Hi,

I hope someone out there can help me ... in the 70s, I think, I saw a sketch in which a man started a new job where he was in a room and boxes slid down two chutes on opposite walls, and he had to catch them and put them on a pile. I can't remember much else, although I don't think it was one of the classic double-acts, and I'm sure it wasn't Python.

Can anyone remember it? Who was in it? What show? I desperately want to try and get hold of a copy ....

Thanks,

Tony

Do you remember a punchline or something? Mentioning chutes a Two Ronnies sketch springs to mind...but there were no boxes involved, just laundry.

Why do you need to remember this sketch? Nostalgia?

Corbett is hilarious in that sketch!

I've a feeling I've seen Michael Crawford in a set-up similar to that which Tony describes, but I've no idea what the programme might have been. A quick Google is not coming up with a matching scene description in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em that I can see. :/

Cannon and Ball-I think this was a pantomime routine.

Quote: Aaron @ 17th June 2014, 10:36 PM BST

I've a feeling I've seen Michael Crawford in a set-up similar to that which Tony describes, but I've no idea what the programme might have been. A quick Google is not coming up with a matching scene description in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em that I can see. :/

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That's what I thought of as well. I think in a Christmas episode Frank gets a new a job and the person who is to show him the new job turns out to be his new neighbour (Mr Jackson?), who Frank had annoyed the night before. Frank also crashes a forklift into lots of boxes at one point.

Quote: Tony297 @ 17th June 2014, 7:38 PM BST

I don't think it was one of the classic double-acts.

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Would that rule out Cannon and Ball?

Quote: reds @ 18th June 2014, 9:28 AM BST

That's what I thought of as well. I think in a Christmas episode Frank gets a new a job and the person who is to show him the new job turns out to be his new neighbour (Mr Jackson?), who Frank had annoyed the night before. Frank also crashes a forklift into lots of boxes at one point.

View original

Very well remembered! Yes, I've just checked and that's the 1974 special, Jessica's First Christmas. Alas, there are no chutes that I can see...

Thanks everyone for replying; I need to remember because I work in development and traumatology in Rwanda, Africa, and one of the things I sometimes do is stress management training for fellow development workers. One aspect of that is that you need some stress in order to function, but not too much or else you can't cope.

In this sketch, sometimes there are hardly any boxes, the guy switches off, and when one appears he misses it. Other times there are so many boxes that he can't catch them. he works best when there's enough boxes to keep him busy (stressed enough to be on his toes, but has the capacity to cope).

So, the sketch shows that you need stress, but also need the capacity to cope with it.

It might have been Cannon & Ball, I just thought it was a single comedian, but it was years ago now!

Thanks again for your help,

Tony