Accession Number

B728

Series Title

TALES OF TWELVE CITIES

Programme Title

THE COMIC'S TALE

Producer

Tony Broughton

Other Credits

Narrator: Alan Bleasdale; Executive Producer: James Dewar; Editor: John Grove

Transmission Date

05/10/81

colour , sound (sep), 41 mins 30 secs

Synopsis

Alan Bleasdale looks at the unique humour of his native Liverpool by talking to Scousers at various working men's clubs, pubs, the Docks, Job Centres, Radio Merseyside, Great Homer Street market, taxi offices and pubs on the Dock Road. There is footage of stand-up comedians Jackie Hamilton and Ray Kingsley on-stage. Dockers recount humourous anecdotes about working in the docks and ex-Docker Brian Jiggs laments the demise of the world's busiest docks. Focuses on Toxteth's high unemployment and poor facilities. Includes several aerial shots of the city and its docks, shots of half-demolished buildings and derelict docks. Bleasdale visits the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind where children tell jokes and child comedian Paul McNally is shown on-stage. Youths at a job centre talk about unemployment and Nelly Flanaghan, manageress of 'The Victoria' pub on the Dock road recounts funny stories.