Dear Box Number starring Julia McKenzie and Bernard Hepton (1985)

Julia McKenzie and Bernard Hepton star in a delightful two-handed play, she as a widow who answers a lonely hearts advertisement, he as the advertiser. Is he the right man to become her next husband? She thinks he might be when he settles in with her, only to find that he enjoys a very pleasant life with the various women he meets in exactly the same way. Has he met his match at last? Certainly, she teaches him a lesson!
Broadcast 28th May 1985

[@vickyandersen5127]

Love quirky British dramas & enjoyed this very much. Could watch them all day, so thank very much.

[@Lyfs-Awsumm]

I liked her last statements. We are exchanging one set of problems for another. True. Very Nice Movie. Sad but True.❤

[@Catsmeow90]

Wow!!! Invited him to her home without meeting him first!!! How times have changed!!!

[@brettsidaway2691]

Brilliant. Thanks for posting. A play in which two mature intelligent middle class people talk - no sex scenes, no violence, no swearing - it would never get made today. Features two of my all time favourites.

[@ab-le2ps]

He was thoroughly immature.

[@lagringa7518]

@@ab-le2ps ... or a good actor.

[@PaulH-hl5hw]

@ab-le2ps yep I thought so..the character was appalling..no charm ..no phowar factor 😄

[@patricias5122]

@@PaulH-hl5hw And yet, Bernard Hepton's genius is his "ordinariness" you literally can't take your eyes off him, though he embodies middle-aged, charmless .... he's never over the top. I love his "False teeth! I don't have false teeth" for example, in that pink bathrobe, at around 32:10. He's insulted at the very idea...such an amazing talent.

[@PaulH-hl5hw]

@@patricias5122 he was great in secret army

[@mirandaguastella8716]

Brilliant - The reality of loneness .

[@2_thumbs_up_baby]

​@rachel-rb4bphes no prize at all. The difference is he doesn't mind using woman for selfish reasons whereas she doesn't want to use men she wants to love one.

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Interesting how many of the people who commented on this think that she was a fool taken for a ride by a wicked trickster. She never had any intention of marrying him. She decided to teach him a lesson he could never forget.

[@IwasBlueb4]

Rub ish

[@spleeeen4it]

That was utterly brilliant. Why can't we have drama like this on tv anymore?? why has tv become so dumbed down?

[@PaulH-hl5hw]

agenda 2030

[@GwendolynStancell]

YES...😊

[@SuzLa1]

A lot of the media is celeb this and that. The celeb industry is designed to dumb down society. The media try to get girls to admire trash, so all they want to be is a talentless celeb. Then in return the talentless or over hyped celebs get promoted for more than they're worth. Such as promoting Victoria Beckham as a style icon or her tattoo necked husband as a good footballer, when he was only one to miss a penalty in the Euros, to get England kicked out. Or when the media kept saying Kard ashian broke the internet, when nobody wanted to see her, but half the page was taken up with her na ked pictures when trying to read real news, so couldn't avoid her. The meaning of style is then promoted to be orange women with an obvious fake chest they like showing off. Their luxurious lifestyle is promoted to lure in people to want to be talentless celebs, when they're often a dumb magazine interview from selling their children into the talentless celeb industry from bankruptcy.

[@triciapotter3331]

What an appalling man. I woild rather live on my own. Brilliant acting from both Jukia Mackenzie and Bernard Hepton.

[@LouiseMannigel]

It's shocking to see her slave away every moment for him. It hurts to watch, I feel like asking her why she values herself so little - and yet, I know I have done that for men most of my life too!

[@janegee5562]

@@LM-fn6qb I was just married mid eighties and never knew anyone like that.Both worked and shared the chores.

[@PaulH-hl5hw]

@@janegee5562 things began to change in the '80s

[@Kate-lk6tw]

@@janegee5562I was teaching at that time. They didn’t share any chores amongst my families but the women had great jobs and had to do the proverbial ‘double shift’. Finally, women have overwhelmingly realised they don’t need that shit,

[@AdrianneFluet]

But women are treated crappy more than before

[@Stiffd1]

Give us yer phone number darlin' )

[@63mckenzie]

Unusual to have Bernard Hepton as a lothario!

