Alan Simpson of Galton and Simpson fame has passed away

[half time scores]

Loved his work especially Hancock's half hour.

Rest in peace fella.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38906672

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Remember chatting to him in the Horsham boardroom when he was chairman of Hampton & Richmond Borough. Easy to talk to and very self effacing.

RIP.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Steptoe and Son. Pathos at its finest.

PG

 

[DavidRyder]

Listen to Hancock's Half Hour most mornings on the way to work - made a great contribution to the comedy world.

 

[Monkey Man]

Been catching a lot of Steptoe & Son on R4 Extra lately. Amazing how the same storyline basically recurs in every single episode and yet you still warm to the characters and care about them. A lot of that is down to the acting but the writing itself is so well done.

 

[studio150]

What minute are we having the minutes applause on Saturday for Alan.

On a serious note, the likes of Hancock and Steptoe are still funny today, and many of the jokes have been borrowed and used in more recent comedies which illustrates how good the pair were at writing.

RIP

 

[severnside gull]

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has also died today.
Now there's an ironic contrast in lifetime contribution.

 

[Triggaaar]

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has also died today.
Now there's an ironic contrast in lifetime contribution.

Not sure that jibe is necessary.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Not sure that jibe is necessary.

I don't think it was a jibe was it?

I an see what the poster means, in some ways it can be said that they were polar opposites.

 

[half time scores]

Episode on Radio 4 Extra this evening at 7.30 pm..
The one about triskaidekaphobia.

 

[1234andcounting]

"A pint. That's nearly an armful!"

"You won't have an empty arm, or any empty anything."

Genius writing - The Blood Donor for those few who don't recognise it. I was always very grateful for those involved in Hancock's Half Hour as for a fallback I could always buy my dad an LP of a couple of programmes (or Round The Horne or The Goons). A gentler comedy than we have today.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Steptoe and Son. Pathos at its finest.

PG

Very much this.

Very, very funny but with an element of tragedy in that you always knew Harold would never escape.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

"A pint. That's nearly an armful!"

"You won't have an empty arm, or any empty anything."

Genius writing - The Blood Donor for those few who don't recognise it. I was always very grateful for those involved in Hancock's Half Hour as for a fallback I could always buy my dad an LP of a couple of programmes (or Round The Horne or The Goons). A gentler comedy than we have today.

Talking to Paul Merton on radio 4 at teatime - he knew them both well - he commented on the genius of that very line. Not "A Pint, that's an armful", but "A pint, that's nearly an armful", giving the poaaibility of lots of discussion about how much an armful would be.

 

[luppers]

I remember going to Hampton and Richmond to see Eastbourne Borough play. When he saw us in the club bar he made a point of coming over for a chat, thanked us for going and wished us good luck for the day. An absolute gent and a very fine writer.
RIP and thank you for the many laughs you have given