UK SITCOMS - TAKE A LETTER MR JONES to THREE UP TWO DOWN
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TAKE A LETTER MR JONES
Southern / 6x30m-e / 1981 5 September - 10 October Saturdays 7.35pm
Writers: Ronald Woolfe, Ronald Chesney / Producer: Bryan Izzard
Role reversal sitcom. Graham Jones is private secretary to hard working businessman Mrs Warner.
Graham Jones................................. JOHN INMAN
Mrs Joan Warner.............................. RULA LENSKA
Brenda............................................. GINA MAHER
Ruth................................................ JOAN BLACKHAM
Maria............................................... MIRIAM MARGOYLES
Lucy................................................ CLAUDINE BOWYER
TAKE MY WIFE
Granada / 6x30m-e / 1979 17 January - 7 March Wednesday 8.30pm
Writer: Anthony Couch / Producer: John G. Temple / Director: Gordon Flemyng
Sitcom. The misadventures of a struggling stand up comic.
Harvey Hill........................................ DUGGIE BROWN
Maurice Watkins............................... VICTOR SPINETTI
Josie Hall.......................................... ELISABETH SLADEN
Mabel Normington............................. JOAN BENHAM
Doreen Underhill............................... TONI PALMER
TAKING THE FLOOR
BBC1/Alamo / 6x30m-e / 1991 4 March - 15 April Mondays 8.30pm
Creator: Paul Makin / Executive Producers: Allan McKeown, Michael Pilsworth / Producer/Director: Derrick Goodwin
Sitcom. Brian Wheeler teams up with the snooty Karen Tranter to take the world of ballroom dancing by storm.
Brian Wheeler.................................. MATTHEW COTTLE
Karen Tranter................................... BARBARA DURKIN
Mrs Wheeler.................................... JANET DALE
Mr Wheeler...................................... TIMOTHY KIGHTLEY
Colin Wheeler.................................. DEAN GATISS
Mrs Tranter...................................... CLAIRE NIELSON
Mr Tranter....................................... CHRISTOPHER GODWIN
TANDOORI NIGHTS
C4/Picture Palace (Season 1) / C4/Angel (Season 2) / 12x30m-e / 1985 and 1987
Creator: Farrukh Dhondy / Producer: Malcolm Craddock
Sitcom. The owner of the Jewel in the Crown Tandoori restaurant battles with his rival at The Far Pavillions to be top dog in the curry world.
Jimmy Sharma..................................... SAEED JAFFREY
Alaudin................................................ TARIQ YUNUS
Asha................................................... RITA WOLF
Delia................................................... ANGELA BROWNE
Gran................................................... ZOHRA SEGAL
Bubbly................................................ SHELLEY KING
Noor................................................... ANDREW JOHNSON
Fazloo (Season 1)............................... TOPAN GHOSH
Fazloo (Season 2)............................... KUMALL GREWALL
Gazloo............................................... ROLY LAMAS
Rashid............................................... BADI UZZAMAN
TEARS BEFORE BEDTIME
BBC1 / 7x30m-e / 1983 29 March - 10 May Tuesdays 8.30pm
Writer: Richard Waring / Producer/Director: Harold Snoad
Sitcom. Tired of the behavior of their three grown up (18,19 & 20) kids Anne and Geoffrey Dickens decide to move out of their home, leaving it to the children and start again in a basement flat.
Anne Dickens................................... GERALDINE McEWAN
Geoffrey Dickens............................... FRANCIS MATTHEWS
TEENAGE HEALTH FREAK
C4-Limelight-Isis / 12x30m-e / 1991-93 Season 1: 21 May - 25 June 91 Season 2: 22 February - 29 March 93
Writer: Daniel Peacock / Producer: Adrian Bate / Directors: Metin Huseyin (91), Peter Cattaneo (93)
Sitcom. Teenager Peter Payne has all the usual adolescent problems, however, he uses a video camera to record all the things in his life, especially his failure to 'get off' with the Amanda Jeffs, the girl of his dreams.
Peter Payne..................................... ALEX LANGDON
Amanda Jeffs................................... LIZA WALKER
Dad................................................. DANIEL PEACOCK
Mum............................................... TILLY VOSBURGH
Headmaster..................................... TONY ROBINSON
TELL IT TO THE MARINES
Associated-Rediffusion/Jack Hylton / 30x30m-e / 1959-60 23 Sep 59 - 13 Apr 60 Wednesdays 7.00pm black and white
Creator: Ted Willis / Writers: Eric Paice, Malcolm Hulke / Producer: Milo Lewis
Sitcom. A crack squad of Royal Marines are billeted on a none too impressed group of Royal Navy men.
