One Good Turn

Date: 1955
Director: John Paddy Carstairs
Production Company: Maurice Cowan Productions, Two Cities Films

Stars: Norman Wisdom, Joan Rice, Shirley Abicair, Thora Hird, William Russell, Joan Ingram
Location(s): Buckinghamshire, London, Middlesex, Sussex

Region(s): ,

Storyline:

The children and staff prevent a businessman from closing an orphanage to make way for a factory.

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by Phil Wilkinson from source material provided by John Tunstill.

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Opening stock shot, setting the scene of a tranquil post war home counties environment.

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Establishing shot of the Greenwood Childrens Home.

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Norman (Norman Wisdom) takes the children through the town to school. This appears to be a studio set but is included for the sake of completeness.

Norman and the children arrive at school. Stephen Dean (SD) advises that this is Heathrow Primary School, Bath Road, Hounslow, opposite Heathrow Airport.

The old school was closed in 1966 and there is now a car park on the site. SD

Alec Bigley (William Russell) arrives at the school to meet his girlfriend Iris Gibson. The Green, West Drayton in Middlesex. SD

Looking towards Swan Road. SD

Norman talks with Iris Gibson (Joan Rice) in the school yard. Keith Littlechild recalls that he attended Sipson Primary when he was 6 years old where the well turned out children were chosen to be extras in this production. Keith adds that Norman Wisdom insisted on meeting the rest of the children during lunch break and he played cricket with them on the field where Keith was the wicket keeper.

Site of the old Heathrow Primary School, Bath Road, Hounslow. Closed in 1966 and demolished due to airport expansion. SD

The staff and children take a day trip to Brighton. A stock shot of a Southern Region train running north through Purley station, Greater London, identified with the help of James Holmes.

Mark Alford returned to the site of the signal box.

Arriving in Brighton. Brighton station, Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex.

The view over the platforms now. With thanks to Paul Hancock for the photo. SD

Norman has lost his trousers and remains on the train as it departs from Brighton.

The same platform at Brighton station now. SD

The train arrives at the first station. Crawley old station at the Brighton Road end of Station Way, Crawley, Sussex.

The old Crawley station platforms. All of the station buildings have been demolished. SD

Other passengers are amused by Normans lack of trousers. Also seen in 'The Undesirable Neighbour', the old Crawley station closed in 1968 to be replaced by the present station further along Station Way.

The heavily overgrown platforms of the old Crawley station viewed from the footbridge of the present station. SD

Norman is chased from the station. The junction of Station Way and High Street, Crawley. The road in the background and level crossing outside the station were seen in 'Penny Points to Paradise'.

Modernisation! The shop on the left appears to be original though. SD

The police give chase. Crawley old station, Sussex.

Now trees and bushes replace the station buildings. SD

Norman strips to his underwear and joins the London to Brighton Walk. High Street in Crawley.

Redevelopment as far as the eye can see! SD

Norman mingles with the walkers and heads back to Brighton.

Ashford Road, Iver, Buckinghamshire. Near to Pinewood Studios and Carry On territory. SD

Cook (Thora Hird) and Iris on the West Pier at Brighton, Sussex.

Taken from the location where the West Pier once stood. SD

Norman vies for position. SD identifies this as West Common in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire which also features in 'Stop Press Girl', 'Wombling Free', 'Assault' and 'Made in Heaven'.

West Common now. SD

The walk continues across . . .

. . . West Common in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. SD

As the race enters Brighton, Norman is in the lead.

Pavilion Parade, Brighton. SD

Norman struggles on the last leg of the race. Old Steine, Brighton in Sussex.

Now. SD

Slowing down around Old Steine, Brighton.

The corner of Old Steine and Steine Street. SD

Norman sees Cook and Mary (Shirley Abicair) in the crowd and stops to talk. Old Steine with Steine Street in the background.

Now. SD

Norman heads for the winning post. The end of Madeira Drive looking towards Old Steine, Brighton. Similar views appear in 'The Double' and 'The Big Switch'.

At the entrance to the Palace Pier. SD

Norman wins the race but is exhausted so is assisted by a policeman. Old Steine, Brighton with the Royal Albion Hotel in the background.

Across from the Palace Pier. SD

After returning home, Norman buys a pedal car for one of the children. The Swan Inn, Swan Road, West Drayton which was demolished in 1964.

A new pub was built, which was demolished in 2012 to make way for flats. SD

After a misunderstanding, a policeman starts to chase Norman so he gets into the car. The Green, West Drayton in Middlesex identified by SD.

And now. SD

A lorry and trailer cross the road ahead. The Green, West Drayton.

From a similar position. SD

Norman ducks under the trailer. The Green, West Drayton.

The location now. SD

The policeman in pursuit. The Green, West Drayton in Middlesex located by SD.

The Green captured by SD.

Norman takes to a horse. Pinewood Road in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire which can also be seen in 'Upstairs and Downstairs' and 'Circus of Horrors'.

Not Pinewood Studios Gatehouse as I originally thought, but actually the service station directly opposite. Now redeveloped as Bond Close. Replacing my Google Streetview image. SD