CaptainWaggett

John Le Mes was famously laid-back. Presumably this had quite a lot to do with the 'extra strong cigarettes' he was so partial to.

hhhhancock

I must admit I haven't watched the programme yet but have it recorded. Perhaps that will change my opinion but I am very surprised at the criticism of Ken Stott, in my opinion and many others more discerning than I am he is probably the finest small screen actor in the UK, his bravura performances in Rebus and particularly Vice dragged some fairly mundane scripts into completely different realms.

If one wanted a simple Hancock impersonation there were lots of actors that could have done better, Alfred Molina and the guy who did the stage play of the Last Days of Hancock are prime examples but surely that's not what it is all about?

Still, it's all about opinions which makes this forum so interesting.

faginsgirl

For me it wasnt about impersonation this time, just general acting abilities and the way the storylines are put together.

Fagins girl xx

We`re changin` lodggggggggings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

smudge

Just watched this and was definitely impressed. OK. so it didn't tell Hancock aficionados much that was new, but I thought it was brilliantly realised - period detail et al. For once they had even given the female leads the appropriate make-up of the time.

Which brings me neatly on to Maxine Peake; an amazing performance. If they should repeat these dramas on the BBC's prime channels (and why not?) she would surely be in line for an award.

Ken Stott was darned good too - in the medium to long shots you could be convinced that you were watching The Lad Himself. Another superb piece of drama.

Smudge

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

Steve Crook

I'll second that, as I said above. She really has done some great work and deserves more recognition.

Twinkle in Dinnerladies
Myra Hindley in See No Evil: The Moors Murders (not an easy role)
Veronica in Shameless
Tracey Temple (John Prescott's secretary who he had the affair with) in Confessions of a Diary Secretary
and now Joan Le Mesurier in Hancock & Joan

That's quite a portfolio she's building

Steve

Geoffers

Yes, although Stott doesn't look much like Hancock, there were moments when he really caught the look perfectly. I enjoyed it but it was quite hard to watch, at times. Maxine Peake was excellent - reminded me of a younger Samantha Bond. It's very hard to capture Le Mesurier - I didn't find that portrayal very effective.

NappieB

Why are all the interesting documentaries shown out of range of my "rabbit ears" !

"The future is yet to come" - George W. Bush

David Challinor

I thought it was excellent - of course it left me thinking 'how much of this is accurate", but I guess I should get a copy of Joan Le Mesurier's book. Nevertheless, as dramas I have thought this and Steptoe were very good. My own bet is that these will at least get BAFTA nominations.

batman

Freddie Hancock wrote a good book about her life with Tony. Well worth a look.

Amazon.co.uk: freddie hancock: Books

I wish I had claws.

DB7

I thought it was well-written and produced, but Stott didn't seem to capture the essence of Hancock,. and at times his impression/interpretation seemed fairly forced. I could be wide of the mark but I thought he was struggling with the role. It would be interesting to hear Stott's opinion of the dramatisation

Steve Crook

Joan Le Mesurier also wrote Lady Don't Fall Backwards (London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1988. ISBN: 0283996641). A memoir dedicated to Tony Hancock and John Le Mesurier

Steve

Windthrop

The Ed Joffe book is worth a read as is the one by Cliff Goodwin.

That's the joke that killed the Music Hall

batman

Here's the amazon page for books about TH ....

Amazon.co.uk: tony hancock: Books

I wish I had claws.

CaptainWaggett

I thought the problem with the Cliff Goodwin book is that he doesn't quote his sources at all. For example he has Hancock cruising for rough trade in Piccadilly but doesn't provide any evidence. There's still plenty of room for a definitive biography.

Windthrop

I have to admit that did disturb me a bit - Sid James is quoted in the Kenneth Williams diaries as remarking on TH's same sex activities but as you say CG doesn't quote his sources which is very sloppy.

That's the joke that killed the Music Hall