[@a697ag]

Great casting to be fair. Because he isn't a lothario by any means but the point of this piece is that loneliness made all the women look at him and say "he'll do".

[@Kate-lk6tw]

@@a697aghe’s a freeloader.

[@Kate-lk6tw]

@@a697agand much too old to play 47!

[@MS-zu8ds]

@@Kate-lk6tw He was about 60 at the time, but I don't think it really matters, he's a good actor making the character get up your nose, he did the job.

[@TheWorldofGood79]

Just started watching this, both are actors I really like. Bernard Hepton was very good in Colditz as the Commandant & as Albert Foiret in Secret Army.

[@zoefoster1873]

@@LM-fn6qb And as Archbishop Cranmer in The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R

[@eveprescott7751]

Thank you so much for this witty, clever dialog delivered by excellent actors. I think Bernard Helton came off as a very believable lothario!

[@alanbarnes3569]

This was a good slice of 80s humour. Julia McKenzie is lovely 😊

[@citizen1163]

Glad she didn’t settle.

[@daffyduk77]

better than average TV drama, I'd start watching TV again if such quality became available

[@mikemidulster]

I didn't really like the sit com stuff that Julia McKenzie did but I'm very impressed with her performance here. She and Hepton carried this off so well that it's hard to imagine anyone else doing it.

[@denisesaunders5473]

Bernard was born in 1925 and julia 1941 so here Bernard would be about 60 and julia 44.He was 92 when he died. Julia is now 83

[@Raven4508]

She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama- brilliant singer.

[@rogerwhennell5156]

I could watch her all day, so lovely 😊

[@ColleenD78]

Brilliant piece of writing, Brilliant cast as well. I enjoyed this so very much, thank you!

[@MsJackrussell2]

I enjoyed this very much; however, it strains the limits of credulity to think that this bloke would have so many women dancing attendance on him. I appreciate that loneliness drives people to do strange things but Walter is an insufferable bore. Betty deserved better.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

Never under-estimate the impact of desperation on those who can't bear to live alone. I'm watching it for the second time and, seriously, as an almost 70yo I can see that he's manipulative and a user. But, given how most females were raised (it's changing) in that era (to give everything to men until there's nothing left for self), I'd have done the same before my 30s when I finally grew up. When I returned to New Zealand after living in Australia for 2.5 years a man, who I'd never met but who knew my parents, gave me his new jeans with instructions to shorten them. I immediately handed them back and informed him I wasn't a seamstress for hire. Unbelievable cheek! Glad she woke up eventually.

[@gilly5094]

I can never understand loneliness. How can people be lonely when there are books and the internet? I’d rather extract my own teeth with pliers than end up with a horrible, creepy old codger like that.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

@@gilly5094 I wholeheartedly agree. Being alone is infinitely better than being with someone who uses and abuses you.

[@jasminebolly]

​@gilly5094 1985 was before the Internet and marriage it seems was an attractive institution for many and desirable, however Betty seemed to think it was normal to dance attendance on a man - more 1940s than 1980s methinks !

[@gilly5094]

@jasminebolly i was alive in 1985, so I realise that we didn’t have the internet then 🙄. I was simply saying that loneliness is a choice. You can fill your time with interests and be happy, or mope around believing that you need someone else to make you ‘complete’.

[@AnneTaylor-kk8ze]

Excellent play,excellent character performances,excellent script,purely original 😊🎉

[@emmas9928]

I’m fascinated, from a 2024 perspective, that an intelligent 40 year old woman invited a complete stranger, from an ad to her home with an open heart and total acceptance. On one hand, it’s heartwarming and sweet, on the other, it’s gullible and dangerous. Now, back to the video.

[@ClassicBritishTelly]

Most tv drama seems to depict the world as it was ten years previous, which would take this back to the early 70s. I guess people were more trusting 50 yrs ago!

[@dadodydo]

And leaves him alone in the flat, on top of everything.

[@Raven4508]

@@13699111 yes we were, I am now 4 weeks away from 61.

[@jennywax1713]

He’s just creepy!

