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A British
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 ne ...
or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for
British television
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
.
Most British sitcoms are recorded on studio sets, while some have an element of location filming. A handful are made almost exclusively on location (for example, ''
Last of the Summer Wine
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes foll ...
'') and shown to a studio audience prior to final post-production. A subset of British comedy consciously avoids traditional situation comedy themes, storylines, and home settings to focus on more unusual topics or narrative methods. ''
Blackadder
''Blackadder'' is a series of four period British sitcoms, plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC One from 1983 to 1989. All television episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robins ...
'' (1983–1989) and ''
Yes Minister
''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fro ...
'' (1980–1988, 2013) moved what is often a domestic or workplace genre into the corridors of power.
A later development was the
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
genre exemplified by series such as ''
The Office
''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries.
The original series of ...
'' (2001–2003).
Early years
;''Pinwright's Progress''
Written by Rodney Hobson, ''
Pinwright's Progress
''Pinwright's Progress'' is a British television sitcom that aired on the BBC Television Service from 1946 to 1947 and was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom. The ten episodes, which aired fortnightly in alternation with '' Kal ...
'' (1946–1947) was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom. Broadcast live by the BBC from
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a Grade II listed entertainment and sports venue in London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. It is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and the later Tottenham Wood Farm. Origi ...
, it was about J. Pinwright, the proprietor of a small shop. Storylines involved his hated rival and his staff, who only added to his problems by attempting to be helpful. The series featured an ensemble cast including
James Hayter as J. Pinwright, Clarence Wright as Aubrey, Sara Gregory as Sally Doolittle, Daphne Maddox as Miss Peasbody, Doris Palmer as Mrs Sigsbee,
Leonard Sharp as Ralph, Benita Lydal as Mrs Rackstraw,
Charles Irwin
Charles Irwin, VC (1824 – 8 April 1873), was born in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British ...
as a salesman, and Jill Christie as Pinwright's daughter.
["Pinwright's Progress"](_blank)
British Comedy Guide website and produced and directed by
John Glyn-Jones
John Glyn-Jones (28 August 1908 – 21 January 1997) was a British stage, radio, television and film actor.
His father, William Glyn-Jones, was a Member of Parliament and he was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and Oxford University. He ...
. The
script editor
A script editor is a member of the production team of scripted television and radio programmes, usually dramas and comedies. The script editor has many responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and series ideas wi ...
was
Ted Kavanagh
Henry Edward Kavanagh (7 March 1892 – 17 September 1958) was a British radio scriptwriter and producer.
Ted Kavanagh was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1892. He initially studied medicine in Edinburgh before pursuing a career as a writer. H ...
, who during the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
years also wrote the
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...
comedy series ''
It's That Man Again
''It's That Man Again'' (commonly contracted to ''ITMA'') was a BBC radio comedy programme which ran for twelve series from 1939 to 1949. The shows featured Tommy Handley in the central role, a fast-talking figure, around whom the other cha ...
'' (''ITMA'' ), which according to Foster and Furst was "entirely new, breaking away from the conventions of both radio and music hall comedy".
;''Hancock's Half Hour''
Transferred to television in 1956 after 48 episodes on BBC radio which began in 1954, ''
Hancock's Half Hour
''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Galton and Simpson, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James, Sidney James; the r ...
'' (1956–1961) by
Galton and Simpson
Ray Galton OBE (17 July 1930 – 5 October 2018) and Alan Simpson OBE (27 November 1929 – 8 February 2017) were English comedy scriptwriters whose partnership lasted over 50 years. They met in 1948 whilst recuperating from tuberculosis ...
was It was the first modern TV sitcom. Whilst moving away from audio variety towards character development, the radio series had been influential in the development of TV situation comedy. The radio series continued to be produced alongside the TV version.
Tony Hancock
Anthony John Hancock (12 May 1924 – 25 June 1968) was an English comedian and actor.
High-profile during the 1950s and early 1960s, he had a major success with his BBC series ''Hancock's Half Hour'', first broadcast on radio from 1954, ...
played a fictionalised version of himself, a loser whose plans and aspirations are continually ruined by bad luck.
Its only other regular cast member was the more worldly
sidekick
A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany.
Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...
played by
Sid James
Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series.
Born to a mid ...
, later of ''
Carry On
Carry On may refer to:
* ''Carry On'' (franchise), a British comedy media franchise
*Carry-on luggage or hand luggage, luggage that is carried into the passenger compartment
* ''Carry On'' (film), a 1927 British silent film
* ''Carry On'' (novel), ...
'' fame. Other occasional participants included
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation co ...
,
Kenneth Williams
Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was an English actor of Welsh heritage. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 Car ...
,
and
Patricia Hayes
Patricia Lawlor Hayes (22 December 1909 – 19 September 1998) was an English character actress.
Early life
Patricia Hayes OBE was born in Streatham,Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biogra ...
.
[Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 200]
available online
Retrieved 18 June 2020. Hancock's biographer John Fisher dates the first use of the term 'situation comedy' in British broadcasting to a BBC memo dated 31 March 1953 from radio comedy producer
Peter Eton
Peter Randolph Eton (28 May 1917 – December 1979) was a producer for BBC radio and television. He was invalided out of the navy after being wounded during the Dunkirk evacuation and joined the BBC.
He worked at the Variety Department of th ...
, suggesting the format as the ideal vehicle for Hancock's comedic style. "Hancock's persona of the pompous loser out of his depth in an uncomprehending society still informs many programmes today", according to Phil Wickham. The final BBC series of this show was broadcast under the shorter title ''Hancock''.
In 1963, Hancock changed his writers and moved to ITV for a further 13-episode series also named ''Hancock''.
The series, though relatively well received, has been described as "clearly not up to the standard of
ancock'sBBC work".
;''Whack-O!''
Starring
Jimmy Edwards
James Keith O'Neill Edwards, DFC (23 March 19207 July 1988) was an English comedy writer and actor on radio and television, best known as Pa Glum in ''Take It from Here'' and as headmaster "Professor" James Edwards in ''Whack-O!''.
Early lif ...
in the lead role as Professor James Edwards, ''
Whack-O!
''Whack-O!'' is a British sitcom TV series starring Jimmy Edwards, written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, and broadcast from 1956 to 1960 and 1971 to 1972.
The series (in black and white) ran on the BBC from 1956 to 1960 and (in colour) from 19 ...
'' written by
Frank Muir
Frank Herbert Muir (5 February 1920 – 2 January 1998) was an English comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur. His writing and performing partnership with Denis Norden endured for most of their careers. Together they wro ...
and
Denis Norden
Denis Mostyn Norden (6 February 1922 – 19 September 2018) was an English comedy writer and television presenter. After an early career working in cinemas, he began scriptwriting during the Second World War. From 1948 to 1959, he co-wrote the ...
, is about the drunken, gambling, devious, cane-swishing headmaster who tyrannised staff and children at the fictitious Chiselbury
public school
Public school may refer to:
* State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
* Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
"for the sons of Gentlefolk". From 1956 to 1960 and 1971–1972, it ran for 60 episodes over 8 series. The first six episodes were subtitled "Six of the Best", alluding to the frequent and traditional
caning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits (known as "strokes" or "cuts") with a single Stick-fighting, cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks (see spanking) or ha ...
of disobedient pupils in the UK at the time. The series was revived in colour with updated scripts in 1971–72, slightly retitled ''Whacko!''. Other members of the cast included
Arthur Howard
Arthur Howard (born Arthur John Steiner; 18 January 1910 – 18 June 1995) was an English stage, film and television actor.
Life and career
Born in Camberwell, London, Howard was the younger son of Lilian (née Blumberg) and Ferdinand "Frank" ...
(series 1–7),
Julian Orchard
Julian Dean Chavasse Orchard (3 March 1930, in Wheatley, Oxfordshire – 21 June 1979, in Westminster, London)GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 1979 15 1935 WESTMINSTER – Julian Dean C. Orchard, DoB = 3 March 1930 was an English comedy actor. He ap ...
(series 8),
Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Charles Cope (born 14 April 1931) is an English retired actor and scriptwriter. He is best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street'' and Ray Hilton in ''Brookside (T ...
,
Norman Bird
John George Norman Bird (30 October 1924 – 22 April 2005) was an English character actor.
Early life
Bird was born in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. A RADA graduate, he made his West End theatre, West End debut in Peter Brook's produ ...
,
John Stirling,
Peter Glaze
William George Peter Glaze (17 September 1917 – 20 February 1983) was an English comedian born in London. He appeared in '' Crackerjack!'' with Eamonn Andrews and Leslie Crowther in the 1960s, and with Michael Aspel, Don Maclean and Bernie ...
,
Edwin Apps
Edwin Apps (14 May 1931 – 16 April 2021) was an English television actor and writer. He appeared in many British and French television series and films, which include ''Whack-O!'', '' I Thank a Fool'', ''Danger Man'', '' The Avengers'', '' ...
(series 1–7),
Peter Greene
Peter Greene (born Peter Green; October 8, 1965) is an American actor. A character actor, he is generally known for portraying villains. He is best known for the roles in the 1994 films ''The Mask'', where he plays the films antagonist, Dorian ...
(series 8),
David Langford,
Keith Smith,
Brian Rawlinson
Brian Rawlinson (12 November 1931 – 23 November 2000)["Brian Rawlinson"](_blank)
''BFI''. Retr ...
,
Gordon Phillot, Harold Bennett (series 8),
Frank Raymond,
Gary Warren (series 8), and
Greg Smith (series 8). A feature film, ''
Bottoms Up'', was made in 1960.
;''The Army Game''
Peter Eton
Peter Randolph Eton (28 May 1917 – December 1979) was a producer for BBC radio and television. He was invalided out of the navy after being wounded during the Dunkirk evacuation and joined the BBC.
He worked at the Variety Department of th ...
's series of ''
The Army Game
''The Army Game'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the very first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group ...
'' (1957–1961) was probably British television's most successful sitcom of this period and ran for 154 episodes. Many of its stars went on to become household names. The original cast consisted of
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the First Doctor, first incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 to 1966. In film, ...
,
Michael Medwin
Michael Hugh Medwin, OBE (18 July 1923 – 26 February 2020) was an English actor and film producer.
Life and career
Medwin was born in London. He was educated at Canford School, Dorset, and the Institute Fischer, Montreux, Switzerland. He ...
,
Geoffrey Sumner
Geoffrey Sumner (20 November 1908, Ilfracombe, Devon – 29 September 1989, Alderney, Channel Islands) was a British actor. As well as appearing in a number of films, he was also a commentator for British Movietone News.,
His parents were Edmund ...
,
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 a ...
,
Charles Hawtrey,
Bernard Bresslaw
Bernard Bresslaw (25 February 193411 June 1993) was a British actor. He is best known as a member of the ''Carry On'' film franchise. Bresslaw also worked on television and stage, did recordings and wrote a series of poetry.
Biography
Bernard B ...
and
Norman Rossington
Norman Rossington (24 December 1928 – 21 May 1999) was an English actor best remembered for his roles in ''The Army Game'', the ''Carry On'' films and the Beatles' film '' A Hard Day's Night''.
Early life
Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, ...
. The cast of ''The Army Game'' would change over the years with actors such as
Geoffrey Palmer Geoffrey Palmer may refer to:
Politicians
* Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1st Baronet (1598–1670), English lawyer and politician
*Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 3rd Baronet (1655–1732), English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire
*Geoffrey Pa ...
,
Bill Fraser
William Simpson Fraser (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years. In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play '' ...
,
Ted Lune,
Frank Williams,
Harry Fowler
Henry James Fowler, MBE (10 December 1926 – 4 January 2012) was an English character actor in film and television. Over a career lasting more than six decades, he made nearly 200 appearances on screen.
Personal life
Fowler was born in Lamb ...
and
Dick Emery
Richard Gilbert Emery (19 February 19152 January 1983) was an English comedian and actor. His broadcasting career began on radio in the 1950s, and his self-titled television series ran from 1963 to 1981.
Life and career
Richard Gilbert Emery was ...
appearing in subsequent series. ''The Army Game'' follows the exploits of Hut 29, a fictional dysfunctional group of conscripted
National Service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The l ...
soldiers during the post-war years. Writers included creator
Sid Colin,
Larry Stephens
Lawrence Geoffrey Stephens (16 July 1923p.14926 January 1959) was a BBC radio scriptwriter, best remembered for co-writing ''The Goon Show'' with Spike Milligan. Stephens was a regular writer of the show for the first two years, and then return ...
, Maurice Wiltshire, Lew Schwarz, John Jowett,
John Antrobus
John Arthur Antrobus (born 2 July 1933) is an English playwright and screenwriter. He has written extensively for stage, screen, TV and radio, including the epic World War II play, ''Crete and Sergeant Pepper'' at the Royal Court. He authored t ...
,
John Foley,
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
,
Barry Took
Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series ''Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Horn ...
, David Climie, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, Brad Ashton,
John Junkin
John Francis Junkin (29 January 1930 – 7 March 2006) was an English actor and scriptwriter who had a long career in radio, television and film, specialising in comedy.
Early life
Born in Ealing, Middlesex, the son of a policeman, he and hi ...
,
Talbot Rothwell
Talbot Nelson Conn “Tolly” Rothwell, OBE (12 November 1916 – 28 February 1981) was an English screenwriter.
Life and career
Rothwell was born in Bromley, Kent, England. He had a variety of jobs during his early life: town clerk, poli ...
, Sidney Nelson, Stan Mars, Bob Perkins and Alan MacKinnon. At least three episodes are uncredited. In June 1959, a short ''The Army Game'' scene was performed by
Michael Medwin
Michael Hugh Medwin, OBE (18 July 1923 – 26 February 2020) was an English actor and film producer.
Life and career
Medwin was born in London. He was educated at Canford School, Dorset, and the Institute Fischer, Montreux, Switzerland. He ...
, Alfie Bass, Norman Rossington, Bill Fraser and Ted Lune at the
Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...
in front of
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...
. This was the last Royal Variety Performance that was not televised. This successful series inspired a film spin-off, ''
I Only Arsked!
''I Only Arsked!'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin and Alfie Bass. It was based on the television series '' The Army Game'' and was made by Hammer Films.
Plot
Slapstick e ...
'' (1958), and in 1958, just a year after the series debuted, the first ''
Carry On
Carry On may refer to:
* ''Carry On'' (franchise), a British comedy media franchise
*Carry-on luggage or hand luggage, luggage that is carried into the passenger compartment
* ''Carry On'' (film), a 1927 British silent film
* ''Carry On'' (novel), ...
'' film, the very similar ''
Carry On Sergeant
''Carry On Sergeant'' is a 1958 British comedy film about National Service starring William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Barker; it is the first in the series of ''Carry On'' films, with 31 entries released from 1958 to 1992. The film wa ...
'', was released, also featuring Hawtrey, Rossington and Hartnell.
The 1960s
In the 1960s, the BBC produced a then-rare workplace comedy with ''
The Rag Trade
''The Rag Trade'' is a British television sitcom broadcast by the BBC between 1961 and 1963 and by LWT between 1977 and 1978. Although a comedy, it shed light on gender, politics and the "class war" on the factory floor.
The scripts were wr ...
'' (1961–1963, 1977–1978) written by
Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney. The success of the series was due partly to the strength of the female ensemble playing the workforce, who included
Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
,
Barbara Windsor
Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.[Esma Cannon
Esma Ellen Charlotte Littmann (née Cannon) (27 December 1905 – 18 October 1972), credited as Esme or Esma Cannon, was a diminutive () Australian-born character actress and comedian, who moved to Britain in the early 1930s. Although she freque ...]
.
It also made the earliest of
Richard Waring
Richard Waring (born Richard Waring Stephens; 27 May 1911 – 18 January 1993) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the film ''Mr. Skeffington'' (1944).
Biography
Richard Waring was born Richard Ste ...
's domestic comedies, ''
Marriage Lines
''Marriage Lines'' is a British television sitcom first broadcast between 1963 and 1966. The series gave Richard Briers and Prunella Scales, its lead stars, a significant boost in their careers. At first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', the prog ...
'' (1961–1966), starring
Richard Briers
Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television.
Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...
(later to star in ''
The Good Life'') and
Prunella Scales
Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English former actress, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy '' Fawlty Towers'', her nomination for a ...
(who went on to star in ''
Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television ...
''), and ''
Not in Front of the Children'' (1967–70), starring
Wendy Craig
Anne Gwendolyn "Wendy" Craig (born 20 June 1934) is an English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms ''Not in Front of the Children (TV series), Not in Front of the Children'', ''...And Mother Makes Three'', ''...And M ...
.
Women were usually only cast in secondary roles in this period, though several series with Craig in the lead were an exception. Sitcoms developed by
Carla Lane
Romana Barrack (5 August 1928 – 31 May 2016), known professionally as Carla Lane, was an English television writer responsible for several successful British sitcoms, including ''The Liver Birds'' (co-creator, 1969–1979), ''Butterflies'' (19 ...
, the first successful female writer in the form, began with ''
The Liver Birds
''The Liver Birds'' is a British sitcom, set in Liverpool, North West England, which aired on BBC1 from April 1969 to January 1979, and again in 1996. The show was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpudlian housewives had met ...
'' (1969–1979, 1996), initially in collaboration with others.
Another change, with ''
Steptoe and Son
''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and ...
'' (1962–65, 1970–74) and ''
The Likely Lads
''The Likely Lads'' is a British sitcom created and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and produced by Dick Clement. Twenty episodes were broadcast by the BBC, in three series, between 16 December 1964 and 23 July 1966. However, only te ...
'' (1964–1966), producers began to cast actors, rather than the comedians around whom earlier series like ''Whack-O!'', with Jimmy Edwards, or ''Hancock's Half Hour'', had been built.
;''Bootsie and Snudge''
As a spin-off sequel to ''The Army Game'' and also starring Bill Fraser and Alfie Bass, ''
Bootsie and Snudge
''Bootsie and Snudge'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV for three series from 1960 to 1963, with a fourth in 1974. The show is a spin-off of ''The Army Game'', a sitcom about soldiers undertaking national service, and follows two of the mai ...
'', (1960–1963, 1974) was written by a large team over its 104 episodes. Writers for the 1960–63 episodes included Marty Feldman, Barry Took, John Antrobus,
Ray Rigby, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, James Kelly, Peter Lambda, Tom Espie,
Jack Rosenthal
Jack Morris Rosenthal (8 September 1931 – 29 May 2004) was an English playwright. He wrote 129 early episodes of the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' and over 150 screenplays, including original TV plays, feature films, and adaptations. ...
,
Harry Driver
Harry Driver (13 May 1931 – 25 November 1973) was a British television scriptwriter and executive producer. He is best remembered for his partnership with Vince Powell on comedy television programmes including '' Never Mind The Quality Feel The ...
, and Doug Eden. The 1974 series was written by David Climie,
Ronnie Cass and Lew Schwarz.
