First of the Summer Wine, 1988
This will reach it’s 35th anniversary this year.
Actually allowing for it’s pilot it’s already there.
Roy Clarke’s prequel to the long running Last Of The Summer Wine portrayed the youth of the principal characters from the main show in the months leading up to World War II.
With the threat of war hanging over them younger versions of Compo, Clegg, Foggy and Seymour enjoy their youth as they go about their day to day activities. The show used young, mostly unknown actors to play the characters, with only two actors from the original series making an appearance in the prequel.
Summary
First of the Summer Wine takes place between May and September 1939, in the months leading up to World War II.
The series revolves around the diary entries of the young Norman Clegg. Each episode begins with him resting on his bedroom windowsill and greeting the day; the words “the diary of Norman Clegg, aged 18 years” introducing the theme of each episode.
Individual episodes revolve around the antics of the young versions of our favourite characters and their usually level-headed female counterparts, all of whom are grappling with the world around them, their youth, and their experiences with the opposite sex.
With rumblings of war on the European continent as Hitler’s Germany and Great Britain become increasingly poised for war, the lives of the young men and women will be changed forever. The final episode ends as war is declared.
Clips
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Cast
Mr Clegg – Peter Sallis
Mrs Clegg – Maggie Ollerenshaw
Norman Clegg – David Fenwick
Foggy Dewhirst – Richard Lumsden
Seymour Utterthwaite – Paul Mc Lain
Compo Simmonite – Paul Wyett
Sherbert – Paul Oldham
Wally Batty – Gary Whittaker
Mr Scrimshaw – Derek Benfield
Nora Penshaw – Helen Patrick
Ivy – Sarah Dangerfield
Dilys – Joanne Heywood
Anita Pillsworth – Linda Davidson
Details
Channel: BBC1
Written By: Roy Clarke
Number Of Episodes: 13 (including pilot)
Original Run: 3rd January 1988 (pilot), 4th October 1988 – 8th October 1989
Where To Watch
Whilst the series doesn’t appear on any of the major streaming platforms it was released in good old DVD format. There are copies still about but don’t expect them to be cheap. We’ve seen them from 350 to as much as £129.
Selected episodes and clips can be found on You Tube.
Come on Brit Box/ITVX let’s have it the streaming service!