The Gay Dog

Wilfred Pickles owns a racing greyhound. Sometimes, it seems to his wife, Megs Jenkins, it's the other other way around. When hes called in to take a look at another greyhound, he decides that this animal is a better bet for the rae they will both be running in. Meanwhile, daughter Petula Clark is having boyfriend problems.

It's a very pleasant Lancashire comedy based on a stage show starring Pickles and Jenkins, opened up very nicely for the screen by director Maurice Elvey. Pickles entered entertainment by way of amateur dramatics, and appeared in numerous venues, including occasionally being a news announcer on the BBC, speaking in his Northern accents. He died in 1978 at the age of 73.

This is a charming film; innocent and fun with lovely familiar faces, Wilfred Pickles, Megs Jenkins and a very young Petula Clarke. Watch it to see how all our kitchens were with the tin bath outside and a simpler way of life before television and the internet and too many cars! A walk into charming recent history with some laughs along the way.

Roedean-educated but authentically Mancunian Noel Dyson was in the original cast of 'Coronation Street' in 1960 as Ida Barlow, run over by a bus on 11 September 1961 but who herself continued to remain a familiar and welcome face on TV until her own death in 1995.

Rarely seen in films (her most prominent cinema appearance was probably recreating her role as Nanny in the big screen spin-off of 'Father, Dear Father'), she always seemed the same age, as she does here over forty years earlier in uniform at the bottom of the cast list of this antidiluvian stage farce by Joseph Colton filmed in Hammersmith as a vehicle for Wilfred Pickles with a few token exteriors authentically shot up North in Durham.

This film stars Wilfred Pickles who was famous on the radio for his programme "Have A Go".This film about greyhound racing is only of marginal interest.However of more interest are the many familiar faces who pepper the cast list.There is Petula Clarke,still a Rank starlet.Peter Butterworth in this early association with Peter Rogers before the days of the Carry Ons and Jon Pertwee before the days of Wurzel Gummidge.Many of the rest of the cast such as Megs Jenkins and Harold Goodwin are familiar from TV and small parts in films.The best thing that can be said about this film is don't expect too much and you wont be disappointed.

I enjoyed the film immensely as it presented an genuine snapshot of working class life in a Yorkshire mining town in the early 1950's. The terraced houses, back yards, humble kitchens, and of course the inevitable local pub, where folk gathered before the advent of wall to wall TV, to gossip and of course provide a social hub for the community. The historical authenticity of northern, urban working class life of the 50's is captured by the convincing regional dialects, the social manners and graces as well as the cloth caps, greyhound racing and where mother cooked wholesome English breakfasts and dinners, and where there was no sign of a fridge or a washing machine. The film emphasises the gender divisions prevalent at the time, where mother did all the cooking, while father was in the shed or in the garden. It was a joy to see the young Petula Clark, who went on to become a major singing star, as well as a host of well known British supporting actors such as Megs Jenkins, Peter Butterworth, Jon Pertwee, John Blythe and William Russell, who all went on to have long film careers. However, the star of the film is Wilfred Pickles, who plays, Jim Gay, a passionate greyhound race owner, who is given excellent support by the delightful Megs Jenkins , who plays his loving and adoring wife Maggie. The dialogue between husband and wife is something to behold, as it sums their gentle and warm relationship. The storyline is uncomplicated, a bit like the characters.