Hi – De – Hi,  was inspired by Jimmy Perry’s experiences as a Butlins Red Coat, a job he had during the holiday season after being de-mobbed from the army.

A huge success in it’s time, the series gained regular large audiences winning a BAFTA in 1984 for best comedy series. Coming 40th in the BBC poll to find Britain’s best sitcom, the series also polled number 35 in a 2008 Channel 4 poll to find Britain’s best comedy catchphrase for “Hi-De-Hi!”

After a pilot broadcast on 1 January 1980, the program ran for nine series totaling 58 episodes between 26 February 1981 and 30 January 1988. Due to the program’s popularity, the BBC decided to air series 3 and 4 back-to-back, the only time the BBC has ever done this with one of their own (first run) shows, which means some sources refer to both series as series 3.  The series took a break in 1985 with only a Christmas Special, returning to it’s regular run in 1986.

Summary

Set in the 1950′s at the fictional Maplin’s holiday camp, the series followed the lives of the camp’s management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens.   From Peggy’s burning ambition to become a Yellow coat, Spike’s attempts to become a top class comic, to Ted’s scheming and scamming of both management and campers .  Then there was Gladys’ amorous advances towards Jeffrey Fairbrother (to no avail) and later to Clive Dempster (with a little more success).   Not forgetting Mr Partridge the Children’s Entertainer who hated “kids”.   Happy days !

Clips

Cast
Paul Shane
Jeffrey Holland
Ruth Madoc
Simon Cadell
Su Pollard
Felix Bowness
Diane Holland
Barry Howard
Leslie Dwyer
Felix Bowness
David Griffin
Nikki Kelly

Details

Channel: BBC1
Written and Created by: Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Executive Producer: David Croft
Original Transmission Dates: 1st January 1980 – 30th January 1988

Spin Offs

In the early years of the show, a musical entitled He-De-Hi the holiday musical was produced. Labelled as a “summer pantomime” by its critics, the production featured most of the TV cast plus several new characters. It did not follow the television storylines, but it was a success nonetheless. It did a summer season in Bournmouth in 1983, a Christmas season in London in 1983 and a summer season in Blackpool in 1984. It was short lived, however, when some of the cast complained that filming the TV series and doing the summer show limited their offers of acting jobs elsewhere.

At the height of its popularity, the BBC had plans to make it into a feature film, but nothing ever came of it.

In August 2009, a Hi-de-Hi! stage show toured.

Merchandising

Links

Wikipedia :: IMDB (Rated 7.6)

Reading a newspaper article recently about Amanda Redman leaving New Tricks got me thinking, what was that sitcom I could remember her in, after a lot of research I found it so here we go with Streets Apart.

Streets Apart is one of those many forgotten sitcoms, but this time from the BBC.  It starred Amanda Redman and ran for two series in 1988 and 1989, twenty four episodes in total.

Summary

Sylvie and Bernie, are two childhood sweethearts whose paths have taken very different routes.  When they reunite by accident and neither is entirely truthful about what happened in between.

Clips

Here’s Episode 1

Cast

James Hazeldine  – Bernie
Amanda Redman  -  Sylvia
June Barry  – Jenny
Diane Langton – Renee
Edna Doré  – Gran
Lesley Duff – Lyn
Annie Bruce  – Donna

Details

Channel: BBC1
Written By: Adrienne Conway
Produced and Directed By: Sue Bysh
Original Transmission Dates: 24th October 1988 – 9th October 1989

Merchandising

We are not aware of any DVD releases

Running for six thirty minute episodes over just one series this was Brian Wilde’s first TV outing since his departure from Last Of The Summer Wine.  The series was created and produced by another long serving Summer Wine associate Alan J.W. Bell.  It was during filming Wyatt’s Watchdogs that Wilde and Bell ended a three year feud which in turn lead to Wilde returning as Foggy in Last Of The Summer Wine.

Also starring in this comedy was Trevor Bannister who would join Last Of The Summer Wine in it’s final years, after Brian Wide’s departure.

Summary

Set in the fictional commuter village of Bradly Bush although actually it was actually filmed on location in Claygate, Surrey, England.

