Grace And Favour

Grace and Favour, 1992

Retirement Grace Brothers’ style!

Grace And Favour was the sequel off from the hugely successful Are You Being Served?

The idea of a retirement home was first mentioned in the original Are You Being Served series in an episode “Diamonds are a Man’s Best Friend” which was the final episode of series 1.

The origins of this show came about after it was suggested by the cast of the original series, when it ended in 1985, that there should be some sort of sequel/spin off.

The writers thought the idea had possibilities but the department store format had been exhausted ( by the mid eighties they had become a little old fashioned) and as such any spin off would require a new setting.  Despite all this it took almost seven years before any new show came about.

In 1992 the cast of Grace Brothers returned in “Grace And Favour” which ran for twelve episodes over two series.  The series was also broadcast in the USA where it was entitled “Are You Being Served Again”

It is worth noting that Are You Being Served fans finally meet Mrs Slocombe’s pussy (cat) in this show.

Regrettably none of the original cast are still with us.

Summary

When young Mr. Grace, head of Grace Brothers Department Store, passes away, Whilst on holiday in the Carribean with his personal secretary, Miss Jessica Lovelock, young Mr. Grace, head of Grace Brothers Department Store, passes away.

In passing away he leaves a will.  In it the remaining workers at Grace Brothers’ closing sale (coincidentally, most of the staff who were present in the original series) are named co-beneficiaries.

Excitement turns to disappointment when they realise their pension funds have been invested in a number of antiquated businesses, the largest of which is a country manor house called Millstone Manor.

The will stipulates that the house cannot be sold and the profits shared, but the property can be used in a manner of their choosing.

When the former staff members take a trip to Millstone Manor to view the property, they learn that their pensions are minuscule.  So they decide to work together once again, living in the manor in order to run it as an inn and live off the proceeds.

Clips

 

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Cast

Mollie Sugden – Mrs Slocombe
John Inman – Mr Humphries
Wendy Richard – Miss Brahms
Frank Thornton – Captain Peacock
Nicholas Smith – Mr Rumbold
Fleur Bennett – Mavis Moulterd
Michael Bilton – Mr Thorpe
Shirley Cheriton – Miss Prescott
Gregory Cox – Mr Frobisher
Andrew Barclay – Malcom Heathcliff
Diane Holland – Celia Littlewood
Andrew Joseph – Joseph Lee
Eric Dodson – Sir Robert
Maggie Holland – Mrs Cleghampton

Details

Channel: BBC1
Written By: David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd
Original Transmission Details: 10th January 1992 – 8th February 1993