Joke Over
Encyclopedia
Joke Over is the thirteenth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama
Upstairs, Downstairs
. It first aired on 30 November 1975 on ITV
.
in Andover, Hampshire
on 21 May 1975. The scavenger hunt
plotline was inspired by the autobiography of Barbara Cartland
, We Danced All Night. This had also been used by Rosemary Anne Sisson
in the earlier episode Laugh a Little Louder Please
. In Joke Over, Madeleine Cannon makes her final appearance as Lady Dolly Hale.
, so Georgina has the house to herself. She returns late at night with friends Lady Dolly, Peter Dinmont, Ethel, Darrow Morton and Lord Stockbridge after a scavenger hunt
. The final item for the scavenger hunt is a maid's
cap, which they fetch from the Servants' Quarters, waking Hudson in the process. Lady Dolly soon goes upstairs to take cocaine
. To finish the scavenger hunt the party need to drive down to the country, but when Lady Dolly's car has a puncture, they go to the garage and insist on taking Lord Bellamy's car. Edward tries to insist he drives, but they ignore him and go alone.
Georgina is driving on a quiet road in Sussex
when a cyclist, Mr Smith, suddenly comes out in front of her. Despite braking, she runs the man over. Back in London
, Lord and Lady Bellamy return and Sir Geoffrey Dillon arrives and informs them that Mr Smith has died. Richard blames Edward for allowing Georgina to drive. Lord Stockbridge's father, the Duke of Buckminster, forbids Robert, who was travelling in a separate car behind Georgina, from attending the inquest
and the solicitor
s have arranged to say that he was not there. At the inquest, Darrow, Peter and Ethel do not turn up, and Lady Dolly's testimony does more to harm Georgina's case than help. At the last minute, Lord Stockbridge turns up and insists on giving evidence. He tells the inquest how Georgina was only driving at 30mph and says she could not have done anything to avoid running over Mr Smith. The verdict is given as "accidental death" but Georgina is rebuked for "irresponsible behaviour".
Meanwhile, Edward is annoyed at being blamed for the event, and tells Daisy he will resign. However, Richard soon speaks to him and apologizes, saying Georgina told him what happened. Georgina tells Lord Stockbridge after the inquest that she never wants to see Lady Dolly again and they then go to the Savoy Grill
together.
Period piece
-Setting:In the performing arts, a period piece is a work set in a particular era. This informal term covers all countries, all periods and all genres...
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
. It first aired on 30 November 1975 on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
Background
Joke Over was recorded in the studio on 29 and 30 May 1975. The location footage was filmed near Middle WallopMiddle Wallop
Middle Wallop is the local name given to an area between the two Parishes of Over Wallop and Nether Wallop in Hampshire, England. As it does not have its own parish technically it does not exist, however road signs and maps make reference to the location and have done so since the 18th century,...
in Andover, Hampshire
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
on 21 May 1975. The scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
plotline was inspired by the autobiography of Barbara Cartland
Barbara Cartland
Dame Barbara Hamilton Cartland, DBE, CStJ , was an English author, one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century...
, We Danced All Night. This had also been used by Rosemary Anne Sisson
Rosemary Anne Sisson
Rosemary Anne Sisson is a British television dramatist and novelist. She is the daughter of the scholar of Elizabethan drama Charles Jasper Sisson ....
in the earlier episode Laugh a Little Louder Please
Laugh a Little Louder Please
Laugh a Little Louder Please is the third episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 21 September 1975 on ITV.-Background:...
. In Joke Over, Madeleine Cannon makes her final appearance as Lady Dolly Hale.
Cast
- Lesley-Anne DownLesley-Anne DownLesley-Anne Down is a British film and television actress, former model and singer.Down achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs...
- Georgina Worsley - Gordon JacksonGordon Jackson (actor)Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
- HudsonAngus HudsonAngus Hudson was a fictional character in the ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs, portrayed by actor Gordon Jackson from 1971 until 1975.-Biography:... - David LangtonDavid LangtonDavid Muir Langton was a British actor who is best remembered for playing Richard Bellamy in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs.-Early years:...
