Steptoe and Son Steptoe and Son, the story of the cockney father and son rag-and-bone men, is quite simply one of the greatest sitcoms ever made. Beneath it's typical sitcom formula lay a dark story of a selfish old man refusing to let his son go. Harold, the son, though varying between the ages of 30 to 40 during the program's run, still very much has the mannerisms and behaviour of a child, much thanks to the superlative acting from Harry H. Corbett. As for Albert, his father, no one could have played the role better than Wilfred Brambell. His magnificent facial contortions and comic timing more than satisfied Harold's succinct description of him being a 'dirty old man'. These were two of the finest comic creations on television, created by legendary writing duo, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The two lead actors were a distinct contrast to their characters, such was their talent to play them so well. They were also examples of the very few seasoned actors to feature in a sitcom. The beginning of this story goes way back to 1961, a year after Galton and Simpson split with their long-time client, Tony Hancock. Tom Sloan, the Head of Light Entertainment at the BBC, offered them their own 10-week series, entitled 'Comedy Playhouse'. Being their own show, they could write anything they wanted. So, effectively, prime-time TV on BBC1 was in their hands. They chose to write 10 individuals sketches. Unfortunately, after writing three episodes, ideas started to dry up. Out of sheer boredom and writer's block, Galton and Simpson came up with a wealth of daft ideas, from synchronized swimming nuns to rat-catching in the Queen's bedroom. But, there was one idea that stuck in their minds. Two rag-and-bone men, seemingly related, arguing about the day's totting. Consequently, they began develop this idea. They knew they had to explore the relationship between these two characters. But what was their relationship? Halfway through the script, Galton and Simspon stopped to consider what relation they would be. The idea that they were brothers, or even cousins sprang to mind. Then, during a read-through, it hit them. They'd already mentioned that one was older than the other, but the genuine inspiration came from a scene where one of the characters is pouring a mixture of drinks from the many bottles in his drinks cabinet. The label on one of the bottles reads 'Bouchard Père et Fils'. Father and son. This is what the characters' relationship would be. This was the key to unlock the situation's potential. Character drawing began in more detail. The son became a middle-aged man, pushing 40. He couldn't get away and live a free life. His father wouldn't let him. He used all forms of emotional blackmail to make him stay and look after him. This was when the idea really started to take flight. The finished script became known as 'The Offer', in which the son tries to leave home in order to accept an 'offer' he's been given. Next came the casting. For the son, Galton and Simpson had their eye on the young Mancunian theatre actor, Harry H. Corbett. Already an incredibly admired figure in the profession, he co-created the Theatre Workshop in Stratford with Joan Littlewood, and founded the experimental theatre company, the Langham Group. His influence and status in the business was insurmountable. Galton and Simspon figured he would be perfect for the role, so they sent him the script, but they weren't sure he would go for it. After all, he was a massive figure in the English acting field. At the time, he was performing in Henry VI, Parts I and II, at the Old Vic theatre in Bristol. Fortunately, he responded. Henry VI was put on hold for a week for him to do it. Casting of the son was complete. Next came the role of the father. Galton and Simpson had recently seen two TV plays called 'Too Many Mansions' and 'No Fixed Abode', which both starred the Irish actor, Wilfrid Brambell. In both plays, he played the roles of miserable old men. Old men was something of a forte for him, despite being only 50 years of age. Brambell was also a consummate performer in the theatre, beginning his career at the Abbey Theatre in his home town of Dublin. They knew no one else could play the role but him. 'The Offer' was broadcast in January 1962, and proved to be a tremendous hit, and Galton and Simpson were pressed to turn this great sketch into a series. However, they were anxious about writing another long-running show so soon after their split with Tony Hancock. They also felt the idea couldn't be stretched into a full series. Eventually though, after much persuasion, they decided to write another 5 episodes to make a series, and became 'Steptoe and Son', named after an old photographic shop Galton and Simpson once spotted in an old street in Richmond, called 'Steptoe and Figge'. The name 'Steptoe' proved to have a nice ring to it, so it stuck. Produced by Duncan Wood, who also produced 'Comedy Playhouse', the first series was broadcast in June of that year, and proved to be a huge success. The BBC knew they had struck gold with this one, so a second series was written and broadcast between January and February the following year. Like all great sitcoms, Steptoe and Son had the typical formula of people stuck together, spending a lot of their time arguing, which made for superb character interaction and dialogue. However, with the father and son relationship, the writers could go beyond that and explore a dark tale of a man unable to break out of his situation, because his father would always do something that would mess it up for him. To the writers' credit, though, they never made out that the father always deliberately set out to do these things. Sure he was a selfish, miserable old git, but he wasn't evil. Many of the incidents that occured, such as a newly-installed bath falling through the ceiling (while the old man was bathing in it), a filthy crossword puzzle published in the local parish magazine, and the opportunity to pose alongside female models for a fashion photographer. In this case, no malice was meant on the father's part. The two were just fighting over the opportunity to ogle and flirt with the girls, though more so on the dirty old man's part. It was this superbly balanced ambiguity that rendered the show a constant surprise, and, along with fine acting from Corbett and Brambell, gave both characters pathos and edge. It seemed that fate had dealt it's cards, and Harold was doomed to stay with his father. The show was a massive hit, scooping awards along the way, when in 1965, after four series, Galton and Simspon decided to end the programme. They felt they had gone as far as they could, but no one was willing to let these characters go. Public demand led to further expansion of the programme, with a fifth series marking a comeback in 1970. This series proved to be even better than what had gone before, with stronger writing, acting and dialogue. This was a sitcom that looked set to become an honourable member of the comedy hall of fame. After a sublime 12-year run, which included 8 series, 2 Christmas specials, and 2 feature-length movies, the show ended on a high with the Christmas special of 1974, with Harold devising a clever scheme to send his old man on a Christmas holiday for a couple of weeks. It might not have been for good, but it was the best freedom he enjoyed in years. In recent years, it has become known that the two lead actors never got on very well. Fair enough, but was it really necessary making this more common knowledge, and making such a big deal out of it? This realisation has grown out of the media's foolishness in their failure to leave things alone. I express little desire to know what these people were like in real life, because it's none of my business. Fortunately, it does nothing to tarnish the quality of a fine show that continues to entertain audiences years after it finished in 1974, not just in it's original format, but in other versions made overseas as well. As well as a few European versions, an American version was created in 1972, entitled 'Sanford and Son', in which the occupation was changed from rag-and-bone men to mechanics. Such is it's enduring popularity. This is a show that is hard to top, and probably never will be. Resources The Best of Steptoe and Son, Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, Published by Robson Books, 1988 Steptoe and Son, TV Tome Guide, URL: http://www.tvtome.com/SteptoeandSon/ Steptoe and Son, The Internet Movie Database, URL: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0057785/

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