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Ashes to Ashes (Only Fools and Horses)
Encyclopedia
"Ashes to Ashes" is an episode of the BBC
sit-com, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the second episode of Series 2, and was first screened on 28 October, 1982. The episode title was based on the Christian funeral service phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust".
and Rodney
are in the market conducting business as usual, Trigger
arrives and asks them if they'll attend the funeral of his grandmother Alice. After discovering that they will be the only other mourners, the Trotters agree.
Later, after the funeral, Del, Rodney, Trigger, and Grandad
hang out at Alice's house, and Trigger tells the Trotters that his father died a couple of years before he was born, as well as the story of how Alice had an affair with someone else while her husband Arthur was away fighting in the war. Among the many things in the house are two urns that Del can sell.
That night, back at the flat, as Del comes to the conclusion that the urns are valuable, Grandad looks in one of the urns to see the ashes of Trigger's grandfather Arthur. Then, Grandad comes clean as he tells his grandsons that he was the other man who Alice had the affair with while Arthur was away, because his wife had left him at the time. And when Arthur found out, he pointed a bony finger at Grandad and told him: "Trotter, someday, somehow, I'm gonna come back and haunt you!" Del and Rodney do not believe that Arthur's ghost could've found Grandad, and go to bed.
Later that night, at 3:00am, Del comes out of the bathroom, just to eavesdrop in on Grandad talking to the urn with Arthur's ashes in it. Del decides to wind him up by talking through a traffic cone, making Grandad think that Arthur's ghost is really talking to him. But unfortunately, Rodney is awakened by the noise and scares Del from behind. Grandad finally has enough and demands that Del and Rodney get the ashes out of the flat. But, Del and Rodney can't get hold of Trigger, since he's on holiday in Ireland. Grandad suggests scattering Arthur's ashes at his old hangout, the Peckham Bowling Green tomorrow night.
The next night, at the bowling club, Del and Rodney decide to scatter the ashes evenly while saying a prayer, but unfortunately, they don't get to do so as the clubhouse lights up and the players arrive. The Trotter brothers quickly escape into the night.
The next morning, Del Boy and Rodney try to pour Arthur's ashes into the water at St Katharine Docks
, but are stopped by a river policeman (played by John D. Collins
) from doing so.
After failing to pour the ashes into a cement mixer, the Trotters get lucky when a council cleaning lorry sucks up the ashes from the urn. Del is convinced that it makes sense since Arthur used to be a roadsweeper, but Rodney isn't sure.
When they get back home, Grandad tells Del and Rodney that Trigger received their telephone calls, since he's fogbound at the airport. Trigger tells Del something that Grandad forgot to mention: Trigger's grandmother Alice had been married twice. Del then shows Grandad the other urn which of course is full of ashes.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sit-com, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the second episode of Series 2, and was first screened on 28 October, 1982. The episode title was based on the Christian funeral service phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust".
Synopsis
As Del BoyDel Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
and Rodney
Rodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
are in the market conducting business as usual, Trigger
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
arrives and asks them if they'll attend the funeral of his grandmother Alice. After discovering that they will be the only other mourners, the Trotters agree.
Later, after the funeral, Del, Rodney, Trigger, and Grandad
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
hang out at Alice's house, and Trigger tells the Trotters that his father died a couple of years before he was born, as well as the story of how Alice had an affair with someone else while her husband Arthur was away fighting in the war. Among the many things in the house are two urns that Del can sell.
That night, back at the flat, as Del comes to the conclusion that the urns are valuable, Grandad looks in one of the urns to see the ashes of Trigger's grandfather Arthur. Then, Grandad comes clean as he tells his grandsons that he was the other man who Alice had the affair with while Arthur was away, because his wife had left him at the time. And when Arthur found out, he pointed a bony finger at Grandad and told him: "Trotter, someday, somehow, I'm gonna come back and haunt you!" Del and Rodney do not believe that Arthur's ghost could've found Grandad, and go to bed.
Later that night, at 3:00am, Del comes out of the bathroom, just to eavesdrop in on Grandad talking to the urn with Arthur's ashes in it. Del decides to wind him up by talking through a traffic cone, making Grandad think that Arthur's ghost is really talking to him. But unfortunately, Rodney is awakened by the noise and scares Del from behind. Grandad finally has enough and demands that Del and Rodney get the ashes out of the flat. But, Del and Rodney can't get hold of Trigger, since he's on holiday in Ireland. Grandad suggests scattering Arthur's ashes at his old hangout, the Peckham Bowling Green tomorrow night.
The next night, at the bowling club, Del and Rodney decide to scatter the ashes evenly while saying a prayer, but unfortunately, they don't get to do so as the clubhouse lights up and the players arrive. The Trotter brothers quickly escape into the night.
The next morning, Del Boy and Rodney try to pour Arthur's ashes into the water at St Katharine Docks
St Katharine Docks
St Katharine Docks, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, were one of the commercial docks serving London, on the north side of the river Thames just east of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge...
, but are stopped by a river policeman (played by John D. Collins
John D. Collins
John D. Collins is an English actor, perhaps best known for appearing in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo! in which he played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II...
) from doing so.
After failing to pour the ashes into a cement mixer, the Trotters get lucky when a council cleaning lorry sucks up the ashes from the urn. Del is convinced that it makes sense since Arthur used to be a roadsweeper, but Rodney isn't sure.
When they get back home, Grandad tells Del and Rodney that Trigger received their telephone calls, since he's fogbound at the airport. Trigger tells Del something that Grandad forgot to mention: Trigger's grandmother Alice had been married twice. Del then shows Grandad the other urn which of course is full of ashes.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason David Jason Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack... |
Del Boy |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies... |
Rodney |
| Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from... |
Grandad |
| Roger Lloyd Pack Roger Lloyd Pack Roger Lloyd-Pack is an English actor known for his roles in the TV shows The Vicar of Dibley, Only Fools and Horses and The Old Guys.-Career:... |
Trigger |
| John D. Collins John D. Collins John D. Collins is an English actor, perhaps best known for appearing in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo! in which he played Flt. Lt. Fairfax, a stranded British airman in occupied France during World War II... |
River policeman |
| Terry Duggan Terry Duggan Terry Duggan was a comedian and actor who had a successful career in cabaret and variety and played numerous character roles on television. He was married to the actress Anna Karen, best-known for playing the part of Olive in the ITV sitcom On the Buses, in which Duggan frequently appeared.Duggan... |
Cleansing lorry driver |