First Of The Summer Wine (BBC-1 1988-1989, Peter Sallis, David Fenwick)

Period sitcom that served as a prequel to Last of the Summer Wine. The early days (late 1930’s and 40’s) of Compo, Clegg and Foggy etc. Life in a small Yorkshire town is pretty much the same as it has been for as long as anyone can remember. Now there’s a war coming and the young people sense that life will soon change forever.

Rather nicely Peter Sallis played the father of the character he plays in the “parent” series and the young cast were excellent, it can’t have been easy copying the mannerisms of such well known characters.

There was a 45 minute pilot broadcast 3 Jan 1988.

production details
UK / BBC One / 12×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 4 September 1988 – 8 October 1989 Sundays 7.15pm

Writer: Roy Clarke / Producer and Director: Gareth Gwenlan

cast
Peter Sallis as Mr Clegg
David Fenwick as Norman Clegg
Paul McLain as Seymour
Paul Wyett as Compo
Richard Lumsden as Foggy Dewhurst
Maggie Ollerenshaw as Mrs Clegg
Helen Patrick as Nora
Gary Whitaker as Wally Batty
Paul Oldham as Sherbet
Joanne Heywood as Dilys
Sarah Dangerfield as Ivy
Derek Benfield as Mr Scrimshaw