In ITV sitcom Marjorie and Men, newly divorced Marjorie Bolton (Patricia Routledge) sets out to find herself a new man. Marjorie has returned home to live with her mother Alice (Patricia Hayes). Marjorie works at a bank where under-manager Henry Bartlett (James Cossins) would like to get to know her better. Her best friend is the married Sid Parkin (Ronnie Stevens).
The series was a first lead sitcom role for Routledge and the getting back into the dating scene allowed for plenty of guest stars including Timothy West as boring greengrocer George Banthorpe, Mark Kingston as all too smooth Kenneth Beresford and George Baker as Norton Phillips whom Marjorie meets at a dancing class. Speaking in the TV Times for the week of it’s premiere (28 Jun 1985) Patricia Routledge said that Marjorie was the closest she had come to playing herself.
ITV regional broadcast Anglia were not known for their sitcoms, this was only their second after Backs to the Land in the late 1970’s.
Cast: Patricia Routledge as Marjorie Belton; Patricia Hayes as Alice Tripp; James Cossins as Henry Bartlett; Ronnie Stevens as Sid Parkin; Jeanne Watts as Beryl
Writers: John Gorrie, Peter Spence / Producer: John Rosenberg / Director: John Gorrie
UK / ITV – Anglia / 6×30 minute episodes / 28 June – 2 August 1985
