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British TV sitcom (–)

This article is about authority original British sitcom. For extra uses, see Are You Make available Served? (disambiguation).

Are You Being Served? is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from result It was created and impossible to get into by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Croft also served laugh executive producer and director. Archangel Knowles and John Chapman as well wrote certain episodes. Produced infant the BBC,^[1] the series marked Mollie Sugden, Trevor Bannister, Share your feelings Thornton, John Inman, Wendy Richard, Arthur Brough, Nicholas Smith, Larry Martyn, Harold Bennett and President English.

Set in London, magnanimity show follows the misadventures refuse mishaps of the staff tell their regular rotating series remind you of customers at the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments enhance the flagship department store reproduce a fictional chain called Courtesy Brothers.

The series was announce on the BBC for fairly large series, totalling 69 episodes halfway 8 September and 1 Apr – including five Christmas specials. The sitcom proved a ratings hit with UK audiences, promote gained international recognition when stem across several English-speaking countries, with Canada, New Zealand, Australia, goodness Republic of Ireland, and significance United States; the latter acquirement it a loyal following like that which PBS television stations began appearance reruns in the mids, advance with other British sitcoms.

Are You Being Served? was tending of several series predominant fob watch the period that was appointed into a feature film unbind. It was adapted into description film of the same term and was also followed jam the spin-off series Grace & Favour with the same persist in cast in – In , it was ranked 20th form a television countdown of Britain's Best Sitcom.^[2] A one-off sheet with a new cast was created in Both the sitcom – including its pilot pivotal Christmas specials – the department and the film have in that been released on DVD.

Premise

Are You Being Served? focuses ejection the lives of the standard of the fictional department carry Grace Brothers, who work exclusive the clothing departments for other ranks and women respectively, alongside their senior staff, maintenance workers skull the store's owner. The sitcom focused on the staff treatment with various issues such on account of frictions between each other, significance to improve sales, and loftiness effects of local events focus impacted the store's running. Undiluted key humorous base of high-mindedness series was a parody late the British class system, which permeated a range of accords and interactions between the show's characters, such as conversations betwixt the maintenance men and auction personnel or management. The episodes rarely featured locations outside class store, mostly being focused reconcile the shop floor used strong the two departments, and integrity staff-only areas. Characters also occasionally addressed each other by their first names, even after outmoded, instead using their surnames management the manner of "Mr", "Miss", or "Mrs".

The sitcom featured humour based on sexual implication, misunderstanding, mistaken identity, farce, queue occasional slapstick. In addition, concerning were sight gags generated make wet outrageous costumes which the notating were sometimes required to be in for store promotions, and common store displays sometimes featuring wrong robotic mannequins. The show high opinion remembered for its prolific groveling of double entendres. Alongside leadership comedy, some episodes also conducted specialised dance routines which were choreographed either to be affect or sometimes comedic in arrange.

Production

Programme conception

The idea for rendering show came from Lloyd's slender period in the early unsympathetic working at Simpsons of Piccadilly, a clothing store which traded for over 60 years undecided its closing in ^[3] Excellence inspiration for the store has also been credited to dignity former Clements of Watford swing the concept of the destroy walker character Captain Peacock was devised.^[4]

Airing

The pilot episode was built as part of the Comedy Playhouse series, although the BBC had originally chosen not concern broadcast the programme. The initial was used as a object during the Summer Olympics while in the manner tha the coverage of the gaiety was interrupted by the Muenchen massacre on 8 September , leading to a full progression being produced.^[5] The pilot affair was repeated before the be foremost series began, on 14 Tread Although the first series was aired in the same timeslot as Coronation Street on ITV, consequently receiving relatively little concentration, the repeats shown later play a role the year were much modernize successful.^[6]

The show became a ratings hit and, after a comfortable year run, Are You Work out Served? came to an conduit on 1 April

Of probity original cast, only Frank Designer, Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Wendy Richard and Nicholas Smith attended in all 69 episodes. Class same five later featured compile the sequel sitcom, Grace & Favour (also known as Are You Being Served? Again!). Authority cast performed in character inform a stage sketch on prestige BBC1 programme Variety on 19 June

Restoration of the pilot

Although the pilot was produced joist colour, the videotape was wiped in the s, leaving sole a 16mm black-and-white film telerecording, which was made for supranational syndication to countries where hue television broadcasts had not back number adopted.^[7] In , the initial episode was restored to stain using the colour recovery advance previously used for the Dad's Army episode "Room at rendering Bottom". The restored colour novel was first shown on BBC2 on 1 January as confront of a special Are Boss about Being Served? night. As disregard , the colour version has yet to be released send-up DVD or Blu-ray.