Retired soldier Major John Wyatt  is spurred into action after his sister Edwina’s home is burgled in broad daylight. Ignoring correct police procedures, he forms his own Neighbourhood Watch group of incompetents and patrols the streets in his Range Rover known locally as the ‘Dogmobile’. The Watch members are a hopeless bunch drawn together to fight crime, and bungling and personality clashes are highly evident.  Major Wyatt clashes worst of all with Peter Pitt, a smooth-talking womaniser and burglar-alarm salesman. He only has one thing in mind – to flog his alarms and meet women! Other regular characters include the glamorous man-eater Virginia (April Walker), an interfering Vicar, and a frustrated police sergeant, Springer.

Clips

Cast

Brian Wilde
Trevor Bannister
Anne Ridler
April Walker
David Jackson
James Warrior
Tom Radcliffe

Details

Channel: BBC1
Created By: Alan J.W. Bell and Miles Tredinnick
Written By: Miles Tredinnick
Produced and Directed By: Alan J.W. Bell
Original Transmission Dates: 17th October – 21st November 1988

Merchandising

There are no current DVD releases for Wyatt’s Watchdogs

Almost two years after the TV series finished, Rigsby hit the big screen with Rising Damp – The Movie.

Failing to capture the magic of the TV series, there was no new storyline, effectively the movie “cobbled together” several story lines from the TV series.  There is a slight twist to the film in that it is revealed that Phillip is not the son of an African chief, but from Croydon, adopting his false persona to start a new life and gain respect. When Rigsby finds out, he tells Philip that he believes he must have some royal ancestry and he does not tell the rest of the characters about his deception. This plotline is from the original stageplay The Banana Box.

The character of Alan gets a brief mention as having left, as Richard Beckinsale had died the year before.  In his place is a new character – art student, John played by Christopher Strauli (Only When I laugh).

Summary

Meet Rupert Rigsby, a suspicious, meddling, prejudiced landlord who lets out rooms in his crumbling, moldering townhouse in an unnamed English city. Regular tenants include Philip (Don Warrington), a black medical student who claims to be an African prince with ten wives, and Miss Ruth Jones (Frances de la Tour), an oversexed, hopelessly romantic spinster who covets Philip, and who avoids the lecherous Rigsby at all costs. (sound familiar so far ?)

With Alan having left there’s a room to let, enter John (Christopher Strauli), a hopelessly naïve art student whom Rigsby cons into sharing a room with Philip (another familiar plot line).

Rigsby’s got competition for Miss Jones in the form of new lodger, Seymour (Denholm Elliott), a smooth, hustling sharpie who has eyes for Miss Jones…and her money.

Clips

Cast

Leonard Rossiter – Rigsby
Frances De La Tour – Ruth Jones
Don Warrington – Phillip Smith
Christopher Strauli – John
Denholm Elliot – Charles Seymour

Details

Written By: Eric Chappell
Produced By: Roy Skeggs
Directed By: Joseph McGrath
Release Date: 3rd May 1980

 Merchandising

Stop Press News

Rising Damp is about to rise again.  A new stage play written by Eric Chappell and directed by original star Don Warrington opens in Blackpool in May.  http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831365432011/Don+Warrington+directs+new+Rising+Damp+stage+comedy+on+tour

Live At The Hollywood Bowl was the film of a concert show filmed at The Hollywood Bowl.  Originally the Pythons had planned on releasing a film consisting of two shows they had performed in Germany edited together, this proved impractical although The Hollywood Bowl show did contain some filmed inserts, most of which were from the two German shows.  The live stage performances all came from The Hollywood Bowl.

All six Monty Python members, participated in the film with Carol Cleveland in numerous supporting roles and Neil Innes performing songs.  Also present for the shows and participating as an ‘extra’ was Python superfan Kim ‘Howard’ Johnson.

Although Live At The Hollywood Bowl mostly contained sketches from the TV show, the scripts and performers were not identical to those seen on television. The lineup also included some sketches that predated Monty Python’s Flying Circus, including the “Four Yorkshiremen sketch”, which dated from 1967′s At Last the 1948 Show.

In terms of timescale, Live At The Hollywood Bowl was performed in September 1980 and recorded to videotape, before being transferred to film.  The inserts from the German shows were recorded in 1972.  The finished item was released in 1982.

Summary

The Monty Python team perform many of their best sketches and songs at the Hollywood Bowl.

