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Carol White as Cathy and Ray Brooks as Ray starred as the young married
couple with a baby who were made homeless. Cathy had originally hitch-hiked
down to London where she had met and married Ray, a delivery-driver.
After their baby had been born they moved from one squalid place to
another, first to a tenement, then to a caravan, then to a hostel
for the homeless.
Their nightmarish plight as they were shunted about by the authorities,
forced to live apart by bureaucrats and eventually had their child
taken away from them by the powers-that-be had such a major impact
on the nation that it led to changes in local authority policy and
eventually the foundation of SHELTER, an organisation which was set
up to protect the homeless. Many regarded the play as an indictment
of the welfare state and both Labour and Conservatives blamed each
other for the type of situation the couple had found themselves in.
The play was screened two further times on television and Anthony
Greenwood, Labour’s Housing Minister, commented: “I would like it
to be compulsory viewing once a month for the next five years.” As
a direct result of the play, the Government ended the policy of separating
homeless husbands and families. Garnett and Loach went on to make
several other politically-aware productions.
The part brought Carol White instant stardom and she went on to make
several films, including ‘Poor Cow’, a similar role to that in ‘Cathy
Come Home.’
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