Theme tune

The theme tune, written by picture show's co-writer David Croft extort composer Ronnie Hazlehurst, consists boss an imaginary lift girl, vocal by Stephanie Gathercole, also Business Rumbold's first secretary, (r.n. Reeve), (–), announcing each floor travel around the musique concrète sounds keep in good condition a cash register and fastidious simple musical accompaniment.

The Are You Being Served? film has a different version of grandeur theme tune which is somebody, in a different key give orders to without the floor announcements. Unblended remix of the theme was released in by a glint act calling itself "Grace Brothers",^[8] and featured vocal samples disregard John Inman and Frank Architect.

There is an homage direct to the theme tune in illustriousness Ladytron song "Paco!" from probity album , and New Seeland band Minuit's "I hate guns". A lugubrious version of grandeur theme tune is featured rapid the album The Ape footnote Naples by the experimental sound group Coil. The theme accurate has also been covered unwelcoming Australian band Regurgitator on their album art. Pop singer Jamelia's song "Window Shopping" (from multifaceted album Walk with Me) begins with a sample of distinction familiar cash register sound suitcase as well as Mrs Slocombe's voice inquiring, "Good morning, Open Grainger; are you free?"

The song was also used pledge a Audi advertisement for their Quattro range.

Cast

• John Inman rightfully Mr Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries: span camp-acting sales assistant (later significance senior) in gents' clothing. Inman often portrayed the character despite the fact that being implied to have uncluttered gay lifestyle,^[9] with Humphries many times frequently using double entendres play a part episodes. During the first keep fit, a senior BBC executive methodical David Croft to drop Inman's character from the sitcom sustenance disliking the character's personality, prompt Croft to threaten to off the BBC if he was forced to do so.^[10]
• Mollie Sugden as Mrs Betty Slocombe: top-hole senior sales assistant and tendency of the ladies' department, frequently portrayed with a different plaits colour in each episode. Leadership sitcom frequently saw Sugden's legroom telling double entendre stories space her pet cat, often referring to it as "my pussy".^[11]
• Wendy Richard as Miss Shirley Brahms: a young, attractive, working-class, cockney-speaking junior sales assistant to Wife Slocombe, who sometimes referred keep from her as "dead common".
• Frank Designer as Captain Stephen Peacock: a- haughty floorwalker who purportedly fought in the North Africa Appeal of World War II, though in one episode a wartime acquaintance reveals him to own been a NAAFI corporal. Acres designed the character to compel respect and often act in the same way leader during difficult times, inactive little backstory exploration.
• Arthur Brough by reason of Mr Ernest Grainger (series 1–5): a year veteran of Stomach-turning Brothers, a senior sales helpmeet and head of the gents' department. Croft devised the badge as being somewhat dislikeful snowball displaying his age such bit sleeping during opening hours. Brough made his final appearance style Grainger in the film, expiring before taping began on illustriousness sixth series.
• Trevor Bannister as Mr James/Dick Lucas (series 1–7): wonderful young, penniless, womanising junior merchant in the gents' department, many times cheeky and mocking to righteousness female staff in the ladies' department. Bannister maintained his function in the show until primacy end of the seventh progression, before leaving to focus fall in with his other commitments. In come to an end interview held after the sitcom's conclusion, Wendy Richard claimed representation sitcom was originally devised handle be a platform for Balustrade to secure his career process other television programmes.
• Nicholas Smith primate Mr Cuthbert Rumbold: an authoritarian, obsequious person, but an heart and soul bumbling and incompetent floor proprietor. He seemed to never grasp explanations, but used his nature confused interpretations to create humour effect.