The series established the reputation of actor
Clive Dunn
Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...
, leading to his role as
Corporal Jones
Lance Corporal Jack Jones is a fictional Home Guard platoon lance corporal and veteran of the British Empire, first portrayed by Clive Dunn in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. His catchphrases are "Don't panic!", "Permission to speak, ...
in ''
Dad's Army
''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
''.
;''Marriage Lines''
Running for 43 episodes over 5 series (1963–1966), first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', ''
Marriage Lines
''Marriage Lines'' is a British television sitcom first broadcast between 1963 and 1966. The series gave Richard Briers and Prunella Scales, its lead stars, a significant boost in their careers. At first titled ''The Marriage Lines'', the prog ...
'' was written by Richard Waring and directed and produced by
Robin Nash
Robert Henry Douglas Drane (10 March 1927 – 18 June 2011), known professionally as Robin Nash, was a British television producer and executive, who was probably best known as producer of ''Top of the Pops'' from 1973 to 1980. At the BBC, he beca ...
and Graeme Muir.
The traditional domestic comedy about a young couple learning to cope with married life reflected social attitudes of the times, and provided its lead stars Richard Briers and Prunella Scales with a significant boost to their careers. The supporting cast included
Edward de Souza
Edward James de Souza (born 4 September 1932) is a British character actor and graduate of RADA, who is of Portuguese-Indian and English descent.
Early life
De Souza was the only child of Annie Adeline Swift (née Calvert) and Edward Valentine De ...
,
Ronald Hines
Ronald Charles Andrew Hines (20 June 1929 – 28 March 2017) was a British television actor. He had a lengthy career, but possibly his most prominent roles were as Henry Corner in three of the four series of ''Not in Front of the Children'', ...
and
Christine Finn
Christine L. T. Finn (1929 – 5 December 2007) was an English actress, known primarily for her role in the 1950s TV serial ''Quatermass and the Pit'', and, after that, her voice work for the 1960s '' Thunderbirds'' television series. She also ...
.
;''Steptoe and Son''
With its cast of only two regular characters played by
Harry H. Corbett
Harry H. Corbett OBE (28 February 1925 – 21 March 1982) was an English actor and comedian, best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC television sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'' ( ...
and
Wilfrid Brambell
Henry Wilfrid Brambell (22 March 1912 – 18 January 1985) was an Irish television and film actor, best remembered for playing the grubby rag-and-bone man Albert Steptoe alongside Harry H. Corbett in the long-running BBC television sitcom '' ...
, airing 1962–65 and 1970–74, ''
Steptoe and Son
''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and ...
'' was a
Galton and Simpson
Ray Galton OBE (17 July 1930 – 5 October 2018) and Alan Simpson OBE (27 November 1929 – 8 February 2017) were English comedy scriptwriters whose partnership lasted over 50 years. They met in 1948 whilst recuperating from tuberculosis ...
creation and ran for 57 episodes over 8 series. Producers included
Duncan Wood
Wilfred Duncan Wood (24 March 1925 – 11 January 1997) was a British comedy producer, director and writer, who has been described as "the founding father of the British TV sitcom". His best-known achievements were to produce all of Tony Ha ...
,
, Graeme Muir, and
Douglas Argent
Douglas George Charles Argent (21 May 1921 – 30 October 2010) was an English television producer and director.
Born in Bexleyheath, Kent and raised in Ilford, Essex, Argent's parents ran an ironmongers shop. He served as a navigator durin ...
.
In 2000, the show was ranked number 44 on the
100 Greatest British Television Programmes
The BFI TV 100 is a list of 100 television programmes or series that was compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI), as chosen by a poll of industry professionals, with the aim to determine the best British television programmes of any ...
compiled by the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
. In a 2001
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
poll Albert was ranked 39th on their list of the
100 Greatest TV Characters,
The series was derived from a one-off Galton and Simpson comic play, "The Offer", shown on their BBC series Comedy Playhouse in 1962. It is regularly repeated and gave rise to four feature films.
;''Till Death Us Do Part''
Written by
Johnny Speight
Johnny Speight (2 June 1920 – 5 July 1998) was an English television scriptwriter of many classic British sitcoms.
He emerged in the mid-1950s. He wrote for radio comics Frankie Howerd, Vic Oliver, Arthur Askey, and Cyril Fletcher. For tele ...
and broadcast 1965–1968 and 1972–1975, ''
Till Death Us Do Part
''Till Death Us Do Part'' is a British television sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1965 to 1975. The show was first broadcast in 1965 as a ''Comedy Playhouse'' pilot, then as seven series between 1966 and 1975. In 1981, ITV continued the sitcom ...
'' featured
Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was a British actor. He was a BAFTA TV Award winner and twice a Laurence Olivier Award winner.
In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes ''Educatin ...
as
Alf Garnett
Alfred Edward "Alf" Garnett is a fictional character from the British sitcom '' Till Death Us Do Part'' and its follow-on and spin-off series '' Till Death...'' and ''In Sickness and in Health''. He also appeared in the chat show ''The Thoughts ...
and was an instant hit. Centred on the bigoted character of Alf Garnett, it addressed racial and political issues that had been becoming increasingly prevalent in British society. It was criticised by campaigner
Mary Whitehouse
Constance Mary Whitehouse (; 13 June 1910 – 23 November 2001) was a British teacher and conservative activist. She campaigned against social liberalism and the mainstream British media, both of which she accused of encouraging a more permiss ...
for its bad language, and due to changing attitudes in
political correctness
''Political correctness'' (adjectivally: ''politically correct''; commonly abbreviated ''PC'') is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in socie ...
it is seldom repeated.
;''Dad's Army''
Based on a World War II theme, ''
Dad's Army
''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'' (1968–1977) by
Jimmy Perry
James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
and
David Croft, was a gentle mockery of Britain's 'finest hour' and the
Home Guard
Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense.
The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting wi ...
. One of the most enduring British sitcoms, it starred
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad' ...
and
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation co ...
, whose interaction with Lowe's character
Captain Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the
2016 movie he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is p ...
was described by ''The Times'' as "a memorable part of one of television's most popular shows".
[
] It also starred
Clive Dunn
Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...
,
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish actor. In the course of his career, Laurie performed on the stage and in films as well as television. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (196 ...
,
Ian Lavender
Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946) is an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC sitcom ''Dad's Army'', and is the last surviving major cast member of the series following the ...
and
Arnold Ridley
William Arnold Ridley, OBE (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, earlier in his career known for writing the play '' The Ghost Train'' and later in life in the British TV sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968–1977) as ...
. During its original television run, the show was nominated for multiple
British Academy Television Awards
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
, including "Best Situation Comedy" in 1973, 1974 and 1975, although only won "Best Light Entertainment Production Team" in 1971. In 2000, the show was voted 13th in a British Film Institute poll of industry professionals of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. In 2004, championed by
Phill Jupitus
Phillip Christopher Jupitus (, ''né'' Swan; born 25 June 1962) is an English stand-up and improv comedian, actor, performance poet, cartoonist and podcaster. Jupitus was a team captain on all but one BBC Two-broadcast episode of music quiz ''N ...
, it came fourth in the BBC poll to find
Britain's Best Sitcom
''Britain's Best Sitcom'' was a BBC media campaign in which television viewers were asked to decide the best British situation comedy. Viewers could vote via telephone, SMS, or BBC Online. This first round of voting was conducted in 2003, after ...
. As of 2022 it is one of British television's most regularly repeated sitcoms.
;''All Gas and Gaiters''
Bringing the first light-hearted satirical look at the
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
, during 1966–1971 ''
All Gas and Gaiters
''All Gas and Gaiters'' is a British television ecclesiastical sitcom which aired on BBC1 from 1966 to 1971. It was written by Pauline Devaney and Edwin Apps, a husband-and-wife team who used the pseudonym of John Wraith when writing the pilot. ...
'' paved the way for ''
Bless Me, Father
''Bless Me, Father'' is a British sitcom starring Arthur Lowe, Daniel Abineri, Gabrielle Daye, Patrick McAlinney, David Ryall, and Sheila Keith. It was aired on ITV from 1978 until 1981 and described the adventures of an Irish Catholic priest ...
'' (1978–1981) with Arthur Lowe, and farcical ecclesiastical comedies such as ''
Father Ted
''Father Ted'' is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews (writer), Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until ...
'' and ''
The Vicar of Dibley
''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom which originally ran on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2007. It is set in a fictional small Oxfordshire village called Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1992 changes ...
'' in the 1990s.
Starring
Derek Nimmo
Derek Robert Nimmo (19 September 193024 February 1999) was an English character actor, producer and author. He is best remembered for his comedic upper class "silly ass" and clerical roles including Revd Mervyn Noote in the BBC1 sitcom ''All G ...
with
Robertson Hare
John Robertson Hare, OBE (17 December 1891 – 25 January 1979) was an English actor, who came to fame in the Aldwych farces. He is remembered by more recent audiences for his performances as the Archdeacon in the popular BBC sitcom, ''All Gas ...
,
William Mervyn
William Mervyn Pickwoad (3 January 1912 – 6 August 1976) was an English actor best known for his portrayal of the bishop in the clerical comedy ''All Gas and Gaiters'', the old gentleman in ''The Railway Children'' and Inspector Charles Rose i ...
,
John Barron,
Joan Sanderson
Joan Sanderson (24 November 1912 – 24 May 1992) was a British television and stage actress born in Bristol. During a long career, her tall and commanding disposition led to her playing mostly dowagers, spinsters and matrons, as well as intens ...
, and
Ernest Clark
Ernest Clark (12 February 1912 – 11 November 1994) was a British actor of stage, television and film.
Early life
Clark was the son of a master builder in Maida Vale, and was educated nearby at St Marylebone Grammar School. After leaving sch ...
,
it was written by husband-and-wife team
Pauline Devaney
Pauline Devaney (born ) is a British actress, writer, and artist, best known for her television writing in partnership with Edwin Apps.
Devaney was born in Stoke-on-Trent, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She and Apps both bega ...
and
Edwin Apps
Edwin Apps (14 May 1931 – 16 April 2021) was an English television actor and writer. He appeared in many British and French television series and films, which include ''Whack-O!'', '' I Thank a Fool'', ''Danger Man'', '' The Avengers'', '' ...
and directed by
and Stuart Allen.
The successful series, which after an initial controversy became a favourite of Britain's
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
,
was followed by two spin-offs also starring Nimmo: ''
Oh, Brother!
''Oh, Brother!'' is a British television sitcom starring Derek Nimmo, which aired on BBC1 from 13 September 1968 to 27 February 1970.
Synopsis
The series was set in the fictional Mountacres Monastery, with Nimmo cast as the well-meaning but ine ...
'' (1968-1970), 19 episodes written by David Climie and Austin Steele, with supporting roles by
Sir Felix Aylmer,
Patrick McAlinney
Patrick Andrew McAlinney (9 November 1913 – 22 August 1990) was an Irish character actor who starred in many British dramas and sitcoms. His most memorable roles included a brother on the hit sitcom '' Oh, Brother!'', which starred Derek Nimmo ...
and
Derek Francis
Derek Francis (7 November 1923 – 27 March 1984) was an English comedy and character actor.
Biography
Francis was a regular in the Carry On film players, appearing in six of the films in the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in ''The Tomb of Lige ...
, and its sequel ''
Oh, Father!'' (1973) with Felix Aylmer,
Laurence Naismith
Laurence Naismith (born Lawrence Johnson; 14 December 1908 – 5 June 1992) was an English actor. He made numerous film and television appearances, including starring roles in the musical films '' Scrooge'' (1970) and the children's ghost fil ...
,
Pearl Hackney
Pearl Hackney (28 October 1916 – 18 September 2009) was a British actress and the wife of comic actor Eric Barker. She was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, but spent much of her early life in Liverpool, Lancashire (now Merseyside).
A ...
and
David Kelly, also written by Climie and Steele.
''All Gas and Gaiters'' was produced by Stuart Allen, John Howard Davies, and Robin Nash,
and the music was provided by
Stanley Myers
Stanley Myers (6 October 19309 November 1993) was an English composer and conductor, who scored over sixty films and television series, working closely with filmmakers Nicolas Roeg, Jerzy Skolimowski and Volker Schlöndorff. He is best known fo ...
.
;''Me Mammy''
With
Milo O'Shea
Milo Donal O'Shea (2 June 1926 – 2 April 2013) was an Irish people, Irish actor. He was twice nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performances in ''Staircase (play), Staircase'' (1968) and ''Mass Appeal (play), Mass A ...
, and
Yootha Joyce
Yootha Joyce Needham (20 August 1927 – 24 August 1980), known as Yootha Joyce, was an English actress best known for playing Mildred Roper opposite Brian Murphy in the sitcom ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and its spin-off ''George and M ...
in the lead roles, ''
Me Mammy
''Me Mammy'' is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1968 to 1971. Starring Milo O'Shea, it was written by Hugh Leonard.
Background
''Me Mammy'' first aired as pilot within the seventh series of the BBC's ''Comedy Playhouse''. The pilot and ...
'' was written by
Hugh Leonard
Hugh Leonard (9 November 1926 – 12 February 2009) was an Irish dramatist, television writer, and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote nearly 30 full-length plays, 10 one-act plays, three volumes of essay, two autobiograph ...
, produced by
James Gilbert and
Sydney Lotterby for the BBC and aired 1968–1971 for 21 episodes over 3 series. Bunjy Kennefick, played by O'Shea, is an Irish
mother's boy
Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy or mama's boy, is a term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent) ...
living in London. He is a top executive of a company and lives a bachelor lifestyle. However, his old-fashioned Catholic mother often puts a stop to his plans, many of them involving his girlfriend Miss Argyll, played by Joyce.
The 1970s
The 1970s is often regarded as the golden era of British sitcom. Well-remembered series include
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
and
Connie Booth
Connie Booth (born 2 December 1940) is an American-born actress and writer. She has appeared in several British television programmes and films, including her role as Polly Sherman on BBC Two's ''Fawlty Towers'', which she co-wrote with her t ...
's farcical ''Fawlty Towers'' (1975, 1979) often cited as the greatest sitcom of all time.
John Esmonde and Bob Larbey's self-sufficiency comedy ''The Good Life'' (1975–78) and ''
To the Manor Born
''To the Manor Born'' is a BBC television sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special one-off episode was produced in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written by ...
'' by
Peter Spence
Peter Spence (born 24 April 1944) is an England, English journalist and writer. He is perhaps best known for creating and writing the British sitcom ''To the Manor Born''.
Early life
Born in 1944, Peter Spence was educated at Bromsgrove School ...
and
Christopher Bond were also highly successful. ''
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'' is a British sitcom which was broadcast on BBC1 between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974. It was the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit '' The Likely Lads''. It was created and written, as was its prede ...
'' (1973–74), a sequel to ''The Likely Lads'', is thought to have surpassed the original, while its writers,
Dick Clement
Dick Clement (born 5 September 1937) is an English writer, director and producer. He became known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais for television series including ''The Likely Lads'', ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'', ...
and
Ian La Frenais
Ian La Frenais (born 7 January 1937) is an English writer best known for his creative partnership with Dick Clement. They are most famous for television series including ''The Likely Lads'', ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'', ''Porridg ...
, provided
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George Barker (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He was known for roles in British comedy television series such as '' Porridge'', ''The Two Ronnies'', and ''Open All Hours''.
...
with his most significant sitcom vehicle, ''
Porridge
Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...
'' (1974–77). Barker also starred (along with
David Jason
Sir David John White (born 2 February 1940), known professionally by his stage name David Jason, is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in the BBC sitcom '' Only Fools and Horses'', Detective Inspector ...
) in ''
Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' (1973, 1976–85), written by
Roy Clarke
Royston Clarke Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 28 January 1930), usually known as Roy Clarke, is an English comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms ''Last of the Summer Wine'', ''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''Open All Hours'' a ...
, whose ''
Last of the Summer Wine
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes foll ...
'' began in 1973 and ended in 2010, becoming the world's longest running sitcom. The decade also saw the broadcast of ''
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
''It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'' is a BBC television sitcom about a Royal Artillery concert party based in Deolali in British India and the fictional village of Tin Min in Burma, during the last months of the Second World War. It was written by Jimm ...
'' (1974–81), which has been criticised for the "stereotypes of its handful of Indian supporting characters as alternately servile, foolish, lazy or devious".
The commercial station
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
had successes with ''
Rising Damp
Structural dampness is the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure.
A high proportion of damp problems in buildings are caused by ambient ...
'' (1974–78, sometimes called the best of all ITV sitcoms),
[Phil Wickha]
"Rising Damp (1974–78)"
BFI screenonline ''
Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 A ...
'' (1973–76) and ''
George and Mildred
''George and Mildred'' is a British sitcom produced by Thames Television and first aired between 1976 and 1979. It is a spin-off from ''Man About the House'', and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as constantly-sparring married couple Ge ...
'' (1976–79). ''Rising Damp'' star
Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. He had a long career in the theatre but achieved his highest profile for his television comedy roles starring as Rupert Rigsby in the ITV series ''Rising Damp'' from ...
also played the lead role in the BBC's ''
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. It is based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs and produced from 1976 to 1979. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the first series ...
'' (1976–79). The decline in cinema attendance meant that many of these series were turned into cinema films;
[Matthew Conia]
"A Users Guide to the Great British Sitcom Movie"
''Kettering: The Fanzine of Elderly British Comedy'', .d., c.2003No.1, pp. 3–9 the
first film version of ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'' (1969–73) was the biggest hit at the British box office in 1971.
["On the Buses"](_blank)
, Television Heaven website According to
Jeff Evans, ''On the Buses'' was a "cheerfully vulgar comedy" in which "leering and innuendo dominate
" Some of the network's other ratings successes from this era included ''
Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor or Love Thy Neighbour refers to the Biblical phrase "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" from the Book of Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament about the ethic of reciprocity known as the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment.
...
'' (1972–76)
and ''
Mind Your Language
''Mind Your Language'' is a British sitcom that premiered on ITV in 1977. It was produced by London Weekend Television and directed by Stuart Allen. Three series were made by the London Weekend Television between 1977 and 1979 and briefly reviv ...
'' (1977–79, 1986),
which attempted to find humour in racial or ethnic conflict and misunderstandings, but were increasingly criticised over time for "obvious racial name-calling... recurring with distressing regularity" and "offer
ngonly the crudest caricatures".
Increasing relaxation in regard to the discussion of sex allowed
farce
Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...
and
camp humour to become a familiar form in the 1970s and were used in series like ''
Are You Being Served?
''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, t ...
'' and comedian
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian.
Early life
Howerd was born the son of soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...
's ''
Up Pompeii!
''Up Pompeii!'' is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the ''Carry On'' films, and the second series by Rothwell and S ...