With:- ALAN WHITE as Leading Seaman White / RONALD HINES as Corporal Surtees / HENRY McGEE as Lt Raleigh / IAN WHITTAKER asWhittle / JOHN BASKCOMB as P.O. Woodward / NORMAN CHAPPELL as Tubby / IAN COLIN as Cmdr Walters
THE 10%er's
Carlton/Grant- Naylor / 15x30m-e / 1994-95 2 Seasons + 1 Pilot
Creators: Rob Grant, Doug Naylor / Producer/Director: Marcus Mortimer
Sitcom. Misadventures of the staff of Eden management, a West End based talent agency.
Dominic................................................ CLIVE FRANCIS
Atin...................................................... BENEDICT TAYLOR
Enid..................................................... HILDA BRAID
Gloria................................................... IRENE SUTCLIFFE
Helen................................................... GABRIELLE COWAN
Joan.................................................... ELIZABETH OWEN
TERRY AND JULIAN
Channel 4-Wonderdog / 6x30m-e / 1992 11 September - 16 October Fridays 10.30pm
Writers: Julian Clary, Paul Merton, John Henderson / Executive Producer: John Henderson / Producer: Toni Yardley / Director: Liddy Oldroyd
Sitcom. When Terry advertises for a lodger he is somewhat put out when gay channel four 'Celebrity' Julian Clary moves in and takes over his house.
Julian.................................................. JULIAN CLARY
Terry................................................... LEE SIMPSON
Rene................................................... KATE LONERGAN
TERRY AND JUNE
BBC1 / 65x30m-e / 1979-87 9 seasons + 4 Specials
Creator: John Kane / Producer: Peter Whitmore, Robin Nash
Archetypal suburban sitcom. Ups and downs in the life of middle aged couple Terry and June Medford, with plenty of opportunity for Terry to make a fool of himself. Terry is somewhat bumptious and accident prone (if something can go wrong it will go wrong for Terry) and works in the city doing something unspecified in middle management whilst June is the archetypal harassed housewife. The show was basically a continuation of the Sitcom Happy Ever After.
Terry................................................... TERRY SCOTT
June................................................... JUNE WHITFIELD
Sir Dennis Hodge................................. REGINALD MARSH
Malcolm (Seasons 1-2)........................ TERENCE ALEXANDER
Malcolm (Seasons 3-8)........................ TIM BARRETT
Malcolm (Season 9)............................ JOHN QUAYLE
Alan.................................................. ROGER MARTIN
Beattie.............................................. ROSEMARY FRANKAU
THAT BERYL MARSTON...!
Southern / 6x30m-e / 1981 24 July - 28 August Fridays 8.30pm
Writer: Jan Butlin / Producer: Bryan Izzard
Sitcom. Brighton curiosity shop owner Georgie Bodley discovers her husband is having an affair with the oft mentioned but never seen Beryl Marston of the title.
With:- JULIA McKENZIE as Georgie Bodley / GARETH HUNT as Gerry Bodley / PETER JOHN as Harvey / JONATHON MORRIS as Phil / JAYNE STEVENS as Jane / LEWIS FIANDER as Alan
THAT'S LOVE
TVS / 26x30m-e / 1988-92 Four seasons
Writer: Terence Frisby / Music: Richard Nyhill / Producer: Humphrey Barclay / Director: John Stroud
Sitcom. The ups and down of the relationship of thirtysomethings Donald and Patsy.
With:- JIMMY MULVILLE as Donald / DIANA HARDCASTLE as Patsy / ROB SPENDLOVE as Gary (Season 1) / NEIL PEARSON as Gary (Season 2-4) / PHYLLIDA LAW as Babs / RALPH NOSSEK as Victor / LIZA GODDARD as Laura Manasotti (Season 3) / TONY SLATTERY as Tristan Beasley (Season 4)
ABC / 7x30m-e / 1963 10 November - 22 December Sundays 4.05pm black and white
Writer: Bob Block / Director: David Main, Mark Stuart
Sitcom. Exploits of a naughty schoolboy (played by midget Jimmy Clitheroe). For more details on Jimmy's life and career visit the Jimmy Clitheroe site.
With:- JIMMY CLITHEROE / DERYCK GUYLER / VICKY HARRINGTON / JUNE MONKHOUSE / GORDON ROLLINGS
THAT'S MY BOY
Yorkshire TV / 37x30m-e / 1981-86 Five seasons + 2 Specials
Writers: Pam Valentine, Michael Ashton / Music: Dennis Wilson / Producer: Graeme Muir
Sitcom. When becomes housekeeper to Dr Robert Price she is shocked to discover that he is the son she had adopted.
Ida Willis............................................ MOLLIE SUGDEN
Dr Robert Price................................... CHRISTOPHER BLAKE
Mrs Price........................................... CLARE RICHARDS
Angie Price........................................ JENNIFER LONSDALE
Wilf Willis.......................................... HAROLD GOODWIN
Miss Parfitt (seasons 4-5)................... DEDDIE DAVIES
THAT'S YOUR FUNERAL
BBC1 / 7x30m-e / 1971 22 January - 26 February
Writer: Peter Lewis / Producer: Douglas Argent
Sitcom. The misadventures of a pair of undertakers. There was a pilot broadcast 25 Mar 1970.
