Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill

Episode aired Jan 11, 1976

IMDb RATING

8.6/10

YOUR RATING

Joe Belcher and Jack Shepherd in Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill (1976)

Clip: I've never seen that young lady in my life before

Play clip1:54

Watch Ready When You Are Mr. McGill

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Comedy Drama

A film extra has won a chance for the big break in his career. He has two crucial lines in a television film, but nothing goes according to plan.A film extra has won a chance for the big break in his career. He has two crucial lines in a television film, but nothing goes according to plan.A film extra has won a chance for the big break in his career. He has two crucial lines in a television film, but nothing goes according to plan.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.6/10

YOUR RATING

3User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Quotes
[Phil Parish rebukes Joe McGill because he has fluffed his lines yet again]
Phil Parish - Director: You had *two* lines to do, Mr McGill. Two! And you couldn't.
Joe McGill: It was the thirteenth take.
Phil Parish - Director: Do you know why you couldn't, Mr McGill? Because you're no bloody good. And *that's* why you're an extra. A stupid, lousy extra!
Joe McGill: You don't know that I'm stupid - no good at anything. You've only really met me today. I might be very good, for all you know.
Phil Parish - Director: Mr MrGill, you had *one* important thing to do - and you couldn't.
Joe McGill: That's not real life, lad. That's pretend. We're *all* pretending. *You're* pretending, the whole damn-fool play's pretending.
[pause]
Phil Parish - Director: Real life is how well you pretend, isn't it, sir?
[Joe McGill looks sheepish and crestfallen]

Connections
Featured in TV Heaven: TV Heaven 1976 (1992)

User reviews3

Review

Featured review

Let There Be Light!

The TV drama which should have been screened again following writer Jack Rosenthal's recent death, but TV being what it is at the moment, no chance. Well, that's a loss to today's audience.

Mike Newell directed this very funny tale of an extra finally given a line to say. Mr McGill of course is the extra from hell, from his enthusiasm for being given something constructive to do to the really funny spectacle of watching him try to get his line right. Joe Black has just the right note for Mr McGill.

As the egotistical Phil the Director, Jack Shepherd is hilarious; while Mark Wing-Davey does a fair bit of scene-stealing as the assistant director who has to deal with all the hassle of a shoot from invading kids to an over-sensitive sound man (Fred Feast, best known as Fred Gee in Coronation Street).

Watch the man painting the building where the cameras are rolling. Never has watching paint dry been so funny!