[@juliepeters3716]

Stories are fantasies not reality. I don't think it was ever something that would have been done.

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

Some among us let us go but never leave us. And others forcefully keep us but in reality, have left us a long time ago.

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

@@LM-fn6qb thank you, stranger.

[@МанушакОнищенко]

Хороший сценарий и актеры великолепно сыграли роли,thank you very much👍

[@sherriepalmer7089]

Such brilliant acting.

[@RosemaryStudy]

Just perfect! thank you

[@patriciakeenan5448]

Well.....l guess it beats Tinder or Bumble.....? But WHY ...WHY....WHY...? do women STILL think that they MUST have a partner? Wake up ladies..put a higher price on yourselves....& get a cat....or dog😂.

[@Kate-lk6tw]

ain’t it the truth. But it’s changing a lot now. So many women know better.

[@Angelaah.]

Haha I laughed reading your comment - with a cat purring on my lap 😁

[@wendydee3007]

Bernard Hepton was 65 when this was made, a little old for the role of a 47 year old!

[@drgigglesuk]

I'm 49 and was thinking there's no way that fella is two years younger than me!😂🤦

[@DaleBaker-e3u]

Yes, but Julia is no spring chicken. She is actually 8 years older, then she tells everyone. I have a friend, who did know her many years ago. And she found out, that they are the same age. She was born around 1933, not 1941 that she has always said.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

The character of Walter is such a self centred cad, that I think we can safely assume he lied about his age to all the women he met through the advert.

[@sheibanineda2488]

B. HEPTON was born in 1925. This film is actually from 1983. He was 58 at the time. 😊

[@wendydee3007]

@@sheibanineda2488 I never passed a maths exam in my life haha

[@susanbeaumont6063]

Nicely done. Thank you.

[@peckerdecker]

Fantastic story/ play. A lonely widow in _need_ of a Man. & A divorced _man_ hurt by a former wifey. *Both are damaged* or *wounded* because of their _memory_ because of _their past_ Thank you for sharing.

[@jackiemcnairn3594]

Old codger,freeloading shamelessly!lol!

[@ClassicBritishTelly]

The humiliation of wearing the pink dressing gown is surely his punishment though!

[@Angelaah.]

It's hard to see how any woman would see marrying this type of man as the ultimate goal!

[@jeremypearson6852]

I think her red flag should have been the start of his four minute speech.

[@varonadee6980]

Absolutely; that would have ended it for me. I would have let him enjoy his drinks and fingerfoods, then politely have ended the encounter with an explanation of his being the first of several personal ads I hoped to interview. (The rest of dinner would have remained forever a secret.) My own red flag came from a very youthful, older man who insisted I read an old psychology book he had on 'relationships', and that we discuss each chapter. After the first chapter, I realized he also required me to AGREE with ALL of his ideas and conclusions, or he would become peevish and taciturn. In spite of the red flag, I allowed a couple more dates to give benefit of the doubt, but he remained true to type: insufferably hidebound.

[@CatherineDover]

Thank you once again.

[@flyingtentfilms9268]

I loved her in Fresh Fields. Always watched that series. She is lovely and charming and very human.

[@nicarazzi]

The days when we had to switch off our set because there was no more programming…

[@juliekulatunga4188]

Brilliant

[@charisse234]

There is a lesson to be learnt from that drama.no doubt about that!

[@Catsmeow90]

I just kept thinking ...Don't do it!!!!!! ....oh no..she did it!!!!

[@justaplainspokengirl]

No, she didn't after all. Unless you mean inviting him over.

[@mattneillninasmom]

Why would she even want a man who is a liar and womanizer? He's no prize.

[@ColleenD78]

😂😂😂😂

[@pamelacorbett8774]

Loneliness can cloud your vision.

[@pamelacorbett8774]

Loved the music.

[@mgsa5722]

Ya he is unattractive bald old man

[@RaveDave871]

Question is, will she kick him out when she learns he actually 63 ?????

[@RebeccaReid-y3p]

Wow that was good thankyou for up load 😊

[@bexboo8]

this looks perfect

[@AntarcticaTelevision]

Broadcast 28/5/85... but is dated 83. Sat on the shelf for quite a while, then.

