Mick and Montmorency / Jobstoppers
1955 - United KingdomCharlie Drake and Jack Edwardes had originally met whilst serving in the RAF but didn't consider teaming up until years later when they both failed the same Windmill Theatre audition. Their disappointment however was soon turned to good fortune when Edwardes was appointed entertainment producer at a holiday camp and promptly booked himself and Drake as the double-act Mick and Montmorency, a clumsy duo set in the Laurel and Hardy mode, with Drake taking most of the pratfalls. During this run producer Michael Westmore spotted them and decided that their brand of comedy was ideal for the BBC children's programme Jigsaw. In 1955 the newly founded Associated Rediffusion company signed them up as the first children's comedy double-act for ITV and they debuted on Independent Television on 30th September for 22 15 minute fun-filled disastrous adventures where they appeared in a variety of jobs from removal men to scientists.
For some reason only the first episode went out as Mick and Montmorency then from episode two the series was called Jobstoppers. But after 34 episodes the title reverted back. The final stand-alone series ran from 1956 - 57 and then became part of another Children's programme, Jolly Good Time. At the end of the second run (May 1958) Drake decided he'd had enough of children's TV and wanted to aim his material at adults and he and Edwardes went their separate ways.
Published on January 4th, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.