With:- BILL FRASER as Basil Bulstrode / RAYMOND FRASER as Emmanuel Holroyd / DAVID BATTLEY as Percy / DAVID KING as Charlie
THEM
BBC1 / 5x30m-e / 1972 27 July - 24 August Thursdays 10.15pm
Writer: Johnny Speight / Producer: Dennis Main Wilson / Director: Harold Snoad
Sitcom. The exploits of two tramps, one Irish and one cockney.
Coat Sleeves........................................ CYRIL CUSACK
Cockney............................................. JAMES BOOTH
BBC / 6x30m-e / 1982
Writer: Maurice Sellar, Lou Jones / Music: Ronnie Hazlehurst / Producer: Roger Race / Director: Martin Shardlow
Sitcom. Made in 1982 but broadcast on terrestrial TV at the time, it was held back at the time because of the Falklands conflict. Satellite station UK Gold first broadcast the show in 1993(1 Mar - 5 Apr) and has shown it several times since. Set during World War II it had Frankie Howerd doing his usual thing but this time as a private working in Churchill's secret underground bunker system in 1941. 18 years after it was originally to be aired, starting 8 April 2000, BBC2 showed selected episodes.
With:- FRANKIE HOWERD as Private Potts and General Fearless Freddy Hollocks / JOANNA DUNHAM as P.O. Joan Bottomley / MICHAEL ATTWELL as Norman / NICHOLAS COURTNAY / JAMES CHASE / SHAUN CURRY / LINDA CUNNINGHAM
THERE COMES A TIME
Yorkshire TV / 7x30m-e / 1985 20 February - 3 April Wednesdays 8.30pm
Writer: Wally K. Daly / Producer/Director: Ronnie Baxter
Sitcom. When he discovers he has a short time to live, Tony James decides to make the most of the time he has left.
Tony James...................................... ANDREW SACHS
Vanessa James................................ JUDY CORNWELL
Peter James..................................... ROBERT DAWS
Jane James...................................... COLETTE BARKER
Dr Harry Eton................................... ALAN DAVID
THEY CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE
C4-TVS / 6x30m-e / 1984 14 July - 18 August Saturdays 10.00pm
Writer: Cliff Hanger (aka The Cast) / Producer: John Dale / Director: Jim Hill
Scifi sitcom. The new town of Middleford is taken over by aliens. The show was based on a stage production by the same people.
Wendy................................................. REBECCA STEVENS
Colin.................................................... PETE McCARTHY
Martin.................................................. TONY HAASE
Stranger............................................... ROBIN DRISCOLL
The 'They're Coming' Man...................... PADDY FLETCHER
Mrs Maynard........................................ HILDA BRAID
THICK AS THIEVES
LWT / 8x25m-e / 1974 1 June - 20 July Saturdays 8.30pm
Writers: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Producer: Derrick Goodwin
Sitcom. When George Dobbs is released from prison he is amazed to find his wife now living with fellow ex-con Stan. The three end up living together. There would possibly have been more than one season of this promising sitcom but for the fact that John Thaw had committed himself to The Sweeney, this also gave the writers the opportunity to concentrate on their classic show Porridge.
George................................................. BOB HOSKINS
Stan..................................................... JOHN THAW
Annie................................................... PAT ASHTON
Daphne................................................ NELL CURRAN
Tommy Hollister................................... TREVOR PEACOCK
Sgt Black............................................ MICHAEL ROBBINS
Spiggy................................................ JOHNNY BRIGGS
BBC1 / 7x30m-e / 1969 17 February - 31 March Mondays 7.30pm
Writer: Peter Robinson / Producer: Douglas Argent
Sitcom. Fishmonger Jim Eccles longs for the quiet life but his three daughters and next door neighbour Aggie Plunkett usually conspire against it.
With:- JIMMY JEWEL as Jim Eccles / JEAN KENT asAggie Plunkett / ROBERTA REX as Vicki Eccles / CAROLYN MOODY as Janet Eccles / JILL KERMAN as Carol Eccles / MIKE LUCAS as Albert Pike / GERALD MOON as Robert Bean
THICKER THAN WATER
Yorkshire TV / 6x30m-e / 1981 28 April - 9 June Tuesdays 8.30pm
Writer: Dick Sharples / Producer: Graeme Muir
Sitcom. Widower Joseph Lockwood has trouble with his two bachelor sons. There was a pilot called Where There's Brass.
