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Mr Humphries
''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London, the show follows the misadventures and mishaps of the staff of the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments in the flagship department store of a fictional chain called Grace Brothers. The series was broadcast on the BBC for ten series, totalling 69 episodes between 8 September 1972 and 1 April 1985 – and included five Christmas specials. There was also a 1977 film, a spin-off series ''Grace & Favour'' with the same main cast in 1991–1992, and a one-off episode with a new cast in 2016. Since its original release, all 69 episodes, the pilot, the Christmas specials, the sequel and the film have been released on DVD. ''Are You Being Served?'' was a success in the UK audience ratings. The series was screened in Canada, New Zeal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy, where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience. Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. A situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience, depending on the program's production format. The effect of a live studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track. Critics disagree over the utility of the term "sitcom" in classifying shows that have come into existence since the turn of the century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use the single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, thus often resembling the dramedy shows of the 1980s and 1990s rather t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Bennett
Harold Frank Bennett (17 November 1898 – 11 September 1981) was an English actor, active in stage, television and film best remembered for being in sitcoms written and produced by David Croft, having played 'Young Mr. Grace' in the 1970s British sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'', as well as minor character Sidney Bluett in ''Dad's Army.'' Biography Bennett was born in Hastings, Sussex. After leaving school at the age of twelve, in his early life he toured America as a clown with a circus, and later taught English at the Working Men's College in London. During World War I he served as a courier, initially on horseback, then on motorcycle. After the war he took up acting and eventually worked as stage producer in the Tower Theatre, London. He subsequently pursued a career as a draughtsman for an electric company, only taking up his acting career again following retirement. Harold Bennett died of a heart attack on 11 September 1981, aged 82. His wife predeceased him in the 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadcast abroad with the aim of supplementing the income received by the BBC through the licence fee. The company merged with BBC Studios on 1 April 2018, to form a new licensing, production, and distribution company under the BBC Studios name. History Origins In addition to broadcasting, the BBC has for much of its life also produced additional materials for sale, the profits of which would be returned to the corporation to aid in the financing of these services. The highest profile of these early products was the listings magazine ''Radio Times'', but the net revenue gained from this in 1928 (£93,686, 10 s, 1 d) only equated to 10% of total BBC income. Prior to 1979, several BBC departments dealt with the exploitation and sale of BBC brands ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ronnie Hazlehurst
Ronald Hazlehurst (13 March 1928 – 1 October 2007) was an English composer and conductor who, having joined the BBC in 1961, became its Light Entertainment Musical Director. Hazlehurst composed the theme tunes for many well-known British sitcoms and gameshows of the 1970s and the 1980s, including ''Yes Minister'', ''Are You Being Served?'', ''I Didn't Know You Cared'' and ''Last of the Summer Wine''. Early life Ronald Hazlehurst was born in Dukinfield, Cheshire, in 1928, to a railway worker father and a piano teacher mother. Having attended Hyde County Grammar School, he left at the age of 14 and became a clerk in a cotton mill for £1 a week. From 1947 to 1949 he did his National Service as a bandsman in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. During his spare time, he played in a band, and soon became a professional musician earning £4 a week. The band appeared on the BBC Light Programme, but Hazlehurst left when he was refused a pay rise. Moving to Manchester, he beca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milo Sperber
Milo Sperber (20 March 1911 – 22 December 1992) was a British actor, director and writer, who was born in Poland. Early life Sperber was born in 1911 into a family of Polish Hasidic Jews who fled anti-Semitism during the Second World War. His older brother was activist, author and intellectual Manès Sperber. The younger Sperber trained as a lawyer in Vienna before joining Max Reinhardt's school; there he played roles in ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' and ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', among other plays. Martin Esslin was a classmate during this time. While on the rise as an actor, in 1939 he fled Germany and the Nazis with his family, eventually landing in Britain as refugees. Career Early in the Second World War Sperber joined the Oxford Pilgrim Players; he gained experience directing the company on tour in ''Case 27 VC'' and spending a season in London even during the Blitz. He also was involved in producing anti-Nazi propaganda for the BBC before the end of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benny Lee
Benny Lee (11 August 1916 – 9 December 1995) was a Scottish comedy actor and singer. He started his career in stage roles, and developed a television and film career. Early life Lee was born on 11 August 1916 to a Jewish family in The Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland. He began his singing career as tenor in the school choir. Leaving school at 14, he became a tailor's apprentice, but soon left to join an all-purpose act, which sang, danced and performed acrobatics all around one of the main variety circuits of Britain. Lee's acrobatic days lasted for only one evening on account of a nose injury. He was back in Glasgow, tailoring shirts and in his spare time playing drums for his own semi-professional dance-band. He also worked as a song-plugger for Essex Music Publishers. Wishing to return to the stage full-time he joined the Princess's Theatre (now the Citizens Theatre) in the Gorbals), where he gained experience in straight acting. This led to his first BBC radio audition in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moira Foot
