List of Steptoe and Son episodes

This is an episode list of the British sitcom Steptoe and Son. All episodes were originally shown on what is now known as BBC One, although the station was simply called BBC Television until April 1964 when BBC2 began broadcasting (between the third and fourth series). Dates shown are original air dates. Series 1–4 were produced in black and white, and series 5–8 in colour. However, none of the series 5 episodes survived in colour, and not all of the series 6 episodes currently survive in colour.

Series 1-6 were Produced and Directed by Duncan Wood, Series 7 by John Howard Davies (apart from "Divided We Stand" which was directed by David Croft as Davies was ill), the 1973 Christmas Special by Graeme Muir, and Series 8 and 1974 Christmas Special by Douglas Argent. All episodes written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Series 7 - 8 are regularly repeated on G.O.L.D.

Contents

Pilot (1962)

Ep. Title Directed by: Written by: Airdate
0 "The Offer" (pilot) Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 4 January 1962

Harold's been offered a job elsewhere, so when he discovers Albert has been drinking out of the cocktail cabinet, he begins to pack up his belongings and leave his dad for good.

(Episode of Comedy Playhouse.) 

Series 1 (1962)

Ep. Title Directed by: Written by: Airdate
1-1 "The Bird" Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 14 June 1962
Harold is going out every night, so Albert suspects that he must being seeing a girl Determined to put a stop to the romance, he gets Harold to invite the girl back to the house for dinner. Meanwhile Albert puts the clocks forward so when she fails to show up at the right time, Harold thinks she has stood him up. 
1–2 "The Piano" Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 21st June 1962
Harold is offered a piano, providing he moves it himself. He gets Albert to help, only to find out that it is on the top floor of a block of flats. The 10th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Piano Movers". 
1–3 "The Economist" Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 28th June 1962
Harold tries to teach Albert about the economics of running a business. He then ends up buying 400 sets of false teeth hoping to make a killing. When they don't sell, He takes their last £10.00 and tries again, this time bringing home 400 World War 2 gas masks. 
1–4 "The Diploma" Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 5 July 1962
Harold decides to get out of the rag and bone trade, and get a diploma in TV repair, only for Albert to prove that he knows more about it than Harold. 
1–5 "The Holiday" Duncan Wood Alan Simpson, Ray Galton 12 July 1962
For the first time Harold plans to go on holiday abroad instead of Bognor with his dad Albert fakes a heart attack to stop him going and the doctor advises Harold to take him to Bognor 

Series 2 (1963)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
7. (2–1) "Wallah-Wallah Catsmeat" (20/12/62) (03/01/63) Hercules, the Steptoes's horse, is sick so the local rag and bone men pitch in to help.
8. (2–2) "The Bath" (13/12/62) (10/01/63) Albert decides to have a bath while Harold's latest companion is due to come round for pre-bingo cocktails. Features Yootha Joyce.
9. (2–3) "The Stepmother" (03/01/63) (17/01/63) Albert plans to re-marry, but Harold will do everything in his power to prevent it. The 10th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Barracuda".
10. (2–4) "Sixty-Five Today" (10/01/63) (24/01/63) Albert's 65th birthday comes as a joke to Harold, who pretends to forget in order to wind him up. The 2nd of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "Happy Birthday, Pop".
11. (2–5) "A Musical Evening" (17/01/63) (31/01/63) Harold has picked up some old gramophone records, which he's keen to add to his classical music collection.
12. (2–6) "Full House" (24/01/63) (07/02/63) Harold plans an evening of cards with a group of friends. The 13th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Card Sharps".
13. (2–7) "Is That Your Horse Outside?" (04/02/63) (14/02/63) Harold falls for a rich married woman (Patricia Haines) and thinks it's love.

Series 3 (1964)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
14. (3–1) "Homes Fit for Heroes" (12/12/63) (07/01/64) Harold plans to go on a sailing trip around the world, and bung Albert in an old peoples home. The 15th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "Home Sweet Home for the Aged".
15. (3–2) "The Wooden Overcoats" (19/12/63) (14/01/64) Harold comes home with a cartful of coffins, much to Albert's horror. The 9th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "Coffins for Sale".
16. (3–3) "The Lead Man Cometh" (02/01/64) (21/01/64) The business is doing badly and the Steptoes are having to break into their savings to keep their heads above water, and then a dealer in lead comes round and sells them tons of lead at a cheap price, they then find out the lead was stolen when the police visit the yard. Featuring Leonard Rossiter. The 4th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Copper Caper"
17. (3–4) "Steptoe à la Cart" (09/01/64) (28/01/64) Harold meets a French girl, and falls for her When she meets Albert they talk about her family history and it becomes apparent that Albert may have dated her grandmother while on leave during the first war with all its ramifications
18. (3–5) "Sunday for Seven Days" (16/01/64) (04/02/64) Albert and Harold are getting ready for an evening at the pictures.
19. (3–6) "The Bond That Binds Us" (23/01/64) (11/02/64) Albert has a windfall on the Premium Bonds. Featuring June Whitfield.
20. (3–7) "The Lodger" (30/01/64) (18/02/64) Albert decides to get in a lodger to earn some money, but Harold anounces that when the lodger steps in, he steps out, then Albert catches Harold taking the advert out the shop window, tells him and Harold walks out, but Albert can't get a lodger anyway.

