This edition of 'Comedy Playhouse' starred John Le Mesurier, several years away from his signature role as 'Sgt. Wilson' in 'Dad's Army'. Here he plays 'Caleb Bullrush', a confidence trickster newly released from prison. His speciality is dressing up as a vicar and getting unsuspecting members of the public to donate to non-existent charities. In a pub one evening, he gets friendly with prostitute 'Rita' ( Yootha Joyce ) and takes her back to his hotel. Before they can get better acquainted, however, an unexpected crisis develops - a man ( Blake Butler ) is threatening to commit suicide by falling from a window ledge. Caleb is asked to try to talk the would-be suicide victim out of it...
This is amusing enough, but it is not hard to see why it was not developed into a series. Dick Emery later portrayed a crooked Vicar in his long-running show. 'Comedy Playhouse' took another crack at the subject of con men ten years later with 'Born Every Minute' which starred Ronald Fraser and - another 'Dad's Army' veteran - James Beck. Joyce was, of course, destined for sitcom immortality a decade later in 'Man about The House' and its follow-up 'George & Mildred'.
Funniest moment - Caleb tries to give the man on the window ledge a cup of tea, only to slip and fall in a fireman's net!
Galton and Simpson later wrote an episode of the ITV series 'Dawsons Weekly' with the title 'The Clerical Error; but it is not a remake.
Lastly, a quick mention of the sad passing of Ian Lavender, aka 'Private Pike' from 'Dad's Army'. The cast might be gone forever, but thankfully the show's repeats are still with us. "Don't tell him, Pike!".
This is amusing enough, but it is not hard to see why it was not developed into a series. Dick Emery later portrayed a crooked Vicar in his long-running show. 'Comedy Playhouse' took another crack at the subject of con men ten years later with 'Born Every Minute' which starred Ronald Fraser and - another 'Dad's Army' veteran - James Beck. Joyce was, of course, destined for sitcom immortality a decade later in 'Man about The House' and its follow-up 'George & Mildred'.
Funniest moment - Caleb tries to give the man on the window ledge a cup of tea, only to slip and fall in a fireman's net!
Galton and Simpson later wrote an episode of the ITV series 'Dawsons Weekly' with the title 'The Clerical Error; but it is not a remake.
Lastly, a quick mention of the sad passing of Ian Lavender, aka 'Private Pike' from 'Dad's Army'. The cast might be gone forever, but thankfully the show's repeats are still with us. "Don't tell him, Pike!".
