At least, I think it was 70s.
Basic premise was a working-class ex-con, leaving prison and deciding he wanted to be upper-class (presumably with his ill-gotten gains).
This largely involved being pretentious (Beethoven's 5th doorbell?). Only other thing I remember is the main character giving the V sign to the prison guard as he was driven away in a posh car.
Any thoughts?
Sorry, no idea.
Wasn't there a Going Straight precursor written by Larbey and Esmonde?
Yep. Ian, you're thinking of Esmonde and Larbey's The Fenn Street Gang spin-off, Bowler.
It is available on DVD.
Ye Gods, I've no recollection of that.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 7th October 2017, 4:05 PMYe Gods, I've no recollection of that.
Time to splash out! Less than a tenner for the DVD set.
I'm a poor pensioner. 
This is one I remember watching in blimey, 1973, bang in the golden era of classic sitcoms. This wasn't one of them but it was well acted and shot, a typically solid if unspectacular ITV sitcom, verging on comdram or I'd call it more mild comedy in that it wasn't funny line heavy, more of an overall comic situation type show, iirc. Very watchable I recall with a bold central performance like so many ITV sitcoms had. They may have lacked the hilarious scripts the Beeb's sitcoms tended to have over them but they always got good solid actors in.
Not entirely unlike later ITV sitcom, Shelley in its format - bloated main character talks a lot. Anything else about it has faded from memory and I've not seen it on any repeat channel since, but I'd be surprised if John Sullivan hadn't watched it because Boycie and maybe even Del Boy could have been inspired by him, although he's a pretty stock kind of cockney chancer I suppose. I'd say this may be one to have a peep at, at least as a forgotten curio. Yes the doorbell's come back to me now, and George Baker was a naturally bold and booming type of actor not far off the Windsor Davies/Donald Sinden mould. Good call up there, Ian. 
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 7th October 2017, 4:17 PMI'm a poor pensioner.
Then get "the greatest american hero" series or watch on youtube.
you need laughter not a sitcom