Royal Variety Performance (1964)

Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
Royal Variety Performance (08/11/64) (08/11/64)[1] Harold is trying to go up-market by totting in Pall Mall. However, he is horrified when he finds Albert has been helping by asking for scrap at Buckingham Palace!

Series 4 (1965)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
21. (4–1) "And Afterwards At..." (12/09/65) (04/10/65) Harold's getting married, but what will the bride say? The 3rd of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride".
22. (4–2) "Crossed Swords" (19/09/65) (11/10/65) The Steptoes take a porcelain vase to a West End antiques expert's shop. Featuring Derek Nimmo. The first of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son.
23. (4–3) "Those Magnificent Men and Their Heating Machines" (26/09/65) (18/10/65) Harold installs central heating in the house, but Albert's views of his bad workmanship turn out to be right as he pulls the house down.
24. (4–4) "The Siege of Steptoe Street" (03/10/65) (25/10/65) Harold notices that the fishmonger and the butcher are providing luxurious delicacies that he's never eaten. The 8th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Great Sanford Siege".
25. (4–5) "A Box in Town" (10/10/65) (01/11/65) Harold moves into an attic bed-sit flat. Features Yootha Joyce. The 7th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son called "A Pad for Lamont".
26. (4–6) "My Old Man's a Tory" (17/10/65) (08/11/65) Harold and Albert clash over their opposing political views. Exists as b/w shibaden VT recording.
27. (4–7) "Pilgrim's Progress" (24/10/65) (15/11/65) Albert asks Harold for him to take him back to the battle field to think of the memories of the war, but whilst on the plane, he upsets and insults the fighting legion of the French and the American, then gets into a fight with them. Featuring Frank Thornton.

Series 5 (1970)

Produced in colour, however all currently only exist in black and white.

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
28. (5–1) "A Death in the Family" (15/02/70) (06/03/70) Hercules the Horse succumbs to a heart attack at the grand old age of 39, leaving Albert to think he has no reason to go on.
29. (5–2) "A Winter's Tale" (22/02/70) (13/03/70) Albert and Harold once again clash over the destination for their annual holiday. First reel of a b/w telerecording recovered in 2008. Colour version may be possible.
30. (5–3) "Any Old Iron?" (08/03/70) (20/03/70) Harold makes a new friend out of sophisticated antique dealer Timothy Stanhope (Richard Hurndall). However, Albert suspects that Timothy's interest in Harold is something other than friendship.
31. (5–4) "Steptoe and Son — and Son!" (15/03/70) (27/03/70) Harold is believed to be the father of an illegitimate son.
32. (5–5) "The Colour Problem" (22/03/70) (03/04/70) Albert wants a colour television set... The 11th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "TV or Not TV".
33. (5–6) "T.B. or Not T.B.?" (05/04/70) (10/04/70) Albert is wrongly thought to have tuberculosis. The 5th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "A Matter of Life and Breath".
34. (5–7) "Men of Property" (29/03/70) (17/04/70) Harold and Albert find out that they don't actually own their house, and have to buy £750 to buy the property, but the bank don't agree to lend them the money after Alberts gambling ways get the better of him.

Series 6 (1970)

Produced in colour, however only two survived, unless otherwise indicated, currently only exist in black and white.

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
35. (6–1) "Robbery with Violence" (18/10/70) (02/11/70) After accidentally knocking over Harold's porcelain collection, Albert pretends they have been robbed to cover it up. The 6th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "We Were Robbed".
36. (6–2) "Come Dancing" (25/10/70) (09/11/70) Harold has a lady friend who enjoys dancing, but Harold himself cannot dance, so Albert teaches Harold the steps that he needs. Survives in colour.
37. (6–3) "Two's Company" (01/11/70) (16/11/70) Albert reveals to Harold that he has asked a woman (Jean Kent) to marry him. When Albert brings her to the house, Harold realises that the very same woman was an old flame of his. The 14th of 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "The Infernal Triangle"
38. (6–4) "Tea for Two" (08/11/70) (23/11/70) Harold and Albert's support for rival parties in the Shepherd's Bush by-election has drawn battle lines between them.
39. (6–5) "Without Prejudice" (15/11/70) (30/11/70) Harold is desperate to move from Oil Drum Lane after a noisy new motorway flyover causes irritation. However, the residents of the street that the Steptoes plan on moving to object to the possible lowering of standards of the residents, not to mention the lowering of property prices...
40. (6–6) "Pot Black" (22/11/70) (07/12/70) Harold buys a snooker table, but after paternal resistance encounters a more fundamental obstacle.
41. (6–7) "The Three Feathers" (29/11/70) (14/12/70) Albert gets stuck in a painful yoga position, while Harold reveals a new commode he has just picked up for a bargain price. The last of the 16 stories adapted into an episode of Sanford and Son renamed "Pot Luck".
42. (6–8) "Cuckoo in the Nest" (06/12/70) (21/12/70) Albert's long lost Australian son turns up from out of the blue and causes Harold to be very jealous. Survives in colour.

