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Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane is a play written by Ray Galton and John Antrobus that brought the Steptoe and Son saga to an end. It was first performed in 2005.
The title of this play was inspired by the Swedish 1982 play Albert & Herbert: Mordet på Skolgatan 15 (meaning Albert & Herbert: The Murder at Skolgatan 15) by Sten-Åke Cederhök, in which the title refers to their home in Haga, Gothenburg and their names as in the Swedish spin-off television series.
Steptoe and Son had been a successful British sitcom in the 1960s and 1970s. Ray Galton had been one of the two writers of the original series, and he co-wrote this play. It brought an end to the Steptoe and Son saga, explaining the two protagonists' lives together and their deaths.
The year is 2005. Steptoe's old house is now the property of the National Trust. Harold Steptoe, now in his 70s, visits the place, but gets shut in after closing time. Through his monologue, the audience discovers that he accidentally killed his father. Since then, he has been living in secret in Rio de Janeiro.
While pondering his old home, the ghost of his father, Albert, reappears. Albert explains that he has been trapped in this house with the "poncy" National Trust man, and that the only thing that Albert needs to get into heaven is an apology from Harold. Harold refuses to give it, though, because he blames Albert for ruining his life.
Most of the story is told in flashback. Albert stopped him from going to school, so missing out on an education. Albert got Harold to take the blame for looting in the Blitz. Albert stopped him from going to the D-Day landings by locking him in a secret compartment throughout the war. When the war ends, Harold is arrested and sent to fight in the Malayas. When he returns, Albert continues to interfere in his life. In an attempt to be rid of Albert forever, Harold plans to emigrate to New Zealand with his fiancée, Joyce. Albert ruins it by telling them that Joyce is secretly Harold's sister. Harold still sets off for New Zealand, but Albert gets him arrested by framing him as a thief. When Harold gets out of jail, Albert thwarts all his attempts to get a girlfriend. Harold continues to be mad at Albert until he discovers that in all the junk, he has a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, worth £3 million. Harold is over the moon and runs off to celebrate. Albert is not so happy, realising that his simple life with Harold will be over. Harold returns home to find the Bible missing, and, presuming his father has destroyed it, he throws a spear at the toilet door in a fit of rage. At that precise moment, Albert opens the door and is stabbed by the spear.
The flashbacks end. Harold now finds it in his heart to forgive Albert. Then he has a fatal heart attack, after finding out that the Bible was hidden for safe measure, not destroyed, although over time it had been chewed and ripped. He becomes a ghost along with Albert. The next morning, his body is discovered, and Joyce, who has become a nun, asks for him to be buried next to his father, much to Harold's annoyance. When Albert accidentally reveals to Harold that Joyce and he are not really related, Harold is furious, and they fly off into the sky on their old wagon, pulled by their old horse Hercules, arguing over which one will get into Heaven.
Steptoe and Son is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and white from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974 in colour. The lead roles were played by Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H. Corbett. The theme tune, "Old Ned", was composed by Ron Grainer. The series was voted 15th in a 2004 poll by the BBC to find Britain's Best Sitcom. It was remade in the United States as Sanford and Son, in Sweden as Albert & Herbert, in the Netherlands as Stiefbeen en zoon, in Portugal as Camilo & Filho, and in South Africa as Snetherswaite and Son. Two film adaptations of the series were released in cinemas, Steptoe and Son (1972) and Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973).
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom Steptoe and Son, which initially aired on BBC1 in the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1974.
Galton and Simpson were a British comedy scriptwriting duo, who wrote for radio, television and film, consisting of Ray Galton OBE and Alan Simpson OBE. They are best known for their work with comedian Tony Hancock on radio and television between 1954 and 1961 and their long-running television situation comedy, Steptoe and Son, eight series of which were aired between 1962 and 1974, they had an association lasting 60 years.
Raymond Percy Galton was an English radio and television scriptwriter, best known for the Galton and Simpson comedy writing partnership with Alan Simpson. Together they devised and wrote 1950s and 60s BBC sitcoms including Hancock's Half Hour (1954–1961), the first two series of Comedy Playhouse (1961–1963), and Steptoe and Son (1962–1974).
Henry Wilfrid Brambell was an Irish television and film actor, best remembered for playing the grubby rag-and-bone man Albert Steptoe alongside Harry H. Corbett in the long-running BBC television sitcom Steptoe and Son. He achieved international recognition in 1964 for his appearance alongside the Beatles in A Hard Day's Night, playing the fictional grandfather of Paul McCartney.
Harry H. Corbett was an English actor and comedian, best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC television sitcom Steptoe and Son. His success on television led to appearances in comedy films including The Bargee (1964), Carry On Screaming! (1966) and Jabberwocky (1977).
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Alan Francis Simpson was an English scriptwriter, best known for the Galton and Simpson comedy writing partnership with Ray Galton. Together they devised and wrote the BBC sitcom Hancock's Half Hour (1954–1961), the first two series of Comedy Playhouse (1961–1963), and Steptoe and Son (1962–1974).
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