Play For Today - The Long Distance Piano Player (in ten parts) starring Ray Davies and Lois Dane

October 15, 1970--BBC-1 broadcasts as part of its Play For Today series, the television play "The Long Distance Piano Player," starring Ray Davies and Lois Dane… (via Frank Lima)

Play for Today Writer: Alan Sharp;Director: Philip Saville; Producer: Irene Shubik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeGfxQ3xM4A

A dingy municipal hall in a nondescript northern town plays host to Pete (Ray Davies) a phenomenon, a true one-off of Herculean proportions - at least, according to his loudmouth, cod-American manager Jack Burnshaw (Norman Rossington). Over the next few days, as Jack barks at nonplussed townsfolk through a megaphone while his gofer Alf (James 'Red Shift' Hazeldine) bangs resignedly on a drum, Pete will be attempting to break the record for non-stop piano playing. Why, apart from the 'uniqueness' of the achievement, no-one can be quite sure, least of all Pete's long-suffering wife Ruth (Lois Daine) holed up in a makeshift bedroom for the duration, within earshot of the relentless drone of Pete's playing. Locals seem none to bothered either - two old duffers dusting down the snooker tables in the hall chat idly about him because - well, he's being talked about, apparently.
Info from TV Cream.

C. BBC Television 1970.

The first of the BBC Play For Today series. It replaced the Wednesday Play and the title was changed because it appeared on the BBC on various days of the week. Ray Davies (lead singer of the Kinks) plays a piano player who attempts to do a 4 day non stop piano playing marathon. Norman Rossington plays his manager who organises the event and theres an early appearnce by James Hazeldine (Londons Burning) as ALF a simple lad who acts as a gofer for Ray Davies character. The play builds up from the initial early hours of the marathon when there is little interest in his record breaking attempt right through till the end with the press getting involved and beginning to show an interest. There is a side story involving his wife who begins to grow detatched from him whilst he attempts the record. Does he do it? Watch and find out.............if you can find a copy. Recommended viewing and a good snapshot of how life was in the early seventies great britain. -- IMDb

image via: THE LONG DISTANCE PIANO PLAYER (1970) BY JOHN WHEATCROFT