Quote: brooksey @ August 7 2008, 7:31 AM BSTHi, I'm after the name of an episode of Steptoe and Son when one of them meets a cross dresser.
Hi brooksey, welcome to the site.
In answer to your question, I don't recall one offhand, but it's been a long time since I've seen some of the episodes. However, I do know that S07E04 - Live Now, P.A.Y.E. Later - features Albert having to dress as his long-dead wife (Harold's mother) for the purposes of benefit fraud! Perhaps you're thinking of that one?
The best comedy involves suffering. Whether it's Harold having to endure his Dad, Basil having to endure his wife and his underachievement, Partridge his limitations and personal insecurities, even Sid James having to endure his wife and family in 'Bless This House' (tips hat to Aaron). In sitcom (certainly British sitcom) it's a recurring theme. And it still goes on. Think of the suffering involved in being Mark in 'Peep Show'. We like characters who are on the edge and secretly know it.
Quote: brooksey @ August 7 2008, 7:31 AM BSTHi, I'm after the name of an episode of Steptoe and Son when one of them meets a cross dresser.
Hello. Perhaps you're thinking of the first Steptoe and Son feature film, where Albert gets off with a drag act at a stag do?
Steptoe has always remained a favourite of mine.
G.O.L.D. is showing the 1973 Christmas special tonight, so fans might be interested in watching it to see if it's the full version or the edited version that's on the DVDs.
If it's edited on the DVDs (wasn't aware of that 
) then it's almost certainly the one they'll be broadcasting. Possibly the BBC only have it in an edited format?
Oh, now this is perhaps a little intriguing. It's on twice tonight; the later showing, at 00:50, is 5 minutes longer than the former. Normally the later shows are on, the shorter they're scheduled, as ad breaks are cut back. Hm.
I only have Freeview, so I can't watch it and find out. Grr.. Anyway, from what I can tell, the DVD version is the version shown on BBC2 in the 90s, and which I believe is cut purely to fit TV timeslots, so releasing that on DVD rather than the standard version is just a cockup. The standard version seems to have been released on VHS.
Ahh, interesting. Very interesting. I'll have to try and investigate that.
I seem to remember reading about this on Roobarb's DVD forum, where it said the difference runs to about 4 mins of footage. Something like that. Mind you, if they have ads on G.O.L.D., then they may go with the shorter version.
I've just checked the timings: the full version is about 46m, the shorter one is about 42m.
Yeah there's some negative reviews on amazon saying that the Christmas Specials DVD has been cut.
Quote: Bad dog @ November 2 2008, 9:47 PM GMTI seem to remember reading about this on Roobarb's DVD forum, where it said the difference runs to about 4 mins of footage. Something like that. Mind you, if they have ads on G.O.L.D., then they may go with the shorter version.
I've just checked the timings: the full version is about 46m, the shorter one is about 42m.
Just for reference; it'd be better if you post again in future, rather than editing. Particularly after such a long period between the two!
OK then.
Just to throw in my own opinion for what it's worth. I think Steptoe is as fine a piece of writing in any field as you will find in the last 50 years. Harold Pinter is rightly revered as a brilliant writer but I don't see why Galton & Simpson are never uttered in the same breath. (And their comedy was streets ahead of his.)
Someone mentioned the Rossiter link - and if I remember correctly Rossiter was originally supposed to play Harold. But if you only ever watch one episode of Steptoe then dig out if you can 'The Desperate Hours' in which Rossiter plays an escaped prisoner. I think it's the finest half hour of comedy-drama ever seen on British TV.
Dave Cohen
He was also the lead man in The Lead Man Cometh.
I have not bought the Christmas specials DVD, and will not until the BBC get their arses into gear. They should get someone working on these things who knows what they are doing.
Their idea of releasing Steptoe is to just chuck any old print onto DVD, they know the fans will buy it regardless of the lack of quality.
