ALS from Bob Monkhouse to TV Director Ed Joffe

Cardiff: N.p., 1970. 2pp. ALS on MMA notepaper, written from the Park Hotel, Cardiff. Faint folds from its past spent in an envelope (not present), but otherwise very well preserved. A 2pp. ALS FROM BOB MONKHOUSE TO TV DIRECTOR EDDIE JOFFE, DISCUSSING THEIR WORK ON THE ATV SHOW THE GOLDEN SHOT. The Golden Shot was a British game show made by ATV for ITV, which ran between 1967 and 1975 and was hosted by Bob Monkhouse for the first five years. In 1970 director Eddie Joffe was a recent recruit to the show; Monkhouse's letter shows the pair's working relationship still finding its feet. The letter, dated 10 February 1970, discusses the most recent episode of the show, broadcast two days previously with guest stars Clement Freud and the actor and singer Dick Haymes, as well as the tone of the show in general. Joffe had asked Monkhouse to refrain from untransmissable ad-libs, which were making the show difficult to edit. Monkhouse writes: 'I'll do my best to stifle ad-libs of a libidinous character which rise unbidden to my lips. When and if I fail I can only pray for the mercy of ATV, ITA and E.J.' Monkhouse also has a few notes of his own: 'Can you avoid cutting back to me while I am reading from my cards? Somehow we've managed to avoid this rather unprofessional sight in the past & I'd be so glad if we could get around this problem simply (by staying on the target?) or by scripting an auto-cue...'. He goes on: 'If guest stars are to describe prizes, I believe we must rule out sights like Dick Haynes reading the postcard interminably beside what resembled dirty washing!'. And again: 'Can we all agree to preserve the wamr & friendly image of the series by refusing to feed the Press with disagreeable stories of contestants' greed? Nothing could be more likely to alienate viewers from the entire series.' A scarce survivor, bearing witness to Monkhouse's famous attention to detail.