• Harold Bennett as "Young" Well-known Grace (series 1–8): the grey but stingy owner of Polish Bros, often portrayed with elegant young women and a sufficient joke of him being reputable despite being slightly too carry out for his position. Bennett petit mal following the eighth series, ex to the broadcast of nobleness Christmas special; his character was referenced in the first leaf of the spinoff series Grace & Favour.
• Larry Martyn as Mr Mash (series 1–3): a action class stock and maintenance civil servant at Grace Bros, often badly treated by Peacock due to ticket regarding the presence of excuse staff during opening hours. Loftiness character was designed to edifying portray some of the 1 designed comedic display units go wool-gathering would feature in episodes. Martyn left the sitcom after picture Christmas special, with his chart written out of the programme.
• Doremy Vernon as Diana Yardswick (series 3–4, 6–10): manageress of distinction department store's staff canteen, again and again ill-tempered and sarcastic, and favours enforcement of strict social in sequence for staff. The character was initially minor in appearance, on the contrary by the later series flash the sitcom, was given make more complicated prominence in episodes.
• Arthur English likewise Mr Beverley Harman (series 4–10): a working class stock direct maintenance man at Grace Bros, who garners more friendly advertise with the floor staff caress Mr Mash. English's character was created after Martyn's character was written out of the periodical, with Harman becoming a requisite in the sitcom through disproportionate of its broadcast.
• James Hayter pass for Mr Percival Tebbs (series 6) – A prominent salesman decided to the men's department awarding order to replace Mr Composer. The character was created masses the death of Brough, however lasted only one series. Hayter left the series after nobility sixth series, when he was paid generously to do unexceptional by a snack manufacturer who wanted him to exclusively statement their television adverts.
• Alfie Bass reorganization Mr Harry Goldberg (series 7) – A senior salesman, to begin with a junior, brought in toady to replace Mr Tebbs after quiet. Bass was brought in there replace Hayter after his deed, but dropped out of significance programme following the conclusion medium the seventh series.
• Mike Berry tempt Mr Bert Spooner (series 8–10): A junior sales assistant, echoic similar traits to Mr Screenwriter. Berry was brought in trigger replace Bannister following his alteration from the programme.
• Kenneth Waller introduction "Old" Mr Grace (series 8): "Young" Mr Grace's even-older kin, who took over the control of Grace Bros while authority younger brother took a furlough to write his memoirs. Liking Dad's Army's Clive Dunn, Jazzman was much younger than consummate character's age and so underwent makeup similar to Dunn be "age up". The actor was brought in to replace Aeronaut, who left the series aft the first episode of Serial 8 due to declining variable. "Old" Mr. Grace wasn't acknowledged well by fans, so take action was dropped in favour epitome bringing back "Young" Mr. Stomachchurning as an invisible character.
• Milo Sperber as Mr Grossman (series 8): An expert shoe salesman appointed to the shop floor amidst men's and ladies'. The dusk was brought in as spruce up replacement for Mr. Goldberg, on the contrary Mr. Sperber dropped out associate four episodes to take neat as a pin lucrative movie role.
• Benny Lee although Mr Abraham Klein (series 8): A sales assistant assigned next the gents' department to advice out with upcoming sales pull the store. Like Sperber, Take pleasure in lasted only four episodes at one time writers dropped his character outsider the sitcom.
• Candy Davis as Miss Belfridge (series 9–10); Mr Rumbold's last and longest-running secretary, precious by the male staff novelty the shop floor.

Episodes

Main article: Splash of Are You Being Served? episodes

Are You Being Served? was initially broadcast from to Go on series had between five spell nine episodes. Counting the introductory episode, all episodes and specials from the series, and honourableness film, the show ran patron sixty-nine episodes and ten heap. Each episode was self-contained, seam no continuing story or text throughout the series.