Moira Foot (born in Northampton) on 19 June 1953 is an English actress. She starred in '' 'Allo 'Allo!'',. playing Denise Laroque, the leader of the local communist resistance. She also played Miss Thorpe, Mr Rumbold's temporary secretary, in three episodes of ''Are You Being Served?''. Other series in which she appeared include '' Hark at Barker'', ''Six Dates with Barker'', '' His Lordship Entertains'', ''On the Buses'', ''Oh Happy Band!'', '' Maggie and Her'', '' Doctor at Large'', ''Quiller'', and ''The Benny Hill Show''. In 1977 she appeared in the episode ''Angels of Death'' in '' The New Avengers''. Her film credits include roles in ''One Brief Summer'' (1970), ''On the Buses'' (1971), and ''The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It'' (1977). Moira Foot is the daughter of Alistair Foot, co-writer (with Anthony Marriott) of the long-running farce ''No Sex Please, We're British.'' Filmography * '' 'Allo 'Allo'' * '' Oh Happy Band'' * ''The Dick Emery ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mo Hayder
Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to write novels as Mo Hayder. One forthcoming book, ''The Book of Sand'', will be published in 2022 under the name Theo Clare. She won an Edgar Award in 2012. Her best-known work was ''Birdman (novel), Birdman'', which was followed by a sequel, ''The Treatment (novel), The Treatment''. Early life Born in Essex on 2 January 1962, Hayder grew up in Loughton as the daughter of John Bastin, an astrophysicist, and Susan Hollins, a teacher. She had a younger brother, Richard. She left school and home for London shortly before her 16th birthday. Hayder was educated at The American University and Bath Spa University. Acting and modelling career As Candy Davis, she won the Miss Nude beauty pageant in 1982 and became a Page 3 model. As an actress, her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenneth Waller
Kenneth Waller (5 November 1927 – 28 January 2000) was an English actor. He was known for portraying Grandad in '' Bread'' and Old Mr. Grace in ''Are You Being Served?'' Early life Kenneth Waller was born in Lowerhouses Huddersfield, Yorkshire on 5 November 1927. In 1931 during the depression, he moved to Hythe, Hampshire in the New Forest and they were living there at the breakout of World War II. In 1940 his family returned to his native Huddersfield.Huddersfield Daily Examiner - 27 February 1989 Waller left school aged 16 and worked as a wages clerk until being called up for National Service. In 1949, he was a member of the Christ Church Woodhouse men's choir. After serving in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Mechanic, Waller worked for a firm of auctioneers. Career Experience in local rep at the Oxford Playhouse encouraged him to move to London, where he made his West End debut in Julian Slade and Dorothy Reynolds' 1957 musical ''Free as Air''. He was later in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Berry (singer)
Mike Berry (born Michael Hubert Bourne, 24 September 1942) is an English singing, singer and actor. He is known for his top ten hits "Don't You Think It's Time" (1963) and "The Sunshine of Your Smile" (1980) in a singing career spanning nearly 60 years. He became an actor in the 1970s, and was best known for his appearances as List of Are You Being Served? characters#Mr Spooner (Mike Berry) (series 8–10), Mr. Spooner on the British sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' in the early 1980s. Early life Berry was born in Northampton. His parents grew up in Rhodesia but met in England and his mother was an amateur actress and singer. Six months after his birth his mother moved with him to North Wales for two years. The family then moved to Stoke Newington where he attended William Pattern Primary School and passed his eleven plus exam, winning a scholarship to Hackney Downs School, Hackney Downs Grocers' School. He left the school aged 16 without qualifications to become an apprentice T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfie Bass
Alfie Bass (born Abraham Basalinsky, 10 April 1916 – 16 July 1987) was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; his parents had left Russia many years before he was born. He appeared in a variety of stage, film, television and radio productions throughout his career. Personal life Alfie Bass was born Abraham Basalinsky in Bethnal Green in London's East End. He was the youngest of ten children of Jacob Basalinsky, who had fled Jewish persecution in Russia, and his wife, Ada Miller. After leaving school, he worked in his father's trade as a cabinet-maker. During this time he took part in amateur dramatics at a local boys' club. He was active in the labour movement and often attended union meetings. In 1936 he took part in the Battle of Cable Street, in which activists attempted to prevent a march through the East End by the British Union of Fascists. At the outbreak of World War II, he was rejected by the RAF, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vivienne Johnson
Vivienne Johnson is a retired English actress who is known for playing the supporting character of personal nurse to Young Mr. Grace in three seasons (1978-1981) of the British sitcom ''Are You Being Served?''. She also appeared as Freda in ''Carry On England'' in 1976, and Marilyn in ''Odd Man Out'' opposite John Inman Frederick John Inman (28 June 1935 – 8 March 2007) was an English actor and singer best known for his role as Mr. Humphries in '' Are You Being Served?'', a British sitcom between 1972 and 1985, and was the only actor from that series to featu .... Screen roles References External links * Agency profile Living people English television actresses Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century English actresses {{England-tv-actor-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
