Anthony "Tony" Amos was a young expectant father who was featured in Series 4, Episode 3. He is portrayed by Richard Fleeshman.
Overview[]
Unknown to anyone, even his wife, Tony is a homosexual, which was illegal in the UK at the time.
Tony was first seen in a meeting at Fred's Civil Defense Corps, which was a club which focused on preparing for the Cold War to suddenly implode into World War III. At this meeting, Tony is shown to be a brave man, not at all squeamish around rodents, and excited at the prospect of becoming a father.
Working at his father-in-laws car garage, with their home just a few houses down, Tony's wife, Marie, bring's Tony his lunch just before her home visit with Patsy. Marie comments that he always manages to stay clean while working in a filthy garage, to which her father, Arthur Watts, jokingly replies that it's because Tony doesn't do anything. Marie is quite clearly in love with and very proud of her husband.
Nurse Mount then arrives and the two women return to the Amos home, where Patsy gives Marie a delivery pack, which will be needed when Marie goes into labour. When Patsy tells her it will need to be somewhere clean and tidy, Marie has her put it in the parlour, "Tony's pride and joy". The parlor is an immaculately clean room, to which Marie comments that it is all Tony's doing, although she doesn't know why. Marie comments on how Tony enjoys paintings, and learning how to play the piano when they have extra money.
Later that night, Tony and his father-in-law go out for a drink, where Arthur comments that he and Marie remind him of him and his wife. Tony is clearly a little uncomfortable. Thinking that Tony is worried about how he'll be as a father, Arthur comments that he will be alright, and that "fatherhood doesn't come natural to any man". Tony replies that he doesn't know what comes natural and that often he is disillusioned that this is his life. He compares himself to an alien, where nothing outside his little bubble (flying saucer) makes sense. It is implied that Tony's bubble is his parlour.
Instead of returning home at the end of the night, Tony makes a detour into public men's bathroom. After he relieves himself, another man enters. There is noticeable tension between them, and when their hands touch while reaching for the same towel, Tony kisses him passionately, undoing his trousers, before the man shoves him off. Confused, Tony watches in horror as the man retrieves a whistle, blowing it sharply to alert the other police officers waiting nearby outside. The man was an undercover, officer acting as a honeypot to lure unfortunate homosexuals into committing "indecent acts". Tony is arrested, despite his pleading that he has a wife and baby on the way.
At this time, Poplar is holding a pageant called the Rose Queen, wherein last year's winner, Marie Amos, will pass the crown to the new winner in a grand ceremony. Trixie is with Marie, measuring her for a gown, when Sgt. Noakes arrives to tell her that her husband was arrested. He tries to avoid the reason, but it eventually comes out, much to Marie's shock. He quickly tries to change the subject by saying Tony can avoid a night in jail if someone bails him out. Unfortunately, Marie has no money left after grocery shopping.
Marie begins to deny his allegations that Tony was caught with another man, becoming more and more upset saying "he's not that way!". Seeing that the very pregnant woman is becoming hysterical, Trixie intervenes and asks if there is someone she can get for her. Marie demands her father.
The next morning, Tony arrives home with Arthur. Marie is initially relieved to see him, saying that she hopes Arthur scolded them for arresting "a decent man". Tony tries to quieten her, but she asks if it was true. Arthur coldly tells Marie that he doesn't want Tony near his garage again, giving Tony his last pay before telling her that "what you tell people about the trial is your business. They won't hear it from me". Marie is horrified to learn that there will be a trial, fearing he will wind up in prison. Now knowing that there is now some truth to the allegations, Marie crumbles into tears. Tony rushes to tell her that he can avoid prison if someone speaks up for him in court to vouch for his character. Marie pushes him away, telling him she doesn't want anyone to know about this, and that who would speak up for him when "they know what you've done".
Later in the day, Patsy comes to examine Marie. Marie tries to go on as though everything is alright, although Patsy knows she is upset. She tells the expectant mother that if anything were bothering her, she can tell her, because being upset could harm the baby. Marie evenly says that she can't be upset then. She goes on to say that Tony isn't a homosexual, because she could never have fallen in love with someone so "unnatural". Patsy, a closeted lesbian, is clearly not comfortable with Marie's disdain and revulsion for homosexuals.
Tony visits Patrick Turner, pleading for him to speak up for him in court. After telling the doctor that he feels it would be better if he died, Dr. Turner tells him that he is not a bad man and that he still has good in his life, despite never being able to have who he wants to have for a partner. Dr. Turner agrees to vouch for Tony in court. In bed with Marie later that night, Tony tells her, to which Marie replies that Dr. Turner will "make them see you just made a mistake".