'', which ran for 16 episodes (1969–70, 1975, 1991) and starred several female stalwarts from the ''Carry On'' film series, including Barbara Windsor,
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard (born Wendy Emerton; 20 July 1943 – 26 February 2009) was an English actress, known for her television roles as Miss Shirley Brahms on the BBC sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1985, and Pauline Fowler on the soap ...
and
Valerie Leon
Valerie may refer to:
People
*Saint Valerie (disambiguation), a number of saints went by the name Valerie
*Valerie (given name), a feminine given name
Songs
*"Valerie", a 1981 song by Quarterflash, from ''Quarterflash''
*"Valerie", a 1982 son ...
. A feature of the show which inspired three films was Howerd's frequent
breaking of the fourth wall.
Other controversial topics for comedy included series written by Richard Waring and Wendy Craig. ''
...And Mother Makes Three'' (1971–73), and its sequel ''
...And Mother Makes Five'' (1974–76), starred Craig (who also co-wrote) as a widowed mother who eventually remarries a divorced single father. ''
My Wife Next Door
''My Wife Next Door'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Clemens and written by Richard Waring. It was shown on BBC1 in 1972, and ran for 13 episodes.
The programme is about a couple, George Basset (John Alderton) and Suzie Basset ( Hannah G ...
'' (1972), created by
Brian Clemens
Brian Horace Clemens (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on '' The Avengers'' and '' The Professionals''. Clemens claimed to be related to Mark Twain (Samuel ...
, concerned a divorced couple who accidentally moved next door to each other, ''
Miss Jones and Son
''Miss Jones and Son'' is a comedy series first broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV in 1977. It starred Paula Wilcox, Christopher Beeny, Charlotte Mitchell and Norman Bird. It was written by Richard Waring (writer), Richard Waring and produced a ...
'' (1977–78) was about a single mother, and ''
Rings on Their Fingers
''Rings on Their Fingers'' is a British television sitcom, written by Richard Waring. It ran from October 1978 to November 1980.
Plot
It concerns a young unmarried couple (Sandy Bennett and Oliver Pryde) played by Diane Keen
Diane Keen (born ...
'' (1978–80) was about a young, unmarried couple.
;''On the Buses''
Another creation by
Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe is ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'', starring
Reg Varney
Reginald Alfred Varney (11 July 1916 – 16 November 2008) was an English actor, entertainer and comedian. He is best remembered for having played the lead role of bus driver Stan Butler in the LWT sitcom ''On the Buses'' (1969–73) and its th ...
and
Bob Grant.
Running 1969–1973 for 74 episodes over 7 series, it was initially rejected by the BBC, who did not see much comedy potential in a bus depot as a setting.
It was then commissioned by Frank Muir, then at
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...
who said it was "rather at the baked beans end of my menu".
Despite poor critical reception, it gained an audience of up to 20 million. It has been described as cliche-ridden, stereotypical, occasionally racist and totally sexist by today's standards, with Varney's and Grant's characters both lecherous womanisers and ethnic minorities used inappropriately for humour.
As David Stubbs wrote for ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' in 2008, Grant and Varney were playing "two conspicuously middle-aged men" (Varney was in his 50s when the series began) pursuing "an endless array of improbably available 'dolly birds' ".
The series was made into three films, ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'' (1971), ''
Mutiny on the Buses
''Mutiny on the Buses'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Harry Booth and starring Reg Varney and Doris Hare. The film is the second spin-off film from the TV sitcom ''On the Buses'' and succeeded ''On the Buses'' (1971). It was followe ...
'' (1972), and ''
Holiday on the Buses
''Holiday on the Buses'' is a 1973 British comedy film directed by Bryan Izzard and starring Reg Varney and Doris Hare. The film is the third and final spin-off film from the ITV sitcom ''On the Buses'' and succeeded the films ''On the Buses'' ...
'' (1973).
;''Bless This House''
Starring
Sid James
Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series.
Born to a mid ...
of ''Carry On'' fame, with
Diana Coupland
Betty Diana Coupland (5 March 1928 – 10 November 2006), billed as Diana Coupland, was an English actress and singer, best remembered for her role in the sitcom '' Bless This House'', as Jean Abbott, the wife of Sid James character Sid, which s ...
and
Sally Geeson, ''
Bless This House'' was created by
Vince Powell
Vincent Joseph Powell (6 August 1928 – 13 July 2009) was a British television scriptwriter. He collaborated with a writing partner, Harry Driver, until 1973.
Early life
Powell was born as Vincent Joseph Smith to Roman Catholic parents in Mi ...
and
Harry Driver
Harry Driver (13 May 1931 – 25 November 1973) was a British television scriptwriter and executive producer. He is best remembered for his partnership with Vince Powell on comedy television programmes including '' Never Mind The Quality Feel The ...
, but mainly written by others including
Dave Freeman and Carla Lane. Running from 1971 to 1976, It marked a departure from James' characteristic bawdy slapstick and famous 'dirty laugh' and ran for 65 episodes over 10 series. The series ended abruptly in 1976, when, just four days after the broadcast of the final episode, James died after collapsing on stage. Ironically, James had told Coupland, "It's such fun and so successful, we'll still be working on ''Bless This House'' till one of us kicks the bucket."
In 2004, it 67th in ''
Britain's Best Sitcom
''Britain's Best Sitcom'' was a BBC media campaign in which television viewers were asked to decide the best British situation comedy. Viewers could vote via telephone, SMS, or BBC Online. This first round of voting was conducted in 2003, after ...
''.
;''Clochemerle''
In 1972 the lavish French farce in English based on the 1934
novel of the same name by
Gabriel Chevallier
Gabriel Chevallier (3 May 1895 – 6 April 1969) was a French novelist widely known as the author of the satire ''Clochemerle''.
Biography
Born in Lyon in 1895, Gabriel Chevallier was educated in various schools before entering Lyon École des Be ...
, ''
Clochemerle
''Clochemerle'', published in the United States as ''The Scandals of Clochemerle'', is a French satirical novel by Gabriel Chevallier (1895–1969) first published in 1934. It centres on personal rivalries and local politics in the fictional ...
'' was adapted into 9 episodes by Galton and Simpson for the BBC.
It was a stark contrast to the dark comedy of their ''Steptoe and Son'' and ''Hancock's Half Hour''. Filmed on location in
Colombier-le-Vieux
Colombier-le-Vieux (; oc, Colombièr lo Vièlh) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.
Population
See also
* Communes of the Ardèche department
*Used as the location for the 1972 BBC Television series ''Clochemerle
...
, in the
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
of
Ardèche
Ardèche (; oc, Ardecha; frp, Ardecha) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It is named after the river Ardèche and had a population of 328,278 as of 2019.[Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice (26 May 1923 – 16 October 2017) was a British actor famed for his portrayal of the antiquarian John Aubrey in the record-breaking solo play ''Brief Lives''.
Abroad, he won a Tony Award for his performance in the 2000 Broadway re ...]
,
Wendy Hiller
Dame Wendy Margaret Hiller, (15 August 1912 – 14 May 2003) was an English film and stage actress who enjoyed a varied acting career that spanned nearly 60 years. Writer Joel Hirschorn, in his 1984 compilation ''Rating the Movie Stars'', desc ...
,
Cyril Cusack
Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his int ...
,
Kenneth Griffith
Kenneth Griffith (born Kenneth Reginald Griffiths, 12 October 1921 – 25 June 2006) was a Welsh actor and documentary filmmaker. His outspoken views made him a controversial figure, especially when presenting documentaries which have been ca ...
,
Cyd Hayman
Cyd Hayman (born 1 May 1944, in Chippenham, Wiltshire) is an English actress.
She appeared in the films: ''Percy'' (1971), '' Rogue Male'' (1976), '' The Human Factor'' (1979), ''The Godsend'' (1980) and ''Mask of Murder'' (1985).
Her televisio ...
,
Bernard Bresslaw
Bernard Bresslaw (25 February 193411 June 1993) was a British actor. He is best known as a member of the ''Carry On'' film franchise. Bresslaw also worked on television and stage, did recordings and wrote a series of poetry.
Biography
Bernard B ...
,
Hugh Griffith
Hugh Emrys Griffith (30 May 1912 – 14 May 1980) was a Welsh film, stage, and television actor. He is best remembered for his role in the film '' Ben-Hur'' (1959), which earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Acto ...
,
Micheline Presle
Micheline Presle (; born Micheline Nicole Julia Émilienne Chassagne; 22 August 1922) is a French actress. She was sometimes billed as Micheline Prelle. Starting in 1939, she starred in over 50 French and English language films that were made in H ...
,
Madeline Smith
Madeline Smith (born 2 August 1949) is an English actress. After working as a model in the late 1960s, she went on to appear in many television series and stage productions, plus comedy and horror films, in the 1970s and 1980s.
She is perhaps ...
,
Christian Roberts
Christian Roberts (born 22 October 1979) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He was most notable for his four-year spell at Swindon Town, which was disrupted by various injuries and misfortunes. In addition to Swindon, his career saw him ...
,
Nigel Green
Nigel McGown Green (15 October 192415 May 1972) was an English character actor. Because of his strapping build, commanding height () and regimental demeanour he would often be found playing military types and men of action in such classic 1960s ...
,
Wolfe Morris
Wolfe Morris (born Woolf Steinberg, 5 January 1925 – 21 July 1996) was an English actor, who played character roles on stage, television and in feature films from the 1950s until the 1990s. He made his film debut in ''Ill Met by Moonlight''. ...
and
Gordon Rollings
Gordon Charles Rollings (17 April 1926 – 7 June 1985) was an English actor who mainly appeared on television, but also appeared on-stage and in feature films. He was born in Batley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1926 and start ...
, with narration by
Peter Ustinov
Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...
. The show was produced by
Michael Mills as a
co-production between the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and West Germany's
Bavaria Film
Bavaria Film is a German film production and distribution company. It is one of Europe's largest film production companies, with some 30 subsidiaries.
History
The studios were founded in 1919, when Munich-raised film producer Peter Ostermayr ...
. Incidental music was arranged by
Alan Roper and played by L'Harmonie Du Rhone Orchestra, Lyon, under the musical direction of Raymond Jarniat.
;''My Wife Next Door''
Created by
Brian Clemens
Brian Horace Clemens (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an English screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on '' The Avengers'' and '' The Professionals''. Clemens claimed to be related to Mark Twain (Samuel ...
and written by Richard Waring, ''
My Wife Next Door
''My Wife Next Door'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Clemens and written by Richard Waring. It was shown on BBC1 in 1972, and ran for 13 episodes.
The programme is about a couple, George Basset (John Alderton) and Suzie Basset ( Hannah G ...
'' was shown on BBC1 in 1972 and ran for 13 episodes. The series concerns George Basset, played by
John Alderton
John Alderton (born 27 November 1940) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', ''Thomas & Sarah'', ''Wodehouse Playhouse'', ''Little Miss'' (original television series), ''Please Sir!'', ''No, Honestly' ...
, and Suzie Basset, played by
Hannah Gordon
Hannah Campbell Grant Gordon
Film reference website (born 9 April 1941) is a Scottish actress and presenter ...
, who each try to start afresh after their divorce by moving to the country, only to find that they have moved into adjoining cottages. The music was by
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. ...
. In 1973, one episode won a
British Academy Television Award for Best Situation Comedy
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
. During a repeat run in January 1980, one episode gained 19.3 million viewers and was the second most-watched programme that week.
;''Are You Being Served?''
Set in a traditional London
department store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...
, the show follows the antics of the staff of the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments. ''
Are You Being Served?
''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, t ...
'' (1972–85) was created and written for the BBC by
Jeremy Lloyd
John Jeremy Lloyd, OBE (22 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an English writer, screenwriter, author, poet and actor. He was the co-writer of several successful British sitcoms, including ''Are You Being Served?'' and Allo 'Allo!''.
Ear ...
and
David Croft and stars
Frank Thornton
Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? ...
,
Mollie Sugden
Mary Isobel Sugden (21 July 19221 July 2009), known professionally as Mollie Sugden was an English actress. She was best known for being an original cast member in the British sitcom '' Are You Being Served?'' (1972–1985) as senior saleswoman ...
,
Wendy Richards, and
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 ...
(whose camp characterisation of
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, t ...
contributed greatly to the series' success),
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard (born Wendy Emerton; 20 July 1943 – 26 February 2009) was an English actress, known for her television roles as Miss Shirley Brahms on the BBC sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1985, and Pauline Fowler on the soap ...
and
Nicholas Smith appeared in all 69 episodes. In 2004, it ranked 20th in ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. The series proved to be highly exportable, and is regularly repeated on
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
,
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
and
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
in the UK,
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
and
BBC America
BBC America is an American basic cable network that is jointly owned by BBC Studios and AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs sci-fi and action series and films, as well as selected programs from the BBC (such as its nature documentary ser ...
in the United States, and
BBC UKTV
BBC UKTV is an Australian pay television channel in Australia and New Zealand, screening British entertainment programming, sourced mainly from the archives of the BBC, RTL Group (mainly Talkback Thames material) and ITV plc. The channel was o ...
,
Fox Classics
FOX Classics is an Australian cable and satellite channel that specializes in showing television series and ad-free classic movies, themed movie nights and miniseries from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
History
FOX Classics began as ...
and
9Gem
9Gem is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, launched by the Nine Network in September 2010. The channel provides general entertainment and movie programming, from which the original name "GEM" is derived.
History
Nine N ...
in Australia, and
Jones!
Jones! is an entertainment channel on New Zealand's Sky Television on Channel 8 that shows classic back catalogue of US and UK programming.
The US content is sourced from the CBS Studios International catalogue as part of the exclusive contr ...
in New Zealand. A spin-off series, ''
Grace & Favour
''Grace & Favour'' (American title: ''Are You Being Served? Again!'') is a British sitcom and a spin-off of '' Are You Being Served?'' that aired on BBC1 for two series from 1992 to 1993. It was written by ''Are You Being Served?'' creators and ...
'', with some of the same main cast aired in 1991–1992, and a one-off episode with a new cast in 2016. Its feature film spin-off was not well received.
;''Man About the House''
Considered daring at the time because it featured a man sharing a flat with two single women, the flat-share comedy ''
Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 A ...
'' was created was by
Brian Cooke
Brian Cooke (born 1937) is a British comedy writer who, along with co-writer Johnnie Mortimer, wrote scripts for and devised many of the top television sitcoms during the 1970s, including ''Man About the House'', ''George and Mildred'', and '' ...
and
Johnnie Mortimer
John Mortimer (2 July 1931 – 2 September 1992) professionally Johnnie Mortimer, was a British scriptwriter for British TV whose work, along with creative writing partner Brian Cooke, also served as inspiration for American television pro ...
. It starred
Richard O'Sullivan
Richard O'Sullivan (born 7 May 1944) is an English comedy actor, who is known for his role as Robin Tripp in the 1970s sitcoms ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and ''Robin's Nest (TV series), Robin's Nest'' (1977–1981) and as the title c ...
,
Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox (born 13 December 1949) is an English actress. With a career spanning over 50 years, she is best known for her role as Chrissy in the popular ITV sitcom ''Man About The House'' from 1973 to 1976. She has also had roles in TV shows ...
and
Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett (born 3 April 1950) is an English actress who starred as Phyllis in the film ''The Railway Children'' (1970) and played Jo in the TV sitcom ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976). She also appeared as Janice in the film '' Straw D ...
, with
Brian Murphy Brian Murphy may refer to:
Sportspeople
* Brian Murphy (Jamaican cricketer) (born 1973), Jamaican cricketer
* Brian Murphy (Zimbabwean cricketer) (born 1976), Zimbabwean cricketer
* Brian Murphy (baseball) (born 1980), American head baseball coach ...
and
Yootha Joyce
Yootha Joyce Needham (20 August 1927 – 24 August 1980), known as Yootha Joyce, was an English actress best known for playing Mildred Roper opposite Brian Murphy in the sitcom ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and its spin-off ''George and M ...
as their landlord and landlady. 40 episodes were broadcast over six series on
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
and ran 1973 to 1976. A film version was released in 1974. The series is regularly repeated on
ITV3
ITV3 is a British free-to-air television channel owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc. The channel was first launched on Monday 1 November 2004 at 9pm, replacing Plus (Granada). ITV3 is the sixth-largest UK television channel by ...
.
;''Porridge''
Based on life in a UK prison, the ''
Porridge
Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...
'' sitcom by writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais provided Ronnie Barker, in the role of a prison inmate, with his most significant sitcom vehicle, supported by
Richard Beckinsale
Richard Arthur Beckinsale (6 July 1947 – 19 March 1979) was an English actor. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' (along with its sequel series ''Going Straight'') and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom ''Rising Damp''. He is the ...
. It ran 1974–77 on BBC1 for 22 episodes over three series. The series features two major supporting characters, both
prison officer
A prison officer or corrections officer is a uniformed law enforcement official responsible for the custody, supervision, safety, and regulation of prisoners. They are responsible for the care, custody, and control of individuals who have been ...
s:
Mr Mackay
''Porridge (1974 TV series), Porridge'' is a British sitcom, starring Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale, written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and broadcast on BBC One, BBC1 from 1974 to 1977. The programme ran for three series, and includ ...
, played by
Fulton Mackay
William Fulton Beith Mackay (12 August 1922 – 6 June 1987) was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s television sitcom ''Porridge''.
Early life
Mackay was born in Paisley, Renfr ...
, and
Mr Barrowclough, played by
Brian Wilde
Brian George Wilde (13 June 1927 – 20 March 2008) was an English actor, best known for his roles in television comedy, most notably Mr Barrowclough in '' Porridge'' and Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in ''Last of the Summer Wine''. His lugubrious ...
. The sitcom focused on two prison inmates, Norman Fletcher, played by Barker and Lennie Godber, played by Beckinsale, who are serving time in a fictional
British prison. ''Porridge'' was critically acclaimed and was ranked No. 35 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute in 2000. In 2004, ''Porridge'' placed seventh in Britain's Best Sitcom. ''Porridge'' was appreciated by British prisoners.
Erwin James
Erwin James Monahan (born 1957) is a columnist and convicted murderer who has written for ''The Guardian'' since 1998, writing under the name "Erwin James" whilst still incarcerated. He was released in August 2004 having served 20 years of a life ...
, an ex-prisoner who wrote a column for ''The Guardian'', stated that: "What fans could never know, however, unless they had been subjected to a stint of Her Majesty's Pleasure, was that the conflict between Fletcher and Officer Mackay was about the most authentic depiction ever of the true relationship that exists between prisoners and prison officers in British jails up and down the country. I'm not sure how, but writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais grasped the notion that it is the minor victories against the naturally oppressive prison system that makes prison life bearable."
;''Rising Damp''
The ITV production of 28 episodes (1974–78) of ''
Rising Damp
Structural dampness is the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure.
