Charlie (1970 character)

Charlie was the pianist for club comic and singer Mickie Malone.

Stan Ogden had overheard Ena Sharples playing a song of her own composition, Dreaming Time, and got the idea of peddling the tune as his own composition to make some extra money. He conned Ena into writing the score and lyrics down by saying he would try to sell it for her and then passed on to Mickie, pocketing the cash himself. The song went down a treat and Mickie asked for more, Charlie suggesting slight technical changes to the eventually delivered score, which Stan naturally wholly concurred with. He further questioned Stan as to where he got his inspiration from. Stan told him it was usually on the way home from the pub when he had had "a skinful". George compared his technique to that of Mozart who had similar flashes of inspiration for a complete tune in his head and Stan was flattered at the comparison.

Things went wrong though when Ena, who had had none of the proceeds come her way, heard Len Fairclough whistling Dreaming Time and was told that he'd heard it at the Robin Hood the night before. She attended that night and saw Mickie perform her tune. She questioned its source and was told it was from one of "beautiful people" aka Stan Ogden. Ena realised she'd been had but got her revenge: she gave Stan the score of a third tune which he gave to Mickie as another composition of his own. Charlie started to play the score which all three men instantly recognised as the hymn Onward, Christian Soldiers. As Stan related afterwards, it was only because a drumkit was in the way that Mickie tripped over when he chased Stan from the Robin Hood.


 * The character was only credited as "Pianist" on the episodes in which he appeared but was named frequently in dialogue.

1970

 * Mon 2nd Mar
 * Mon 9th Mar
 * Wed 11th Mar
 * Mon 16th Mar
 * Wed 18th Mar