Seven Of One, Open All Hours, 1973
Who’d have thought it, 50 years ago this very day we first met grasping grocer, Arkwright. Open All Hours became the first in a series of one off sitcoms entitled “Seven Of One” screened in 1973.
Written by Roy Clarke of Last Of The Summer Wine fame. The idea came about as a result of a lunch. Roy Clarke told us back in 2014 “I had lunch with Ronnie Barker, who said he always wanted to play one of those shopkeepers who sells everything. The idea particularly appealed to me as my wife used to run one.”
It would be 3 years later, in 1976, before a full series appeared, as another in the series ‘Prisoner and Escort’ was chosen to become a full series first.
In the pilot Nurse Gladys Emanuel is played by Sheila Brennan, Linda Barron would take on the role when the full series began.
Summary
Albert Arkwright owns a grocers store. His two favourite pursuits are extracting money from his customers and the pursuit of Nurse Gladys Emanuel.
Responsible for his nephew Granville who is the shop’s errand boy he tries to bring him up in the ways of a shopkeeper (the art of getting money out of customers) but Granville has ambitions of his own – a girlfriend.
Clips
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Cast
Albert Arkwright – Ronnie Barker
Granville – David Jason
Nurse Gladys Emanuel – Sheila Brennan
Details
Channel: BBC2
Written By: Roy Clarke
Original Transmission Date: 25th March 1973