- Richard Bellamy - Hannah GordonHannah GordonHannah Cambell Grant Gordon is a Scottish actress who is well known in the United Kingdom for her television work, including Upstairs, Downstairs, Telford's Change, My Wife Next Door, Joint Account and an appearance in the final episode of One Foot in the Grave.-Early life:Gordon was born in...
- Virginia Bellamy - Angela BaddeleyAngela BaddeleyAngela Baddeley, CBE , born Madeline Angela Clinton-Baddeley, was an English actress best remembered for her role as Mrs Bridges in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs...
- Mrs Bridges - Raymond HuntleyRaymond HuntleyRaymond Huntley was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s through to the 1970s...
- Sir Geoffrey Dillon - Christopher BeenyChristopher BeenyBorn in London, Beeny began his career at the age of six when he danced for the ' Ballet Rambert. He spent several years at the ' Arts Educational School before later progressing to 'RADA.His first screen role was in the 1952 film The Long Memory...
- Edward - Nigel HaversNigel HaversNigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
- Peter Dinmont - Patsy Blower - Ethel
- Madeline Cannon - Lady Dolly Hale
- Terence BaylerTerence Bayler-Early life:Bayler was born in Wanganui, the son of Amy and Harold Bayler, a stagehand. His first film appearance was in the New Zealand film Broken Barrier ....
- Darrow Morton - Anthony AndrewsAnthony Andrews-Life and career:Andrews was born in London, the son of Geraldine Agnes , a dancer, and Stanley Thomas Andrews, a musical arranger and musical conductor. He grew up in the North Finchley district of London...
- Robert, Marquis of Stockbridge - Jacqueline TongJacqueline TongJacqueline Tong is an English actress who is best known for playing Daisy Barnes in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs from 1973 to 1975. In 1975, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in the Primetime Emmy Awards.-Early life:Tong was born in Bristol,...
- Daisy - Barry Stanton - PC Burridge
- Bernard Barnsley - Mr Smith
- Jenny TomasinJenny TomasinJenny Tomasin is an English actress best known for her roles in Upstairs, Downstairs and Emmerdale.-Career:Tomasin became well known in the early 1970s when she joined the cast of Upstairs, Downstairs as kitchen maid Ruby. She stayed with the series until the end in 1975, appearing in 41 episodes...
- Ruby - Robert Hartley - Coroner
- Daphne Lawson - Mrs Smith
- Keneth Thornett - Foreman of the Jury
- Sue Crossland - Double for Lesley-Anne Down
Plot
It is summer 1928, and Lord and Lady Bellamy are in WiltshireWiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, so Georgina has the house to herself. She returns late at night with friends Lady Dolly, Peter Dinmont, Ethel, Darrow Morton and Lord Stockbridge after a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
. The final item for the scavenger hunt is a maid's
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
cap, which they fetch from the Servants' Quarters, waking Hudson in the process. Lady Dolly soon goes upstairs to take cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. To finish the scavenger hunt the party need to drive down to the country, but when Lady Dolly's car has a puncture, they go to the garage and insist on taking Lord Bellamy's car. Edward tries to insist he drives, but they ignore him and go alone.
Georgina is driving on a quiet road in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
when a cyclist, Mr Smith, suddenly comes out in front of her. Despite braking, she runs the man over. Back in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Lord and Lady Bellamy return and Sir Geoffrey Dillon arrives and informs them that Mr Smith has died. Richard blames Edward for allowing Georgina to drive. Lord Stockbridge's father, the Duke of Buckminster, forbids Robert, who was travelling in a separate car behind Georgina, from attending the inquest
Inquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
and the solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
s have arranged to say that he was not there. At the inquest, Darrow, Peter and Ethel do not turn up, and Lady Dolly's testimony does more to harm Georgina's case than help. At the last minute, Lord Stockbridge turns up and insists on giving evidence. He tells the inquest how Georgina was only driving at 30mph and says she could not have done anything to avoid running over Mr Smith. The verdict is given as "accidental death" but Georgina is rebuked for "irresponsible behaviour".
Meanwhile, Edward is annoyed at being blamed for the event, and tells Daisy he will resign. However, Richard soon speaks to him and apologizes, saying Georgina told him what happened. Georgina tells Lord Stockbridge after the inquest that she never wants to see Lady Dolly again and they then go to the Savoy Grill
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
together.