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Thames / 7x30m-e / 1977 27 October - 8 December Thursdays 9.00pm

Writer: Vince Powell / Producer: Gerald Thomas / Director: Anthony Parker 

Sitcom. Down at heel fish and chip shop owner Neville Sutcliffe inherits a stick of rock factory.

With:- JOHN INMAN as Neville Sutcliffe / JOSEPHINE TEWSON as Dorothy / AVRIL ANGERS as Ma / PETER BUTTERWORTH as Wilf

THE OFFICE

BBC2 / 12x30m / 2001,2002 / BBC1 / 1x45m, 1x55m / 2003 (total 14 episodes)

Writers/Directors: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant; Producer: Ash Atalla

A comedy made in the style of a docusoap where the staff of a paper merchants in Slough called Wernham Hogg are filmed and interviewed doing their jobs. The principal character was their boss, David Brent, who believed his sole purpose there was to entertain the staff and boost morale. At the end of the second series Brent was made redundant. In 2003 there were two Christmas specials with the "docusoap" revisiting the staff after a three year interval. Brent was shown trying to launch himself as minor celebrity following the transmission of the documentary. The series won many awards. The two series were shown on BBC2 with the concluding specials shown on BBC1.

With:- RICKY GERVAIS as David Brent / MACKENZIE CROOK as Gareth / MARTIN FREEMAN as Tim / LUCY DAVIS as Dawn / PATRICK BALADI as Neil (series 2) / EWAN Mackintosh as Keith

OFFICE GOSSIP

BBC1 / 6x30m-e / 2001 (First Episode: Friday 2 February 9.00pm)

Writer: Paul Mayhew-Archer / Producer: Matthew Francis / Director: Christine Gernon

Sitcom about single mum Jo working as a PA at a toy firm.

With:- PAULINE QUIRKE as Jo / ROBERT DAWS as Rod / NEIL STUKE as Simon / PIPPA HAYWOOD as Maxine / DANIELA DENBY-ASHE as Cheryl / CHARLOTTE FRANCIS as Sam / RYAN SMITH as Mike / IAN BARRITT as David Wells / WOLF CHRISTIAN as Terry Hill

BBC / 6x30m-e / 1980

Writers: Jeremy Lloyd, David Croft / Producer: David Croft 

Sitcom. Exploits of a small village's brass band.

With:-  HARRY WORTH as Harry / JOHN HORSLEY as Mr Braithwaite / JONATHAN CECIL as Mr Herbert / TONY SYMPSON as Mr Giles / JAN HOLDEN as Mrs Draper / BILLY BURDEN as Mr Sowerby / HAROLD BENNETT as Vicar / PEGGYANN CLIFFORD as Mrs Tickford

BBC1 / 19x30m-e / 1968-70 Three seasons

Writers: David Climie, Austin Steele / Director: Harold Snoad 

Sitcom. Misadventures of bumbling novice monk Brother Dominic. After a gap of three years the series returned as Oh Father! (see below) with our brother now 'qualified' as it were.

With:- DEREK NIMMO as Dominic / FELIX AYLMER as Father Anselm / COLIN GORDON as Master of the Novices (Season 1) / DEREK FRANCIS as Sub-Prior Father Matthew(Seasons 2-3) 

BBC1 / 7x30m-e / 1973 12 September - 24 October Wednesday 6.50pm

Writers: David Climie, Austin Steele / Producer: Graeme Muir 

Sitcom. Sequel to Oh Brother! (see above). The character of Brother Dominic is promoted to Father Dominic and becomes curate to Father Harris.

With:- DEREK NIMMO as Father Dominic / LAURENCE NAISMITH as Father Harris / PEARL HACKNEY as Mrs Carr / DAVID KELLY as Walter

BBC1 / 19x30m-e / 1995-97

Writers: David Croft, Richard Spendlove / Producer: David Croft 

Period sitcom. In 1963 a small branch railway line is on the verge of closure thanks to the efforts of railway boss Dr Beeching. There was a Pilot broadcast 14 Aug 1995, which, when the first season started was reshown but with newly filmed inserts.