A high proportion of damp problems in buildings are caused by ambient ...
'' written by
Eric Chappell
Eric George Chappell (25 September 1933 – 21 April 2022) was an English television comedy writer and playwright who wrote or co-wrote some of the UK's biggest sitcom hits over a more than quarter-century career, first gaining significant noti ...
, is sometimes called the best of all ITV sitcoms.
It starred
Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. He had a long career in the theatre but achieved his highest profile for his television comedy roles starring as Rupert Rigsby in the ITV series ''Rising Damp'' from ...
as Rigsby, a miserly, seedy, and ludicrously self-regarding landlord of a run-down Victorian townhouse who rents out his shabby
bedsits to a variety of tenants: Ruth Jones, an unmarried woman approaching middle age, played by
Frances de la Tour; Alan Moore, a medical student played by
Richard Beckinsale
Richard Arthur Beckinsale (6 July 1947 – 19 March 1979) was an English actor. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' (along with its sequel series ''Going Straight'') and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom ''Rising Damp''. He is the ...
; and Philip Smith, a cultured sales representative supposedly descended from African royalty, played by
Don Warrington
Don Warrington MBE (born Donald Williams, 23 May 1951) is a Trinidadian-born British actor. He is best known for playing Philip Smith in the ITV sitcom ''Rising Damp'' (1974–78), and Commissioner Selwyn Patterson in the BBC detective series ...
. Chappell defended the Rigsby character by saying he "was not a racist or a bigot, but he was prejudiced and suspicious of strangers. But he accepted Philip and his only concern afterwards was that he didn't get a leg over Miss Jones." Warrington, who played Smith, stated: "There were certain aspects of it that were politically incorrect. On the other, you can see how it held up a mirror to the way we were living." The series won the 1978
BAFTA for
Best Situation Comedy and was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom in the BBC's ''Britain's Best Sitcom'', coming in 27th overall. Frances de la Tour received an
''Evening Standard'' British Film Award in the category of "Best Actress" for her performance as Ruth Jones.
;''Happy Ever After''
Broadcast 1974–1979 on BBC1 for 41 episodes over 5 series, starring
Terry Scott
Owen John "Terry" Scott (4 May 1927 – 26 July 1994) was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven of the ''Carry On films''. He is also best known for appearing in the BBC1 sitcom ''Terry and June'' with June Whitfield.
Early lif ...
and
June Whitfield
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress.
Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...
, with
Beryl Cooke
Beryl Cooke (1 November 1906 – 21 August 2001) was an English actress. Her career spanned six decades; she is most familiar to British audiences as Aunt Lucy in the sitcom '' Happy Ever After'' and Mrs. Vance in the BBC drama '' Tenko''.
...
, ''
Happy Ever After'' was written by
John T. Chapman,
Eric Merriman
Eric Hugh Peter Merriman (6 December 1924 – 2 June 2003) was a British radio and television writer, who provided material for numerous comedians including Frankie Howerd, Terry Scott and Morecambe and Wise.
Born in Golders Green, the son of mu ...
, Christopher Bond,
John Kane and Jon Watkins. It was based on a ''
Comedy Playhouse
''Comedy Playhouse'' is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including ''Steptoe and Son'', '' Meet the Wife'', ...
''
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
called "Happy Ever After" which aired on 7 May 1974, with Scott and Whitfield playing a middle-class couple whose grown-up children had just left home.
;''The Good Life''
''
The Good Life'' (1975–1978), written by
Bob Larbey and John Esmonde, aired on
BBC1
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
for 30 episodes over four series and two specials. The final episode was recorded in the presence of
the Queen
In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to:
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death
The Queen may also refer to:
* Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
to mark her Silver Jubilee; it was reputedly one of her favourite shows.
Felicity Kendal
Felicity Ann Kendal (born 25 September 1946) is an English actress, working principally in television and theatre. She has appeared in numerous stage and screen roles over a more than 70-year career, but the role that brought attention to her ...
and Richard Briers starred as Barbara and Tom Goode – a middle-class suburban couple who decide to quit the
rat race
A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely.
The term is ...
and become self-sufficient, much to the consternation of their snooty but well-meaning neighbour Margo, played by
Penelope Keith
Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith, (née Hatfield; born 2 April 1940) is an English actress and presenter, active in film, radio, stage and television and primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Good Life'' and ''To the Man ...
, and her down-to-earth husband Jerry, played by
Paul Eddington
Paul Clark Eddington (18 June 1927 – 4 November 1995) was an English actor best known for playing Jerry Leadbetter in the television sitcom '' The Good Life'' (1975–78) and politician Jim Hacker in the sitcom ''Yes Minister'' (1980–84) an ...
. The opening theme was composed by
Burt Rhodes. In 2004, ''The Good Life'' came 9th in ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. After its success, the four main cast members were given their own "vehicles" commissioned by the then Head of Comedy and producer of ''The Good Life'',
. The series provided
Felicity Kendal
Felicity Ann Kendal (born 25 September 1946) is an English actress, working principally in television and theatre. She has appeared in numerous stage and screen roles over a more than 70-year career, but the role that brought attention to her ...
with her big break on television and significantly boosted her career on stage.
;''Fawlty Towers''
Described in the BBC's profile of the show as "the British sitcom by which all other British sitcoms must be judged", ''
Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television ...
'' (1975 and 1979) is eminently quotable; the repetition in the episode known as ''
The Germans
"The Germans" (named on some releases as "Fire Drill") is the sixth episode of the BBC sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''. In the episode, while suffering the effects of concussion, Basil Fawlty repeatedly offends some German guests. Despite warning his ...
'' of 'don't mention the war' has become a
catch phrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
."
In two series, only 12 half-hour episodes were made, because the writers, John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, felt that they could not continue to write comedy of the same quality.
The series starred Cleese as
Basil Fawlty
Basil Fawlty is the main character of the 1970s British sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'', played by John Cleese. The proprietor of the hotel Fawlty Towers, he is a cynical and misanthropic snob, desperate to belong to a higher social class. His attemp ...
, Prunella Scales as
Sybil Fawlty
Sybil Fawlty is a fictional character from the BBC sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''. She is played by Prunella Scales. She is listed as 34 years old as seen on her medical chart in the 1975 episode "The Germans", presumably indicating she was born in ...
, Connie Booth as
Polly Sherman
Polly Sherman is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''. Played by Connie Booth, she is Fawlty Towers' long-suffering waitress and maid, hotel maid.
Personality
Polly is the hotel waitress during the series, and one of only ...
, and
Andrew Sachs
Andreas Siegfried Sachs (7 April 1930 – 23 November 2016), known professionally as Andrew Sachs, was a German-born British actor and writer. He made his name on British television and found his greatest fame for his portrayal of the comical Sp ...
as
Manuel. Supporting roles included Major Gowen, played by
Ballard Berkeley
Ballard Blascheck (6 August 1904 – 16 January 1988), known professionally as Ballard Berkeley, was an English actor of stage and screen. He is best remembered for playing Major Gowen in the British television sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''.
Life an ...
, Chef Terry, played by
Brian Hall, and Miss Gatsby and Miss Tibbs, played by
Renee Roberts
Irene Roberts (24 September 1908 – 6 February 1996) better known by her professional name Renee Roberts was an English actress who is best remembered for her portrayal of Miss Ursula Gatsby in ''Fawlty Towers'' in both series in 1975 and 19 ...
and
Gilly Flower
Gilly Flower (26 August 1908 – 17 February 2001) was an English actress and model, best remembered as the elderly Miss Abitha Tibbs in the BBC sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''.
Flower played Miss Tibbs in all twelve episodes of the show, which was ...
. Other well known guests from stage and screen, usually two or three for each episode, were featured in various episodes and among many others included
Yvonne Gilan,
Conrad Phillips
Conrad Philip Havord (13 April 1925 – 13 January 2016), known professionally as Conrad Phillips, was an English television and film actor. He is best known for playing William Tell in the adventure series ''The Adventures of William Tell'' (1 ...
,
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Joseph Cribbins (29 December 1928 – 27 July 2022) was an English actor and singer whose career spanned over seven decades.
During the 1960s, Cribbins became known in the UK for his successful novelty records " The Hole in the Groun ...
,
James Cossins
James Cossins (4 December 1933 – 12 February 1997) was an English character actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he became widely recognised as the abrupt, bewildered Mr Walt in the ''Fawlty Towers'' episode " The Hotel Inspectors" and as Mr Wats ...
,
Allan Cuthbertson
Allan Darling Cuthbertson (7 April 1920 – 8 February 1988) was an Australian-born British actor. He was best known for playing stern-faced military officers in British films of the 1950s and 1960s.
Early life
Cuthbertson was born in Perth, W ...
,
Ann Way
Ann Way (14 November 1915 – 13 March 1993) was an English film and television character actress. Born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, she began her career in repertory in Birmingham in the 1950s moving from there to the Dundee Rep.
Her petite build ...
,
Brenda Cowling
Brenda Rose Cowling (23 April 1925 – 2 October 2010) was an English actress from London. Cowling wanted to be a film actress from the time she was a child; however, upon leaving school, she trained instead as a shorthand typist.
Biography
Aft ...
,
Joan Sanderson
Joan Sanderson (24 November 1912 – 24 May 1992) was a British television and stage actress born in Bristol. During a long career, her tall and commanding disposition led to her playing mostly dowagers, spinsters and matrons, as well as intens ...
,
Elspet Gray
Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née Gray; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, Brian Rix, and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s. S ...
,
Geoffrey Palmer Geoffrey Palmer may refer to:
Politicians
* Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1st Baronet (1598–1670), English lawyer and politician
*Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 3rd Baronet (1655–1732), English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire
*Geoffrey Pa ...
,
Derek Royle
Derek Royle (7 September 1928 – 23 January 1990) was a British actor born in London, England. He graduated from RADA in 1950. His face was probably better known than his name to British viewers, but he acted in films and TV from the early 196 ...
,
Richard Davies,
Ken Campbell
Kenneth Victor Campbell (10 December 1941 – 31 August 2008) was an English actor, writer and director known for his work in experimental theatre. He has been called "a one-man dynamo of British theatre".
Campbell achieved notoriety in the 1 ...
,
Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was an English actress, television personality and dancer who appeared on British television and in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday ...
, and
John Quarmby
John Quarmby (18 June 1929 – 5 April 2019) was an English character actor.
Biography
Quarmby was born in Liverpool and after two years' national service in the RAF joined RADA in 1949. Repertory work dominated the first twenty years of hi ...
. The show was produced by
and
Douglas Argent
Douglas George Charles Argent (21 May 1921 – 30 October 2010) was an English television producer and director.
Born in Bexleyheath, Kent and raised in Ilford, Essex, Argent's parents ran an ironmongers shop. He served as a navigator durin ...
, directed by Davies and
Bob Spiers
Robert Alexander Spiers (27 September 1945 – 8 December 2008) was a Scottish television comedy director and producer. He worked on many sitcoms and won two British Academy Television Awards for ''Fawlty Towers'' and ''Absolutely Fabulous''. He ...
and the music was by
Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilson (December 4, 1944 – December 28, 1983) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. ...
. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000,
and in 2019 it was named the greatest ever British TV sitcom by a panel of comedy experts compiled by the ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
''.
[Mattha Busby, 9 April 2019]
"Fawlty Towers named greatest ever British TV sitcom"
''The Guardian'', Retrieved 31 December 2021 Basil Fawlty has been listed by Channel 4 as the second greatest television character.
;''George and Mildred''
The spin-off from ''
Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 A ...
'', starring Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy, with
Norman Eshley
Norman Eshley (born 30 May 1945) is an English actor best known for his television roles.
Biography
Eshley attended Bristol Grammar School and worked in a bank, before training as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He played many ...
,
Sheila Fearn
Sheila Fearn (born 3 October 1940 in Leicester) is an English retired actress best known for playing Audrey, the sister of Terry Collier in BBC situation comedies ''The Likely Lads'' and ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'', and also lat ...
, and child star
Nicholas Bond-Owen
Nicholas Bond-Owen (born 13 November 1968) (sometimes billed as Nick or Nicholas Owen) is a child actor of the 1970s and 1980s best known for playing Tristram Fourmile in all five series of the popular comedy ''George and Mildred'' and in the fi ...
, a domestic sitcom ''
George and Mildred
''George and Mildred'' is a British sitcom produced by Thames Television and first aired between 1976 and 1979. It is a spin-off from ''Man About the House'', and starred Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce as constantly-sparring married couple Ge ...
'' is focused on a clash of social class. Written by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer, it ran for 38 episodes and is regularly repeated on ITV3. Yootha Joyce died suddenly in August 1980, just before production of a sixth and final series.
;''Open All Hours''
Created and written by
Roy Clarke
Royston Clarke Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 28 January 1930), usually known as Roy Clarke, is an English comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms ''Last of the Summer Wine'', ''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''Open All Hours'' a ...
for the BBC, ''
Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' ran for 26 episodes in four series (1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985) and starred Ronnie Barker and David Jason, with a regular supporting cast including
Lynda Baron
Lilian Ridgway (24 March 1939 – 5 March 2022), known professionally as Lynda Baron, was an English actress and singer. She is best known for having played Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC sitcom ''Open All Hours'' (1976–1985) and its sequel ...
,
Stephanie Cole
Patricia Stephanie Cole (born 5 October 1941) is an English stage, television, radio and film actress, known for high-profile roles in shows such as '' Tenko'' (1981–1985), ''Open All Hours'' (1982–1985), ''A Bit of a Do'' (1989), '' Waiti ...
,
Barbara Flynn
Barbara Flynn (born Barbara Joy McMurray, 5 August 1948) is an English actress. She first came to prominence playing Freda Ashton in the ITV drama series '' A Family at War'' (1970–1972). She went on to play the milk woman in the BBC comedy ...
,
Maggie Ollerenshaw
Margaret Ollerenshaw (born 8 October 1949) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Mavis in the BBC sitcom ''Open All Hours'' (1981–1982) and its sequel ''Still Open All Hours'' (2013–2019). Her other television credits ...
, and
Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff (born Minnie Higginbottom; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on British television. She is best known for her portrayal of Nora Batty in ''Last of the Summer Wine'', the longest running sit ...
.
The programme, produced and directed by
Sydney Lotterby and developed from a
television pilot
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
broadcast in Barker's comedy
anthology series
An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
''
Seven of One
''Seven of One'' was a British comedy series that aired on BBC2 in 1973. Starring Ronnie Barker, ''Seven of One'' was a series of seven separate comedies that would serve as possible pilots for sitcoms. Originally it was to be called ''Six o ...
'' (1973), centred around the antics of the eccentric and miserly owner of a traditional English
corner shop
A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tick ...
.
Barker took his idea for Arkwright's famous stutter from the 1950s writer and performer Glenn Melvyn.
''Open All Hours'' came 8th in the 2004 Britain's Best Sitcom poll. Although it ended in 1985, ''Open All Hours'' had been repeated over 3,000 times by 2021.
The theme tune was composed by
Joseph Ascher
Joseph Ascher (3 June 1829 – 20 June 1869) was a Dutch-Jewish composer and pianist. He lived in Paris and London for most of his life.
Life
Ascher was born in Groningen, the son of the ''chazzan'' of the city, who went on to become a cantor i ...
(1829-1869), arranged for a brass band and performed by
Max Harris, who also wrote the incidental music. A sequel, ''
Still Open All Hours
''Still Open All Hours'' is a British sitcom created for the BBC by Roy Clarke, and starring David Jason and James Baxter. It is the sequel to the sitcom ''Open All Hours'', which both Clarke and Jason worked on throughout its 26-episode run ...
'', with David Jason and many members of the original cast, began airing in 2013.
;''Miss Jones and Son''
First broadcast on ITV in 1977 and running for 12 episodes, ''
Miss Jones and Son
''Miss Jones and Son'' is a comedy series first broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV in 1977. It starred Paula Wilcox, Christopher Beeny, Charlotte Mitchell and Norman Bird. It was written by Richard Waring (writer), Richard Waring and produced a ...
'' (1977–78) was written by Richard Waring and produced and directed by Peter Frazer-Jones. It starred
Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox (born 13 December 1949) is an English actress. With a career spanning over 50 years, she is best known for her role as Chrissy in the popular ITV sitcom ''Man About The House'' from 1973 to 1976. She has also had roles in TV shows ...
(''
Man About The House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 A ...
''),
Christopher Beeny
Christopher Winton Beeny (7 July 1941 – 3 January 2020) was an English actor and dancer. He had a career as a child actor, but was best known for his work as the footman Edward Barnes on the 1970s television series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', ...
,
Charlotte Mitchell
Charlotte Mitchell (born Edna Winifred Mitchell; 23 July 1926 – 2 May 2012) was an English actress and poet.
Biography
In the 1950s she provided lyrics, sketches, and occasionally acted in revues on London's West End. She was especiall ...
and
Norman Bird
John George Norman Bird (30 October 1924 – 22 April 2005) was an English character actor.
Early life
Bird was born in Coalville, Leicestershire, England. A RADA graduate, he made his West End theatre, West End debut in Peter Brook's produ ...
. The series depicted the life of Elizabeth Jones, played by Wilcox, a young woman coming to terms with the responsibility of looking after her baby alone. Emotional support came in the form of next-door-neighbour and friend Geoffrey, played by Beeny. Difficulties included the reproaches of her parents, played by Mitchell and Bird, a difficult social life, and a reduced income. The theme song, "Bright Idea", was written by
Roger Webb
Roger Webb (7 April 1934 – 19 December 2002) was a British songwriter and jazz pianist best known for leading Roger Webb's Trio (1963-1965) for television series and club performances, and Roger Webb's Orchestra. The Roger Webb Trio appear ...
.
;''Rings on Their Fingers''
Also written by Richard Waring, ''
Rings on Their Fingers
''Rings on Their Fingers'' is a British television sitcom, written by Richard Waring. It ran from October 1978 to November 1980.
Plot
It concerns a young unmarried couple (Sandy Bennett and Oliver Pryde) played by Diane Keen
Diane Keen (born ...
'' (1978–80) ran from 1978 to 1980 for 20 episodes in 3 series and was and produced by
Harold Snoad
Harold Edward Snoad (born 28 August 1935) is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having d ...
for the BBC.
It concerns a young unmarried couple, Sandy Bennett, played by
Diane Keen
Diane Keen (born 29 July 1946) is an English actress, known for her portrayal of Fliss Hawthorne in the Granada sitcom ''The Cuckoo Waltz'' and Julia Parsons on the BBC soap opera ''Doctors''. She also appeared in Nescafé advertisements from 19 ...
, and Oliver Pryde, played by
Martin Jarvis. The cast also included
Tim Barrett,
Barbara Lott
Barbara Dulcie Lott (15 May 1920 – 19 December 2002) was a British actress probably best remembered as Ronnie Corbett, Ronnie Corbett's character's mother, Phyllis Lumsden in the BBC television sitcom ''Sorry! (TV series), Sorry!''. She als ...
