The Caramel Crisis
Encyclopedia
The Caramel Crisis was a one-off BBC television drama
by Simon Gray
, produced as part of the BBC's Thirty-Minute Theatre series. It was Simon Gray's first dramatic work, adapted from his own short story, and was first broadcast live on 25 April 1966 starring George Cole, Richard Pearson
, John Le Mesurier
and Bryan Pringle
. The recording has since been deleted by the BBC.
), Lame (John Le Mesurier
) and McWithers (Bryan Pringle
), he is hired for the job. When he moves into the company flat, however, he spends all his time taking baths and watching westerns on television, and refuses to come out and get on with his job. The board members become increasingly worried about the new appointment and decide not to tell the company chairman, Sir Roy (Kynaston Reeves
), unless it is absolutely necessary. Caramel proves immovable, however, and starts billing the company for cigarettes, éclairs, whisky, Turkish delight and other luxuries. Cloon is the first to crack, writing to Sir Roy about the mistake. We discover that Caramel is not really a doctor at all, and has stolen his dead brother's identity. Sir Roy comes to the factory and beats on Caramel's door, but his fury at the man's behaviour causes him to collapse out of his wheelchair and die, leaving the board members to struggle for control of the company.
BBC television drama
BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom...
by Simon Gray
Simon Gray
Simon James Holliday Gray, CBE , was an English playwright and memoirist who also had a career as a university lecturer in English literature at Queen Mary, University of London, for 20 years...
, produced as part of the BBC's Thirty-Minute Theatre series. It was Simon Gray's first dramatic work, adapted from his own short story, and was first broadcast live on 25 April 1966 starring George Cole, Richard Pearson
Richard Pearson (actor)
Richard de Pearsall Pearson was a Welsh actor. Notable films of his career included Brian Desmond Hurst's Scrooge as well as a brief appearance in John Schlesinger's Sunday Bloody Sunday and cameo roles in three films by Roman Polanski: Macbeth , Tess and Pirates...
, John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
and Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle was a British actor who appeared in television, film and theatre productions.Born in Tamworth, Staffordshire but raised in the Lancashire town of Bolton he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1958, he married character actress Anne Jameson; together they had...
. The recording has since been deleted by the BBC.
Plot
Caramel (George Cole) goes for an interview for the position of a doctor at a factory for the company Healman and Co. Despite drifting into daydreams during his interview with company board members, Cloon (Richard PearsonRichard Pearson (actor)
Richard de Pearsall Pearson was a Welsh actor. Notable films of his career included Brian Desmond Hurst's Scrooge as well as a brief appearance in John Schlesinger's Sunday Bloody Sunday and cameo roles in three films by Roman Polanski: Macbeth , Tess and Pirates...
), Lame (John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
) and McWithers (Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle was a British actor who appeared in television, film and theatre productions.Born in Tamworth, Staffordshire but raised in the Lancashire town of Bolton he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1958, he married character actress Anne Jameson; together they had...
), he is hired for the job. When he moves into the company flat, however, he spends all his time taking baths and watching westerns on television, and refuses to come out and get on with his job. The board members become increasingly worried about the new appointment and decide not to tell the company chairman, Sir Roy (Kynaston Reeves
Kynaston Reeves
Kynaston Reeves was christened Philip Arthur Reeves, and was an English character actor who appeared in numerous films and many television plays and series.-Career:...
), unless it is absolutely necessary. Caramel proves immovable, however, and starts billing the company for cigarettes, éclairs, whisky, Turkish delight and other luxuries. Cloon is the first to crack, writing to Sir Roy about the mistake. We discover that Caramel is not really a doctor at all, and has stolen his dead brother's identity. Sir Roy comes to the factory and beats on Caramel's door, but his fury at the man's behaviour causes him to collapse out of his wheelchair and die, leaving the board members to struggle for control of the company.