And A Dewhurst Up A Fir Tree
Christmas special, first shown 27 Dec 1979, 30 min
Our take
A classic piece of early-years plotting: a pompous man, a too-good-to-be-true bargain and a hundred problems with roots and creepy-crawlies. It catches the show at the point its third man had become a fixture, and the joke of Christmas planning done in high summer is one the series came back to. A small, tidy half hour that rewards anyone who likes their festive comedy gentle and a little bit grubby.
What happens
Foggy decides that organisation is the key to Christmas and starts his Christmas shopping in the middle of summer, only to find that nobody sells Christmas cards at that time of year. A chance meeting in a pub with a man called Eric from the Forestry Commission lands him what looks like the bargain of a lifetime: 100 Christmas trees for just ten pounds. The trees turn out to be crawling with insects. Meanwhile Nora Batty and Ivy decide it is time to take action against Compo's wandering hands.
Can the kids watch it?
Not rated by the BBFC as a separate episode; gentle slapstick and mild innuendo, fine for most families.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Bill Owen as Compo
- Peter Sallis as Clegg
- Brian Wilde as Foggy
- Kathy Staff as Nora Batty
- Jane Freeman as Ivy
- John Comer as Sid
Guest stars
- Juliet Cooke as Mavis, card shop lady
Writer
- Roy Clarke
Director
- Sydney Lotterby