,
Anna Dawson
Anna Dawson (born 27 July 1937) is an English actress and singer.
Born in Bolton, Lancashire, Dawson spent part of her childhood in Tanganyika, where her father worked. She attended the Elmhurst Ballet School and after training at the Central ...
,
John Kane and
Royce Mills
Anthony Royce Mills (12 May 1942 – 21 May 2019) was an English television, stage and film actor.
He attended Eastbourne College, then studied fine art for five years and qualified as a theatre designer before attending the Guildhall School wh ...
. Sandy wishes to marry whereas Oliver is happy to remain unmarried. During the first series they do marry and in the second series they adjust to married life.
A proposed fourth series would have concerned Sandy becoming pregnant unexpectedly, and Sandy and Oliver adapting to parenthood, but the series was not re-commissioned.
;''To the Manor Born''
Co-starring
Penelope Keith
Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith, (née Hatfield; born 2 April 1940) is an English actress and presenter, active in film, radio, stage and television and primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Good Life'' and ''To the Man ...
as Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton and
Peter Bowles
Peter Bowles (16 October 1936 – 17 March 2022) was an English television and stage actor. He gained prominence for television dramas such as '' Callan: A Magnum for Schneider'' and ''I, Claudius''. He is however, best remembered for his roles ...
as Richard DeVere, ''
To the Manor Born
''To the Manor Born'' is a BBC television sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special one-off episode was produced in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written by ...
'' (1979–1981, 2007) was a 'feel-good' series following the leading characters' 'will-they-won't they' love story. Written by
Peter Spence
Peter Spence (born 24 April 1944) is an England, English journalist and writer. He is perhaps best known for creating and writing the British sitcom ''To the Manor Born''.
Early life
Born in 1944, Peter Spence was educated at Bromsgrove School ...
and
Christopher Bond and produced and directed by
Gareth Gwenlan
Gareth Gwenlan (26 April 1937 – 8 May 2016) was a Welsh television producer, director and executive, best known for his work on shows such as ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', ''Butterflies'', ''To the Manor Born'', ''Only Fools and Ho ...
,
it was a sitcom with the one of the largest audience ratings of the period. The final episode of series 1, which aired on 11 November 1979, was the most watched British television programme (excluding live events) of the 1970s, drawing 23.95 million viewers.
[ Retrieved 4 January 2022.] The final episode in 1981 received 17.80 million viewers. The series has been repeated over 1,000 times.
Major supporting roles were played by
Angela Thorne
Angela Margaret Leslie Thorne (born 25 January 1939) is an English actress of stage, television and film who is best known for her roles in '' To the Manor Born'', as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton's best friend Marjory Frobisher, and as Margaret Thatc ...
as Audrey's friend Marjory and
Daphne Heard
Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard (21 August 1904 – 22 June 1983) was an English actress and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth, Devon. She appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and TV series. But was perhaps best known in latter years a ...
as Mrs Polouvicka, Richard's mother. Other members of the cast included
Alan David,
John Rudling
John Rudling (b.August 31, 1907-d.December 18, 1983) was an English actor active on both stage and screen who was perhaps best known for playing the butler Brabinger in the popular BBC sitcom '' To the Manor Born''.
Biography and television role ...
,
Michael Bilton
Robert Michael Bilton (14 December 1919 – 5 November 1993) was an English actor best known for his roles in the British television sitcoms ''To the Manor Born'' (playing the gardener and sometime butler Ned) and '' Waiting for God'' (playing ...
,
Gerald Sim
Gerald Grant Sim (4 June 1925 – 11 December 2014) was an English television and film actor who is perhaps best known for having played the Rector in ''To the Manor Born''.
Career
Sim was born in Liverpool, Lancashire and made over a hundred ...
,
Michael Cochrane
Michael Cochrane is an English actor.
Biography
Cochrane was born in Brighton, East Sussex. He was educated at Cranleigh School. He has had many television and radio roles including Oliver Sterling in the Radio 4 soap opera ''The Archers'', ...
, and
Georgie Glen
Georgie Glen is a Scottish actress, known for her film and television work in both dramatic and comedic roles. Among her most popular performances are the running characters of Miss Higgins in the BBC One period drama series ''Call The Midwife ...
. The music was written by
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 Briti ...
.
;''Terry and June''
Spun off from ''
Happy Ever After'' after it ended, Terry Scott and June Whitfield returned to star in the 65 episodes of ''
Terry and June
''Terry and June'' is a BBC television sitcom, which was broadcast on BBC1 from 1979 to 1987. The show was largely a reworking of '' Happy Ever After'', and starred Terry Scott and June Whitfield as a middle-aged, middle-class suburban couple, Te ...
'' (1979–1987). It was mostly written by
John Kane.
Chapman, one of the original writers, said that the original programme had run out of ideas and had to end. BBC Comedy, however, were unwilling to end a successful 'cozy' show, and so brought in fresh new writers; for legal reasons the programme title had to be changed, and, on 24 October 1979, ''Terry and June'' was born. It was similar to ''Happy Ever After'' without Aunt Lucy, but Terry and June's surname changed from Fletcher to Medford and the characters moved to Purley in London.
In 2004, it came joint 73rd in ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' with ''Happy Ever After''.
The 1980s
In the 1980s, the emerging
alternative comedians began to develop sitcoms, partly as a response to series such as ''Terry and June'' (1979–87), with their "complacent gentility, outmoded social attitudes and bourgeois sensibilities". The alternatives' incursion began with ''
The Young Ones'' (1982–84), written by
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English actor, stand-up comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University and was a pioneer of alternative ...
,
Ben Elton
Benjamin Charles Elton (born 3 May 1959) is an English comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms '' The Young Ones'' and ''Bla ...
and others. To help make it stand out, the group opted to combine traditional sitcom style with violent slapstick,
non-sequitur plot turns, and surrealism. These older styles were mixed with the working and lower-middle class attitudes of the growing 1980s alternative comedy boom. Mayall was also the star of ''
The New Statesman
The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...
'' (1987–92), a series created by
Maurice Gran
Maurice Bernard Gran (born 26 October 1949, in London, England) is an English writer and one half of scriptwriting duo Marks and Gran. He co-wrote the British sitcom, sitcoms ''The New Statesman (1987 TV series), The New Statesman'', ''Birds of ...
and
Laurence Marks, whose biggest success, ''
Birds of a Feather'' (1989–98, 2014–20), also deviated from British practice in being scripted by a team of writers.
The alternative comedy genre continued with ''
Blackadder
''Blackadder'' is a series of four period British sitcoms, plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC One from 1983 to 1989. All television episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robins ...
'' (1983–89), mainly written by Ben Elton and
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them '' ...
and starring
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–201 ...
,
Tony Robinson
Sir Anthony Robinson (born 15 August 1946) is an English actor, author, broadcaster, comedian, presenter, and political activist. He played Baldrick in the BBC television series ''Blackadder'' and has presented several historical documentaries ...
,
Tim McInnerny
Tim McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is an English actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''.
Early life
McInnerny was bor ...
,
Miranda Richardson,
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...
and
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two men acted together in a ...
. Atkinson's
Edmund Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Britis ...
came at number three in the Channel 4 list of 100 greatest television characters.
Other high-ratings mainstream, slice-of-life shows of the decade included ''
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
'' (1986–1991) written by Carla Lane, about a close-knit, working-class family in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
. Running for 74 episodes, at its peak it attracted 21 million viewers. Another notable series was the
Science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
comedy ''
Red Dwarf
''Red Dwarf'' is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. T ...
'' (1988–).
;''Yes Minister''
Starring
Paul Eddington
Paul Clark Eddington (18 June 1927 – 4 November 1995) was an English actor best known for playing Jerry Leadbetter in the television sitcom '' The Good Life'' (1975–78) and politician Jim Hacker in the sitcom ''Yes Minister'' (1980–84) an ...
, with
Nigel Hawthorne
Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...
and
Derek Fowlds
Derek James Fowlds (2 September 1937 – 17 January 2020) was an English actor. He was best known for his appearances as "Mr Derek" in ''The Basil Brush Show'' (1969–1973), Bernard Woolley in the sitcom ''Yes Minister'' (1980–1984) and its s ...
in the supporting roles, ''
Yes Minister
''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fro ...
'' which ran for 21 episodes on BBC2 (1980–1984), and its sequel ''Yes, Prime Minister'' (1986–88), which ran for 16 episodes, were political
satire
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...
s. Established Shakespearean actor Hawthorne picked up four
BAFTA TV Awards
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
for
Best Light Entertainment Performance for his role. Created by
Antony Jay
Sir Antony Rupert Jay, (20 April 1930 – 21 August 2016) was an English writer, broadcaster, producer and director. With Jonathan Lynn, he co-wrote the British political comedies ''Yes Minister'' and ''Yes, Prime Minister'' (1980–88). He als ...
and
Jonathan Lynn
Jonathan Lynn (born 3 April 1943) is an English stage and film director, producer, writer, and actor. He is known for directing the comedy films such as ''Clue'', ''Nuns on the Run'', ''My Cousin Vinny'', and ''The Whole Nine Yards''. He also c ...
,
the series received several BAFTAs and in 2004 was voted sixth in the ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll. Writer
Michael Dobbs
Michael John Dobbs, Baron Dobbs (born 14 November 1948) is a British Conservative politician and author, best known for his ''House of Cards'' trilogy.
Early life and education
Michael Dobbs was born on 14 November 1948 in Cheshunt, Hertfordsh ...
said Jay and Lynn "really got to the heart of so much of what goes on in Whitehall and Westminster".
As the series revolved around the inner workings of central government, most of the scenes take place privately in offices and exclusive
members' clubs. Lynn said that "there was not a single scene set in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
because government does not take place in the House of Commons. Some politics and much theatre takes place there. Government happens in private. As in all public performances, the real work is done in rehearsal, behind closed doors. Then the public and the House are shown what the government wishes them to see."
Lynn and Jay explained: "After we wrote the episode, we would show it to some secret sources, always including somebody who was an expert on the subject in question. They would usually give us extra information which, because it was true, was usually funnier than anything we might have thought up."
In a 2004 BBC programme paying tribute to the series, it was revealed that Jay and Lynn had drawn on information provided by two insiders from the governments of
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...
and
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005), commonly known as Jim Callaghan, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980. Callaghan is ...
, namely
Marcia Falkender
Marcia Matilda Falkender, Baroness Falkender, CBE (''née'' Field, known professionally as Marcia Williams; 10 March 1932 – 6 February 2019) was a British Labour politician, known first as the private secretary for, and then the political s ...
and
Bernard Donoughue
Bernard Donoughue, Baron Donoughue (born 8 September 1934) is a Labour Party (UK), British Labour Party politician, academic, businessman and author.[Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...]
,
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
.
In 2012, Prime Minister
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
admitted that "I can tell you, as prime minister, it is true to life."
;''Hi-de-Hi!''
Set in 1959–60 in a fictional holiday camp, ''
Hi-de-Hi!
''Hi-de-Hi!'' is
a BBC television sitcom shown on BBC1 from 1 January 1980 to 30 January 1988.
Set in 1959 and 1960 in Maplins, a fictional holiday camp, the show was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who also wrote '' Dad's Army'' an ...
'' was filmed on location at the real Warner's Holiday Centre at Dovercourt Bay. It ran for 58 episodes (1980–1988) on the BBC and is often repeated. It was co-written by
Jimmy Perry
James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
, based on his experience as a
Butlin's
Butlin's is a chain of large Seaside resort, seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families.
Between 1936 and 1966, ten camps were built, including one ...
Redcoat, and director-producer
David Croft. With its
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to ...
comprising
Paul Shane
Paul Shane (born George Frederick Speight; 19 June 1940 – 16 May 2013) was a British actor and comedian. He was known for his television work, in particular playing Ted Bovis in ''Hi-de-Hi!'', a 1980s BBC sitcom.
Early life
Shane was born o ...
,
Simon Cadell
Simon John Cadell (19 July 1950 – 6 March 1996) was an English actor, best known for his portrayal of Jeffrey Fairbrother in the first five series of the BBC situation comedy ''Hi-de-Hi!''.
Early life
Born in London, he was the son of theat ...
,
Ruth Madoc
Ruth Madoc (born Margaret Ruth Llewellyn Baker; 16 April 1943 – 9 December 2022) was a British actress who had a career on stage and screen spanning over 60 years. She was best known for her role as Gladys Pugh in the BBC television comedy '' ...
,
Jeffrey Holland Jeffrey Holland may refer to:
*Jeffrey Holland (actor) (born 1946), English television actor
*Jeffrey R. Holland (born 1940), American educator and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
*Jeffrey Scott Holland (born 1966), Americ ...
,
Su Pollard
Susan Georgina Pollard (born 7 November 1949) is an English actress and singer. Her career has spanned over 45 years; she is most famous for her role in the sitcom ''Hi-de-Hi!''. She also appeared in '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' and ''Oh, Doctor Beec ...
, and
David Griffin, the series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Series in 1984. In a 2008 poll on Channel 4, "Hi-de-Hi!" was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase. According to comedy researcher
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn (born 16 June 1958) is an English historian and biographer. Since the 1980s, he has written many reference books about the Beatles and has worked for EMI, MPL Communications and Apple Corps. , "Plots became somewhat outlandish during the latter episodes and by the time the BBC called it a day in 1988, it is arguable that the show had already outstayed its welcome by a good couple of years. All in all, though, this was a good British sitcom."
;''Only Fools and Horses''
One of the most successful British sitcoms of all time, ''
Only Fools and Horses
''Only Fools and Horses....'' is a British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until t ...
'' (1981–2003) starred David Jason as
Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and
Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst (born 20 April 1961) is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor and became best known for his role as Rodney Trotter in the sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses'' (1981–2003). He also had major roles in other ...
as his younger brother
Rodney. It began in 1981 and ran for 64 episodes, with specials, until 2003. It was the most durable of several series written by
John Sullivan. The 1996 episode "
Time on Our Hands
"Time on Our Hands" is an episode of the BBC sitcom ''Only Fools and Horses''. First screened on 29 December 1996, it was the final episode of that year's Christmas trilogy and the fifteenth Christmas special overall. It attracted a television ...
" (originally billed as the last episode) holds the record for the
highest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting 24.3 million viewers.
A ratings success with viewers, the series received numerous awards, including recognition from
BAFTA, the
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...
and the
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...
, as well as winning individual accolades for Sullivan and Jason. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll Del Boy was ranked fourth on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
The series influenced
British culture
British culture is influenced by the combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the impact of the British Empire. ...
, contributing several words and phrases to the English language. It was named one of the top 20 cult television programmes of all time by TV critic Jeff Evans. Evans spoke of: "
howssuch as ''Only Fools and Horses'', which gets tremendous viewing figures but does inspire conventions of fans who meet in pubs called the Nag's Head and wander round dressed as their favourite characters." The theme music was by Ronnie Hazlehurst (1981) and John Sullivan (1982–2003). ''Only Fools and Horses'' came top in a research and analysis by a team of scientists led by Dr
Helen Pilcher, a molecular neurobiologist and stand-up comedian with a speciality in scientific humour.
;''Last of the Summer Wine''
Running on the BBC for 295 episodes over 31 series, ''
Last of the Summer Wine
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes foll ...
'' (1973–2010) was all written by Roy Clarke and produced by
Alan J. W. Bell, with music by Ronnie Hazelhurst.
It is the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world.
The show was about the antics of a group of male pensioners looking for adventure, "portraying the elderly in a positive and non-stereotypical light."
The
family-friendly
A family-friendly product or service is one that is considered to be suitable for all members of an average family. Family-friendly restaurants are ones that provide service to families that have young children. Frequently, family-friendly produc ...
show was filmed largely in
Holmfirth
Holmfirth is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England, on the A635 and A6024 in the Holme Valley, at the confluence of the River Holme and Ribble, south of Huddersfield and west of Barnsley. It mostly cons ...
in Yorkshire, a location recommended by
Barry Took
Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series ''Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Horn ...
,
and featured
Bill Owen,
Peter Sallis
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
, and
Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff (born Minnie Higginbottom; 12 July 1928 – 13 December 2008) was an English actress known for her work on British television. She is best known for her portrayal of Nora Batty in ''Last of the Summer Wine'', the longest running sit ...
among many others.
''Last of the Summer Wine'' was nominated numerous times for British television industry awards; it was proposed five times between 1973 and 1985 for the
British Academy Film Awards
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...
, twice for the Best Situation Comedy Series award (in 1973 and 1979) and three times for the Best Comedy Series award (in 1982, 1983, and 1985). The show was also considered for the
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...
four times since 1999 (in 1999,
2000, 2003, and 2004), each time in the Most Popular Comedy Programme category. In 1999 the show won the National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Programme.
Repeated over 17,000 times, it is regularly broadcast on
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
,
Yesterday, and
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
.
It is also seen in more than 25 countries.
;''Ever Decreasing Circles''
On BBC1 for four series and one feature-length special, ''
Ever Decreasing Circles
''Ever Decreasing Circles'' is a British sitcom which ran on BBC1 between 1984 and 1989, consisting of four series and one feature-length special. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with Richard Briers, who ha ...
'' (1984–1989) was made in a total of 27 episodes. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with
Richard Briers
Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television.
Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...
, of their previous hit show ''The Good Life''.
Sydney Lotterby directed 13 episodes and 14 episodes were produced by
Harold Snoad
Harold Edward Snoad (born 28 August 1935) is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having d ...
. The show also featured guest appearances by
Peter Blake,
Ronnie Stevens,
Victoria Burgoyne
Victoria Burgoyne (born 3 April 1953) is an English actress.
She is known for being a guest actress in the infamously uncompleted 1979 ''Doctor Who'' serial '' Shada'', the making of which was abandoned as the result of a BBC strike. She prov ...
and
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew Winstone (; born 19 February 1957) is an English television, stage and film actor with a career spanning five decades. Having worked with many prominent directors, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Winstone is perha ...
. Centred around Martin Bryce, the eccentric mover and shaker of his local community who feels threatened by the verve and aplomb of a new arrival in the village, played by
Peter Egan
Peter Joseph Egan (born 28 September 1946) is a British actor and animal rights activist.
He is known for his television roles, including Hogarth in ''Big Breadwinner Hog'', the future George IV of the United Kingdom in ''Prince Regent'' (1979 ...
. Its handling was much less brash than most sitcoms, and ''The Guardian'' described it as having "a quiet, unacknowledged and deep-running despair to it that in retrospect seems quite daring".
Reappraising the series, Andy Dawson observed that "''Ever Decreasing Circles'' strayed far from the well-worn path that other Britcoms trudged along in the 70s and 80s. There was a very real darkness at the heart of it, with Martin existing in what was almost certainly a state of permanent mental anguish." The show was voted number 52 in the BBC's ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll in 2003. At its peak, it attracted television audiences of around 12 million.
