title card from the 1969 series the galton and simpson comedy

Galton and Simpson Make A Stop Off At ITV

The Galton And Simpson Comedy, 1969

In a 2014 interview writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson told us how in the early days of their career “We wrote a letter to the big comedy writers of the time, Frank Muir and Dennis Norden”

That was back in 1951.  By 1969 Galton and Simpson had become successful scriptwriters in their own right.  Frank Muir was now Head of Entertainment for London Weekend Television at ITV.

Muir invited the two writers accross to ITV charging them with the task of providing six individual playlets in the style they had utilised as sole writers for the first two series of the BBC’s Comedy Playhouse.

The result was: The Galton And Simpson Comedy, a six part series that aired in 1969.

Summary

An Extra Bunch of Daffodils

Stratford Johns (of Softly Softly fame) takes on a Hancockesque role, in which he plays a murderer who has killed his five wives in turn, each time reaping the rewards of their life insurance policies.

He has now got his sights set on his next victim, a widower called Mrs Evans played convincingly by Patsy Rowlands.

Pity Poor Edie … Married to Him

Milo O’Shea and Gwendolyn Watts star as a married couple, with the woman being the breadwinner.

Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way 

Jimmy Edwards and Pat Coombs in a fine domestic comedy drama where he’s ready to move from their tiny bungalow, which they’ve lived in for 23 years, but she isn’t.

Never Talk To Strangers

Harry H. Corbett and Rosemary Leach are paired as two lonely people who see in each other the chance of finally securing happiness.

Friends In High Places

Bob Monkhouse stars as George Gosling, fat, bald and unhappy at the age of 55, whose wish to be young again is granted.

The Suit

Leslie Phillips starred in this playlet, trying to keep from his wife the details of an akward burglary at his lover’s flat.

Clips

https://youtu.be/6ZPQHzdOIyY

 

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Details

Channel: ITV
Written By: Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
Produced And Directed By: David Askey
Production Company: London Weekend Television for ITV
Original Transmision Dates: 19th April – 24th May 1969

Merchandising

A DVD of the series was to have been released in August but was pulled, we’ll let you know when we find out more