The Walls Came Tumbling Down

The Walls Came Tumbling Down

1966 - United Kingdom

Harold Crombie (Robert Lang) is something of a nonentity - the sort of man who merges into the background so well that even his office colleagues barely notice he's there. 

For 25 unexceptional years Crombie has gone through the motions of his job-stamping "Seen and Approved" on various documents. At home, if anything, Crombie is even less chatty. Every evening and weekend he disappears, often carrying mysterious parcels into his room. Locked out in frustrated curiosity are his wife Esme (Joan Newell), their daughter Juliette (Anna Middleton) and their lodger, Captain Brickman (Ronald Fraser). 

Two happenings, however, are to have far-reaching effect. At home Captain Brickman storms Crombie's Citadel. 

And at the office Crombie strikes out, relieving his pent-up frustrations swiftly and unexpectedly by applying his "Seen and Approved" stamp to a pretty typist's knickers. 

The Walls Came Tumbling Down was a 60-minute comedy broadcast on 23 April 1966 at 10.15pm as an Armchair Theatre presentation. Also starring in the cast were Norman Bird, William Mervyn and Rita Webb. The play didn't meet with much critical approval, one critic calling the characters "supremely silly."     

Published on April 4th, 2020. Adapted from original TV Times (1966) article by Sarah Snow..

Read Next...

The Green Hornet

Created for the radio in 1936 by 'Lone Ranger' inventor George W. Trendle and writer Fran Striker, the Green Hornet aka Britt Reid was originally introduced as the son of Dan Reid, the masked man's nephew.

Also released in 1966

The Brahmin Widow

A soldier returns to India to find the girl he loved but had to leave.

Also starring Ronald Fraser

The Misfit

Having returned from a colonial life in Malaya to an England he longer recognised Basil Allenby-Johnson, "the Alf Garnett of the middle classes", takes a verbal swing at feminism; permissive and undisciplined youth; age prejudice by employers; student demos; the press; and the health service.

Also starring Ronald Fraser

The Close Prisoner

"We are all conceived in close prison: in our mother's wombs, we are close prisoners all...and then all our life is but a going out to the place of execution, to death..." John Donne.

Also tagged Single Play

After the Funeral

When Alun Owen's play 'After the Funeral' was read by Sydney Newman, head of drama for ABC Television, and William Kotcheff, the television director, they were so taken by his conception of Wales and the Welsh, they decided to see for themselves.

Also tagged Single Play

T.H.E. Cat

Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat, a reformed cat burglar turns bodyguard.

Also released in 1966

The Borrowers

The 1992 BBC television adaptation of Mary Norton’s beloved children’s books remains a triumph of family storytelling and visual ingenuity, told with warmth, imagination and remarkable attention to detail

Also starring Robert Lang

Luck of the Draw

Accepting the luck of the draw has become the Green's family motto. But Arthur, at 28 the only unmarried one, begins to have doubts. Should he carry on as before or should he forget family tradition and give fate a definite hand?

Also tagged Single Play

The Master

150 year old villain plans to take over the world.

Also released in 1966