Misleading Cases

Misleading Cases

1967 - United Kingdom

Adapted from Oxford law graduate A.P. Herbert's collection of legal absurdities which first saw print in 'Punch' magazine in 1924 and were later released over six books, the first of which was Misleading Cases, printed in 1927. 

There were three series of this classy comedy in which Roy Dotrice played the part of the doddering but astute eternal litigant Albert Haddock, who would enter the courtroom to debate a variety of moral issues with pleas that referred back to forgotten or outdated laws. Alan Melville adapted the stories for the first two series, which also starred Alistair Sim in a rare TV role, as the often-exasperated Stipendiary Magistrate Mr Justice Swallow, who would preside over each case with a mixture of frustration and silent admiration. Opposing QC was Sir Joshua Hoot played by Thorley Walters and the other regular member of the cast was Avice Landon as Albert's often bemused, but always patient wife. 

There were also a whole host of guest stars throughout the shows run and they included such TV luminaries as Warren Mitchell, John Le Mesurier, Patricia Hayes, Irene Handl, Arthur Mullard and Fred Emney. John Cleese appeared in one episode just so he could work with Alistair Sim. The third series appeared three years after the second and was written by Christopher Bond and Michael Gilbert.

Published on January 6th, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Boy Dominic

The setting is Yorkshire in the year 1820 and the realisation that the well-to-do Bullman family are about to have their world torn apart...

Also starring Thorley Walters

Billy Liar

Adapted from the highly successful novel/play/film by successful writing team Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, this version of Billy Liar was updated by them to make it more relevant to the early 1970s.

Also tagged Britcom

Citizen James

Sid James in his first TV series after Hancock. Written by Galton and Simpson.

Also tagged Britcom

Edward Woodward as Callan

Edward Woodward as the troubled yet still deadly agent. With consistently hard-hitting, uncompromising scripts and uniformly excellent support playing from a talented core cast

Also released in 1967

Bless This House

Devised by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, Bless This House was a starring vehicle for Sid James that showed him in a new and unfamiliar light-as a family man.

Also tagged Britcom

A Man of Our Times

Unsentimental drama about a middle-aged man whose life is enmeshed in domestic turmoil of his own making

Also starring Thorley Walters

Clochemerle

It's the summer of 1922 and the small village of Clochmerle - nestled in the Beaujolais region of France, is a happy little enclave that has avoided modernity and impropriety in a timeless atmosphere of calm and culture - until now...

Also starring Roy Dotrice

The Bulldog Breed

A single series of seven comedies about Tom, the perennial optimist, as he wanders through life leaving chaos in his wake totally oblivious to the problems he causes for everyone.

Also tagged Britcom