Jack Skinner.................................... PAUL SHANE

May Skinner.................................... JULIA DEAKIN

Ethel Schumann.............................. SU POLLARD

Cecil Parkin.................................... JEFFREY HOLLAND

Harry Lambert................................. STEPHEN LEWIS

Vera Plumtree................................. BARBARA NEW

Ralph............................................. PERRY BENSON

Percy............................................. TERRY JOHN

Gloria Skinner................................. LINDSAY GRIMSHAW

Wilfred Schumann........................... PAUL ASPEN

Yorkshire / 22x30m-e / 1975-77

Creator: Alan Plater / Producer/Director: Ronnie Baxter 

Sitcom. The misadventures of the irrepressible and slightly deranged Selwyn Froggitt in the Yorkshire town of Scarsdale. Selwyn was on the committee of his local working men's club and worked for the Public Works Department of the Council.no matter how much Selwyn made a mess of things he remained convinced that if he stuck his thumbs up in the air and said Magic then everything would be alright. One of the few ITV sitcoms that could be called a classic. See also brief sequel Selwyn. 

With:- BILL MAYNARD as Selwyn Froggitt / ROBERT KEEGAN as Maurice Froggitt / MEGS JENKINS as Mrs Froggitt / BILL DEAN as Jack / RAY MORT as Ray / RICHARD DAVIES as Clive / HAROLD GOODWIN as Harry / ROSEMARY MARTIN as Vera Parkinson (Season 1) / LYNDA BARON as Vera Parkinson (Seasons 2-3)

Central/SelecTV / 7x30m-e / 1992  16 Feb - 12 Apr Sun 10.05pm

Creators: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Executive Producers: Allan McKeown, Tony Charles / Producer/Director: Sydney Lotterby 

Sitcom. Exploits of two middle aged ex espionage agents who set up in the private spy business together.

Lucas Fry........................................ TOM CONTI

Peter Duckham................................ JOHN STANDING

Sir Roland White.............................. ROBERT LANG

Tamsin............................................ GEORGIA ALLEN

BBC1 / 7x30m-e / 1968-69 Pilot: 30 Jun 67 Season: 6 Dec 68 - 10 Jun 69

Writer: Michael Pertwee / Producer: James Gilbert 

Sitcom. Exploits of super salesman James Franklin-Jones or FJ as he is known as he travels the globe for Balsom Plastics and seeking out 'crumpet' at every opportunity. Grew out of a comedy playhouse entry of the same name. Derek Fowlds played Clancy in the pilot and Norman Claridge played 'LB'.

James 'FJ' Franklin-Jones..................... TERRY-THOMAS

Peter Clancy....................................... JONATHAN CECIL

Miss Pinto.......................................... LOIS PENSON

'LB' ................................................... REGINALD MARSH

BBC1/Partridge / 6x30m-e / 1994 3 May - 7 June Tuesdays 8.30pm

Writer: Tim Firth / Producer: Philip Partridge / Directors: Philip Partridge, John Clive 

Sitcom. Len Tollit is determined to provide for his family even though failure manages to dog him at every turn. Len uses his redundancy money to set up his own less than successful cell phone company. 

Len Tollit............................................ BERNARD HILL

Pat Tollit............................................ CHRISTINE MOORE

Mr Bebbington.................................... BRYAN PRINGLE

Siobhan............................................. SUSAN McARDLE

Sean................................................. ANDREW WHYMENT

Morris............................................... BOB MASON

BBC1 / 29x30m-e 1x90m-e 1x70m-e 1x40m-e 1x60m-e 1x50m-e / 1990-97 5 Seasons + 5 Specials

Writer: David Renwick / Theme Music: Eric Idle / Producer: Susan Belbin except 1 produced by Esta Charkham 

Sitcom. When he is forced to take early retirement Victor Meldrew doesn't take kindly to his new boring lifestyle. Victor's catchphrase was cry of "I don't believe it" every time something went wrong for him and his long suffering wife Margaret -which was often. After a long gap the show returned in 2001 with horror of horrors Victor being killed off however in the 2001 Comic Relief extravaganza (which was sometime after the final episode), there was a 10-15 minute "One Foot In The Grave" sketch with Mrs Meldrew visiting a sick (and unconscious) friend in hospital accompanied by Victor. The script (by Renwick) was cleverly structured so it appeared to the viewer that Mrs Meldrew was responding to Victor's comments whereas she was actually having a one-way conversation with the sick patient and Victor was just a ghost whom she couldn't see or hear.

