Happy family
At its height, more than 20 million people a week tuned in to Steptoe and Son. In 1966, Prime Minister Harold Wilson asked for a repeat episode scheduled on election day to be delayed until after polling stations had closed.

"You dirty old man!"
Albert Steptoe is a pretty nasty piece of work. He makes Harold do all the hard work while he skives at home. He despises his son's aspirations for a better life mainly because he knows that, if Harold leaves, he will have to look after himself. Wilfrid Brambell created a truly compelling character in Albert. One minute he is repulsive, lazy and belligerent. The next, he is whining and pathetic. But it's all put-on to ensure poor Harold never gets away.

Nothing but a dreamer
At the heart of Steptoe and Son is the tragedy of Harold's inability to escape the clutches of his father. He has ambitions to live a grander, more cultured existence but, in his heart, he knows he'll never leave Albert. If Harold finds a girlfriend, Albert will drive her away. If Harold wants to see an intellectual film, Albert will ruin the evening. Harry H. Corbett's portrayal of the put-upon Harold drew on his background as a straight actor in gritty dramas. But he had great comic timing, too, especially when he delivered the show's enduring catchphrase: "You dirty old man!"

Where there's muck there's brass
Ray Galton and Alan Simpson were already successful scriptwriters for Tony Hancock when they wrote a one-off piece about two rag and bone men for a Comedy Playhouse presentation in 1962. The play, The Offer, immediately impressed BBC producers and a full series went out later that year. Three more immensely popular series followed before the writers decided to quit while they were ahead. But, in 1970, the BBC persuaded Galton and Simpson to revive Steptoe and Son. They wrote four more well-received series before finally pulling the plug in 1974.

American cousins
Like many successful British comedies, a version of Steptoe and Son was developed for the U.S. market. But, unlike many of these attempts, Sanford and Son was a genuine hit with American audiences. It was set in Los Angeles and starred a mostly black cast - a rarity in 1970s America.

Caught in a trap
Steptoe and Son's darker side extended off-screen, too. Despite their on-screen chemistry, Corbett and Brambell's relationship was never close and it deteriorated badly as the show neared the end of its run in the mid-seventies. Ironically, the two men found themselves locked together during a Steptoe and Son revival tour of Australian theatres in 1976. Both had become typecast by their Steptoe parts and found themselves as trapped as the characters they had played for so many years.

Find out more

Steptoe and Son page in BBC's Comedy Guide

Fan site

Sanford and Son page on The Museum of Broadcast Communications website