Clips

Performed By

Graham Chapman
John Cleese
Terry Gilliam
Eric Idle
Terry Jones
Michael Palin
Carol Cleveland
Neil Innes

Details

Written By:

Graham Chapman
John Cleese
Terry Gilliam
Eric Idle
Terry Jones
Michael Palin

With Additional Material By:

Tim Brooke-Taylor
Marty Feldman
Angus James
David Lipscomb

Produced By: Terry Hughes
Original Release Date: 25th June 1982

Merchandising

There is so much comedy doing the rounds on various channels these days, but it never ceases to amaze me just how many have fallen into obscurity.  Me and My Girl is one such example.  Once compulsive Friday night viewing, now forgotten about this popular sitcom benefitted from an all star cast of well known names from the world of TV sitcom.

Running for 52 episodes and six series between 1984 and 1988, Me and My Girl was one of the last pieces of TV work to feature Richard O’ Sullivan.

Summary

Simon Harrap is a widower and Father to a teenage daughter.  He runs an advertising agency called Eyecatchers, the series centres around his relationship with his daughter, Sam, his business partner Derek Yates and a string of romantic liaisons.

Clips

Cast

Richard O’Sullivan … Simon Harrap
Tim Brooke-Taylor … Derek Yates
Joan Sanderson … Nell Cresset
Joanne Ridley … Samantha Harrap
Leni Harper … Madeleine ‘Maddie’ Dunnock
Sandra Clarke … Isobel McClusky
Joanne Campbell … Liz

Details

Channel: ITV
Created By: Keith Leonard and John Kane
Written By:
Keith Leonard
John Kane
Bernard McKenna
 Colin Bostock-Smith
Mike Walling
Ian Whitham
Produced By: London Weekend Television
Original Transmission Dates: 31st August 1984 – 4th November 1988

Merchandising

The series has yet to appear on DVD, although Network DVD are hoping to be able to release it at some future point.

Agony was the ITV sitcom that ran for 31 episodes (3 Series) between 1979 and 1981.  It was voted in that now famous poll to find Britain’s Best Sitcom at No 92.
Agony was noted for being the first British sitcom to portray a gay couple as non-camp, witty, intelligent and happy people.

Summary
Maureen Lipman plays Jane Lucas, an agony aunt, who is highly successful in her career working at radio call-in show (for Happening Radio 242) in London and for magazine Person, but whose personal life is a shambles.  Her Jewish mother, Bea, interferes in all aspects of her life and her psychiatrist Christian husband Laurence is unreliable, all the people she works with are tireless self-promoters including the libidinous journalist Vincent Fish.
Other characters included the editor of Person magazine Diana, secretary Val Dunn, radio colleague Andy and her gay neighbours Rob and Michael.

Clips

Cast
Maureen Lipman
Simon Williams
Maria Charles
Peter Blake

Details
Channel: ITV
Written By: Len Richmond, Anna Raeburn, Stan Hey and Andrew Nickolds.
Produced By: London Weekend Television for ITV
Original Run: 11th March 1979 – 1st March 1981

Merchandising

Posted this week as part of our tribute to the comedy that came out of BBC’s Television Centre, but also in tribute to Frank Thornton who sadly passed away last week, we’ll come back to Frank Thornton at a later date with a planned look back at Last Of The Summer Wine.  It’s sad when you look down at the cast list that Nicholas Smith is now the only surviving cast member to have appeared in every episode.

Britain’s favourite Department Store Comedy – Are You Being Served, started life as part of the BBC’s Comedy Playhouse.

Set in the men’s and women’s departments of the fictional Grace Brothers Department Store, Are You Being Served ran for 69 episodes and ten series from 1972 to 1985.

The idea for the show came from Jeremy Lloyd’s brief period working at Simpsons of Piccadilly in the early 1950s.

Over the twelve year run only John Inman, Frank Thornton, Nicholas Smith, Mollie Sugden and Wendy Richards were the only cast members to star in every episode. Are You Being Served was voted 20^th in a BBC poll to find Britain’s best sitcom.

Summary

The show followed the day to day comings and goings of the staff of the men’s and women’s departments of Grace Brothers. The humour came from sexual innuendo, misunderstandings, mistaken identity and occasional slapstick. In addition, there were sight gags generated by outrageous costumes which the characters were sometimes required to wear for store promotions, and gaudy store displays frequently featuring malfunctioning robotic mannequins. The show is remembered for its prolific use of double entendres.

