Ray Galton and Alan Simpson have long been regarded as Britain’s most successful comedy writing partnership, having created and written the long-running series Hancock’s Half Hour and Steptoe and Son. Turning their hand to one-off stories, The Galton & Simpson Playhouse consisted of seven individual comedy plays, with the stand-alone format allowing for a wide variety of characters and storylines. The high calibre of the scripts attracted the cream of comedy actors from 1970s television, including Arthur Lowe, Leonard Rossiter, Richard Briers, John Bird, Frances de la Tour, Patricia Hayes and Warren Mitchell.

Car Along the Pass
Henry Duckworth is living proof that the English take their holidays very seriously indeed.
Starring Arthur Lowe, Mona Washbourne and Anton Diffring

Swap You One of These for One of Those
Henry Fairlane’s invite to a colleague’s party has one big condition...
Starring Richard Briers, Henry McGee, Jan Waters and John Sharp

Cheers
Peter and Charles’ long friendship is jolted by Peter’s marriage plans.
Starring Charles Gray, Freddie Jones, Nicholas Courtney and Maria Charles

Naught for Thy Comfort
An airline steward whose wife has left him finds no comfort in friends.
Starring Roy Kinnear, Robert Gillespie and the voice of Alan Freeman

Variations on a Theme
The eternal triangle can have more than one outcome...
Starring John Bird, Frances de la Tour and Norman Chappell

I Tell You It’s Burt Reynolds
A film and TV know-all goes to absurd lengths to prove his knowledge.
Starring Leonard Rossiter, Patricia Hayes and Roy Barraclough

Big Deal at York City
A man attracts attention travelling home from a day at York races.
Starring Warren Mitchell, Gerald Flood and Robert Dorning