In court, Tony is put through a wash of homophobic shame, as his wife listens to the evidence against him. Tony pleads guilty. Though Dr. Turner speaks up for him, the judge finds Tony guilty. However, in lieu of jail-time, Tony is made to undergo "treatment" until he is considered "cured" of homosexuality. When explained by Dr. Turner, this treatment includes doses of estrogen which will kill Tony's sex drive (which Marie flippantly says won't be a problem since they have their child already), cause a loss of body hair and muscle mass, and could also cause a development of breast tissue.
Back at home, Marie seems to be reasonably pleased with the overall outcome, since the news has not broken out and Tony has avoided jail. Tony, however, is angry and ashamed that he will have to take women's hormones. Marie replies that she doesn't want him to be the same and that it's time to put it all behind them. Because he cares deeply for his wife, Tony agrees, holding her close.
At the Rose Queen rehearsal, Marie is suddenly ambushed by a homophobic woman who read in the newspaper that Tony was put on trial for homosexual acts. Marie is humiliated, and although Patsy defends her against the woman's insults, she leaves, saying she can't believe Tony has done this to her and that she can't hide from this shame. Meanwhile, at the Civil Defense Corps meeting place, Tony tries to enter, only to be stopped by Fred. Since Sgt. Noakes told Fred about Tony's arrest, Fred tells Tony that he can't have him in the Corps because "the CDC can't have criminals". Tony all but begs Fred to let him stay, saying he needs something for himself, something to hold on to, but Fred refuses, saying, "If it was up to me [he'd let Tony stay], but it ain't."
When Tony arrives home, Marie throws a plate at his head and screams at him about the fact that his arrest is all over the newspaper and that she can't be apart of the pageant anymore because of him. She goes on to tell him that when she first brought him home to her parents, her mother brought her aside and told her "a man can be too clean". Marie didn't think anything of it, and went on to marry Tony, because she loved him, and how different he was from other men she knew.
Marie screams at him for ruining them, for a man "she wouldn't have even looked twice at". When Tony yells back in anger and hurt that it was because he wanted him, Marie starts hitting him, and the couple breaks down into broken tears. Tony says he hates himself for being gay, and that he's sorry for doing this to her. He says he will leave Poplar to spare her the shame, but Marie says no. She tells him to take his punishment, because they have a life and a baby coming. Marie goes up the stairs, sobbing.
The next morning, the Amos' door was vandalized with homophobic slurs, and Tony left to get his prescription of oestrogen.
As Marie goes to scrub the paint off, she goes into labour. Meanwhile, Tony unlocks the door to the garage and steps inside. He then gets in the car, and after hesitation and tears, he starts it up. As Patsy guides Marie through labour, Arthur hears her scream outside, and not being able to stay away, he goes in. Marie screams that she wants Tony to be with her and soon after, gives birth to a healthy baby girl.
Arthur makes to leave, but at seeing the smoke coming from thee garage, he rushes in and saves Tony. Arthur tells him about his new daughter, and Tony cries that she deserves better. Arthur tells him that Marie doesn't want better and that she can't live without Tony. He tells Tony that he can come back from this, although Tony doesn't see how to carry on. Arthur says that they have to stay upright to survive, all of them. Arthur, Marie and Tony cannot survive without each other. Marie needs Tony, and Arthur needs Marie. Arthur embraces his son-in-law, comforting him as he collects himself.
Arthur and Tony go to Marie, and they meet their new daughter. Like Marie, Tony falls in love with the infant at once. As Patsy looks on, the audience gets the sense that this is a very bittersweet ending. For although Tony and Marie are mutually deciding to stay together, and be happy as a family, as people, their lives are shaken. Tony will never be able to live as a gay man, and Marie will never meet a man who loves her entirely
On the day of the Rose Queen, Tony arrives at the community centre and says that Marie should be there, despite the hostility he is met with. If he can't, she should at least, as it's both her right and would make her happy. Moved by his love and devotion, Trixie, the organizer of the event, agrees, telling everyone that if they don't like it, they can leave.
Tony remains home with his daughter, sitting at the piano with her. As Jennifer Lee narrates, she remarks that at home, we are our true selves, or at least must be, and we draw strength from that to face the outside world with pride. Tony looks out at his sanctuary, his parlour, and leaves with the baby for the Rose Queen. He sits at the back, watching with Patsy, as Marie takes the stage. When the Rose Queen of 1960 is applauded, the host gives a nod to Marie, the previous Rose Queen, only for no one to applaud her.
Tony stands up, applauding her without hesitance, and one by one, every member of the audience joins him as Marie looks on.