The Cuckoo Waltz. Image shows from L to R: Felicity 'Fliss' Hawthorne (Diane Keen), Chris Hawthorne (David Roper). Copyright: Granada Television
The Cuckoo Waltz

The Cuckoo Waltz

  • TV sitcom
  • ITV1
  • 1975 - 1980
  • 26 episodes (4 series)

Fliss and Chris are a young happily-married couple whose whizz-kid friend Gavin moves in after splitting with his wife. Stars Diane Keen, David Roper, Lewis Collins, Ian Saynor, Clare Kelly and John McKelvey

The Cuckoo Waltz. Image shows from L to R: Felicity 'Fliss' Hawthorne (Diane Keen), Chris Hawthorne (David Roper), Gavin Rumsey (Lewis Collins). Copyright: Granada Television

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1975 - 1980
Channel
ITV1
Episodes
26 (4 series)
Creator
Geoffrey Lancashire
Stars
Diane Keen, David Roper, Lewis Collins, Ian Saynor, Clare Kelly and John McKelvey
Writers
Geoffrey Lancashire and John G. Temple
Directors
Bill Gilmour, Brian Mills and Douglas Argent
Producers
Bill Gilmour, Brian Armstrong and John G. Temple
Company

Chris and Fliss Hawthorne are young, recently married and in love. However, their cash flow is virtually non-existent and they are as poor as the proverbial church mice. Their living room furniture consists of a deckchair marked 'Property of Prestatyn UDC' and they have no room for the luxuries of life, a fact that makes Chris rather doleful. Fliss generally cheers him up with a murmur of 'Chriss-Fliss-Kiss', followed by a quick snog.

To ease their financial problems, the Hawthornes take in Chris's friend, Gavin Rumsey, a refugee from a broken marriage, as their lodger. Unlike his hosts, sporty Gavin always has cash to burn. He brings with him a vanload of expensive furniture and a flashy car. He also tends to flirt with his pretty landlady, who always remains loyal to her lacklustre journalist husband. In the fourth series, he gives way to another lodger, Adrian Lockett, who, to complicate matters, alo quickly becomes besotted with Fliss.

Additional details

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 27th October 1975 at 8pm on ITV1

Share this page