Dick Emery's previous Christmas programmes had been festive editions of his usual sketch show. In 1977, he decided to be adventurous and make a one-off special. Originally entitled 'The Duchess And Luke Street' ( a play on the title of a hit BBC series of the period ), it was transmitted eventually as 'The Texas Connection'. We are at the country home of the Duke and Duchess of Crowborough ( both played by Emery ). Their son, 'Kincaide' ( Robert Mill ) is engaged to the Texan heiress 'Laverne Street' ( Jennifer Granville ). Both families have dubious motives for the engagement - Kincaide's family are flat bloke, while Laverne's family are keen to see their daughter get a title. The Crowborough's creepy butler 'Potter' ( Patrick Troughton ) has plans of his own - he intends putting Laverne is a romantic clinch with his footman son 'George ( John Hamill ) so that he marries her and gets her money. Things do not go according to plan...
John Warren had retired, leaving John Singer to write it all on his own. He would later work with his son Steven. It is not noticeably different from Emery's regular shows, with the humour largely coming from 'Carry On' style double entendres. Emery gets to play 'Bovver Boy' ( with Roy Kinnear as his father, who has the same haircut and is dressed identically ) and the Reverend Chislett ( he of the enormous teeth ). It is given a boost by the presence of Judy Cornwell ( who'd recently starred in the ITV series 'Moody & Pegg' ) and June Whitfield. Helen Horton, who plays Laverne's mother 'Shirley', made several appearances on 'The Benny Hill Show'. Clive James of 'The Observer' panned it back in the day, grumbling about the un-P. C. humour, and forgetting that he once acted in a very un-P. C. comedy film entitled 'Barry McKenzie Holds His Own' which makes this look like the work of Oscar Wilde.
Funniest moment - Bovver Boy's Dad causes a blackout to enable him to steal food from the kitchen. His son gets the lights back on, and Dad is caught red-handed with a big cake in his hands!
John Warren had retired, leaving John Singer to write it all on his own. He would later work with his son Steven. It is not noticeably different from Emery's regular shows, with the humour largely coming from 'Carry On' style double entendres. Emery gets to play 'Bovver Boy' ( with Roy Kinnear as his father, who has the same haircut and is dressed identically ) and the Reverend Chislett ( he of the enormous teeth ). It is given a boost by the presence of Judy Cornwell ( who'd recently starred in the ITV series 'Moody & Pegg' ) and June Whitfield. Helen Horton, who plays Laverne's mother 'Shirley', made several appearances on 'The Benny Hill Show'. Clive James of 'The Observer' panned it back in the day, grumbling about the un-P. C. humour, and forgetting that he once acted in a very un-P. C. comedy film entitled 'Barry McKenzie Holds His Own' which makes this look like the work of Oscar Wilde.
Funniest moment - Bovver Boy's Dad causes a blackout to enable him to steal food from the kitchen. His son gets the lights back on, and Dad is caught red-handed with a big cake in his hands!
