The Gnomes Of Dulwich – 1969
There’s not much in the way of pictures and no video in existence for this little gem, but we thought you’d find it interesting anyway. It’s always good to find something you’ve never come across before.
The Gnomes Of Dulwich was a BBC sitcom written by Jimmy Perry (Dad’s Army etc), that ran for just six episodes in 1969.
Perry had a lifelong interest in gnomes and having completed two series of Dad’s Army was given an opportunity to explore his passion. The result was The Gnomes Of Dulwich about three gnomes that live at the bottom of a garden in 25 Telegraph Road.
Originally Jimmy Perry had envisaged the idea as sketch material with Morecambe and Wise playing the parts. It was Perry’s wife who persuaded him to make a full series from the material and so: in 1969 on the new BBC2 channel and in colour a full series was commissioned.
Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd were the stars with John Clive joining them to become three stone gnomes who looked d0wn on their next door counter parts in a superior way, after all nextdoor’s “Empire Gnomes” were made from plastic.
Regretfully only six episodes were ever made and to date they are missing from the BBC archives presumed wiped.
Summary
Big, Small and Old would appear to the world to be just three stone gnomes but, when darkness falls, they take on a life of their own. As true, British gnomes they take exception to the Empire-made gnomes next door.
Although humans feature in the series they are never seen, only heard. The stone gnomes would help the audience take a new perspective on human behaviour by discussing the goings on in the house and yet exhibit the same snobbish attitude towards their plastic neighbours.
Clips
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Cast
Terry Scott … Big
Hugh Lloyd … Small
John Clive … Old
Leon Thau … Empire Gnome
Lynn Dalby … Empire Gnome
Anne De Vigier … Empire Gnome
Details
Channel: BBC2
Written By: Jimmy Perry
Produced By: Sydney Lotterby
Original Transmission Dates: 12th May 1969 – 16th May 1969