bluetone

Am I right in thinking that Harry H Corbett's character in The Bargee (Hemel Pike) is named after Hemel Hempstead? Why?

Bobj

It's a while since I saw 'The Bargee' but as you'll probably know that in the movie Harry H Corbett & Ronnie Barker work a stretch of the Grand Union Canal. Hemel Hempstead is one of many towns through which it passes.
In the movie when asked how he got the name Hemel Harry H Corbett confirms that it was because he was born on the canal at Hemel Hempstead. To this Ronnie Barker pipes up and says that it was a good thing he wasn't born at Berkhamsted!
Regards
Bobj (Hemel Hempstead resident)

smudge

And wasn't Hemel Hempstead used as the 'colony' town in QUATERMASS II ? It was being built around the time IIRC ?

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Steve Crook

The good old (but not 100% guaranteed accurate) IMDb lists Hemel Hampstead and the Shell Haven Refinery, Essex as locations.

That's for Quatermass 2 (1957) (aka Quatermass II: Enemy from Space) which is not to be confused with Quatermass II (1955). The 1957 version was a Hammer film by Val Guest with Brian Donlevy as Prof. Quatermass. The 1955 version was a TV movie made for the BBC by Rudolph Cartier with John Robinson as Prof. Quatermass.

Steve

Steve Crook

PaPAS

Bobj

Steve is quite right the main locations were the Shell Haven Oil Refinery in Essex and the New Town of Hemel Hempstead.
The sinister complex at the heart of the fictional community of Winnerden Flats was the oil refinery. The shots of the community itself (homes and village hall) were in a newly constructed area of Hemel Hempstead. I believe the interiors were shot at Elstree.
From what I'm told by family the local authorities at Hemel Hempstead decided to commemorate the making of the film by naming two roads after it. However when it came to I don't know whether by error or design the spelling Quatermass was changed to QUARTERMASS.