charm school, where he excels. At the same time, a young lady moves into the apartment across the hall.
After a lock-keeper entrusts his daughter to a canal Casanova, he is shocked to learn that she is pregnant. He then refuses to open his locks - causing barges to pile up in every direction until the guilty party confesses.
A dog with a spying device under its skin is sent to the Russian government as a present. When the Russians send the dog to a veterinary, British intelligence must get to the dog first and retrieve the spying device.
Short film shot at Stratford-upon-Avon and exploring the joy of folk dancing.
A one-off special performance by Tony Hancock of his stand-up comedy act (which rarely changed), at the Royal Festival Hall, London.
Anthony Hancock gives up his office job to become an abstract artist. He has a lot of enthusiasm, but little talent, and critics scorn his work. Nevertheless, he impresses an emerging very talented artist. Hancock proceeds to con the art world into thinking he is a genius.