SYNOPSIS:

As Tony's career disintegrates in Australia, he has time in hospital to think back on his life - the good time, the bad, time and the loves. This is a taster of the the story.

CLOSING DOORS: TONY HANCOCK - GENIUS

STRONG LANGUAGE: THIS IS A SHORT EXCERPT FROM A SCREENPLAY “ONE BY ONE HE SHUT THE DOOR ON ALL THE PEOPLE HE KNEW, THEN HE SHUT THE DOOR ON HIMSELF.” SPIKE MILLIGAN ON TONY HANCOCK This is just the first few pages of an early script about the last days of Tony Hancock (British Comedian) Tony went to Australia to attempt to revive his Television career but without the support of his writers and pals (all of whom he dumped), the revival failed and he took his own life at the age of 44 in the basement of his producer’s house. This is an excerpt from Wikipedia: Hancock died by suicide, by overdose, in Sydney, on 24 June 1968. He was found dead in his Bellevue Hill apartment with an empty vodka bottle by his right hand and amphetamines by his left. In one of his suicide notes he wrote: “Things just seemed to go too wrong too many times”. BLACK SCREEN TITLES: “ONE BY ONE HE SHUT THE DOOR ON ALL THE PEOPLE HE KNEW, THEN HE SHUT THE DOOR ON HIMSELF.” SPIKE MILLIGAN ON TONY HANCOCK BLACK SCREEN DIRECTOR (V.O.) Okay Tony, can we take that line again? HANCOCK (V.O.) “Oh no, I’ve got the giraffe again, I’ve got three of these, why can’t I get the packet with the hippopotamus?” Silence. HANCOCK (V.O.) (CONT’D) Does that sound funny to you? It doesn’t sound funny to me. BELL RINGS. DIRECTOR (V.O.) Take twenty everyone, there is some noise on the tape. TITLES: “June 1968, ATN-7 Studios, Sydney, Australia.” FADE IN: INT. TV STUDIO – DAY TONY HANCOCK, forty four going on sixty. Tony is walking towards his trailer. His PA hands him a cup and his PRODUCER walks beside him. HANCOCK Well? PRODUCER What Tony? HANCOCK Does it sound funny? These are no Galton and Simpson. PRODUCER Give them a chance. HANCOCK Give them a chance? Give them a chance? Listen matey, I’m out of chances. Me. The producer places his hand on Hancock’s shoulder. Hancock stops and kills the moment with a look. The producer’s hand retreats. Hancock continues walking but the producer stays where he is; he knows better. Hancock enters his trailer. SLAM….a closing door. INT. TRAILER – DAY Hancock, life-tired, sits staring into an unforgiving mirror. He opens a Qantas Airline Bag or should that be pharmaceutical central? Some tablets are placed on the table, a bottle of vodka is retrieved from under the table – it’s been taped there – and is poured into Hancock’s cup. He swallows the lot. KNOCK. HANCOCK What? PA (O.S.) It’s me. HANCOCK Wait. The airline bag is closed and the bottle taped back under the table. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Enter. PA It’s the sound men; it was a bird they picked up on the tape. HANCOCK So? PA Well they’re trying to shoot it out of its hiding place using a catapult and some moth balls. HANCOCK You couldn’t make this stuff up and unfortunately neither can my writers. PA It’s just…. HANCOCK …it’s just what? The PA turns towards the door and there are some fans waiting to talk to Hancock.Hancock gets up and goes over to the door. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Fuck off. He slams the door shut and then approaches the PA. Their faces are an inch apart. HANCOCK (CONT’D) What do you think I am? A tin of beans. The PA slides away and out the door. INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT A TELEVISION is on. The room is empty and someone is showering in the bathroom. We will find out that this is Hancock. On the television is an interview with Hancock and John Freeman. TELEVISION HANCOCK “It’s partly true that I’m a lonely person. There are times when you’re desperately lonely, standing in the wings, at say, the Palladium….” Going around the room we see the items that reflect his life at the moment. TELEVISION HANCOCK (CONT’D) “….You’re out there alone. To be shot at, shouted at, booed, have rivets thrown at you (which I’ve had) and seven pence ha’penny thrown at me at Bristol – which I picked up carefully off the stage and bought myself a half of bitter…” A script lying open on the bed. TELEVISION HANCOCK (CONT’D) “How do you make comedy? You don’t make it with measured ingredients - it’s not cake. You make comedy with feeling…..” The Qantas bag on the bedside table. TELEVISION HANCOCK (CONT’D) “What I play on television is an extension of myself and the idiosyncrasies of other people combined…” Two bottles of brandy and a bottle of vodka. TELEVISION HANCOCK “You are, after all involved in life, and you do certain stupid things yourself. So if you are going to stand there and throw stones, at what point of perfection do you stand? If one is going to be critical without any chance of comeback, it’s like hitting a child”. A HAND turns off the television. It’s Hancock’s. He slumps on the bed in a towel , pours a vodka into a glass and smiles to himself. He picks up the ‘phone. HANCOCK Get me Mrs Sennett in Bournemouth, England. (Pause) That’s right, my Mum. While he waits, he picks up a couple of tablets from the bedside table. He washes them down with vodka. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Mum. Guess who? INT. TV STUDIO – DAY PEOPLE doing things. Carrying cables, scenery. People painting. The PA exits from Hancock’s trailer. PRODUCER How is he? The PA crosses his fingers and moves on. PRODUCER (CONT’D) Come on now people. We have a show to put on. The producer spots some of the team, watching. PRODUCER (CONT’D) I thought it was your day off? STAGE HAND Tony Hancock is in town. PRODUCER Hope he’s worth it. The producer claps his hands. PRODUCER (CONT’D) Move. Someone get Tony. You. A YOUNG GIRL is selected. She nervously goes over to the trailer and knocks the door. There is no response. She knocks again. PRODUCER (CONT’D) Just leave it. I’ll get him. The girl runs off. The producer loudly knocks the trailer door. PRODUCER (CONT’D) (shouting) Coming in. INT. TRAILER – DAY The producer enters. Tony is somewhere between Sydney and the moon. PRODUCER For fuck sake, what did you take? HANCOCK (slurred) You know….what Sid said about me? He said….what was I talking about? Oh yes, Sid. He said….that I have the best timing in the business. The best. Hancock is not in charge of moving his head; it has its own life. INT. TV STUDIO – DAY There are many EXPECTANT FACES as Hancock and the producer emerge. However this turns to disappointment as the producer supports Hancock from the trailer. He carries him to the set. PRODUCER Come on people. We have episode six to put in the can. The enthusiasm has eroded in the studio, everyone is going through the motions. STUDIO LATER Hancock stands ready, however his face shows that although the light may be on, nobody is home. DIRECTOR All you have to do is pick up the ‘phone. Hancock nods like a drunk. DIRECTOR (CONT’D) And action. Hancock lifts the receiver, dials very badly then ‘speaks in tongues’ into the phone. DIRECTOR (CONT’D) Cut. That’s the sixteenth take and that bastard is incapable of saying a line. Hancock stands lost and sweating from head to foot. DIRECTOR (CONT’D) Hancock, you c*nt. Get out there and act. Hancock is in turmoil. He is practising ‘Chinese burns’ on his wrists. DIRECTOR (CONT’D) (to producer) Are you going to fucking call someone? The producer nods. A PA hands him a phone. PRODUCER (into phone) Get me the Managing Director. INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY This is another time and another place. Hancock is shaved, dressed and sober. He sits reading the paper and drinking coffee. A KNOCK at the door. HANCOCK (with gusto) Enter. The producer enters. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Coffee? PRODUCER Please. The producer sits as he pours him a cup. HANCOCK So, did you see yesterday’s rushes? PRODUCER Ehm…no, not yet. HANCOCK Well, we can look at them today. I thought yesterday went well. These two guys are remembering different days. PRODUCER If you say so. HANCOCK Of course, I say so. Hancock gets up. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Well, come on. Let’s get a move on. Hancock is already out the door. HANCOCK (O.S.) (CONT’D) Come on. INT. CAR – DAY The producer looks at Hancock, not sure who is riding in his car. Hancock is happy and smoking. HANCOCK I’ve got to get me Mum something. Silence. HANCOCK (CONT’D) I hear the contract is for 26 shows. I was thinking I might do it in three batches and head home. See Mum and Joan. What do you think? Silence. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Have I upset you? PRODUCER No. The Managing Director wants to speak to you when we get in. HANCOCK Any idea, about what? The producer looks at Hancock. Then shakes his head. HANCOCK (CONT’D) Can’t be too serious then. There is a look on Hancock’s face as if he may know what the talk is about. HANCOCK (CONT’D) We could always take the whole thing back to England. PRODUCER If you don’t do it here, it’s all over. If you fuck up in Australia, there’s no where else to go. The car pulls into the studio gate. INT. PRODUCER’S HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT The producer sits going through some paper work. The phone RINGS. PRODUCER Hello. HANCOCK (V.O.) Evening. PRODUCER Tony. HANCOCK (V.O.) I’ve decided. I’m going to take the cure. PRODUCER Where are you? INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT Hancock sits in a hospital gown. HANCOCK Cavell House Private Hospital at Rose Bay. That bastard said it was this or the first bloody ‘plane back to Blighty ...........to be continued