;Allo 'Allo!''
Reminiscent of their 1970s sitcoms such as ''Are You Being Served?'' and ''Dad's Army'', ''
'Allo 'Allo!'' was another creation of the writer/producer team of David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Set in
Nazi-occupied France
The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...
and starring
Gorden Kaye
Gordon Irving Kaye(7 April 194123 January 2017), known professionally as Gorden Kaye, was an English actor, best known for playing womanising café owner René Artois in the television comedy series Allo 'Allo!''.
Early life
Kaye was born o ...
as René, a café owner, 85 episodes were produced over nine series. Croft and Lloyd, who wrote the first six series (the rest were scripted by Lloyd and Paul Adam) devised the concept as a farcical parody of BBC wartime drama ''
Secret Army'' (1977-1979) from which many elements were directly taken.
Some actors from ''Secret Army'' also appeared in ''Allo 'Allo!'':
Richard Marner
Richard Marner (born Alexander Pavlovich Molchanov, russian: Александр Павлович Молчанов, translit=Aleksandr Pavlovič Molčanov; 27 March 192118 March 2004) was a Russian-British actor. He was probably best known for h ...
,
Guy Siner
Guy Domville Siner (born 16 October 1947) is an American-born English actor best known for his role as Oberleutnant Hubert Gruber in the British television series Allo 'Allo!'' and Dr. Mittenhand in '' Leprechaun 4: In Space''.
Early life
...
,
John D. Collins and
Hilary Minster
Roger Michael Hilary Minster (21 March 1944 – 24 November 1999) was an English character actor.
Life and career
Born in Surrey, England, he is best known for playing General Erich Von Klinkerhoffen in the sitcom '' 'Allo 'Allo!'' between 198 ...
. Although it did not have the success of ''Dad's Army'', it gained respectable ratings,
and was adapted to stage. The BBC were able to sell the series to Germany, possibly because its Nazis were depicted 'as harmlessly pervy and bumbling'.
[Lloyd obituary](_blank)
telegraph.co.uk; accessed 9 January 2022.
A special entitled ''
The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!
''The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!'' is a one-off special episode of the British sitcom Allo 'Allo!'', which was broadcast on BBC Two on 28 April 2007. The special is mix of both a traditional episode, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary feat ...
'' aired in 2007, featuring cast members returning to reprise their original roles in a special story, alongside a documentary about the sitcom including a highlight reel of episodes, and interviews with the cast, production team and fans.
;''The Mistress''
Starring
Felicity Kendal
Felicity Ann Kendal (born 25 September 1946) is an English actress, working principally in television and theatre. She has appeared in numerous stage and screen roles over a more than 70-year career, but the role that brought attention to her ...
(''The Good Life'') and
Jane Asher
Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946)The International Who's Who of Women, 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, 2002, p. 29 is an English actress and author. She achieved early fame as a child actress and has worked extensively in f ...
, ''
The Mistress'' (1985–1987) aired on
BBC2
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
for 12 episodes and was written by Carla Lane.
Kendal played Maxine, a young florist having an affair with a married man, whose wife was played by Asher. The series was produced and directed by
Gareth Gwenlan
Gareth Gwenlan (26 April 1937 – 8 May 2016) was a Welsh television producer, director and executive, best known for his work on shows such as ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', ''Butterflies'', ''To the Manor Born'', ''Only Fools and Ho ...
.
Series 2 attempted to broaden its scope, serving as a more general comedy while still retaining the thread of the affair.
;''Chelmsford 123''
Running for only 13 episodes, ''
Chelmsford 123
''Chelmsford 123'' is a British television situation comedy produced for Channel 4 by Hat Trick Productions. Chelmsford ran for two series, of six and seven episodes respectively, in 1988 and 1990.
The series was set in the British town of Chel ...
'' (1988–1990), was a short-lived series set in
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the period in classical antiquity when large parts of the island of Great Britain were under occupation by the Roman Empire. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. During that time, the territory conquered was ...
about a young Roman general punished by the Emperor by being sent to govern cold, miserable Britannia, populated by hordes of drunken hooligans.
Created and written by
Jimmy Mulville
James Thomas Mulville (born 5 January 1955) is an English comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. He is best known for co-founding (in 1986) the British independent television production company Hat Trick Productions with ...
and
Rory McGrath, and starring themselves with
Philip Pope
Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor. He is best known for role as Tony Angelino in Only Fools And Horses. He was educated at Downside School and New College, Oxford.
Performer
Pope appeared in the Oxford Revue in Edinburgh Festi ...
and
Neil Pearson
Neil John Pearson (born 27 April 1959) is a British actor, known for his work on television. He was nominated for the 1994 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for '' Between the Lines'' (1992–1994). His other television roles include ''Drop the D ...
, it has fallen into relative obscurity. Both series are nevertheless available on
All 4
All 4 is a video on demand service from the Channel Four Television Corporation, free of charge for most content and funded by advertising. The service is available in the UK and Ireland; viewers are not required to have a TV licence—required ...
.
The 1990s
The new
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
began to have successful long-running situation comedies. ''
Desmond's
''Desmond's'' is a British television situation comedy broadcast by Channel 4 from 1989 to 1994. Conceived and co-written by Trix Worrell, and produced by Charlie Hanson and Humphrey Barclay, ''Desmond's'' stars Norman Beaton as barber Desmond ...
'' (1989–94) was the first British sitcom with a black cast set in the workplace, and ''
Drop the Dead Donkey
''Drop the Dead Donkey'' is a British television sitcom that was first shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 1998. It is set in the offices of "GlobeLink News", a fictional TV news company. Recorded close to transmission, i ...
'' (1990–98) brought topicality to the form as it was recorded close to transmission. ''
Oh, Doctor Beeching'' (1995–1997) was the last of many sitcoms by producer David Croft.
Some of the biggest hits of the 1990s were ''
Men Behaving Badly
''Men Behaving Badly'' is a British sitcom that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang (Martin Clunes) and his flatmates Dermot Povey (Harry Enfield; series 1 only) and Tony Smart (Neil Morrissey; series 2 on ...
'', ''Game On (British TV series), Game On'', ''I'm Alan Partridge'', ''Goodnight Sweetheart (TV series), Goodnight Sweetheart'', ''Bottom (TV series), Bottom'', ''The Brittas Empire'', ''The Thin Blue Line (British TV series), The Thin Blue Line'', ''Mr. Bean'' and ''One Foot in the Grave''.
;''Jeeves and Wooster''
The Jeeves#Jeeves canon, "Jeeves" stories by novelist P. G. Wodehouse were made into ''Jeeves and Wooster'' (1990–1993), a comedy-drama series in sitcom style. Twenty-three episodes in 4 series were adapted by Clive Exton for ITV, starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, already well known writers and double act stars of their own sketch comedy television series ''A Bit of Fry & Laurie''. The productions were well received. The third series won a British Academy Television Award for Best Design for Eileen Diss. The final series won a British Academy Television Award for Best Graphics for Derek W. Hayes and was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series; it also earned a British Academy Television Award for Best Original Television Music for Anne Dudley,
and a British Academy Television Award for Best Costume Design for Dany Everett.
[Awards for ''Jeeves and Wooster'' (1990)](_blank)
from Internet Movie Database In retrospect, Michael Brooke of BFI Screenonline called screenwriter Exton "the series' real star", saying his "Literary adaptation, adaptations come surprisingly close to capturing the flavour of the originals" by "retaining many of Wodehouse's most inspired literary similes."
;''Waiting for God''
Written by Michael Aitkens, produced by
Gareth Gwenlan
Gareth Gwenlan (26 April 1937 – 8 May 2016) was a Welsh television producer, director and executive, best known for his work on shows such as ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', ''Butterflies'', ''To the Manor Born'', ''Only Fools and Ho ...
, and directed by Gwenlan and Sue Bysh, ''Waiting for God (TV series), Waiting for God'' (1990–1994) ran on BBC1 for 47 episodes over 5 series and was a major success. It starred
Stephanie Cole
Patricia Stephanie Cole (born 5 October 1941) is an English stage, television, radio and film actress, known for high-profile roles in shows such as '' Tenko'' (1981–1985), ''Open All Hours'' (1982–1985), ''A Bit of a Do'' (1989), '' Waiti ...
as Diana Trent and Graham Crowden as Tom Ballard, two elderly but spirited residents of Bournemouth's fictional Bayview Retirement Home, who are determined not to grow old gracefully, and spend their time running rings around the home's oppressive management and their own families.
With Janine Duvitski in the main supporting role and a regular cast including Andrew Tourell, Sandra Payne,
Michael Bilton
Robert Michael Bilton (14 December 1919 – 5 November 1993) was an English actor best known for his roles in the British television sitcoms ''To the Manor Born'' (playing the gardener and sometime butler Ned) and '' Waiting for God'' (playing ...
and Paddy Ward, much of the humour was derived from flying in the face of expectations about how the elderly ought to behave.
The show became very successful,
and came 37th in the 2004 poll to find ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. It is frequently repeated on the Drama and Gold channels.
;''Keeping Up Appearances''
The frequently repeated and highly successful series ''Keeping Up Appearances'' (1990–1995, 1997, 2008), was written by Roy Clarke. The show, which comprised five series and 44 episodes, including four Christmas specials, starred Patricia Routledge as the snobbish Hyacinth Bucket, Hyacinth 'Bouquet' Bucket, Clive Swift, playing her husband, and Josephine Tewson, playing her neighbour, with Judy Cornwell, Mary Millar and Geoffrey Hughes (actor), Geoffrey Hughes as her working class relatives. The theme music was composed by Nick Ingman. It is the BBC's most exported television programme, having been sold nearly 1,000 times to overseas broadcasters. As of 2016 ''Keeping Up Appearances'' is the most-bought BBC and has outsold every other show to international broadcasters in the past 40 years. According to Roy Clarke : "...the secret to her wide fan base is that everyone knows a Hyacinth" In a 2004 BBC poll it placed 12th in Britain's Best Sitcom and in a 2001 Channel 4 poll, Hyacinth Bucket was ranked 52nd on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
Production ended after Routledge decided to move on to other projects.
;''Absolutely Fabulous''
Written by Jennifer Saunders and starring herself and Joanna Lumley, with Julia Sawalha and
June Whitfield
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress.
Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...
in supporting roles, ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992–1995) was based on the ''French and Saunders'' sketch "Modern Mother and Daughter". It ran for 39 episodes with the first three series airing on BBC, followed a two-part special finale entitled ''The Last Shout'' in 1996. Saunders played Edina Monsoon, a heavy-drinking, drug-abusing public relations, PR agent who spends her time in a desperate attempt to stay young and "hip", and Lumley played fashion magazine director Patsy Stone, whose drug abuse and alcohol consumption far eclipsed Edina's. It returned for two more series and two one-hour specials from 2001 to 2004. In 1997, the pilot episode, "Fashion", was ranked #47 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time, ''TV Guide''s "100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time" list. A scene from the show was included in the ''100 Greatest (TV series), TV's 100 Greatest Moments'' programme broadcast by
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
in 1999. In 2000, the show was ranked 17th in the BFI TV 100, greatest British television show of all time by the BFI. In 2004 and 2007, the show was ranked 24th and 29th on ''TV Guide''s "Top Cult Shows Ever" list.
In 2019, the series ranked 9th in ''Radio Times''
' top 20 British sitcoms. The series has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and ''Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'', was released in 2016.
;''If You See God, Tell Him''
The BBC1 mini-series of ''If You See God, Tell Him'' (1993) in four 45-minute episodes written by Andrew Marshall (screenwriter), Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, stars
Richard Briers
Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television.
Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...
, Ade Edmondson, Adrian Edmondson, Imelda Staunton and Martin Clunes. The very humour concerned a man bumps his head and starts believing he must do everything adverts tell him, with catastrophic results. ''The Independent'' wrote: "It's not really a disaster but there's something decidedly uneven underfoot here, a feeling that this is the working model for a new type of comedy rather than the finished product. [...] while it's sustained with considerable energy by the actors and direction you have to doubt whether it really stands up for one episode, let alone four." Conversely, a retrospective review in ''The Guardian'' highlighted the series as "a gem from an era when the BBC took its black comedy seriously", praising both its dark content and humour, "a Richard Briers sitcom that's the opposite of The Good Life." The series was only broadcast once and never repeated; according to ''The Guardian'', this was "possibly because it was too much of a leap for fans of ''The Good Life'', but it has grown in cult status over the years."
;''The Vicar of Dibley''
In terms of ratings, ''
The Vicar of Dibley
''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom which originally ran on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2007. It is set in a fictional small Oxfordshire village called Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1992 changes ...
'' (1994–2007) starring Dawn French, is among the most successful British programmes of the digital era. The main character, Geraldine Granger, was invented by
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them '' ...
, but he and French extensively consulted Joy Carroll, one of the first female Anglican priests.
The series exploited the 1992 Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993, changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women. The show included Cameo appearance, cameos from many actors and celebrities, many appearing as themselves, and including Sarah, Duchess of York, Hugh Bonneville, Mel Giedroyc, Richard Griffiths, Miranda Hart, Alistair McGowan, Geraldine McNulty, Philip Whitchurch, Nicholas Le Prevost, Brian Perkins and Roger Sloman, Pam Rhodes, Kylie Minogue, Rachel Hunter, Terry Wogan, Jeremy Paxman, Martyn Lewis, Darcey Bussell, Sean Bean, Richard Ayoade, Orla Brady, Fiona Bruce, Annette Crosbie, Johnny Depp, Ruth Jones (actress), Ruth Jones, Hilary Kay, Damian Lewis, Maureen Lipman, Jennifer Saunders, Sting (musician), Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, Stephen Tompkinson, Dervla Kirwan, and Emma Watson. Dibley received multiple British Comedy Awards, two List of International Emmy Award winners, International Emmys, and was a multiple
British Academy Television Awards
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
nominee. In 2004, it was placed third in a BBC poll to find ''Britain's Best Sitcom''. In addition to the twenty main episodes between 1994 and 2007, the series included numerous shorter charity specials, as well as 'lockdown' episodes produced during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic. The theme music was a setting of Psalm 23 composed by Howard Goodall as a serious piece of church choral music, and performed by the choir of Christ Church, Oxford, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, with George Humphreys singing the solo.
The conductor was Stephen Darlington.
;''Hamish Macbeth''
The 20 episode comedy drama series, ''Hamish Macbeth (TV series), Hamish Macbeth'' (1995–1997), by Scottish screenwriter Daniel Boyle (writer), Daniel Boyle was filmed mainly on location in the Scottish Highlands, in a departure from the convention that sitcoms are filmed in studio and accompanied by a laugh track.
It was loosely adapted from the mystery novels by M. C. Beaton (Marion Chesney) by Daniel Boyle (writer), Daniel Boyle and starred Robert Carlyle as a police officer.
;''Father Ted''
The highly successful ''
Father Ted
''Father Ted'' is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews (writer), Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until ...
'' (1995–1998) series created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews (writer), Arthur Mathews, produced by British Hat Trick Productions for
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
aired over three series, including a Christmas special, for 25 episodes. Set on the fictional Craggy Island, off Ireland's west coast, it starred Dermot Morgan as Father Ted Crilly, Ardal O'Hanlon as Father Dougal McGuire and Frank Kelly as Father Jack Hackett. Exiled to the island by Bishop Leonard Brennan, played by Jim Norton (Irish actor), Jim Norton, the priests live together in the parochial house with their housekeeper Mrs Doyle, played by Pauline McLynn. The show subverts parodies of Low comedy, low-brow humour as it portrays nuanced themes of loneliness, agnosticism, existentialism and purgatory experienced by its title character; this deeper meaning of the show has been much acclaimed. The series won several BAFTA awards, twice winning for British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series), Best Comedy Series. In a 2001 poll by
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, Father Dougal was ranked fifth on a list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
In 2019, ''Father Ted'' was named the second-greatest British sitcom (after ''Fawlty Towers'') by a panel of comedy experts for the ''Radio Times''.
;''Dinnerladies''
A winner of many awards, including "Best New TV Comedy" at the 1999 British Comedy Awards,
and "Best TV Comedy" in 2000, ''Dinnerladies (TV series), Dinnerladies'' (1998–2000)
Created, written and co-produced by Victoria Wood, who also starred as the main character, Brenda Furlong, it was based on the lives and interactions of the employees of a works canteen and ran for a total of 16 episodes. The permanent cast occasionally featured guest actors, including Joanne Froggatt, Tina Malone, Dora Bryan, Dora Bryan OBE,
Lynda Baron
Lilian Ridgway (24 March 1939 – 5 March 2022), known professionally as Lynda Baron, was an English actress and singer. She is best known for having played Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC sitcom ''Open All Hours'' (1976–1985) and its sequel ...
,
Elspet Gray
Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née Gray; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, Brian Rix, and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s. S ...
, Janette Tough, Simon Williams (actor), Simon Williams, Kenny Doughty and Eric Sykes, Eric Sykes CBE,
and Thora Hird, Dame Thora Hird DBE.
2000–2010
At the turn of the Millennium, examples of the hyperreal approach pioneered by Galton and Simpson in some of their ''Hancock'' scripts was evident in Steve Coogan's 12-episode sitcom ''I'm Alan Partridge'' (1997–2002). Galton and Simpson's influence also found its way into ''
The Office
''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries.
The original series of ...
'', a
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
, ''Early Doors'', ''Gavin & Stacey'' and many British dramedy, dramedies.
[
]
The BBC began using their digital channels BBC Three (former), BBC Three and BBC Four to build a following for off-beat series including ''The Thick of It'' (2005–2012). Channel 4 had successes with ''Spaced'' (1999–2001), ''Black Books'' (2000–2004), ''Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, Phoenix Nights'' (2001–2002), ''Peep Show (British TV series), Peep Show'' (2003–2015), ''Green Wing'' (2004–2006), ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013) and ''The Inbetweeners'' (2008–2010). The late 2000s and early 2010s also saw a major resurgence in traditional-style sitcoms filmed in front of a studio audience and featuring a laughter track, such as ''Not Going Out'' (2006–), written by Lee Mack, ''Miranda (TV series), Miranda'' (2009–2015), ''Reggie Perrin'' (2009–2010), a remake of the 1970s series ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' and Irish sitcom ''Mrs Brown's Boys'' (2011–). The most successful BBC sitcom of the time was ''My Family'' (2000–2011), which came 24th in the Britain's Best Sitcom poll in 2004 and was the most watched sitcom in the United Kingdom in 2008.
Other sitcoms in the new millennium included ''Outnumbered (UK TV series), Outnumbered'' (2007–2016), ''Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'' (2001–2011), about a group of young people sharing a flat in Runcorn, and ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), about Information technology, IT colleagues.
