Page 57 - Phonebox July 2013

IPipworth A Plaque, a hat and two comedy legends
Galton and Simpson are, they are the comedy writers who penned such classics as ‘Steptoe and Son’ and ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’, plus scripts for Frankie Howerd, Les Dawson and a whole variety of others. I adapted many of their scripts from TV to the stage and represent them for stage productions, which is one of the reasons I get invited along to these jollies.
This particular one was, as I said, for a blue plaque to honour them via the place that they rst met in 1948. Not a terribly salubrious place they would be the rst to admit. It was a sanatorium where the two of them were suffering from TB. But from such an unlikely meeting place came the stuff of comedy which changed the face of how comedy was written in this country. Tony Hancock was their rst huge success and they wrote rstly the ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’ radio shows, before they made the move across to the TV with him. Fueled by alcohol and personal problems, poor old Tony eventually dismissed them, as well as everyone else he had worked with, and swiftly went downhill. Without sharp writing, a good supporting cast and careful management, he was no longer the Tony Hancock that everyone had loved to laugh with. He committed suicide not many years after the split, a broken man, never quite realising where it had all gone wrong. Ray and Alan then wrote ‘Steptoe and Son’ making a rm decision to use character actors rather than comedians, and so Harry H Corbett and Wilf Bramble were contracted into the roles. The decision was as sound as their scripts and their style of writing then inspired other writers to use actors rather than comedians and so along came The Likely Lads and Porridge to name just two, whose writers saw the bene t of using fully edged actors rather than comics, who do have a terrible habit of counting their laughs per page rather than seeing the overall picture.
With all Galton and Simpson knees ups
The Queen was telling me that only last Tuesday”.
It is fun working with some of these people and of course the conversation does always turn to what has happened to situation comedy these days - oh it’s not as good as it was etc - but that’s just an age thing. It’s like looking back on the summers of our youth. It never seemed to rain did it? Of course it did, we just choose to remember the best bits and why not? That’s the joy of getting older, plus the fact you can get away with being dreadfully rude, and wearing strange hats.
Ray and Alan, always the gentlemen, reckon that the writers are still around but there isn’t anyone around in places like the BBC to nurture comedy these days. When they started the top chappies were people like Frank Muir who understood what it was all about. Now it’s run by accountants who are about as much use as a one legged man at an arse kicking party when it comes to comedy.
Ho hum, at least it gives us something to moan about.
Ray and Alan, much to their credit I feel, always speak kindly of Tony Hancock, and perhaps understood his problems more than most, given the close relationship they had with him.
Anyway, a good time was had by all with a good lunch.
Ray and Alan are elderly now, and Alan being well over 6ft is reliant on walking sticks and Ray is becoming a bit forgetful but together they still cause a huge amount of laughter.
In an interview given by them at the event, the nal question from the public was, “You’ve worked together for over 60 years now, and are still best friends. What keeps your relationship so strong?” Alan struggled to his feet and said “Well, he helps me up the stairs, and I tell him what day it is.”
Such is the stuff of comedy legends.
Have I got news for you
told you last month that I’d give you there are always interesting people there. a little report back from my jaunt to Old Barry Cryer always turns up to these Guildford, where a blue plaque was things and if you think I’m name dropping erected for Ray Galton and Alan you should have a chat with him. Someone
Simpson. once said to him “Oh Barry, you’re such For you youngsters who don’t know who a name dropper!” and he replied “Yes,
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Phonebox Magazine 57