The British Class System also played a large part in the humour, with it’s merciless parody of the system. This got into almost every interaction and was especially evident in the conversations between the maintenance men and the higher-class store personnel. Episodes rarely left the store, and to parody the stereotype of the British class system, characters rarely addressed each other by their given names, even after work. When they did, it was almost always for a comical effect.

Clips

http://youtu.be/X5yghL1_Uq4

http://youtu.be/wQE7UU_JkPY

Cast

Mr Humphries – John Inman
Mr Lucas – Trevor Bannister
Mr Grainger – Arthur Brough
Captain Peacock – Frank Thornton
Mrs Slocombe – Mollie Sugden
Miss Brahms – Wendy Richard
Mr Rumbold – Nicholas Smith
Young Mr Grace – Harold Bennett

This cast stayed the same for the first five series after which new characters came and went.  The first to leave was Arthur Brough, he had a number of replacements for his position as head of department.  They were:

Mr Tebbs – James Hayter- series 6 and the 1978 special
Mr Goldberg – Alfie Bass – series 7 – the 1979 special
Mr Grossman – Milo Sperber – series 8 episodes 1 – 4
Mr Klein – Benny Lee – series 8 episodes 5 -7 and the 1981 special

Mr Humphries got the job in the final series.  Other characters that appeared in the later series were:

Old Mr Grace – Kenneth Waller – series 8 and 1981 special
Mr Spooner (he replaced the Mr Lucas Character) – Mike Berry – series 8 -10

Details

Channel: BBC1
Created By: Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft
Written By: Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft
with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman
Original Transmission: 8 September 1972 – 1 April 1985

Spin Offs

As with many 1970′s comedies there was a movie made in 1977.  A sequel series, penned by the same writers and featuring several members of the original cast – Grace and Favour ran for two series in 1992 and 1993.

Merchandising

Voted in the top two of a Radio Times Poll of the funniest comedy moments and rightly so.  Of all the sitcoms Fools And Horses continues to be popular and this sequence from the episode “Yuppy Love” is perhaps the best loved alongside perhaps the Batman and Robin incident.

Summary

It’s 1989 and the first full series of Only Fools And Horses since 1986.  Del is still wheeling and dealing, but now he’s caught Yuppie fever.  The coat, the braces and a visit to a trendy wine bar.

Whilst enjoying a drink with Trigger, Del is explaining the finer points of how to attract women of the modern age.  Talk about money he tells Trigger, who replies “i saw one of them old five pound notes the other day”.

As Del stands up from the bar to limber up….well the rest is comedy gold.

Clip

Starring

David Jason
Roger Lloyd Pack

Details

Channel: BBC1
Written By: John Sullivan
Original Transmission Date: 8th January 1989

New Faces was the popular talent show that originally ran in the 1970′s on a Saturday night for six series.  Screened on ITV the show is probably best remembered for discovering Jim Davidson and Marti Caine who returned to front a revived version of the show in 1986.

Where as Opportunity Knocks relied on public votes, New Faces acts were judged solely by a panel of judges. Over it’s run these included:

Clifford Davis, Ingrid Platt, Mickie Most, Alan A. Freeman, Clive James, Muriel Young, Ted Ray, Ed Stewart, Jack Parnell,Arthur Askey, Noel Edmunds and Tony Hatch.  Davis, Most and Hatch were especially notorious for being “hard” on contestants.

The first run of the show was presented by Derek Hobson, it was produced for ITV by ATV Network Ltd. It ran from 1973 until 1978.  The revived version ran from 1986 for three series until 1988.

Summary

The format was that of a talent show, contestants would appear before a panel of four judges and perform their act.  Judges would mark acts out of ten in three categories: “presentation”, “content” and “star quality” – The “star quality” category was later replaced by “entertainment value”.  Only one act ever received the maximum mark and that was singer – Patti Boulaye in the show’s final series.

When Marti Caine presented a revived version of the show in 1986, the format remained similar, with a new panel of judges.  The audience got to vote for their favourite and public voting was counted by asking viewers to vote for their favourite act and send it in on a postcard.

Clips

Hosted By:
Derek Hobson – 1973 – 1978
Marti Caine – 1986 – 1988

Details

Channel: ITV
Produced By:
ATV – 1973 – 1978
Central – 1986 – 1988
Original Transmission Dates:
29th September 1973 – 2nd April 1978 (original)
19th September 1986 – 3rd December 1988 (revived)