;''The Royle Family''
Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash wrote the 25 episodes of ''The Royle Family'' (1998–2012) for the BBC. It centred on the lives of a television-fixated working-class family, the Royles, a stereotype of family life at the turn of the century, sharing elements of kitchen sink realism, kitchen sink drama. ''The Royle Family'' was placed 31st in the BFI's 2000 list of the 100 greatest British television programmes. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll, Jim Royle, the misanthropic head of the household, was ranked 11th on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
In a 2004 BBC poll to find ''Britain's Best Sitcom'', ''The Royle Family'' was placed 19th. The series also won several BAFTA awards.
;''Doc Martin''
Like ''Hamish Macbeth'' in the 1990s, ''Doc Martin'' (2004–present), is a dramedy series. It stars Martin Clunes as Dr. Martin Ellingham, the general practitioner of a Cornish village, and Caroline Catz. Created by Dominic Minghella and written and produced by Philippa Braithwaite, it was filmed on location in the village of Port Isaac, with most interior scenes shot in a converted local barn. In 2004, ''Doc Martin'' won the British Comedy Award for "Best TV Comedy Drama", having also been nominated as "Best New TV Comedy". As of 2021 a total of 70 episodes had aired.
;''The Green Green Grass''
Running for 32 episodes over four series and three Christmas specials ''The Green Green Grass'' (2005 and 2009) was a spin-off from ''Only Fools and Horses'', produced for the BBC and created and initially written by John Sullivan, who also wrote the theme music. It starred John Challis, Sue Holderness and Jack Doolan (actor), Jack Doolan from ''Only Fools and Horses''. It also featured several guest stars including
Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox (born 13 December 1949) is an English actress. With a career spanning over 50 years, she is best known for her role as Chrissy in the popular ITV sitcom ''Man About The House'' from 1973 to 1976. She has also had roles in TV shows ...
, American actor George Wendt and June Whitfield, Dame June Whitfield.
;''Gavin & Stacey''
James Corden and Ruth Jones wrote the 20 episodes of ''Gavin & Stacey'' (2007–2010) for the BBC over three series which were directed by Christine Gernonmover. It centres on two families, one in Billericay, Essex and the other in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Barry, South Wales. Mathew Horne and Joanna Page played List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Gavin Shipman, Gavin and List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Stacey Shipman, Stacey and the writers played their best friends List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Neil "Smithy" Smith, Smithy and List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Nessa Jenkins, Nessa. Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb played Gavin's parents List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Pam Shipman, Pam and List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Mick Shipman, Mick, Melanie Walters played Stacey's mother List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Gwen West, Gwen and Rob Brydon played her uncle List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Bryn West, Bryn. Broadcast on Christmas Day 2009 and New Year's Day 2010, episodes of the final series formed a significant part of the prime-time BBC seasonal programming. Acclaimed as both a hit and a breakthrough show for the BBC, it was the most nominated show in the 2007 British Comedy Awards. It won several awards, including the BAFTAs Audience Award, and the British Comedy Awards Best TV Comedy Award, both in 2008. In 2019, ''Gavin & Stacey'' was named the 17th-greatest British sitcom in a poll by ''Radio Times''.
[Fawlty Towers named best British sitcom of all time, beating Blackadder and Only Fools and Horses](_blank)
''The Independent'', 9 April 2019. 18.49 million people watched the Christmas Day 2019 special, the most-viewed non-sporting event in a decade and the most-watched comedy episode for 17 years.
;''Benidorm''
Written and created by Derren Litten and produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, Tiger Aspect for
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
, ''Benidorm (British TV series), Benidorm'' (2007–2018) aired for 74 episodes over ten series.
The series featured an
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to ...
of holidaymakers and staff at the Solana all-inclusive hotel in Benidorm, Spain over the course of a week each year.
The series had a large ensemble cast,
which changed throughout its ten seasons and included Abigail Cruttenden,
Adam Gillen,
Alan David,
Asa Elliott,
Bel Powley,
Bobby Knutt,
Charlotte Eaton,
Crissy Rock,
Danny Walters (actor), Danny Walters,
Elsie Kelly,
Geoffrey Hutchings,
Hannah Hobley,
Hannah Waddingham,
Honor Kneafsey,
Hugh Sachs,
Jake Canuso,
Janine Duvitski,
John Challis,
Johnny Vegas,
Josh Bolt,
Julie Graham,
Kate Fitzgerald,
Kathryn Drysdale,
Kenny Ireland,
Michelle Butterly,
Nathan Bryon,
Nicholas Burns (actor), Nicholas Burns,
Oliver Stokes,
Paul Bazely,
Perry Benson,
Selina Griffiths,
Sheila Reid,
Shelley Longworth,
Sheridan Smith,
Sherrie Hewson,
Simon Greenall,
Siobhan Finneran,
Steve Edge,
Steve Pemberton,
Tim Healy (actor), Tim Healy,
Tony Maudsley and many guest stars.
The first series proved to be a hit for ITV, with critics describing it as "beautifully written and performed" and "a gem of wry observation in withering bad taste".
Since 2010
The censoring of repeats, especially where the Watershed (broadcasting)#United Kingdom, watershed, the time after which adult programming is allowed to be broadcast, is being eroded by Video on demand, on demand viewing and Over-the-top media service, OTT technology. The standard solution is to provide a warning to viewers of real-time transmissions that the programme contains language which some viewers may find offensive.
Other recent British sitcoms include ''Brassic (TV series), Brassic'' (2019–present), ''Chewing Gum (TV series), Chewing Gum'' (2015–2017), ''Friday Night Dinner'' (2011–2020), ''Bad Education (TV series), Bad Education'' (2012–2014), ''Cuckoo (TV series), Cuckoo'' (2012–2019), ''Fleabag'' (2016–2019) and ''Peter Kay's Car Share'' (2015–2018).
;''Still Open All Hours''
The sequel to ''Open All Hours'', ''
Still Open All Hours
''Still Open All Hours'' is a British sitcom created for the BBC by Roy Clarke, and starring David Jason and James Baxter. It is the sequel to the sitcom ''Open All Hours'', which both Clarke and Jason worked on throughout its 26-episode run ...
'' (2013–2019), was created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. 41 episodes were broadcast. It starred David Jason, supported by James Baxter (actor), James Baxter and a regular supporting cast including
Lynda Baron
Lilian Ridgway (24 March 1939 – 5 March 2022), known professionally as Lynda Baron, was an English actress and singer. She is best known for having played Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC sitcom ''Open All Hours'' (1976–1985) and its sequel ...
,
Stephanie Cole
Patricia Stephanie Cole (born 5 October 1941) is an English stage, television, radio and film actress, known for high-profile roles in shows such as '' Tenko'' (1981–1985), ''Open All Hours'' (1982–1985), ''A Bit of a Do'' (1989), '' Waiti ...
,
Maggie Ollerenshaw
Margaret Ollerenshaw (born 8 October 1949) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Mavis in the BBC sitcom ''Open All Hours'' (1981–1982) and its sequel ''Still Open All Hours'' (2013–2019). Her other television credits ...
, Brigit Forsyth, Johnny Vegas, Kulvinder Ghir, Geoffrey Whitehead, Sally Lindsay, Tim Healy (actor), Tim Healy, Sue Holderness, Dean Smith,Archie Panjabi and Nina Wadia, with Baron, Cole, and Ollerenshaw reprising their original characters from ''Open All Hours''.
Directed by Dewi Humphreys,
and produced by Jason, Alex Walsh-Taylor
Sarah Hitchcock,
and Gareth Edwards (producer), Gareth Edwards, the series continued the theme of ''Open All Hours'' while focusing on the life of a much older Granville, running his late uncle Arkwright's traditional English
corner shop
A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery tick ...
with his son's help.
;''Breeders''
The British-American parental black comedy television series ''Breeders (TV series), Breeders'' (2020–present), was created by Martin Freeman, Chris Addison and Simon Blackwell. The series follows two parents who struggle with parenthood and is partially based on Freeman's own experiences. Freeman also plays the lead role.
The series premiered on March 2, 2020, on the American cable network FX (TV channel), FX, and on the British network Sky One on March 12, 2020.
Writers, directors and producers
Barry Took
Barry Took
Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series ''Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Horn ...
came to TV comedy following his hugely successful half-hour radio sketch comedies such as ''Beyond Our Ken'' (1958 - 1964) and its successor ''Round the Horne'' 1965 - 1968 and paved the way for the format of many television sitcoms.
Took, with writing partner
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
with whom he collaborated for over ten years in radio and television, created the early sitcoms ''
The Army Game
''The Army Game'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the very first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group ...
'' in 1958 starring
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 a ...
(''
Till Death Us Do Part
''Till Death Us Do Part'' is a British television sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1965 to 1975. The show was first broadcast in 1965 as a ''Comedy Playhouse'' pilot, then as seven series between 1966 and 1975. In 1981, ITV continued the sitcom ...
'' and ''
Are You Being Served?
''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, t ...
'') and
Bill Fraser
William Simpson Fraser (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years. In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play '' ...
( ''
Hancock's Half Hour
''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Galton and Simpson, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James, Sidney James; the r ...
'') and later wrote its sequel ''
Bootsie and Snudge
''Bootsie and Snudge'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV for three series from 1960 to 1963, with a fourth in 1974. The show is a spin-off of ''The Army Game'', a sitcom about soldiers undertaking national service, and follows two of the mai ...
'' (1960) of which 100 episodes were made, pioneering TV comedy with one of its most enduring features, 'the ill-sorted pair'.
The team's first BBC series was ''The Walrus and the Carpenter'' (1965), starring
Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was a British actor. He was a BAFTA TV Award winner and twice a Laurence Olivier Award winner.
In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes ''Educatin ...
and
Ronnie Barker
Ronald William George Barker (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He was known for roles in British comedy television series such as '' Porridge'', ''The Two Ronnies'', and ''Open All Hours''.
...
.
He became Head of Light Entertainment for
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...
and he launched several shows, including the successful ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'', and was instrumental in launching the team that became ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''.
Roy Clarke
Roy Clarke, Royston Clarke (born 28 January 1930), usually known as Roy Clarke, began his career
In the late 1960s writing thrillers for BBC Radio. Clarke is a prolific television drama creator who wrote sixteen of Britain's best known sitcoms. In 2002, he received an Order of the British Empire, OBE for his contribution to British comedy. He was awarded the lifetime achievement award at the 2010 National Comedy Awards, British Comedy Awards. He is also the 1996 winner of the BAFTA Dennis Potter Award, the 2010 British Comedy Awards winner, and the 1971 Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Best Writer award.
Clarke was the sole writer of ''
Last of the Summer Wine
''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes foll ...
'', which at its peak had an audience of over 18 million viewers and is the longest-running comedy programme in Britain and the longest-running sitcom in the world.
Among his well known works are ''Keeping Up Appearances'', ''
Open All Hours
''Open All Hours'' is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. It ran for 26 episodes in four series, which aired in 1976, 1981, 1982 and 1985. The programme developed from a television pilot broadcast in Ronni ...
'' and its sequel series, ''
Still Open All Hours
''Still Open All Hours'' is a British sitcom created for the BBC by Roy Clarke, and starring David Jason and James Baxter. It is the sequel to the sitcom ''Open All Hours'', which both Clarke and Jason worked on throughout its 26-episode run ...
''.
David Croft
David Croft (1922–2011) was a screenwriter, television producer, producer and television director, director. He produced and wrote a string of BBC sitcoms with partners
Jimmy Perry
James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
and
Jeremy Lloyd
John Jeremy Lloyd, OBE (22 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an English writer, screenwriter, author, poet and actor. He was the co-writer of several successful British sitcoms, including ''Are You Being Served?'' and Allo 'Allo!''.
Ear ...
, including ''Dad's Army'', ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' and ''Hi-de-Hi!''. Like Perry, he served in tropical Asia during the Second World War. While ''Dad's Army'' was still running, Croft began to co-write ''Are You Being Served?'' with Jeremy Lloyd. He continued both writing partnerships for the rest of his career in other series including ''You Rang, M'Lord'' with Perry and ''Allo 'Allo!'' with Lloyd. His last full series, ''Oh, Doctor Beeching!'' (1995–1997), was co-written with Richard Spendlove. He created a television pilot in 2007, entitled ''Here Comes The Queen'', with Jeremy Lloyd, but the show was not continued as a series. Together with Perry, Croft was presented with a British Comedy Award in 2003 for lifetime achievement, and in 1978 Order of the British Empire, OBE for services to television. He also received the 1981 ''Desmond Davies Award'' from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, for his contributions to the industry.
Jimmy Perry
Jimmy Perry
James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
(1923–2016) created ''Dad's Army'' with David Croft. The song he wrote for the series, ''Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?'', won him an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, Ivor Novello Award. Croft and Perry wrote together for over 30 years. Along with Frank Muir and
Denis Norden
Denis Mostyn Norden (6 February 1922 – 19 September 2018) was an English comedy writer and television presenter. After an early career working in cinemas, he began scriptwriting during the Second World War. From 1948 to 1959, he co-wrote the ...
, and Galton and Simpson, they were among the dominant writing teams of the period. Perry could send himself up as well as others. His autobiography was to be called ''A Boy's Own Story'', but it came out in 2002 under the title ''A Stupid Boy''.
In ''Dad's Army'', he drew on his experience as a young member of the Home Guard, on his service in India and Burma
during the war for ''
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
''It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'' is a BBC television sitcom about a Royal Artillery concert party based in Deolali in British India and the fictional village of Tin Min in Burma, during the last months of the Second World War. It was written by Jimm ...
'', and his time as a Butlin's holiday camp Redcoat for ''Hi-de-Hi'', for which he wrote the song "Holiday Rock".
When he said he wanted to be a film star or a comedian, his father responded: "You stupid boy!" Perry used the phrase in ''Dad's Army'' and it became a catch phrase.
Perry effectively retired after ''You Rang, M'Lord?'' finished.
He was awarded an Order of the British Empire, OBE in 1978.
He won Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Writer's Guild (1995) and at the British Comedy Awards (2003).
Galton and Simpson
Galton and Simpson, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson (1930–2018 and 1929–2017) wrote together for over 50 years; their most famous series were ''Hancock's Half Hour'' and ''Steptoe and Son''. Some of their scripts for Hancock almost repudiated a narrative structure altogether and attempted to reproduce an everyday environment with the intention of also reproducing its comedy. Both the character played by Tony Hancock in ''Hancock's Half Hour'', and List of Steptoe and Son characters#Harold Steptoe, Harold Steptoe, played by
Harry H. Corbett
Harry H. Corbett OBE (28 February 1925 – 21 March 1982) was an English actor and comedian, best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC television sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'' ( ...
, were pretentious would-be intellectuals who found themselves trapped by the squalor of their lives. The Galton and Simpson comedies were often characterised by a bleak and somewhat fatalistic tone. ''Steptoe and Son'' in particular was at times an example of black comedy, and close in tone to Social realism drama.
Chesney and Wolfe
Chesney and Wolfe was a prolific comedy scriptwriting team of Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe whose partnership contributed significantly to the genre of British sitcoms. Spanning the years from the mid-1950s to 1989, among their best shows are ''
The Rag Trade
''The Rag Trade'' is a British television sitcom broadcast by the BBC between 1961 and 1963 and by LWT between 1977 and 1978. Although a comedy, it shed light on gender, politics and the "class war" on the factory floor.
The scripts were wr ...
'' starring Barbara Windsor, Dame Barbara Windsor (Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films) with Penelope Keith, Dame Penelope Keith (''
The Good Life'' and ''
To the Manor Born
''To the Manor Born'' is a BBC television sitcom that first aired on BBC1 from 1979 to 1981. A special one-off episode was produced in 2007. Starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, the first 20 episodes and the 2007 special were written by ...
''), who also starred again together in ''Wild, Wild Women'' with an all-star cast and Anna Karen who later starred in Chesney and Wolfe's ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
''. These were workplace shows with sexist and humorously indecent comedy that obtained very high viewer ratings but were not well received by TV critics.
Their other credits include ''Meet the Wife (TV series), Meet the Wife'', an episode of ''
'Allo 'Allo!'' (1989), and ''Watch This Space'' in 1980 which was less of a success.
Their shows featured many of the regular actors from award-winning comedy shows and films and including among many others, Thora Hird, DameThora Hird - a household name and a British institution,
Ian Lavender
Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946) is an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC sitcom ''Dad's Army'', and is the last surviving major cast member of the series following the ...
(''
Dad's Army
''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
''),
Reg Varney
Reginald Alfred Varney (11 July 1916 – 16 November 2008) was an English actor, entertainer and comedian. He is best remembered for having played the lead role of bus driver Stan Butler in the LWT sitcom ''On the Buses'' (1969–73) and its th ...
(''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
''),
Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
(''Mr Digby Darling''),
Prunella Scales
Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English former actress, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy '' Fawlty Towers'', her nomination for a ...
(''
Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television ...
''), Peter Jones (actor),
Their 1971 spin-off film, ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'', the first of the three based on the TV series, was the highest British box-office earner of that year.
Jeremy Lloyd
Jeremy Lloyd
John Jeremy Lloyd, OBE (22 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an English writer, screenwriter, author, poet and actor. He was the co-writer of several successful British sitcoms, including ''Are You Being Served?'' and Allo 'Allo!''.
Ear ...
, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE (1930–2014) co-wrote ''Are You Being Served?'' and ''Allo Allo!''; his sitcoms have been called "the essence of Britishness". ''Are You Being Served?'' was based partly on his own experiences of working in a London department store as a suit salesman. Its success gave rise a spin-off, ''Grace and Favour'', which was a collaboration with David Croft.
During 1970 Lloyd was briefly married to actress, presenter and producer Joanna Lumley (''Absolutely Fabulous'') with whom he starred in the sitcom ''It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling''.
Lloyd was appointed an OBE in 2013.
John Howard Davies
(1939–2011) joined the BBC as a production assistant in 1966, and became a television director and producer specializing in comedy. In 1978 he became the head of comedy, and in 1982 the head of light entertainment.
For four decades, he was a major influence as commissioning producer on shows such as
[Obituary: John Howard Davies](_blank)
''Daily Telegraph'', 23 August 2011 ''Fawlty Towers'' by John Cleese and Connie Booth, Galton and Simpson's ''Steptoe and Son,'' ''All Gas and Gaiters'', ''The Goodies (TV series), The Goodies'', and ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin''. Davies was also the producer of all four seasons of ''The Good Life''. When asked what the best formula for a sitcom is, he replied "All the best sitcom characters are relentlessly horrible."
