Thick as Thieves is a British sitcom which was broadcast on ITV between 1 June and 20 July 1974 and produced by London Weekend. It was created and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. There were 8 episodes over one series and starred Bob Hoskins, John Thaw and Pat Ashton.
Synopsis
The plot revolves mainly around George (Bob Hoskins), whose last job as a house burglar ended up with his getting sent to prison. After three long years, he returns to his home and wife Annie (Pat Ashton), only to find everything is not quite as he left it. His best friend Stan (John Thaw) moved into George's house with his wife eight months previously. This was the moment Annie and Stan were dreading, but when it came to the crunch she found she not only loved Stan, but also still loved husband George. Confused, and not helped by George's perhaps understandable annoyance at the situation, she finds she is unable to decide which will stay and which will go. As the series moves on the answer to the trio's problems doesn't get any clearer.
Cast
Bob Hoskins as George
John Thaw as Stan
Pat Ashton as Annie
Other recurring characters
Johnny Briggs as Spiggy
Michael Robbins as Sergeant Black
Background
Dick Clenent and Ian La Frenais had written the successful sitcom Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads (sequel to their 1960's series, The Likely Lads). They contributed two scripts to Seven of One in 1973, a series of seven individual situation comedy starring Ronnie Barker, with "Prisoner And Escort", serving as the pilot for Porridge and “I’ll Fly You For A Quid”.. Meanwhile, they developed Thick As Thieves for London Weekend, the ITV contractor.
Production
External scenes were kept to a minimum, mainly for setting the scene, or as a short linking sequence. Where used, these sequences were on videotape instead of film. Film was used for the sequences used behind the opening and closing titles each week. Clement and La Frenais allowed individual plot threads in Thick As Thieves to cross between successive episodes, meaning the series must be run in its serial-like series running order for some of the plotlines to make sense.
The series (produced by Derrick Goodwin) was moderately successful, however makers London Weekend declined a second series.
Episodes
Episode 1 – "The Home Coming" (1 June 1974)
George Dobbs is released from a three-year sentence but no-one welcomes him at the prison gates. He seeks out his best mate, the womanizing Stan, to have a drink with, only to be told that Stan has moved on. The truth is that Stan moved in with Annie eight months ago, originally for company but they became romantically involved. George does not duff up Stan as expected but tells his friend to move out. In the process Stan falls downstairs and no-one believes George didn't do it for real.
Episode 2 – "Happy Release" (8 June 1974)
Stan is laid up in George's bed, claiming he cannot be moved while Annie cooks him a hearty breakfast. George can have a cuppa if he gets his own cup. Stan's taking advantage of George's soft nature by playing sick comes to an end when he is found creeping round the kitchen.
Episode 3 – "Good Conduct" (15 June 1974)
George is having a long hard think while walking along the Thames when he comes upon a group of youths trying to save their friend from the river. In a moment of heroism he saves the drowning boy and goes home, claiming his dampness was caused by his doing himself in. The lies start when Sergeant Black knocks on their door and in the face of initially stiff opposition reveals George is actually a bit of a local celebrity but from here the deceit only gets worse.
Episode 4 – "Two Men in My Life" (22 June 1974)
George and Stan have Annie losing her patience and walking out on both of them to stay with a friend and think things through. The pair of failed burglars have to work together to keep their house in order. The potentially gruelling housework is possibly the worst domestic nightmare they have faced so far, perhaps ever.
Episode 5 – "The Trouble with Tommy" (29 June 1974)
Tommy is an escaped felon whom police have narrowed the search for to the local area, so it's no surprise when he arrives and makes himself more than at home, ordering a string of demands that tests both George and Stan to the limit. However, thanks to Tommy's violent reputation there's little either can do about it. If three's a crowd, Annie's unexpected return proves that four's a catastrophe.
Episode 6 – "Three Into Two Won't Go" (6 July 1974)