Arthur Is Dead, Long Live Arthur

The tax man catches up with Arthur, and Arthur's response is to drown. At least, that is the plan: fake his own death and disappear, letting the problem solve itself. It solves nothing. Chisholm is suspicious because there is no body. Arthur's creditors help themselves to whatever he owes them, and his wife puts the car lot up for sale. He also starts a rumour that the police and the tax people hounded him into the grave, which does nothing to convince Chisholm, who wants a body before he believes a word. The hotel where Arthur is hiding turns out to be run by Daphne Mount, who recognises him on sight.

The saving grace is that Daphne is bribeable, which works in Arthur's favour. Penny Morrell plays her with a practical eye for a pound that Arthur can respect. Meanwhile, the regulars at the Winchester hear the news of his death and take up a collection, which is the sort of gesture that would touch Arthur deeply if he weren't already counting the takings.

And there is something quietly funny about the whole business. Arthur fakes a drowning and hides in a hotel, and the biggest threat to the scheme turns out to be a hotel owner with a price. The elaborate parts of the deception never work. The simple parts, the bribe, carry the whole thing. Arthur, meanwhile, is reduced to watching his own funeral from a hotel window, if he is lucky enough to have a window.

Tony Hoare and Leon Griffiths wrote it, and Terry Green directed. Dennis Waterman is Terry, George Cole is Arthur, Glynn Edwards is Dave and Patrick Malahide is Chisholm. Mark Farmer plays Justin, Royce Mills is Andrew, John Alkin is John Beadle and Jonathan Elsom is Mr. Muir, with Michael Povey as D.C. Jones.

Arthur survives his own funeral, which is more than most of his schemes manage.