Canada / CBC / 13×30 minute episode / Broadcast 26 February -5 June 1976 / Thursday 9.00pm then Saturday 8.30pm
Writers: Bill Lynn, Jerry O’Flanagan, Ken Finkleman / Producers: Bill Lynn, Norman Campbell
Sitcom The Frankie Howerd Show saw popular British comic Frankie Howerd move to Canada where he moves into a less than lovely boarding house determined to make something of himself.
Back in the sixties and seventies British comedians were always trotting off to perform for their commonwealth cousins, especially Australia where British comedy was (and still is) huge, quite a few of them scored Australian TV series everyone from The Two Ronnies to Dave Allen to Australian versions of shows like Love Thy Neighbour and Are You Being Served (all featuring members of the UK cast) but not many went to Canada and managed to land a TV show. Frankie Howerd did though, he was going through something of a fallow period back home in the UK having scored the biggest success of his career with Up Pompeii and it’s off shoots but not sure where to go next.
The series on offer here was very much the usual Frankie schtick of double takes and asides to the camera and titter ye nots but it is clear that the Canadian audience didn’t quite know how to take it and only one season was made.
cast
FRANKIE HOWERD as Frankie
JACK DUFFY as Wally Wheeler
PEGGY MAHON as Denise
RUTH SPRINGFIELD as Mrs Otterby
GARY FILES as Mrs Otterby’s Son