With:- RICHARD WILSON as Victor Meldrew / ANNETTE CROSBIE as Margaret Meldrew / ANGUS DEAYTON as Patrick / JANINE DUVITSKI as Pippa / DOREEN MANTLE as Mrs Warboys / OWEN BRENMAN as Nick Swainey

C4/CX/Altman / 6x30m-e / 1995 4 Sep - 9 Oct Mon 8.00pm

Writer: Gary Sinyor with additional material by Iain Coyle, Alan Davies / Executive Producer: Robert Altman / Producer/Director: Steven Bawol 

Sitcom. A timeshare salesman sends back regular videos of his overseas adventures.

With:- ALAN DAVIES as Simon Trent

BBC1 / 64 episodes of mostly 30m-e but some 50m-e / 1981-96 and 2001-2002 (8 Seasons + 15 Specials)

Writer: John Sullivan / Producers: Ray Butt, Gareth Gwenlan 

Sitcom. London street trader Delboy Trotter and his hapless brother Rodney are determined to improve their lot in life. Del and Rodney lived in a high rise flat in Peckham with initially their Granddad and later their Uncle Albert. Del also drove a rather lovely yellow three wheeled Reliant Robin. The boys lived at 368 Nelson Mandela House, Dockside Estate, Peckham. The final episode of the series proper saw the lads discover a priceless watch worth some six million pounds, making them millionaires at last. Then some five years later (beginning 25 December 2001) there was a special catching up with all the gang and mainly concentrating on the story of how Del and Rodders had lost all their money. Buster Merryfield had died a couple of years previous to this and Uncle Albert was given a burial in the story. The second episode of the new trilogy was broadcast (1x75m) on 25 December 2002. One more episode (part of the special story) has been recorded but has yet to be shown.

With:- DAVID JASON as Derek 'Delboy' Trotter / NICHOLAS LYNDHURST as Rodney Trotter / LENNARD PEARCE as Granddad / BUSTER MERRYFIELD as Uncle Albert / ROGER LLOYD PACK as Trigger / JOHN CHALLIS as Boycie / KENNETH MACDONALD as Mike / TESSA PEAKE JONES as Racquel / GWYNETH STRONG as Cassandra / SUE HOLDERNESS as Marlene / PATRICK MURRAY as Mickey Pearce / PAUL BARBER as Denzil

Yorkshire / 29x30m-e / 1979-82 4 Seasons + 1 special  

Writer: Eric Chappell / Producer/Director: Vernon Lawrence 

Sitcom. The exploits of three male long term hospital patients, shy Norman, bolshy Roy and would be smoothie Archie.

Roy Figgis........................................ JAMES BOLAM

Archie Glover.................................... PETER BOWLES

Norman Binns.................................. CHRISTOPHER STRAULI

Dr Gordon Thorpe............................. RICHARD WILSON

Staff Nurse Gupte............................. DERRICK BRANCHE

  LWT / 74x30m-e / 1969-73 Seven seasons

Creators: Ronald Wolfe, Ronald Chesney / Producer/Directors: Stuart Allen (Seasons 1-4), Derrick Goodwin (Seasons 5-6), Bryan Izzard (Season 7) 

Sitcom. Misadventures of 'bird' mad bus driver Stan Butler and his equally lascivious conductor mate Jack. Stan still lived at home with mum, as well as his sister Olive and her workshy hubby Arthur. Stan and Jack were always being harassed by Inspector Blake (Blakey to his enemies) who after failing to put one on over on Stan would come out with a cry of "I hate you Butler" Bob Grant and Stephen Lewis wrote 11 episodes together, George Layton and Jonathan Lynn were also among the writers. There was a spin off for Blakey's character called Don't Drink the Water and the character of Olive also featured in the revival of The Rag Trade.

Stan Butler........................................ REG VARNEY

Jack................................................. BOB GRANT

Inspector Blake................................. STEPHEN LEWIS

Olive................................................ ANNA KAREN

Arthur.............................................. MICHAEL ROBBINS

Mum(1)........................................... CICELY COURTNIDGE

Mum(2)........................................... DORIS HARE

Yorkshire / 12x30m-e / 1970-71

Writer: Sid Colin / Producer: David Mallett / Executive Producer: John Duncan 

Sitcom. Misadventures of Thomas Clackwood and sons, a firm of builders, especially the exploits of bolshy foreman Charlie Cattermole.

