Hole in One
Encyclopedia
"Hole in One" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the third episode of series 4, and was first screened on 7 March, 1985.
first moved in with Del Boy
and Rodney
, and things are not good for them financially. It is the worst winter in over "two million years", and Rodney has foolishly made an investment in £500 worth of sun tan lotion.
At the Nag's Head, as the Trotters pass by the open door into its cellar, Mike wants a word with Del about the deep-fat fryer he sold him. Inside, Del and Rodney once again start to argue, prompting Albert to leave.
Suddenly, a loud crash is heard, and the Trotter Brothers run into the cellar to find that Albert has fallen down through the cellar's open door. Del hatches a plan when Albert says "I've got a right mind to sue the brewery!" He also tells Rodney to phone Solly Attwell, the Trotter Family's solicitor.
Back at Nelson Mandela House, Solly tells Del and Rodney that there's nothing physically wrong with Albert after his accidental fall, but suggests that it may have hurt him mentally. Furthermore, he tells them that the brewery has agreed to settle out of court for two thousand pounds, an amount which will solve their financial troubles and still leave them with a substantial number, but Del still decides to take the case to court, hoping to gain more compensation.
At the courthouse, Del and Rodney tell their sides of the story, hoping that they get their money from this, but when a wheelchair-using Albert comes up to tell his side of the story, the Brewery's Barrister reminds Albert about a lot of cases similar to this one, all involving Albert Gladstone Trotter and they all took place after the war. Not only that, but Albert underwent basic parachute training on the Isle of Wight, where he learned how to fall off things without injuring himself. The judge consequently throws the case out.
Later, outside the courthouse, the Trotter Brothers berate Albert for what he did, but Albert explains that whenever he and Grandad
were short of money, Albert would fall down a hole. The reason why Albert fell down the cellar at the Nag's Head to gain compensation was to repay his nephews for the kindness they'd shown him, and most of all, to pay for Grandad's headstone. Because when they were children, Grandad used to look after Albert, and Albert never got the chance to pay his older brother back. Del Boy and Rodney, touched by this, forgive Albert and wheel him home in his wheelchair, shortly before Del furiously reminds Albert that he can still walk.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the third episode of series 4, and was first screened on 7 March, 1985.
Synopsis
Four weeks have passed since AlbertUncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
first moved in with Del Boy
Del Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
and Rodney
Rodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
, and things are not good for them financially. It is the worst winter in over "two million years", and Rodney has foolishly made an investment in £500 worth of sun tan lotion.
At the Nag's Head, as the Trotters pass by the open door into its cellar, Mike wants a word with Del about the deep-fat fryer he sold him. Inside, Del and Rodney once again start to argue, prompting Albert to leave.
Suddenly, a loud crash is heard, and the Trotter Brothers run into the cellar to find that Albert has fallen down through the cellar's open door. Del hatches a plan when Albert says "I've got a right mind to sue the brewery!" He also tells Rodney to phone Solly Attwell, the Trotter Family's solicitor.
Back at Nelson Mandela House, Solly tells Del and Rodney that there's nothing physically wrong with Albert after his accidental fall, but suggests that it may have hurt him mentally. Furthermore, he tells them that the brewery has agreed to settle out of court for two thousand pounds, an amount which will solve their financial troubles and still leave them with a substantial number, but Del still decides to take the case to court, hoping to gain more compensation.
At the courthouse, Del and Rodney tell their sides of the story, hoping that they get their money from this, but when a wheelchair-using Albert comes up to tell his side of the story, the Brewery's Barrister reminds Albert about a lot of cases similar to this one, all involving Albert Gladstone Trotter and they all took place after the war. Not only that, but Albert underwent basic parachute training on the Isle of Wight, where he learned how to fall off things without injuring himself. The judge consequently throws the case out.
Later, outside the courthouse, the Trotter Brothers berate Albert for what he did, but Albert explains that whenever he and Grandad
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
were short of money, Albert would fall down a hole. The reason why Albert fell down the cellar at the Nag's Head to gain compensation was to repay his nephews for the kindness they'd shown him, and most of all, to pay for Grandad's headstone. Because when they were children, Grandad used to look after Albert, and Albert never got the chance to pay his older brother back. Del Boy and Rodney, touched by this, forgive Albert and wheel him home in his wheelchair, shortly before Del furiously reminds Albert that he can still walk.
Episode cast
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Story arc
- The Trotter family's address is revealed to be 368 Nelson Mandela House, Dockside Estate, Peckham.
- Albert's middle name is revealed to be "Gladstone".
Episode concept
- The idea for the script was based on a true story about John SullivanJohn Sullivan (writer)John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
's grandfather, a coal-man named Dickie, who claimed compensation by falling down holes.
Production
- This episode was originally written for Grandad and meant to be the fourth series opening episode, but unfortunately, Lennard PearceLennard PearceLennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from...
died from a heart attack after the filming of Grandad falling down the Nag's Head cellar and the courthouse scene. The episode was put on hold after Christmas 1984, and "Happy ReturnsHappy Returns"Happy Returns" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the first episode of series 4, and was first screened on 21 February, 1985.-Synopsis:...
" and "Strained RelationsStrained Relations"Strained Relations" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of series 4, and was first screened on 28 February, 1985.-Synopsis:It is a day full of sorrow for Del Boy and Rodney, as their Grandad has died...
" were written and filmed as the first two episodes for the series. Once Buster Merryfield joined the cast, the scenes with Grandad were re-shot with Albert (the only shots of the Grandad version kept in the Uncle Albert version were Mike looking up at Grandad) The rest of the original footage has never been transmitted, and is not available on DVD.
Errors
- During the court case, the judge says that the Trotters live at 368 Nelson Mandela House, yet in "Time On Our HandsTime On Our Hands"Time On Our Hands" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was originally billed to be the last ever episode of the show, it was first screened on 29 December 1996...
" while Del and Rodney are stuck in the lift, as Denzil and Mickey Pearce take furniture out of the Trotters' flat, the door number is clearly 127. - After the court case, Albert tells Rodney and Del that every time himself and Grandad were short of some money, Albert would just fall down a hole. In the court case, it was revealed that the incidents occurred after the war. In "Tea for ThreeTea for Three"Tea for Three" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 5, and was first screened on 21 September 1986.-Synopsis:...
", Albert said that he and Grandad didn't speak to each other after they met and fought over Ada. In "Miami TwiceMiami Twice"Miami Twice" was a two-part Christmas special edition of the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The first episode, on screen subtitle The American Dream, was first screened on 24 December 1991. The second episode of Miami Twice was first screened the following day on 25 December 1991...
", Albert revealed that he left Ada behind when he went to war, so Albert clearly met Ada before the war and therefore couldn't be speaking to Grandad after the war when they allegedly worked together falling down holes.