The Galton and Simpson Playhouse

Has anybody else bought the DVD of this sitcom that has recently come out? I watched it and thought it was brilliant. I would strongly recommend it.

Yes, I have it, but haven't got around to watching it yet. Looking forward to it though! Might be one to stick on tomorrow. :)


See Amazon product listing
[p=http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/8079117/The-Galton-And-Simpson-Playhouse-The-Complete-Series/Product.html]
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There should be more mention of Galton and Simpson. They were undoubtedly the Beatles of the sitcom genre. Even if they wrote something now it'd probably have some pretty old jokes but I'm sure it'd have more emotional resonance than most of the shit they have on today.

To re-iterate my name is not Sebastian, I am Raymond Atkinson and always will be. They can't take that away from me.

They're for me the second greatest writing team of all time, beaten only by Perry & Croft.

I'm very much definitely going to get this.

Galton & Simpson's work on Steptoe alone qualifies them for genius status. And that's without mentioning that they practically invented the modern sitcom with Hancock.

I'd have them just behind Clement & Le Frenais (for Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads AND Porridge!)

Wow! Didn't realise this DVD came out so long ago...............

So, having given my opinion of The Galton & Simpson Comedy DVD, I thought I would air my thoughts on this one that I have just finished watching. ( I have hundreds of DVDs to watch that have been bought for me over the last 20 years or so!)

Big Deal At York City (1977)

Warren Mitchell - Strangers on a train begin an impromptu card game en route to King's Cross, with unforseen consequences.

Enjoyable but don't know about the "unforseen" as I could see how that was going to develop as soon as they all eventually got on the train. Good to see Gerald Flood again who I had completely forgotten about, and the Brit stalwart Robert Dorning.

Car Along The Pass (1977)

Arthur Lowe - Henry Duckworth would never have imagined that he would be trapped in a cable car with a German couple when he set off on his Alpine holiday.

Excellent with Lowe his wonderful pompous self. Surprised to see Anton Diffring in a UK sitcom, and was very good.

Cheers (1977)

Charles Gray & Freddie Jones - Life has become full of boring routine for Charles and Peter - but things are about to change.

Excellent and loved it. Nice to see Charles in a sitcom and always been a big fan of Freddie.

I Tell You It's Burt Reynolds (1977)

Leonard Rossiter - A film and TV know-all goes to absurd lengths to prove his knowledge.

Superb from Rossiter who was so good I wanted to punch his lights out, and nice to see Patricia Hayes and Roy Barraclough.

Naught For Thy Comfort (1977)

Roy Kinnear - An airline steward whose wife has left him finds no comfort in friends.

Love Roy, but this didn't quite work for me.

Swap You One Of These For One Of Those (1977)

Richard Briers -It seems that Henry Fairlane's life is about to get a bit of excitement when he is invited to a swingers party - but then he loses his wife en route.

Loved it with the excellent creepy forked tongued Henry McGee.

Variations On A Theme (1977)

John Bird & Frances De La Tour - The eternal triangle can have more than one outcome.

Interesting experiment I suppose but didn't appeal that much despite excellent acting from both.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 7th July 2017, 11:32 AM

Swap You One Of These For One Of Those (1977)

Richard Briers -It seems that Henry Fairlane's life is about to get a bit of excitement when he is invited to a swingers party - but then he loses his wife en route.

Loved it with the excellent creepy forked tongued Henry McGee.

Never liked this one. Leaves a really sour taste.

Herc, well done for going on a lot, because your splendid anorak's review here has reminded me of something I forgot I wanted to get yonks back. Now I shall peruse prices and think about a purchase finally. It gives me the chance to waffle as well, excellent.

Firstly the one I really want to watch is

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 7th July 2017, 11:32 AM

I Tell You It's Burt Reynolds (1977)

Leonard Rossiter - A film and TV know-all goes to absurd lengths to prove his knowledge.

Superb from Rossiter who was so good I wanted to punch his lights out, and nice to see Patricia Hayes and Roy Barraclough.

Now I either read about this in a sitcom book years back or have seen a clip on TV, I don't recall but it's from his legendary late 70s period when he was cashing in on his Perrin and Rigsby fame with little one off comedies, such as The Waterloo Bridge Handicap, never shown on TV afaik and the Cinzano ads. The premise or the review or the clip itself burnt in my mind as a possible undiscovered (by me) Rossiter gem I have to visit. So ta! Big :)

And now I want to see all the others too, not least the Warren Mitchell one for getting him some rare post Garnet TV.

For some reason I thought G&S only did a 60s playhouse, but now it's coming back to me why the 70s was THE golden age of sitcom, because you got these wonderful one offs, including the classics The Fishing Party, Nuts In May, Abigail's Party and quite a few others with and by stars like Allan Bennett, Dave Allen and Neville Smith, all classic quirkcoms. As well as the great Ripping Yarns singles of course. Oh what days to be watching the haunted fish bowl.Geek happy happy.

Yes! Buy it Alf as you will love it, and you have reciprocated with a reminder to watch Abigail's Party again and Ripping Yarns. :)

I got it about a week or so ago and just watched the Arthur Lowe one.

Seems very familiar and I'm sure Lee Mack got some ideas for his Not Going Out on the cable car.

Very dated and un-PC but still very funny and cleverly written.

Been watching it on and off for a few weeks.

Could the Burt Reynolds one have been the inspiration for the Royle Family?

Also the Arthur Lowe one must've inspired the Not Going Out episode in the Cable Car.