Series 7 (1972)

Produced in colour. This is the first series to survive completely in colour.

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
43. (7–1) "Men of Letters" (13/02/72) (21/02/72) After having a disturbing and rude game of Scrabble, Harold and Albert argue over who will write in the churches 100th anniversary addition of the parish magazine in front of the vicar.
44. (7–2) "A Star Is Born" (20/02/72) (28/02/72) Harold joins an amateur dramatic society for their latest play, Guilt: The White Man's Burden. Guest stars Margaret Nolan of Carry On films fame and Trevor Bannister who went on to fame as Mr Lucas in 'Are You Being Served'. The plot of this episode is lifted, almost identically, to the 'Classic 39' episode of The Honeymooners On Stage, even down to the "polo-ponies" joke.
45. (7–3) "Oh, What a Beautiful Mourning" (27/02/72) (06/03/72) Albert's eldest brother, George, has died, and the thought of another Steptoe funeral depresses Harold, but by the end of all the aggro, Harold and Albert agree that the funeral was worth going to.
46. (7–4) "Live Now, P.A.Y.E. Later" (05/02/72) (13/03/72) Harold discovers that Albert has "forgotten" to inform the tax department that his wife has died and has been cashing her pension. They need to get their story straight before the taxman visits.
47. (7–5) "Loathe Story" (13/03/72) (20/03/72) After he tries to murder Albert in his sleep, Harold visits a psychiatrist to get to the root of his antagonism towards his father. Joanna Lumley guest stars.
48. (7–6) "Divided We Stand" (19/03/72) (27/03/72) After Harold and Albert argue over the decorations, Harold builds a Berlin wall through the house to separate himself from Albert, but they end up falling out with each other even through a wall, then disaster strikes putting Harold and Albert in hospital.
49. (7–7) "The Desperate Hours" (26/03/72) (03/04/72) Harold and Albert struggle to keep warm in the freezing house, until they get some unexpected visitors. Guest starring J. G. Devlin and Leonard Rossiter.

Films 1972-3

Title Recorded First Released Notes
Steptoe and Son April 1972 Harold marries a stripper, Zita, who subsequently leaves him.
Steptoe and Son Ride Again July 1973 Intending on buying a horse, Harold is tricked into buying a greyhound instead. To pay off their debts, Albert fakes his own death to collect on his life insurance.

Christmas Special (1973)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
50. The Party (03/12/73) (24/12/73) Harold books a Christmas holiday in Majorca, but when it's canceled, he decides to have a Christmas party instead.

Series 8 (1974)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
51. (8–1) "Back in Fashion" (31/08/74) (04/09/74) A photographer wishes to use the Steptoes' yard as a set for a fashion shoot.
52. (8–2) "And So to Bed" (07/09/74) (11/09/74) Planning to bring his new girlfriend home, Harold invests in a waterbed.
53. (8–3) "Porn Yesterday" (14/09/74) (18/09/74) Harold discovers Albert's 'dirty' past.
54. (8–4) "The Seven Steptoerai" (21/09/74) (25/09/74) Albert gets assistance from the over 65 kung-fu club, when local villain Frankie Barrow (Henry Woolf), starts a protection racket.
55. (8–5) "Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs" (28/09/74) (03/10/74) Albert is suffering (or so he says) from a bad back and is bedridden, so Harold has to take care of him on doctor's orders.
56. (8–6) "Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard" (05/10/74) (10/10/74) Clairvoyant Madame Fontana (Patricia Routledge) at Albert's request holds a seance at the Steptoes.

Christmas Special (1974)

Episode # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
57. A Perfect Christmas (26/10/74) (26/12/74) Final episode. Harold's last attempt to get away abroad for his Christmas Holiday, but he has a cunning plan in mind.

Programmes made about Steptoe and Son

When Steptoe Met Son (2002)

Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
When Steptoe Met Son (20/08/02) Documentary about the personal lives of Harry H Corbett & Wilfrid Brambell.

The Curse of Steptoe (2008)

Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
The Curse of Steptoe (19/03/08) Play about the relationship between Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H Corbett.

Steptoe and son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane (2005)

Title Notes
Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane Play that brings the Steptoe saga to an end.

Christmas Night with the Stars

Christmas Night with the Stars was screened annually on Christmas night when the top stars of the BBC appeared in short versions, typically five to ten minutes; Steptoe & Son appeared twice in 1962 and 1967.

However the 1962 Christmas segment no longer exists. Only the 1967 Christmas segment remains and still exists on film in the archives.

No # Title Recorded First broadcast Notes
. (0–1) 1962 Untitled Sketch (23/12/62) (25/12/62) lost
. (0–2) 1967 Untitled Sketch (23/12/67) (25/12/67)

References

  1. ^ "BBC – Programme Catalogue – THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE – 1964". http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LLV5418K. Retrieved 2007-11-19. 

External links

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List of Steptoe and Son episodes
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