Best ever portrayal of an accountant on TV

... is Alfred Molina in the aptly named Screen One TV film "The Accountant". This was such a good film, I only ever saw it the once in 1989, but still remember it and just wish they would re-show it.

May be they could incorporate it in an Anti Money Laundering training video on what constitutes suspicious activity!

I liked Big Keith from The Office

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/content/images/2007/02/09/keith03_396_396x22...

I was looking forward to this BBC4 drama, which was heavily trailed a month or two ago, but when the time came all I found was a rerun of 'Fanny Hill'.

Based on John Brain's 1957 novel, the story is set during the post war period and concerns working class accountant and social climber Joe Lampton. Unfortunately, the Daily Mail reported that the BBC had to pull it from the schedule after someone came forward with a challenge over screening rights.

The BBC wouldn't be able to show it until the dispute is resolved. There's a 1959 film version starring Lawrence Harvey as Joe, but I haven't seen it. Has anyone else - and do you think it's worth watching out for the TV version if and when it ever appears?
 

If you want to see what happens when an accountant takes the principles of double-entry book-keeping a little too far, watch Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry. The title character applies the principle to life with profoundly worrying results. The film also includes historical scenes allegedly depicting the monk who first came up with the idea of double-entry.

For a lighter version of accountancy, I always prefer Manny from Black Books. Here is a brief scene about him (the heavily beaten up character, Bernard Black, has deliberately provoked some skinheads because he read that being incapacitated meant he didn't have to do his return) For the full episode, see here, including Bernard's original dodgy accountant and his somewhat suspect record-keeping. The following episode has the my favourite accounting quote I've ever heard. Haven't we all wished we could say this to a client.

Manny : (incredulous) These are your accounts?

Bernard : (unconcerned) There might be the odd...er...gap here and there.

Manny : Yeah. There's a gap where there should be accounts. The gap I'm seeing is the big account-free gap between page 1 and page 210.

... especially the reaction of the Jehovah's Witnessess - priceless

One of my all-time favourite episodes of Black Books! I love when Fran asks if Bernard has done his accounts, and he says 'yes' and then comes out wearing them as a jacket!

I also like when he takes his accounts to his dodgy accountant who asks "So, show me your new filing system, Bernard" and Bernard says: "This is March (clutches handful of reciepts from pocket) to errr oooballyboo, this is misc (clutching another pocketful of clips of paper) and the rest are, err, other... other times."

Genius!

EDIT: I forgot about the bit where he does try and fill out his own return. I once tried to file a return by myself, and I can confirm that it made me feel that way too!  "What?!" ... "WHAT!" te he he

Loved the Black Books clip ...

... especially the reaction of the Jehovah's Witnessess - priceless

Posted by Old Greying Acc... on Fri, 13/05/2011 - 08:49

This is actually a follow-on from an earlier joke. The Jehovahs Witnesses call and Bernard enthusiastically invites them in as an excuse not to deal with his accounts. They are not sure what to do next as "this has never happened before".

Yes, I realised as I am now ploughing my way through series one. I know how Bernard felt as I really should be doing the P35's: I am watching that (and Campus, thanks Rebecca!) as I have run out of long lost relatives to telephone!