[@katella]

We have come a long way from the way this woman is behaving with this man. No woman today would have played along with this ridiculous, selfish man.😂

[@pw191164]

Desperate ones would..

[@HaydnGuite]

A series from Central that Julia McKenzie did during her time at Fresh Fields. Interesting indeed ❤ 😊

[@deegeraghty9426]

Male parasite, vulnerable woman. Good ending. Beautifully acted. Thank you.

[@richardcummins5465]

Most enjoyable. All gone now 😢

[@babybelle32a]

Julia McKenzie will be surprised to learn that she is no longer here.😊

[@skytten64]

I Love this channel❤?.Suprcing and a same time cooling. Thabk you from Sweden 😊

[@alisonlee3314]

I wish we still made TV like this. Now, it's all dramatic scenes and LOUD music. I prefer these 🙂.

[@sheenaghmcmahon9665]

No way she would give such a creep a second date. He's not even attractive.

[@pamelacorbett8774]

I’ll take Bernard at any age, such a beautiful voice.

[@pw191164]

I take it you are stunning and Gods gift to men or women.

[@JohnchristopherTonks-ue7mq]

It seems unlikely that a women would meet a stranger in her flat.

[@Woodman-Spare-that-tree]

You’d be surprised how stupid lonely women can be. I speak from experience.

[@TheRobynbrown]

Exactly, the first meeting is usually in a cafe or somewhere safe and neutral

[@columbmurray]

It was a different Britain then.

[@LeopardprintBet]

It was a very different world x

[@Kate-lk6tw]

It should be,

[@Nancy-nb1ze]

In real life I hope she would have ended things much sooner with this guy. She's way too good for him!!

[@colleenvozella4401]

I really enjoyed this ❤ brilliant 👏 ❤❤❤🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@jennywax1713]

She is just darling!

[@creolelady182]

Typical man- wants the benefits of a relationship but not the responsibility

[@pw191164]

Typical misandrist comment.

[@pw191164]

Not all men are as you perceive them to be, it also works both ways by the way, gold diggers have been operating since time began.

[@SuzLa1]

​@@pw191164 Maybe there would be less gold diggers if women could have their own bank accounts and equal pay at work before 50 years ago.

[@helenglover8643]

I think he goes around getting free accommodation and food each time he's in town. I was very surprised with the early run.

[@pamelacorbett8774]

Gosh, of course, Miss Marple!

[@piwackitpepper7558]

I Love this channel😃

[@HighSierraDawn]

I was imagining what I would say after five minutes of this guy to get him out of my house. Ughh

[@seriagungnurastarlight]

Looks like a sad ending but she's lucky they didnt marry. In the long run, he will hurt because he is an opportunist and a 'snake'

[@lisaryan4362]

I recognize him from psycho director he played on midxomer mirders

[@mzny4314]

Yes! He played the part so well.

[@yakk13]

He showed up for a blind date with a suitcase, wow

[@patriciakeenan5448]

I clearly recall Bernard Hepton playing a wonderful Archbishop Cranmer in Six Wives of Henry VIII & Elizabeth R. He was much more convincing when composing the Book of Common Prayer than playing an ageing (unbelievably boing) Lothario. WHY did Betty waste her time??

[@PaulH-hl5hw]

yes he was good in that part too in Elizabeth R ..was watching last week..

[@justaplainspokengirl]

THAT's why he looked so familiar.

[@alisonlee3314]

She was so pretty in your thumbnail 😃

[@janheffernan4792]

,no way get a cat 🎉

[@lynndenault4212]

Who would really want this guy?

[@Kate-lk6tw]

No real woman.

[@fionnualaization]

No sane person

[@juliepeters3716]

The desperate!

[@christrinder1255]

3 line ad…and today it’s meeting through dating websites

[@niajeannine]

i dont even go there..not mentally, physically or emotionally..dating apps are just weird.

[@andersdottir1111]

Yes - I thought the same.

[@gilly5094]

@christinder yes, and most of the men look just as bad, and lie about their age.

