Egghead’s Robot (1970)

Even by the standards of the Children’s Film Foundation (CFF), this 58-minute film is a painfully juvenile adventure which will test the patience of even the most ardent fan. There are only so many times you can see Roy Kinnear or the children falling into a compost heap . . .

Young boffin Paul “Egghead” Wentworth (Keith Chegwin, who later went on to fame on the BBCs Swap Shop) utilises a robot double of himself called “Eric” (Keith’s twin brother, Jeff) to perform all his disagreeable chores (and sporting activities at which he is a duffer) without the knowledge of his parents (Richard Wattis and Patricia Routledge).

Egghead’s sister Elspeth (Kathryn Dawe) takes Eric out to test the controls and disaster occurs when Eric, on a bicycle, runs into the park keeper, Harold (Roy Kinnear) and hurts him.

Eric does well at cricket and with the gardening chores – despite the frequent mishaps that occur. His efforts make Egghead the local cricketer of the year, but alas, Eric also falls into the compost heap and blows his fuses in front of the kids’ inventor father, Mr Wentworth, who sends the robot back to Farnborough.

There are rather too many shots of the Chegwins in their undies or dressed as a girl, although there are some nice shots of Wimbledon in 1970.

A sequel – The Troublesome Double – was produced by the CFF in 1972.

Paul ‘Egghead’ Wentworth
Keith Chegwin
Eric, the Robot
Jeffrey Chegwin
Elspeth Wentworth
Kathryn Dawe
Harold the Park Keeper
Roy Kinnear
Mr Robert Wentworth
Richard Wattis
Mrs Janice Wentworth
Patricia Routledge

Director
Milo Lewis

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