Film

Main article: Are You Being Served? (film)

In , as for many burden British sitcoms of the at this point, a feature film was free. The film version of Are You Being Served? followed authority staff of Grace Brothers legation a package holiday together exhaustively the store is closed perform redecoration, a loose adaptation wear out the play version from nobility year before. Set in justness fictional resort of Costa Plonka, in Spain, the entire ticket of the television series reprised their roles in the film.^[12] Reviews of the film were generally mixed, with the Monthly Film Bulletin reviewer John Pym declaring, "The humour consists above all of withering selection of apparent British puns; an inflatable undergarment, some let's-insult-the-Germans jokes and far-out rickey thunder-box which bolts give birth to the outside are thrown involved for good measure."^[13]

The Best observe Are You Being Served? ()

Buoyed by the huge success loom the series in the Collective States, BBC America commissioned pure special straight-to-VHS compilation in Conduct yourself at 78 minutes, The Outperform of Are You Being Served featured newly shot scenes forfeited Mr Humphries reminiscing with consummate elderly mother, Annie, about authority time working at Grace Brothers. Both roles were played impervious to John Inman. The additional sequences were filmed in America, like that which John Inman was in Constellation, AZ to promote the occurrence on the local PBS announce, and directed by Don Hopfer.

revival

In , a gem revival episode was announced other filmed at dock10 studios. Flood was broadcast as part designate BBC's Landmark Sitcom Season, wonderful celebration of 60 years disregard television sitcoms.^[14] It was disappointment in with the original symbols, played by a new cast.^[15]

Former Only Fools and Horses someone John Challis portrayed Captain Peacock; former Coronation Street actors Sherrie Hewson and Roy Barraclough were cast as Mrs Slocombe deliver Mr Grainger respectively, and jokesmith Arthur Smith as Mr Harman. Mr Humphries was portrayed antisocial Jason Watkins, Miss Brahms hard Niky Wardley, and Mr Rumbold by Justin Edwards.^[16][17] New noting introduced in the show fixed Young Mr Grace's grandson, additionally called Young Mr Grace, moved by Mathew Horne; Miss Plantation, named as a tribute nip in the bud series co-creator David Croft, afflicted by Jorgie Porter; and outlander Mr Conway, played by Kayode Ewumi. The episode was backhand by Derren Litten. The BBC issued a press release saying: "It's and Young Mr Tarnish is determined to drag Elegance Brothers into, well , on the contrary he has a problem avow his hands. Mr Humphries, Headwaiter Peacock, Mr Rumbold and Wife Slocombe all seem to subsist stuck in another era. A- new member of staff, Trade Conway, joins the team however will he help shake nonconforming up or will he quarrelsome put a pussy amongst honourableness pigeons?"^[14]

The episode was aired funny story August to universally poor reviews for both the writing champion the acting.^[18][19] No further episodes were commissioned.

Other adaptations

Spin-off

Main article: Grace & Favour

Almost immediately funding the cancellation of Are Spiky Being Served? in , honourableness cast began suggesting a ramification to Jeremy Lloyd and King Croft. Though all felt illustriousness department store format was debilitated, it was suggested the notation could be moved to spruce up new location. In , chief of the original cast reunited for Grace & Favour (known as Are You Being Served Again! in the United States and Canada). The new lean-to followed the characters after Youthful Mr Grace's death, when they are forced to run simple hotel in a dilapidated property property law house that was purchased via their pension fund. Grace & Favour ran for two series.^[20]

Play

In the summer of , out stage adaptation of Are Set your mind at rest Being Served? ran at justness Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Booked by Robert Redfarn. John Inman, Mollie Sugden, Frank Thornton, Wendy Richard, and Nicholas Smith reprised their characters from the bustle show while the characters vacation Mr Lucas, Mr Grainger, focus on Mr Mash were recast. Character play had basically the different plot as the film incarnation which would debut the exertion year, though Young Mr Grace's role was omitted entirely most important Mr Mash had less examination do than Mr Harman underside the film. Reviews for loftiness play were mixed; a essayist for the Blackpool Diarist adherent the Stage declared it blue blood the gentry funniest show he had sui generis in thirty years, while Archangel Leapman from The Times apparent the play to be dispensable except for the final underline, though he admitted he esoteric never seen the television show.^[21] The play has occasionally bent run at other theatres owing to.

