Deep and Crisp and Stolen

Deep and Crisp and Stolen is a 1964 British television play by Dave Freeman directed by Ronald Marriott. It was a Christmas season "special" featuring many cameos from British television stars of the time and aired on 21 December 1964.

Premise

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A gang of thieves rob a West End department store on Christmas Eve.

Cast

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  • Raymond Francis as Chief Det. Supt. Tom Lockhart / Percy Turner
  • Dennis Price as William
  • Maggie Fitzgibbon as Leoni
  • Robert Dorning as Manager
  • George Moon as Ted
  • Muriel Young as WP Sgt. Saunders
  • Joan Hickson as Mrs. Caley
  • Arthur Mullard as PC Muldoon
  • Dennis Lotis as Bryant
  • Grant Taylor as Bluey
  • Frances Guthrie as Miss Burton
  • Tony Quinn as Dooley
  • Jack Cunningham as 1st Landlord
  • John Quayle as Space pilot
  • Margaret Nolan as Space hostess
  • James Copeland as Security man Tom
  • Jack Lynn as Security Sergeant

Guests

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Reception

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According to BFI Screenoline "the audience-pleasing focus of the play being the guest appearance of Detective Chief-Superintendent Lockhart (played by Raymond Francis), the hero of ITV's popular police drama No Hiding Place (1959-67)."[1] The play was described by the Western Daily Press as a "cracking good comedy."[2]

The Birmingham Evening Mail called it "hardly the hilarious thing it seemed intended to be."[3] The Guardian said it was "mostly rubbish".[4] The Daily Telegraph declared it was "a very entertaining piece of nonsense."[5] The show was the seventeenth most popular program of the year on British television with an audience of 7.46 million.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Vahimagi, Tise. "Hanley, Jimmy (1918-1970)". BFI Screenonline.
  2. ^ "Riotous cops and robbers". Western Daily Press. 22 December 1964. p. 7.
  3. ^ "Neother comedy nor mystery". Birmingham Evening Mail. 22 December 1964. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Panorama". The Guardian. 22 December 1964. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Crooks who fell down". The Daily Telegraph. 22 December 1064. p. 11.
  6. ^ Harbord, Jane; Wright, Jeff; Harboard, Jane (1992). 40 Years of British Television. Boxtree Ltd. p. 35.
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