With:- JOSS ACKLAND as Joseph Lockwood / COLIN FARRELL as Alan Lockwood / PETER DENYER as Malcolm Lockwood / DAVID BATTLEY as Harry Fishwick
THE THIN BLUE LINE
BBC1/Tiger Aspect / 14x30m-e / 1995-97
Writer: Ben Elton / Music: Howard Goodall / Executive Producer: Peter Bennett-Jones / Producers: Geoff Perkins, Ben Elton
Sitcom. Inspector Raymond Fowler tries to keep his unruly bunch of police officers under control. Elton a self professed fan of Dad's Army tried to capture the ensemble feel of that show, this show whilst often very funny didn't quite manage to hit the heights.
Insp Raymond Fowler......................... ROWAN ATKINSON
Sgt Dawkins...................................... SERENA EVANS
PC Goody......................................... JAMES DREYFUS
PC Habib.......................................... MINA ANWAR
Det Insp Grim.................................... DAVID HAIG
PC Gladstone.................................... RUDOLPH WALKER
THINGUMY BOB
LWT / 8x45m-e / 1968 2 August - 20 September black and white
Writer: Kenneth Cope / Theme Music: Paul McCartney / Producer/Director: David Askey
Sitcom. Bored pensioner Bob Bridge has a knack for getting into mischief. Thingumybob was the first show produced by the then new ITV franchise LWT and a theme tune composed by Paul McCartney whilst he was still in the Beatles.
Bob Bridge........................................ STANLEY HOLLOWAY
Fay Bridge........................................ ROSE HILL
Bert Ryding...................................... JOHN JUNKIN
Monica Ryding................................. KATE WILLIAMS
Mrs Green....................................... STELLA TANNER
George............................................ BERT PALMER
Henry.............................................. WALLY PATCH
THIRD TIME LUCKY
Yorkshire TV / 7x30m-e / 1982 6 August - 17 September Fridays 8.30pm
Writer: Jan Butlin / Producer/Director: Graeme Muir
Sitcom. George Hutchenson and Beth Jenkins, having been married to each other once and then once again to other people decide to give their relationship another try.
George Hutchenson............................. DEREK NIMMO
Beth Jenkins....................................... NERYS HUGHES
Millie.................................................. ANGELA DOUGLAS
Bruce................................................. CLIFFORD EARL
Mr MacTaggart.................................... ROBERT FYFE
THIS IS DAVID LANDER
Channel 4/Hatrick / 6x30m-e / 1988 31 October - 5 December Monday 8.30pm
Writer: Tony Sarchet / Script Editor/Producer: Paul Mayhew-Archer / Executive Producer: Denise O'Donaghue / Director: Graham Dixon
Sitcom. Stories of Investigative TV Journalist David Lander. Season two became This Is David Harper (See next entry).
David Lander..................................... STEPHEN FRY
THIS IS DAVID HARPER
Channel 4-Hatrick / 6x30m-e / 1990 2 November - 7 December Friday 10.30pm
Writer: Tony Sarchet / Script Editor: Paul Mayhew-Archer / Producer: Mary Bell / Executive Producer: Denise O'Donaghue / Director: Graham Dixon
Sitcom. A continuation of the series This Is David Lander but with a title change necessitated by the unavailability of Stephen Fry to continue in the lead role.
David Harper.................................... TONY SLATTERY
THREE LIVES WIRES
Associated-Rediffusion / 26x30m-e / 1961 15 May - 6 November Monday 8.00pm
Producer: Christopher Hodson
Sitcom. Exploits of Cockney Mike working in a TV sales and repair shop.
Mike..................................................... MICHAEL MEDWIN
The Manager......................................... DEREK GUYLER
George Smithers................................... GEORGE RODERICK
Malcolm............................................... BERNARD FOX
Higgenbottom....................................... DEREK BENFIELD
THREE ROUSING TINKLES
BBC2 / 3x30m-e / 1966 7 May - 21 May Saturdays 9.40pm
Writer: N.F. Simpson / Producer: Stuart Allen
Sitcom. The Paradocks live in a bizarre kind of turned inside out version of normal life. See also Four Tall Tinkles and A Resounding Tinkle.
Middie Paradock.............................. PAULINE DEVANEY
Bro Paradock.................................. EDWIN APPS
THREE UP TWO DOWN
BBC1 / 25x30m-e / 1985-89 Four seasons
Writer: Richard Ommanney / Producers: David Askey, John B. Hobbs
Sitcom. Sam Tyler and Daphne Trenchard, whose respective children are married to each other, share the basement flat of their kids house.Sam was in love with the haughty Daphne who professed to loathe Sam.
Sam Tyler......................................... MICHAEL ELPHICK
Daphne Trenchard............................. ANGELA THORNE
Angie Tyler....................................... LYSETTE ANTHONY
Nick Tyler........................................ RAY BURDIS
Major Giles Bradshaw....................... NEIL STACY
Wilf................................................. JOHN GRILLO
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