American adaptation

In , Garry Thespian, in the midst of go well producing and directing Happy Days and its spin-offs, produced wonderful pilot for an American amendment of Are You Being Served?, Beane's of Boston, remaking birth episode, "German Week" for authority television pilot.

At the period, Americanised versions of British array, including Three's Company, All bayou the Family, and Sanford brook Son were doing well envelop the ratings, and Marshall hoped to capitalise on this versus his script for the work hard.

Most of the characters were substantially similar to those second the UK version, with unlikely name changes in some again. The one significant difference was that the Rumbold character was replaced by "Franklin Beane" (George O'Hanlon, Jr.), the young nephew of the proprietor who has recently been put in settle up of the department.

Jeremy Lloyd's Laugh-In partner, Alan Sues, was cast as Mr Humphries, orderly decision Lloyd regretted, saying Sues had been miscast.

Other low included future Magnum, P.I. megastar John Hillerman as Mr Swagger, Charlotte Rae as Mrs Slocombe, Lorna Patterson as Miss Composer, Tom Poston as Mr. Beane (the Mr. Grace equivalent), Larry Bishop as Mr. Lucas, Pirate Farley as Mr. Grainger, soar Don Bexley as Mr. Writer (the Mash/Harman role).

Ultimately, CBS passed on Beane's of Boston and a full series was not produced.^[22]

Australian adaptation

Main article: Watchdog You Being Served? (Australian Telly series)

An Australian adaptation, also dubbed Are You Being Served?, ran for two series and 16 episodes from to on Direction Ten. It starred John Inman as Mr Humphries, who passage to Australia on loan dismiss Grace Brothers to work disperse the Grace brothers' cousin, Civil Bone at his department cargo space, Bone Brothers. The name Bring into disrepute Brothers being the name assert an actual department store course founded in Sydney in Renamed versions of characters from primacy original series rounded out say publicly cast including June Bronhill laugh Mrs Crawford, a copy be proper of Mrs Slocombe, and Reg Gillam as Captain Wagstaff, a forge of Captain Peacock. Jeremy Histrion adapted episodes for the find out from his own scripts hit upon the British Are You Build on Served, drawing from the then-new episodes of the seventh keep fit for series one of integrity Australian version, and a collection of older episodes for keep in shape two. Lloyd would later affirm he hated the process believe adapting the episodes, which were mostly left intact with distinction exception of some topical temper, which were changed or deleted.^[23]

Dutch specials

The TROS, the Dutch journalist that showed AYBS? in ethics Netherlands, invited over the wishywashy faces of the original negative twice to reprise their notation on Dutch television (albeit mewl for a full, half-hour episode). First in , Dutch buffoon André van Duin entered dialect trig shop and ran into Viewable Humphries, Miss Brahms and Wife Slocombe.^[24] A different special was made , on the occurrence of the 30 years holiday of the TROS. This put on the back burner, the search was for spiffy tidy up replacement for Mrs Slocombe, junk Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Uninhibited Thornton, Wendy Richard, and A name Bannister all reprising their roles.^[25] In John Inman also aided in character as co-presenter hire a quiz.^[26]

Reception

The series gained wellknown of its popularity with Telly viewers by "pushing the envelope" through its deliberate-yet-subtle use entity risquévisual gags, innuendo-infused dialogue added cleverly-disguised sophomoric humour. These mirthful devices also attracted some tranquil criticism, in part for relying on sexual stereotypes and doubled entendres&#;– e.g., Mrs Slocombe discussing her cat (always referred next as her pussy): "Animals shape very psychic; the least trip of danger and my pussy's hair stands on end."

John Inman's portrayal of Humphries' panicky antics and sharp-tongued, witty responses, along with his trademark rallying cry "I'm free!", were enthusiastically embraced by many audience members, tell the character evolved into deft gay icon in popular civility. Despite this, Inman pointed fanciful that Mr Humphries' true reproductive orientation was never explicitly hypothetical in the series, and Painter Croft said in an cross-examine that the character was fret homosexual, but "just a mother's boy".^[9] In an episode slate the spin-off Grace & Favour, the character is further affirmed as neither a "woman's man" nor a "man's man" famous as being "in limbo".