[@SarahlabyrinthLHC]

@@niajeannine I met my husband on a dating website, we have been happily together for 11 years now. His was the first photo that popped up when I first logged in, too.

[@justaplainspokengirl]

I remember him as Archbishop Thomas Cramner on the tv series The 6 Wives of Henry VIII.

[@2_thumbs_up_baby]

Enjoyed this. Thankyou. Never seen Julia with brown hair. If you have to beg a man to marry you who you've trapped in a dressing gown who just wants a cook and bottle washer then don't bother . Get a dog.

[@SuzLa1]

She didn't bother in the end.

[@harmaschut6985]

Miss Marple!!!!

[@ariegabriel7774]

No this is almost realistic because NO woman would meet a man even then in her home, and she looks quite affluent, that is a good sized well decorated home...He never brought wine, or any small hostess gifts, nothing, he looks like a leech....People of both sexes have to be in love before they put up with some of those wrongs! She is very eligible cute and a good cook and patient.

[@corrinebayraktaroglu5695]

Showing up with no flowers, or chocolates or wine as a guest back then would definitely raise an eyebrow and be a red flag.

[@elizabethelliott3175]

What a boor. That's the nicest thing I can say about him.

[@moominmay]

Can’t believe Walter is supposed to be 47 when he is obviously 60 odd 😅

[@ClassicBritishTelly]

Presumably he's lying, as with everything else he does in the story?

[@creolelady182]

The desperation is real

[@Mocareina]

I can’t get over the ick factor here i’m afraid

[@wizzwamf]

hes 47 times what ,crikey i will never complain about being 52 ever again,ive known toaster ovens with more sex appeal,

[@susannah-cq8he]

Good

[@wendy6512]

Free loader and he’s nothing special What was she thinking 😂

[@kathreilly7050]

💜

[@CSuch-kw3qx]

I hope i look as well as Walter when I'm 47

[@gilly5094]

😂😂

[@algie-t2w]

Walter is no "Wally".

[@RaveDave871]

He damn all luck pullin birds in his little pink number

[@butterflygirl2285]

Middle age women, back then, were members of the club that stipulated women weren't valuable and fulfilled unless married school of thought. They were not taught to deem themselves as worthy unless in the role of someone's wife or mother.

[@SuzLa1]

Middle aged bachelors are often seen as weirdos. Although less men stay single because they will often marry anybody to not be single. While women are often more fussy after years of looking after a man before.

[@ОльгаИванова-б8п1ю]

Life's tough. She had been lucky to have at least one reciprocated love in her younger years. PS why didn't she rinse her dishes with water properly, just put them on the rack with soapy foam?

[@pamelacorbett8774]

‘Open and honest’ he says …

[@miapdx503]

"You're a rascal and a rogue!" She knows what he is...why carey on? Women can be so silly. 🙄

[@NYC-1975]

What the heck did she see in him, sheesh🤨

[@sandraatkinson3409]

What a user and playboy Walter is . Poor Betty !A good movie though

[@rebeccad.6248]

The louse of yesterday is the sociopath of today.

[@Ldifferent]

Well that was just crazy lol

[@janheffernan4792]

,she needs glasses full time

[@terinunes604]

I want to he guy with the fireplace 😂

[@Redsleather]

Interesting it was produced by Central and has a 1983 copyright. Didn’t Central still use Elstree at that point? Pre-Fresh Fields for Ms McKenzie then but I’d have said this was more Thames staple fare, a middle class comedy!

[@sohara....]

*SPOILER ALERT* .... Ending In reply

[@sohara....]

50:00 *Surely she can do better than him?!!*

[@BrianOh-uc3gm]

What TV was invented for, almost

[@munchkinheaven7877]

Ooh man with a suitcase to put the body in!

[@Sugerplum123]

Thought she gonna kill him and put him in the old seaman's chest. 😂

[@sandrafinbar]

Halfway through. She doesn't really want him does she ? Lol

[@imemine6494]

..poor guy,having to held hostage ,like that..she should of been imprisoned

[@traceyf4842]

Hey play the lonely women like a fiddler. 🫨

[@creolelady182]

Now he will ask about finances

[@maynan3]

Gangsta Granny 😎