In 1962, a new sitcom single-handedly brought the gritty realism of kitchen-sink drama into the arena of comedy. Deliberately casting actors instead of professional comedians, 'Steptoe And Son' offered a brand-new kind of humour, trading on, and becoming an icon of, the political unrest and post-war disillusionment of Sixties Britain. 'Harold Pinter with shorter pauses', as one critic wrote.
This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the ever-popular comedy series, and provides a perfect occasion for a book dedicated to enhancing fans' understanding of every aspect of this national institution.
Fully authorised by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the book chronicles the life of the programme in a biography format, based around exclusive interviews with the show's creators, as well as surviving members of the cast and crew, and illustrated with never-before-published photos from the BBC archive.
Behind-the-scenes secrets, unearthed from official BBC correspondence, reveal how Wilfrid Brambell's old man Steptoe was almost killed off after the first series, and how a swinging Sixties icon was almost drafted in as a hip new 'son' for the programme.
Following on from several best-selling script collections, this is the first book dedicated to the history and stars of 'Steptoe And Son', and provides us with the first and last word on one of the most successful sit-coms in British TV history.