International broadcasts

The series was shown jammy the United States on PBS stations and on BBC Usa, as well as in patronize Commonwealth nations around the replica. PBS first began airing consist of (on 24 stations) in , and viewership steadily climbed gorilla more stations carried it. Vulgar the early s, it abstruse gained such a loyal adjacent that American viewers of high-mindedness show formed fan clubs trip were in large attendance wheresoever cast members made guest solemnity.

Are You Being Served? now in Canada in prime over and over again on Global Television Network join the mids and late fallacious on YTV. The show presently on Saturday evening prime every time from the mids to affect s. It was also not in use to Canadian viewers from near border PBS stations in say publicly United States.

The series was successfully screened in Australia. Be a winner began on ABC Television put in and was repeated by ABC in Australia several times.^[27] Alongside , the rights to trusty episodes had been acquired via the commercial Seven Network who gained a larger audience more willingly than it had received on high-mindedness ABC.^[28]Are You Being Served? was ranked as the top-rated put it on on Australian television for , being watched by 2,, wind up in five cities.^[29] New episodes were aired on ABC in abeyance After that, the last pile was broadcast on the Figure Network.

The entire series was screened in New Zealand reposition TVNZ.

Merchandise

Seven early episodes were novelised for a book, hard going by Jeremy Lloyd, called Are You Being Served? – Bivouacking in and other Fiascos. That was written in , topmost republished in by KQED Books. The seven episodes featured classify "Camping In", "Up Captain Peacock", "Wedding Bells", "His and Hers", "Coffee Morning", "The Hand register Fate" and "The Clock".

In , KQED Books published Are You Being Served – Character Inside Story by Adrian Rigelsford, Anthony Brown, and Geoff Tibbals, with a foreword by Jeremy Lloyd, and sub-titled: The Heart Story of Britain's Funniest – and Public Television's Favorite – Comedy Series. In pages, grandeur book's six chapters cover: Dignity Cast of Characters, Behind class Scenes, The Episodes, The Spin-offs, Trivia Quiz, and Glossary. ISBN&#;

In , Are You Duration Served? 25 Years, a propel to the series was publicized by Orion Media. It was written by Richard Webber industrial action David Croft and Jeremy Player. The book contains an curtain-raiser by the actress Joanna Lumley. The book is pages.

In , I'm Free! The Finale Are You Being Served?, simple guide to the series, was published by Orion Books. Proceedings was written by Richard Webber, with contributions from David Land and Jeremy Lloyd. This reservation as stated on Amazon shambles pages. It also contains rank introduction by Joanna Lumley, tolerable it is probably a sample of the 25th year acclamation book.

A board game was also produced in the relentless. Players moved round a timber resembling the shop floor disrespect purchase one item from converse in of the four counters point of view leave the store, before their opponents and without going be of advantage to budget.

DVD releases

All episodes languish in the BBC Archives. Concluded ten series, as well chimpanzee both series of Grace & Favour are now available judge DVD in the UK (Region 2). The Are You Build on Served? film was released crumble A colour-restored version of rank original pilot episode has as yet to be released commercially on the contrary is available in the Give you an idea about to stream on BritBox.

All ten series, as well because both series of Grace & Favour (in packaging titled Are You Being Served? Again!) service the film are available break away from DVD in Region 1 (North America).

All ten series, gorilla well as both series many Grace & Favour and character film have been released detour Australia (Region 4).

A DVD titled Are You Being Served? – Best of The Inappropriate Years and Are You Gaze Served? Christmas Specials have as well been released.

See also

Notes

References

• Rigelsford, Adrian; Brown, Anthony; Tibballs, Geoff (). Are Boss around Being Served?: The Inside Legend of Britain's Funniest-and Public Television's Favorite-Comedy Series. San Francisco: KQED Books. ISBN&#;.

External links