"Steptoe and Son" (1962)TV series 1962-1974

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

5 June 1962 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful...

Plot Keywords:

Laziness | Small Business | Father Son Conflict | Father Son Relationship | Junkyard

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Wilfrid Brambell	...	Albert Steptoe (57 episodes, 1962-1974)
Harry H. Corbett	...	Harold Steptoe (57 episodes, 1962-1974)

(more)

Series Directed by
Douglas Argent		(5 episodes, 1974)
Duncan Wood		(4 episodes, 1963-1964)
John Howard Davies		(unknown episodes, 1972)
Graeme Muir		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Ray Galton		(57 episodes, 1962-1974)
Alan Simpson		(57 episodes, 1962-1974)

Series Produced by
Duncan Wood	....	producer (15 episodes, 1962-1970)
Douglas Argent	....	producer (6 episodes, 1974)
John Howard Davies	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1972)
Graeme Muir	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Dennis Wilson		(3 episodes, 1974)

Series Film Editing by
Geoffrey Botterill		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Bob Rymer		(1 episode, 1970-1972)
Peter Pierce		(unknown episodes, 1964)
Richard Steel		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Roger Andrews		(11 episodes, 1962-1965)
Paul Allen		(6 episodes, 1974)
Martin Johnson		(2 episodes, 1964)
Lionel Radford		(unknown episodes, 1964)
Roger Liminton		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Dorinda Rea		(6 episodes, 1974)
Maureen Copley		(unknown episodes, 1962)
Maureen Muggeridge		(unknown episodes, 1962)
Jane Roberts		(unknown episodes, 1963)
Michael Robbie		(unknown episodes, 1965)
Mary Jones		(unknown episodes, 1970)
Susan Wheal		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Kezia De Winne	....	makeup supervisor / makeup artist (6 episodes, 1973-1974)
Elizabeth Armstrong	....	makeup supervisor (2 episodes, 1965)
Lilias Munro	....	makeup supervisor (unknown episodes, 1962)
Sandra Hurll	....	makeup supervisor (unknown episodes, 1965)
Ann Ailes-Stevenson	....	makeup artist / makeup supervisor (unknown episodes, 1970)
Penny Shawyer	....	makeup artist / makeup supervisor (unknown episodes, 1972)
Rhian Davies	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Jack Sudic	....	sound (6 episodes, 1974)
Norman Greaves	....	sound supervisor (2 episodes, 1962-1965)
Buster Cole	....	grams operator (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Michael McCarthy	....	sound supervisor (1 episode, 1970-1972)
Mark Howell	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1962)
Patrick Heigham	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1965)
Brian Hiles	....	sound supervisor (unknown episodes, 1965)
Laurie Taylor	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1965)
Dave Thompson	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1970-1972)
Mike Barclay	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1970)
John Lloyd	....	grams operator / sound supervisor (unknown episodes, 1970)
Ian Tomlin	....	grams operator (unknown episodes, 1974)
Ron Blight	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Liam Donnelly	....	grams operator (unknown episodes)
Mike Felton	....	grams operator (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Dave Havard	....	visual effects / visual effects supervisor (2 episodes, 1974)

Series Stunts
Mike Crisp	....	stunt unit director (1 episode, 1974)
Bill Weston	....	fight arranger (1 episode, 1974)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Richie Richardson	....	lighting technician / lighting (7 episodes, 1970-1974)
Jimmy Richardson	....	lighting supervisor (2 episodes, 1962-1970)
Tony Leggo	....	camera operator / film camera (2 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Tiley	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1974)
Stewart A. Farnell	....	camera operator (unknown episodes, 1970-1972)
Peter Ware	....	senior camera operator (unknown episodes, 1970)
John Adderley	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
James Balfour	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Elmer Cossey	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Roberts	....	costume supervisor (1 episode, 1963)
Susan Wheal	....	costume supervisor (1 episode, 1964)

Series Editorial Department
Steve Turner	....	vision mixer (1 episode, 1962-1963)
Granville Jenkins	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes, 1964)
Mike Catherwood	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes, 1970-1972)
Bill Morton	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes, 1974)
Joan Duncan	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes)
John Gorman	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	composer: incidental music / composer: theme music / ... (20 episodes, 1962-1974)
Dennis Wilson	....	composer: incidental music (4 episodes, 1970-1974)
Norman Percival	....	composer: incidental music (3 episodes, 1964)
Ken Jones	....	composer: incidental music (unknown episodes, 1965)

Series Other crew
Mike Crisp	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1974)
Elizabeth Cranston	....	production secretary (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
Joan Duncan	....	assistant floor manager (1 episode, 1962-1963)
Gordon Pert	....	floor manager (1 episode, 1964-1972)
Ken Howard	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1962)
Sydney Lotterby	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 1962)
Trevor Beckett	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1965)
Tony James	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes, 1965)
John Kilby	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes, 1970)
John Van Duyken	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1970)
Heather Gilder	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes, 1972)
Tony Newman	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1972)
Paul Jackson	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes, 1974)
Carol Scott	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1974)
Clive Swan	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes, 1974)
George Clarke	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
John Hughes	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Frank Mullen	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes)
Penny Thompson	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Laurence Vulliamy	....	floor assistant (unknown episodes)
Bill Weston	....	fight arranger (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• BBC Video
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1962-1974) (UK) (TV)

Runtime:

29 min (55 episodes) | 45 min (2 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Oil Drum Lane was mentioned by Tony Hancock in Hancock episode "Hancock's Half Hour: The Missing Page (#6.2)" (1960) (broadcast 11 March 1960) as being the residence of the reader who borrowed the library book before Tony Hancock. This was also written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.

Quotes:

Harold Steptoe: [trying to convince Albert to change the channel of the partitioned TV set] We had an agreement, we shook hands. I have got the law of contract on my side.
Albert Edward Ladysmith Steptoe: I have the knobs on my side.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Curse of Steptoe (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Old Ned

Classic comedy with a heart of truth

Although Steptoe and Son ran on British TV for twelve years it is one of those rare (maybe unique) examples of an idea which continued to develop and evolve rather than slide into stale repetition.

In its early years the series emphasised broad comedy. One well-remembered episode features Albert eating a meal while sitting in his bath, earning a rebuke from his son which became a national catchphrase: "You dirty old man!"

As time went by the characters became established and the writing began to emphasise the mutual dependency of two basically lonely men (Harold the batchelor and Albert the widower). Harold dreams of a better quality of life away from his father and constantly makes attempts to achieve something in his own right. His attempts are thwarted by his own lack of social standing and his father's scheming: if Harold joins a local theatre group, Albert joins too and becomes the star of the show.

Albert, for his part, fears losing his son and being abandoned in his old age. He will use any means (especially moral blackmail) to keep Harold at his side. More importantly he is far more realistic than Harold and sees that his attempts at social ambition are doomed.

In one of the most moving episodes an old girlfriend of Harold's reappears after many years. They still feel the same way about each other and plan to marry. Finally Harold can break away from the old man. Naturally Albert has other ideas, but at the climax of the show it is the girl who ends the relationship, telling Harold he is already married.

The performances of Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H Corbett never faltered through the show's run. Galton and Simpson produced scripts of wit and insight and they performed with great skill and subtlety. This is a show where you laugh while recognising the truth and basic sadness of the situation in which the characters live.