The action takes place almost exclusively at the local hospital, in which Hancock manages to insult most of the fellow patients and staff, faints while giving blood and has his wine gums stolen by another donor.
The script was penned by Hancock’s
writing team of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson who had worked with the comic since
the ‘50s radio series. Initially the duo had Arthur
Lowe in mind for the 'The Blood Donor' - but luckily for Hancock the script was given to him and
has since become a British comedy classic. Indeed the script provides some of TV's most iconic gags - and rather interestingly, Hancock never learnt it.
“Rhesus! They’re monkeys aren’t they? How dare you I didn’t come here
to be insulted by a legalised vampire.”
On his way home from recording
the previous episode (the wonderful Archers parody 'The Bowmans') Hancock
was involved in a car crash. While not
life-threatening, the impact was enough to throw him through the window and
leave him unconscious. Rather than cancel the studio that was booked for the
recording 'The Blood Donor', the crew were instructed to install teleprompters around the set for Hancock
to read his lines from. Throughout the episode the viewer can quite clearly see his eyes darting for the
prompts when the other actors are speaking.
While it wasn’t quite true that
he never memorised a script again after the episode, Hancock’s increased reliance on the autocue caused his performances to become increasingly stiff. Critics have noted that his facial expressions, so integral to his morose persona and just as integral to the laughs as his delivery, became rigid.
Following the series conclusion in 1961, the comic left the BBC to join ATC. Later on in the same year he split from Galton and Simpson following a falling out over the writing of a film. Hancock longed for transatlantic success in movies but this success ultimately eluded him. With his new writers his popularity began to dwindle while Galton and Simpson found success with a new show - Steptoe and Son.
As his career faltered, Hancock’s increased alcohol dependency affected his performances – his alcoholism and his reliance teleprompters play a part in a disastrous performance at the Royal Festival Hall. Splitting from his writers and leaving the BBC to join ATV in 1961 were decisions that his career never recovered from.
Following the series conclusion in 1961, the comic left the BBC to join ATC. Later on in the same year he split from Galton and Simpson following a falling out over the writing of a film. Hancock longed for transatlantic success in movies but this success ultimately eluded him. With his new writers his popularity began to dwindle while Galton and Simpson found success with a new show - Steptoe and Son.
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| Alan Simpson, Tony Hancock and Ray Galton |
As his career faltered, Hancock’s increased alcohol dependency affected his performances – his alcoholism and his reliance teleprompters play a part in a disastrous performance at the Royal Festival Hall. Splitting from his writers and leaving the BBC to join ATV in 1961 were decisions that his career never recovered from.
Despite his problems Hancock
managed sporadic TV and film appearances. In 1968
he was contracted to make a 13-part series in Australia which was titled Hancock Down Under, however, only three
episodes were completed. On June 24th
1968 Hancock was found dead in his Sydney apartment with an empty bottle of
vodka amongst some amylobarbitone tablets - he was 44.
Hancock’s suicide note read:
“Things seem to go wrong too many times.”
