The Punch and Judy Man

1963

Directed By

Jeremy Summers

Synopsis

Perhaps sometimes wrongly pigeon-holed as a comedy, The Punch and Judy Man is a bittersweet portrait of a very British seaside town written by Tony Hancock and Phillip Oakes, after Hancock split for legendary writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. 

Content to scratch out a living in the faded seaside town of Piltdown, puppeteer Wally Pinner (Hancock) is unhappily married to Delia (Sylvia Syms), a gift-shop owner with social pretensions. When Wally is invited to perform at the town’s anniversary gala reception, however, Delia senses a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise the couple’s social standing…

Also starring a host of beloved British actors such as Ronald Fraser, Barbara Murray, John Le Mesurier and Hugh Lloyd.

Cast
Tony Hancock, Sylvia Syms, Ronald Fraser, Barbara Murray, John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd, Mario Fabrizi, Pauline Jameson, Norman Bird, Peter Vaughan
Other Credits

Written by Phillip Oakes, Tony Hancock

Release Date
3 March 2025
extras
  • New Hard Knocks: Paul Merton on The Punch and Judy Man
  • Excerpt from ABC Series HANCOCK’S
  • BEHP Audio interview extract with Jeremy Summers
  • Blackpool Show: Season 1 Episode 7 (1966)
  • Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
  • Theatrical trailer
Restoration Details

For the 2021 restoration of The Punch and Judy Man, Network went back to the original film materials, scanned in 2k to produce a sparkling new High Definition master presented in its original aspect ratio.

Pressbook

Click on the image to zoom

Related Titles

John Schlesinger1967
Jack Gold1976
Alfred Hitchcock1929
Alexander Mackendrick1955
Alfred Hitchcock1929
Wendy Toye1962

Famous Fans