Egghead’s Robot (Children’s Film Foundation)

Date: 1970
Director: Milo Lewis
Production Company: Children's Film Foundation, Film Producers Guild, Interfilm

Stars: Keith Chegwin, Jeffrey Chegwin, Kathryn Dawe, Roy Kinnear, Richard Wattis, Patricia Routledge
Location(s): London

Region(s):

Storyline:

A boy adapts his eccentric father’s robot to perform chores and to play cricket, but it doesn’t keep him out of trouble.

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by Phil Wilkinson from source material provided by Bob Nichols

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Eric (Jeffrey Chegwin) cycles along the street followed by Elspeth Wentworth (Kathryn Dawe). Identified by Peter Bywaters, this is Woodside SW19 with the corner of Lake Road on extreme the left.

Peter provides this shot of the same stretch of road.

Elspeth watches the Robot's progress, checking his programming. Woodside in Wimbledon located by Peter Bywaters (PB).

Taken from the safety of the footpath. (PB)

Approaching a road junction, the correct hand signals are given. Looking north on Durnsford Road, Wimbledon SW19.

Alterations to the road layout are evident. (PW)

The corner is taken but Elspeth looks in horror as Eric speeds towards a zebra crossing.

The junction of Durnsford Road, Plough Lane and Gap Road with Haydon's Road straight ahead. (PW)

The Robot collides with a pedestrian using the crossing. The junction of Durnsford Road with Ashen Grove and Havana Road in SW19.

Not much changed other than the resiting of the crossing. (PW)

After making a mental note that her brother Egghead needs to include zebra crossings in the program, Elspeth follows as Eric continues on his way.

The corner of Durnsford Road and Ashen Grove. (PW)

The two approach a corner shop. Facing eastward on Revelstoke Road SW18 with the junction formed by Heythorp Street and Braemar Avenue in the distance.

More cars parked on the same road now. (PW)

Eric parks up his bike and goes inside the shop. The corner of Revelstoke Road and Elsenham Street in Southfields SW18.

The shop is long gone in this shot from ground level. (PW)

As Eric leaves the shop, one of Egghead's friends mistakes him for Elspeth's brother. Looking into Elsenham Street from Revelstoke Road.

Changes to the background building here too. (PWW)

Elspeth is told that the cricket team don't want Egghead to play as he's "No bloomin' good". Revelstoke Road in London SW18.

Facing away from the corner shops. (PW)

Eric cycles towards the park as the trial continues. Guided by his wife who used to attend as a pupil, Peter Bywaters recognised this view of one of the out buildings at Ricards Lodge School.

And here's a closer view of the same location now. (PB)

The Park Keeper (Roy Kinnear) paints a fence as Elspeth decides to check the range of the override control. Ricards Lodge School on Lake Road, Wimbledon where later scenes were also shot.

PB found that the new building block to the right runs parallel with the old building seen towards the start of the film, making a like for like comparison impossible.

After turning right, into the Park Keeper, Eric cycles away. Likely to be Ricards Lodge School.

The best endeavour of PB, who took this from between the new building, behind the camera, and the original building.

Later in the week, the cricket team practice in the park. The house in the background is 31 Mostyn Road SW19 and the park is Rutlish School Playing Fields. (PB)

There's the same house. (PB)

The Park Keeper spots Egghead in the park. To the top can be seen the roof of the Bandstand in John Innes Park and Recreation Ground off Mostyn Road in Morden SW19.

I couldn't capture the bandstand's roof over the top of the hedge so settled for the through view. SJ

Hoping to get revenge for being ridden into, the Park Keeper scans the bushes for Egghead. This is John Innes Park and, the prominent building is the Manor House, now part of Rutlish School, with the distant properties to the right standing on Watery Lane.

Tricky shooting into the afternoon sun but this is the spot. SJ

The Park Keeper sneaks up on Paul 'Egghead' Wentworth (Keith Chegwin). John Innes Park with building on Watery Lane in the background. The gateway and wall left of centre are seen later in the film.

I went for a closer shot to show the houses on Watery Lane. SJ

Eric excels at cricket, which surprises both teams who think that it's Egghead playing. Peter Bywaters remembers this sports field in Arthur Road SW19. "It was part built on in 1972 to create Park House Middle School which closed in 2002 and was demolished. The grounds are now part of Ricards Lodge School outdoor sports facilities."

Peter found that a fence now divides the former cricket field into two. One side is a hockey pitch, the other a playing field.

After dodging the Park Keeper, Egghead collects his bicycle. Ricards Lodge School in Wimbledon located by Peter Bywaters (PB).

The out building still exists in PB's modern view but the bike shed and tennis court have disappeared.

Members of the opposing team tell Egghead how well he played. PB advises that the houses in the background are numbers 55 to 57 Leopold Road in Wimbledon SW19.

Sports have given way to cars in PB's comparison.

