The Curse of Steptoe

The Curse of Steptoe

Tom Sloane

Harry H Corbett

Sheila Steafel

Joan Littlewood

Young Blonde Actress

Alan Simpson

Wilfrid Brambell

Costume Designer

Wilfrid's Young Blonde Man

Director (as Peter Hamilton-Dyer)

Maureen Corbett

Clive Goodwin

Plain Clothes Policeman

Boy Outside Theatre

Harry's Son

Press / Floor Hand (uncredited)

Edward (uncredited)

The brother of Harry H. Corbett's second widow, Maureen, complained to the BBC that the timeline portrayed in the film was wildly misleading and gave the impression that i) Maureen's affair with Harry may have led to the break-up of his first marriage with Sheila Steafel which was not the case, and ii) Harry's decision not to make any more episodes of Steptoe and Son (1962) coincided with the birth of his and Maureen's first child, whereas the birth had happened eight years before the end of Steptoe. The BBC upheld these complaints and agreed not to repeat the film unless it was edited to remove these misleading errors.

Made as one of a four-part season "The Curse of Comedy" on BBC Four, though not billed on-screen with this series title. The other three films in the series were Hancock & Joan (2008), Hughie Green, Most Sincerely (2008) and Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me (2008).

Directly after the 1962 awards ceremony, Corbett does his impersonation of Harold Wilson with reference to his White Heat of Technology speech. Wilson did not become Prime Minister for another two years and the White Heat speech was even later. However, the writer made this 'error' quite deliberately. He took dramatic license. Dates were fudged throughout the piece, so though the award ceremony was in fact held in 1962, the film avoids placing it in time. Harry's party trick was his Harold Wilson impression; that was the most appropriate moment in the piece to give him the chance to do his thing.