Charlie Cattermole.......................... JOHN JUNKIN

Gussie........................................... KENNETH CONNOR

Stanley (Season 1).......................... PETER ATARD

Derek (Season 2)............................ DEREK GRIFFITHS

Harvey (Season 2)........................... ROBIN ASKWITH

BBC1 / 19x30m-e / 1990-92

Writer: Bob Larbey / Theme Sung by Dennis Waterman / Producer/Director: Gareth Gwenlan 

Sitcom. The domestic problems of self made millionaire Tony Carpenter.

Tony Carpenter................................. DENNIS WATERMAN

Mrs Wembley................................... JOAN SIMS

Sam................................................ SAM KELLY

Ruth Carpenter................................. JUDY BUXTON

Maggie............................................ JENNA RUSSELL

Dawn............................................... MICHELLE HATCH

Mum (Season 1)............................... DORA BRYAN

Mum (Season 2)............................... PAULINE LETTS

  BBC / 25x30m-e / 1976/81-82/85 Four seasons.

Writer: Roy Clarke / Producer: Sydney Lotterby 

Sitcom. Penny pinching corner shop owner Arkwright is determined to take his customers money at every opportunity. Arkwright spent much of his time lusting after district nurse Gladys Emmanuel, he opened his shop at dawn and shut it late at night. The show began life as one episode in Ronnie Barker's anthology series Seven of One.

Albert Arkwright................................. RONNIE BARKER

Granville............................................ DAVID JASON

Nurse Gladys Emmanuel.................... LYNDA BARON

Milkgirl.............................................. BARBARA FLYNN

BBC2-Fuschine / 19x30m-e / 1997-2000 

Writers/Producers/Directors: Hugo Blick, Ray Burdis, Dominic Anciano / Executive Producers: Jim Beach, Geoffrey Perkins 

Comedy series. Spoof documentary series focusing on an elite undercover police unit. Season two saw the team having to undergo specialist training.

Det Insp Beach..................................... DAVID GILLESPIE

Det Sgt................................................ RAY BURDIS

'Smiler' McCarthy.................................. HUGO BLICK

'Strings'............................................... JOHN BECKETT

Mark Kemp......................................... MARK BURDIS

'Bones'............................................... PERRY BENSON

BBC2 / 6? X 30 / 2001  

Comedy about a taxi driver. It was co-written by ex-Big Breakfast presenter Johnny Vaughan Unfortunately it wasn’t very good.  

With:- JOHNNY VAUGHAN

ATV/Central / 26x30m-e / 1980-84 Four seasons

Creator: Terence Howard / Script Editors: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Producer: Tony Charles, Allan McKeown  

Sitcom. Cockney model Lorraine Watts is the mistress to Tory MP Charles Lattimer. Seasons three made by Central following the franchise swaps of the previous year.

Lorraine Watts................................. LORRAINE CHASE

Charles Lattimer.............................. JOHN STANDING

Brian Sweeney (Seasons 1-2).......... STEVE ADLER

Sybilla Howarth (Season 1-2)........... PATRICIA HODGE

Mrs Lilley (Season 4)...................... SHEILA KEITH

Bassett (Season 4)......................... RICHARD CALDICOTT

BBC1 / 13x30m-e / 1977/79 Fridays 8.30pm

Writer: John Esmonde, Bob Larbey / Producers: John Howard Davies (Season 1),Roger Race (Season 2) 

Sitcom. Somewhat shy Brian Bryant comes under the influence of fast talking confident Ralph Tanner whilst holidaying abroad and later in season two back home in England.

Ralph Tanner..................................... RICHARD BRIERS

Brian Bryant...................................... MICHAEL GAMBON

Manuelo (Season 1)........................... MICHAEL CHESDEN

Granada / 4x30m-e / 1956 18 September - 9 August Tuesdays 9.00pm

Writer: Reuben Ship / Producer: Eddie Pola 

Sitcom. A GI Bride returns home to England when her husband dies. Dora Bryan abandoned the series after 4 weeks when her first child tragically died, however the series continued the following week under the title My Wife's Sister with Eleanor Summerfield taking over the lead.

