Happily Ever After (ITV 1961, Dora Bryan, Pete Murray)

Sitcom Happily Ever After (which was also known as The Dora Bryan Show) detailed the the trials and tribulations of scatterbrained Dora Morgan. Pop DJ Peter Murray was Dora’s doctor husband and other regular characters included next door neighbours Harry and Grace Watkins.

The show was based on an American format bought in from NBC and is very similar in style to CBS hit show I Love Lucy. An unscreened pilot was made before eight episodes were then broadcast from Feb-Mar 1961. Like so many ITV shows of the era it suffered from an inconsistent screening schedule. The regions making up the ITV network didn’t always broadcast other region’s shows at the same, or broadcast them all or in some cases not at all.

12 episodes were made in total but the remaining four were not shown until 10 May -31 May 1964. The dates featured below are for the ABC region.

production details
UK / ITV – ABC / 12×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 12 February – 26 March 1961 and 10 May – 31 May 1964

Writers: James Kelly, Peter Miller / Director: Philip Jones

cast
DORA BRYAN as Dora Morgan
PETE MURRAY as Peter Morgan
BRYAN COLEMAN as Harry Watkins
AUDREY NOBLE as Grace Watkins