Cooke and Mortimer
Brian Cooke
Brian Cooke (born 1937) is a British comedy writer who, along with co-writer Johnnie Mortimer, wrote scripts for and devised many of the top television sitcoms during the 1970s, including ''Man About the House'', ''George and Mildred'', and '' ...
and
Johnnie Mortimer
John Mortimer (2 July 1931 – 2 September 1992) professionally Johnnie Mortimer, was a British scriptwriter for British TV whose work, along with creative writing partner Brian Cooke, also served as inspiration for American television pro ...
were a comedy writing duo whose career began in radio with the critically acclaimed ''Round the Horne'' of 1968, and its sequel ''Stop Messing About'' created as a vehicle for
Kenneth Williams
Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was an English actor of Welsh heritage. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 Car ...
of
Carry On
Carry On may refer to:
* ''Carry On'' (franchise), a British comedy media franchise
*Carry-on luggage or hand luggage, luggage that is carried into the passenger compartment
* ''Carry On'' (film), a 1927 British silent film
* ''Carry On'' (novel), ...
fame. Together they penned many of the 1970s popular TV sitcoms often featuring well known comedy actors such as
Paul Eddington
Paul Clark Eddington (18 June 1927 – 4 November 1995) was an English actor best known for playing Jerry Leadbetter in the television sitcom '' The Good Life'' (1975–78) and politician Jim Hacker in the sitcom ''Yes Minister'' (1980–84) an ...
of ''The Good Life'' and ''Yes Minister'', Patrick Cargill (''Father, Dear Father'');
Richard O'Sullivan
Richard O'Sullivan (born 7 May 1944) is an English comedy actor, who is known for his role as Robin Tripp in the 1970s sitcoms ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and ''Robin's Nest (TV series), Robin's Nest'' (1977–1981) and as the title c ...
,
Yootha Joyce
Yootha Joyce Needham (20 August 1927 – 24 August 1980), known as Yootha Joyce, was an English actress best known for playing Mildred Roper opposite Brian Murphy in the sitcom ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and its spin-off ''George and M ...
, and
Brian Murphy Brian Murphy may refer to:
Sportspeople
* Brian Murphy (Jamaican cricketer) (born 1973), Jamaican cricketer
* Brian Murphy (Zimbabwean cricketer) (born 1976), Zimbabwean cricketer
* Brian Murphy (baseball) (born 1980), American head baseball coach ...
of ''Man About the House ''; Peter Butterworth (Carry On), Peter Jones (actor), Peter Jones, Beryl Reid, Roy Kinnear,
Joan Sanderson
Joan Sanderson (24 November 1912 – 24 May 1992) was a British television and stage actress born in Bristol. During a long career, her tall and commanding disposition led to her playing mostly dowagers, spinsters and matrons, as well as intens ...
. Independently, Cooke created ''Tripper's Day'' featuring
Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter (21 October 1926 – 5 October 1984) was an English actor. He had a long career in the theatre but achieved his highest profile for his television comedy roles starring as Rupert Rigsby in the ITV series ''Rising Damp'' from ...
of ''
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' is a British sitcom starring Leonard Rossiter in the title role. It is based on a series of novels written by David Nobbs and produced from 1976 to 1979. Nobbs adapted the screenplay for the first series ...
'' and
Eric Chappell
Eric George Chappell (25 September 1933 – 21 April 2022) was an English television comedy writer and playwright who wrote or co-wrote some of the UK's biggest sitcom hits over a more than quarter-century career, first gaining significant noti ...
's highly successful ''Rising Damp''. On his own, Mortimer wrote ''Never the Twain'' starring Donald Sinden (''Two's Company (British TV series), Two's Company'') and Windsor Davies (''
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
''It Ain't Half Hot, Mum'' is a BBC television sitcom about a Royal Artillery concert party based in Deolali in British India and the fictional village of Tin Min in Burma, during the last months of the Second World War. It was written by Jimm ...
'').
Composers
;Burt Rhodes (1923–2003)
Burt Rhodes, Rhodes wrote the title music for ''The Good Life''.
He was a successful light entertainment composer and musical director including his arrangements for comedienne Beryl Reid's 1968-67 ''Beryl Reid Says Good Evening''. He collaborated with many stars including Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Sammy Davis Jr., Vic Damone and Bruce Forsyth. Rhodes was often referred to as "the musicians' musician", counting musicians such as Ronnie Hazlehurst, Monty Norman and Phil Phillips among his friends. In 1958 he scored the theme for ''Dr. No (film), Dr No'', the first Portrayal of James Bond in film, James Bond film.
;Ronnie Hazlehurst (1928–2007)
A prolific composer for sitcoms, comedy productions, game shows and other programmes, Ronnie Hazlehurst, Hazlehurst joined the BBC in 1961, and became a staff arranger; his early works included the incidental music for ''The Likely Lads'' and ''The Liver Birds''.
In 1968 he became the Light Entertainment Musical Director and composed the theme tunes of many sitcoms, including ''Are You Being Served?'', ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', ''Last of the Summer Wine'' (where he also wrote all the instrumental music for the show), ''I Didn't Know You Cared'', ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'', ''To the Manor Born'', ''Yes Minister'' and ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ''Just Good Friends'' and ''Three Up, Two Down''.
He also arranged the themes for ''Butterflies (TV series), Butterflies'', ''Sorry! (TV series), Sorry!'' and the first series of ''Only Fools and Horses''.
His theme tunes often included elements designed to fit the programmes, such as a Cash register, cash till in ''Are You Being Served?'', rises and falls in ''The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' and the Big Ben chimes for ''Yes Minister''.
For ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'', Hazlehurst used Morse code to spell out the programme's title. During his career he composed the music for the opening of the BBC's coverage of the 1976 Summer Olympics, 1976 Olympics.
Jon Plowman, Head of BBC Comedy, said, "He was the composer of many of the best-loved signature tunes of the last 40 years of television - and some of his work is still heard today. He's associated with some of the best-loved shows of our lives."
;Tony Russell (1929–1970)
Tony Russell (musician), Russell wrote the music for ''On the Buses'' and the children's programme ''The Herbs''. He studied composition with Richard Rodney Bennett and William Russo (musician), Bill Russo. He was in Russo's London Jazz Orchestra and took over running this when Russo returned to the United States in 1965. He later became a busy composer and wrote the score of the musical ''The Matchgirls''.
;Nick Ingman (born 1948)
The title music for ''Keeping Up Appearances'' was written by Nick Ingman, a visiting professor at the London College of Music. His collaborators include Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Björk, and The X Factor (British TV series), ''The X Factor''. His arrangements have accounted for fourteen No. 1 singles and five double platinum albums in the UK and he has been nominated for a Grammy Awards, Grammy three times.
;Anne Dudley (born 1956)
Anne Dudley, Dudley composed the title and incidental music for ''Jeeves and Wooster''. She is a composer, keyboardist, conductor and pop musician, winning many awards including an Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Score, Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for the comedy film ''The Full Monty''. Dudley was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001,
and has composed the scores for over twenty other films.
;Howard Goodall (born 1958)
The title themes for ''The Vicar of Dibley'', ''Blackadder'', ''Red Dwarf'' and ''Mr. Bean'' are among Howard Goodall's most memorable melodies. He also presents music-based programmes on television and radio, for which he has won many awards. In 2008, he was named as a presenter and Composer-in-Residence at the British radio station Classic FM (UK), Classic FM. In 2009, he was named "Composer of the Year" at the Classic Brit Awards.
Film spin-offs
By 2020, at least 45 British sitcoms had been adapted into over 50 feature films;
the first of the three ''
On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'' films was the biggest hit at the British box office in 1971.
However, they were not always critical successes. In a review of ''Are You Being Served?'', Michael Stailey of ''DVD Verdict'' regarded the Are You Being Served? (film), 1977 film as "guilty of violating almost every law of comedy and film." John Pym of ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' also gave the film a negative review, stating that "The humour consists mainly of a withering selection of patent British puns; an inflatable brassiere, some let's-insult-the-Germans jokes and a rickety Portable toilet, thunder-box which bolts from the outside are thrown in for good measure."
[Now in ''Sight & Sound'' archives]
/ref> The film holds a 58% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes; the cutoff for a positive rating is 59%. Moreover, as with the series they were based on, some films have been criticised for not meeting contemporary levels of political correctness.
Other sitcom adaptions from the era included
'' Bottoms Up'' (1960), based on ''Whack-O!'',
''Till Death Us Do Part (film), Till Death Us Do Part'' (1968) and its sequel ''The Alf Garnett Saga'' (1972),
''Dad's Army (1971 film), Dad's Army'' (1971),
''On the Buses
''On the Buses'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom that was broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1969 to 1973. It was created by Chesney and Wolfe, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, who wrote most of the episodes. It spawned thr ...
'' (1971) and its sequels,
''Please Sir! (film), Please Sir!'' (1971),
''Bless This House (film), Bless This House'' (1972),
''Steptoe and Son (film), Steptoe and Son'' (1972) and its sequel,
''Nearest and Dearest (film), Nearest and Dearest'' (1972),
''Father, Dear Father (film), Father, Dear Father'' (1973),
''Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor or Love Thy Neighbour refers to the Biblical phrase "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" from the Book of Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament about the ethic of reciprocity known as the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment.
...
'' (1973),
''Man About the House (film), Man About the House'' (1974),
''The Likely Lads (film), The Likely Lads'' (1976),
''Porridge (film), Porridge'' (1979), and
''George and Mildred (film), George and Mildred'' (1980).
Criticism and social issues
British sitcoms reflect changes in public opinion and culture through the times. They began at a time in which, for example, "class and ethnic prejudices were challenged and mocked". They heavily featured Slapstick Humor, slapstick humour and offensive slurs. Series such as ''Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor or Love Thy Neighbour refers to the Biblical phrase "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" from the Book of Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament about the ethic of reciprocity known as the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment.
...
'' (1972–76),[Vic Prat]
"Love Thy Neighbour (1972–76)"
BFI screenonline and ''Mind Your Language
''Mind Your Language'' is a British sitcom that premiered on ITV in 1977. It was produced by London Weekend Television and directed by Stuart Allen. Three series were made by the London Weekend Television between 1977 and 1979 and briefly reviv ...
'' (1977–79, 1986),[Vic Prat]
"Mind Your Language (1977–79, 1986)"
BFI screenonline which attempted to find humour in racial or ethnic conflict and misunderstandings, have been increasingly criticised over time.[Mark Dugui]
BFI screenonline Speight, the creator of ''Love Thy Neighbour'', defended its depiction of the central character Alf Garnett, saying: "If you do the character correctly, he just typifies what you hear - not only in pubs but in golf clubs around the country. To make him truthful he's got to say those things, and they are nasty things. But I feel as a writer that they should be out in the open so we can see how daft these comparisons are."
The contemporary ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' has also been criticised for racism, homophobia, and Whitewashing in film, whitewashing its cast. The writer, Jimmy Perry
James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
, defended it saying those elements were true to life. Meanwhile, ''Whack-O!'', a 1960s series set in a private school, has been described as "a little painful" to watch today for its depictions of caning. Even ''Fawlty Towers
''Fawlty Towers'' is a British television sitcom written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Two series of six episodes each were made. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television ...
'', considered one of the best sitcoms of all time, has been criticised for its cruelty.
Research
In 2005, a group of scientists led by Dr. Helen Pilcher was commissioned by the satellite channel Gold (British TV channel), UKTV Gold to study 20 years of British sitcoms. Using the medical drama ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' as a control, the team came up with a formula for measuring the success or failure of sitcoms. This formula assessed the recognisability of the main character and their delusions of grandeur, the wittiness of the script, the physical injuries the cast suffer and their differences in social statues, and the success of any plans. There was a maximum score of 1120, and ''Casualty'' scored 5.5. The top shows and their scores were ''Only Fools and Horses'' (which scored 696), ''The Office'' (678), ''Father Ted'' (564), ''Fawlty Towers'' (557), and ''Blackadder'' (374.5).
The very worst sitcoms were:
* ''Eyes Down'' (2003–2004), starring Paul O'Grady and Sheridan Smith, which scored 96.
* ''According to Bex'' (2005), with Jessica Hynes, Jessica Stevenson, and written by Katie Douglas, Julia Barron and Fred Barron. Critical reception to this show was negative, with ''The Stage'' calling it "the biggest sitcom disaster of the year" and the ''British Comedy Guide'' describing it as "dull and predictable". Despite reports that a second series had been planned, the show was cancelled after the first series due to low ratings. Stevenson considered the series so bad that she quit her agent. It scored 67.
* ''Sam's Game (TV series), Sam's Game'' (2001), starring TV presenter Davina McCall and comedian Ed Byrne (comedian), Ed Byrne. Written by Byrne and uncredited contributors, it ran for only six episodes. It scored 22.
* ''Babes in the Wood (TV series), Babes in the Wood'' (1998–1999), a flat-share comedy created and written by Modern Romance (band), Geoff Deane. ''The Times'' called it "very shoddy". ''The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy'' called it "hackneyed". The ''Daily Mirror'' was highly critical of Claire King's guest appearance. In an overview of ITV programmes, columnist Stuart Heritage of ''The Guardian'' named ''Babes in the Wood'' as one of the worst shows in the network's history. He described ''Babes in the Wood'' as "a show where some babes live in St John's Wood and literally nothing else happens"."Brideshead Revisited or Celebrity Wrestling: the best and worst of ITV"
''The Guardian'', 22 September 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2021. It scored 8.
* '''Orrible'' (2001), written by and starring Johnny Vaughan, and lasting only for 8 episodes, came last with a score of 6.5.
British sitcoms overseas
United States
British sitcoms are often seen on the Public Broadcasting Service (
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
), usually thanks to the effort of WGBH-TV, WGBH, and increasingly on cable television, including
BBC America
BBC America is an American basic cable network that is jointly owned by BBC Studios and AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs sci-fi and action series and films, as well as selected programs from the BBC (such as its nature documentary ser ...
and Comedy Central. ''
Are You Being Served?
''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, t ...
'', ''Keeping Up Appearances'' and ''As Time Goes By (TV series), As Time Goes By'' became sleeper hits when they aired on PBS, while ''Absolutely Fabulous'' enjoyed a significant following when it aired on Comedy Central and ''
The Office
''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries.
The original series of ...
'' won a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe award in 2004 for "Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy", surpassing American series such as ''Sex and the City'' and ''Will & Grace''.
Several British sitcoms have been successfully List of American television series based on British television series, remade for the American market. Notable examples include ''Steptoe and Son'' which became ''Sanford and Son'', ''Till Death Us Do Part'', which became ''All in the Family'', and ''The Office'' which was remade into The Office (American TV series), an American series of the same name. ''Three's Company'', a remake of ''
Man About the House
''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 A ...
'', had its own spinoffs: ''The Ropers'', based on ''George and Mildred'', and ''Three's a Crowd'', based on ''Robin's Nest (TV series), Robin's Nest''. Other American remakes of British sitcoms include ''What a Country!'', based on ''Mind Your Language''. More recently, shows such as ''The Inbetweeners'' was adapted into The Inbetweeners (American TV series), an American version, as was ''The Thick of It'' as ''Veep''. A large number of US adaptations end up being cancelled early or are not commissioned after their pilots are created. Another notable difference, which can be both positive or negative depending upon the skill of the cast and writers, is the American media culture of 20 or more episodes in a season, as opposed to the British tendency to have fewer than 10 episodes per series.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, many British comedy series are aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, which is the Australian equivalent of the BBC. British shows are also sometimes shown on the three commercial Television broadcasting, television networks in Australia, especially Seven Network during the 1970s. In New Zealand, state-run TVNZ also broadcasts many British series. The majority of British comedies now air in both countries on the subscription channels The Comedy Channel and UKTV.
Australian commercial television channels made their own versions of British comedies during the 1970s, often using members of the original casts. These included: ''Are You Being Served? (Australian TV series), Are You Being Served?'', ''Father, Dear Father#Australian version, Father, Dear Father'', ''Doctor Down Under'', ''Love Thy Neighbour in Australia''. In both countries, locally produced sitcoms have historically been heavily influenced by the structure of British sitcoms, such as in the New Zealand sitcom ''Gliding On''.
India
In the 1980s, India's national broadcaster Doordarshan showed ''Fawlty Towers'', ''
Yes Minister
''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fro ...
'' and ''Mind Your Language''.
See also
*Black comedy
*British humour
*List of BBC sitcoms
*List of American television series based on British television series
*List of films based on British television series#Comedy, Lists of films based on British TV comedies
References
Further reading
* Cook, Jim, ed. ''B.F.I. Dossier 17: Television Sitcom,'' (London: British Film Institute, 1982).
* Gray, Frances. "Privacy, embarrassment and social power: British sitcom." in ''Beyond a Joke'' (Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2005) pp. 146–161.
* Gray, Frances. "British sitcom: a rather sad story." in ''Women and Laughter'' (Palgrave, London, 1994) pp. 80–111.
* Griffin, Jeffrey, "The Americanization of The Office: a comparison of the offbeat NBC sitcom and its British predecessor". ''Journal of Popular Film and Television'' 35 (2008): 154-16
* Heaney, Dermot. "Taboo infringement and layered comedy: a linguistic analysis of convolution in Gervais and Merchant's Life's Too Short." ''Comedy Studies'' 7.2 (2016): 152–168.
* Hunt, Leon. ''Cult British TV Comedy: From Reeves and Mortimer to Psychoville'' (Manchester University Press, 2015).
* Kamm, Jürgen, and Birgit Neumann, eds. ''British TV comedies: Cultural concepts, contexts and controversies'' (Springer, 2016).
* Kilborn, Richard. "A golden age of British sitcom? Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son." in ''British TV Comedies'' (Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016) pp. 23–35.
* Lewisohn, Mark (2003) ''Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy''. 2nd Ed. Revised – BBC Consumer Publishing.
* Mills, Brett. ''Television Sitcom'' (London: BFI, 2005).
* Mills, Brett. "The television sitcom." in ''The Routledge Companion to British Media History'' (Routledge, 2014) pp. 469–477.
* Mortimer, Claire. "Angry old women: Peggy Mount and the performance of female ageing in the British sitcom." ''Critical Studies in Television'' 10.2 (2015): 71–86.
* Schwind, Kai Hanno. "'Chilled-out entertainers'–multi-layered sitcom performances in the British and American version of The Office." ''Comedy Studies'' 5.1 (2014): 20–32.
* Wickham, Phil. "Twenty-First Century British Sitcom and 'the Hidden Injuries of Class'." in ''Social Class and Television Drama in Contemporary Britain'' (Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2017) pp. 201–213.
* Zalmanovich, Tal. "Sharing a laugh: Sitcoms and the production of post-imperial Britain, 1945–1980" (PhD disssertation, Rutgers University, 2013
online
External links
The Classic British Sitcoms ForumBBC Britain's Best Sitcom
British Comedy Guide* Martin Wainwright, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', 7 June 2005
"Del Boy is top of the class, say sitcom scientists"– scientist develops formula for measuring (British) sitcom success
{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series)
British radio comedy, Sitcom
British television sitcoms, *