Dora.................................................... DORA BRYAN

Clara Hackett ..................................... HELEN CHRISTIE

Charlie Hackett................................... MARTIN WYLDECK

ABC / 26x45m-e 13x55m-e / 1960-62 black and white Two seasons

Writer: Norman Hudis, Brad Ashton, Bob Block / Producer: Ernest Maxim 

Sitcom. Episodes in the lives of nine people sharing a large house.

Georgina Ruddy................................. HATTIE JACQUES

Simon Willow.................................... CHARLES HAWTREY

Daisy Burke (Season 1)..................... JOAN SIMS

Capt Illiffe (Season 1)......................... FRANK PETTINGELL

Gordon Brent (Season 1)................... NORMAN ROSSINGTON

Henrietta (Season 2)......................... HYLDA BAKER

William Singer (Season 2)................. BERNARD BRESSLAW

Herbert Keene.................................. FREDERICK PEISLEY

Marcia Hatton................................... LEIGH MADISON

Stephen Hathen (Season 1)............... TRADER FAULKNER

Mrs Illiffe (Season 2).......................... INA DE LA HAYE

Marina (Season 2)............................. EUGENIE CAVANAGH

Yorkshire / 6x30m-e / 1973 8 April - 20 May Sunday 9.30pm

Creators: Keith Waterhouse, Willis Hall / Producer/Director: Ian Davidson 

Sitcom. Two middle aged Yorkshire brothers live together, Bob goes out to work while Ben takes care of the house.

Bob Buslingthorpe.......................... BARRIE RUTTER

Ben Buslingthorpe.......................... KEN PLATT

Lynda ........................................... SYLVIA BRAYSHAY

Associated-Rediffusion / 46x30m-e / 1963-66 Four seasons + 1 special black and white

Writers: James Kelly, Peter Miller / Producer: Eric Maschwitz 

Sitcom. The misadventures of a country vicar. For season four the title changed to Our Man From St Marks when Stephen Young was promoted to Archdeacon and moved to Lynchester.

Rev Andrew Parker (Season 1)............... LESLIE PHILLIPS

Rev Stephen Young (Season 2-4)........... DONALD SINDEN

Mrs Peace........................................... JOAN HICKSON

Anne Gibson (Season 1)....................... ANN LAWSON

Harry the Yo Yo (Seasons 3-4).............. HARRY FOWLER

LWT / 13x30m-e / 1969-70

Writer: Harry Littlewood / Producer: Stuart Allen 

Sitcom. Thora Parker is the landlady of a north country boarding house.

Thora Parker.................................... THORA HIRD

Elsie Crabtree.................................. RUTH HOLDEN

Vera Parker..................................... CAROLINE DOWDESWELL

Alf Whittle....................................... HARRY LITTLEWOOD

Gran............................................... MAY WARDEN

Central / 21x30m-e 1x60m-e / 1994-96 3 seasons + 1 special

Writer: Richard Harris / Producer: Paula Burdon 

Sitcom. Miriam and Roger Dervish have an uneasy relationship with Kevin and Maggie Costello , a couple they meet at a number of cricketing social events. The show started life as a one off play of the same name in 1982.

Miriam Dervish................................ BRENDA BLETHYN

Roger Dervish................................. ROBERT DAWS

Kevin Costello................................ TIMOTHY SPALL

Maggie Costello............................. JOSIE LAWRENCE

Denis............................................ DENIS LILL

Bob Willis (Season 1)..................... JERMEMY NICHOLAS

Bob Willis (Season 2-3).................. MICHAEL JAYSTON

Nigel............................................. NIGEL PEGRAM

Meridian-SelecTV- Clement and La Frenais / 8x30m-e / 1993 11 July - 29 August Sunday 10.20pm

Creators: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Executive Producers: Allan McKeown, Tony Charles / Producer: Bernard McKenna / Director: Declan Lowney  

Sitcom. When her husband is jailed for armed robbery singer Finn moves to Brighton and strikes up a 'relationship' with her husband's best friend. On her husband's release from prison the trio strike up a somewhat wary 'ménage a trios' as Finn tries to make it in the music business.

ANGELINE BALL as Finn / BRONAGH GALLAGHER as Michelle / PETER SULLIVAN as Neil / IAN TARGETT as Spence / EAMON MORRISSEY as Uncle Roddy

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