On the day of the big cricket match, Mr. Robert Wentworth (Richard Wattis) returns from the launderette and goes into his shed where he finds Eric. St. Mary's House on Arthur Road in SW19 identified by Peter Bywaters who adds that the boundary fence in the background borders onto the cricket field seen later. (PB)

The best angle possible without trespassing. (PB)

When she sees her father tinkering with the Robot, Elspeth runs to find a telephone box. The corner of Newton Road and Dundonald Road in Wimbledon with Dundonald Primary School in the right background.

The same shop on the same corner. (PW)

Disguising her voice Elspeth calls her father, who falls for the trick when she tells him that he's urgently needed in Farnborough. As the street sign reads, Newton Road SW19.

The call box is less conspicuous now. (PW)

An ambulance is called when Eric falls over after he stops functioning during a cricket match. Peter Bywaters (PB) identifies this as the A3 Beverly Way crossing the railway line between Raynes Park and New Malden.

The same location, to the north of Shannon Corner flyover. (PB)

Eric is rushed to the General Hospital as Elspeth follows on her bicycle.

Looking into Burstow Road from the junction with Toynbee Road in SW20. (PW)

The ambulance turns off the main road. Looking south-west along Kingston Road from The Rush in Merton Park with the, now replaced, Nelson Hospital to the left. The location can also be seen in 'The Dark Man', 'Dead Man's Chest', 'Konga', 'Dial 999', 'The Key Man', 'The Partner' and 'Wrong Number'.

The same junction. (PW)

The camera pans with the ambulance as, back at the park, Egghead attempts to play cricket in place of Eric. The Rush in SW19 with Merton Park Parade on the left and Watery Lane to the centre.

The building to the right still lurks behing the greenery. (PW)

Elspeth drops the override control as she nears the hospital. The Rush with the Nelson Hospital on the left and Kingston Road running to the right.

Changes to the left with a new Health Centre. (PW)

The ambulance turns into the driveway of the General Hospital. Watery Lane in SW20 with the gateway to Rutlish School to the right. Watery Lane also appears in 'Marriage of Convenience' and 'The Key Man'.

The same lane with more mature trees. (PW)

Whilst Elspeth tries the controller, the ambulance scatters patients as it speeds through the grounds of the hospital, Rutlish School on Watery Lane.

Rutlish school with railings. The nearest PB could get was the boundary wall between the school and John Innes Park.

The Driver runs from the ambulance when Eric comes back to life. The grounds of Rutlish School in London SW20.

Taken from John Innes Park adjacent. (PB)

Eric's programming makes him think that he's still playing cricket in the park. The grounds of Rutlish School. Former politician and British Prime Minister Sir John Major attended the school in the 1950s.

PB had to use a long lens from his position on Watery Lane to get this shot and wasn't helped by security railings everywhere.

The ball is thrown at a patient's legs when the Robot mistakes them for cricket stumps. The Manor House stands to the right while properties on Watery Lane can be seen in the left background.

The building as it appears now, captured from the boundary wall. (PB)

Elspeth manages to rescue Eric and rides away with him. The grounds of Rutlish School with Watery Lane to the right.

Using a long lens, PB obtained a shot of the path.

Closing the front door, Mrs. Janice Wentworth (Patricia Routledge) joins her husband and the two set off in search of their daughter. St. Mary's House at 20 Arthur Road in SW19 located by Peter Bywaters.

Taken from the roadway. (PB)

After checking all the shops in the arcade, Mrs. Wentworth returns to the car. High Street in Wimbledon Village SW19 with Eagle House in the left of centre background.

Eagle House stands behind the trees and is undergoing what appears to be a lengthy renovation. (PW)

The pair decide to try the park. The corner of The Grange on Southside Common in SW19.

The same spot, just a few yards where a scene from 'Felicia's Journey' was shot. (PW)

When Elspeth returns to the park with Eric, the game continues with the Robot replacing Egghead. Peter Bywaters (PB) explains that this is Ricards Lodge School hockey field, overlooking Lake Road with the roof of Bishop Gilpin School in Lake Road lying low in the background. The house with the chimneys has been replaced with a block of flats named The Lawns.

Not the exact angle Peter wanted as there was a hockey match being played at the time and he felt inappropriate to walk onto the pitch to take photographs.

As they watch the match, the Park Keeper creeps up behind Egghead and Elspeth. Peter Bywaters found that it's Rutlish School's boiler house chimney in the background of this capture taken from John Innes Park, Mostyn Road SW19.

A changed view now by Peter.

The Wentworth's approach the park in their Morris Cowley. Facing towards the north-east on Lake Road in SW19.

Lake Road now, with the junction of Leopold Road in the background. (PB)

As the match is won due to Eric's cricket programming, Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth get out of the car. The road outside Ricards Lodge School in Wimbledon.

Lake Road with the old Ricards Lodge school building in the background. (PB)

Mr. Wentworth crosses the road to enter the school grounds. In the background stands Ricards Lodge School on Lake Road in Wimbledon.

The entrance still exists. (PB)

Elspeth runs from the Park Keeper before turning a corner to bump into her father. The buildings are part of Ricards Lodge School, Wimbledon.

With additional buildings appearing in the intervening years, this is taken from the doorway of the sports hall seen in the far left of the previous comparison shot. (PB)