The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store. He vaguely resembled winston churchill, in both appearance and demeanor, and did impressions of him during the war while in ensa. The actor john inman, who has died aged 71 after a long illness, endeared himself to millions as the outrageously camp menswear shop assistant in. He resented being forced to share the floor with the ladies department. This rather ordinary setting in an old style english department store was populated with some of the most eccentric but lovable characters you would ever find on. Slocombe in the british sitcom are you being served. Smith, who died in hospital on sunday, had been in hospital for seven. Gorden kaye the star of longrunning world war ii sitcom allo allo. Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the first episode of are you being served. Tv series 19721985 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He played pc yates in several episodes of the bbc police series z cars. None of the prepublicity mentioned that both actors are now no longer with us, or that nearly all of the talking heads involved are themselves dead. The actor frank thornton has died, at the age of 92. Wendy richard, mbe born wendy emerton, 20 july 1943 26 february 2009 was an english actress best known for playing the roles of shirley brahms on are you being served.
Last surviving castmember of pbs favorite are you being served. This is a list of characters from the bbc sitcom are you being served. Slocombe was the best part of are you being served. Inman made his name in the 1970s show as mr humphries, whose catchphrase im free. Gordon ramsay being served the worst fish dishes on kitchen nightmares. Thornton was one of britains bestloved comedy actors, starring in such enduring tv sitcom classics as last of the summer wine and are.
There was a film in 1977, also entitled are you being servedwhile all episodes were in colour, the pilot had originally survived only in blackandwhite as a film transfer from the original colour source. Bbc the actor mollie sugden, who has died aged 86, was part of a long and honourable. The episodes rarely left the store, and to parody the stereotype of the british class. Wilberforce clayborne humphries is a fictional character from the bbc1 situationcomedy show are you being servedhe was played by john inman from 1972 to 1985.
Some even suggested the new castmembers were to blame for the negative reaction, with one writing. The following is a list of episodes for the british sitcom are you being served. Harold bennett was born on november 17, 1898 in hastings, east sussex, england as harold frank bennett. Actor john inman, most famous for the comedy are you being served. Ernest grainger arthur brough was the original head of the menswear department. Starring mollie sugden, john inman, frank thornton, wendy richard, arthur brough, nicholas smith, trevor bannister, harold bennett, kenneth waller, larry martyn. As a result of being an octogenarian frequently surrounded by curvaceous twenty somethings. The character was played by actor jason watkins in a 2016 revival which formed part of bbc televisions landmarks of comedy season. The character has since been mentioned a few times, the brigadiers legacy upheld by his daughter, kate lethbridgestewart, a leader in unit just like her father. What happened to the original cast of are you being served. The royal family is rumored to be stopping by grace brothers for a visit, so the staff prepare for it with decorations and fancy greetings. She sported exotically colored hair and made constant comments about her cat, which she always called her pussy.
John was stereotyped as camp, effeminate mr humphries and never managed to make another character performance stick. Set in london, the show follows the misadventures and mishaps of the staff of the retail ladies and gentlemens clothing departments in the flagship department store of a. In 1995, kqed books published are you being served the inside story by adrian. Nicholas john smith 5 march 1934 6 december 2015 was an english comedy actor. Mollie sugden with arthur english in are you being served. The news was confirmed by his daughter and grandson. Thornton, 92, died in his sleep at his home in london on.
The character was killed off in the first episode of the. Comedy actress mollie sugden has died in a surrey hospital, aged 86, after a long illness, her agent has said. Last surviving castmember of pbs favorite are you being. Are you being servedaybswhich ran from 1972 to 1985,certainly has to go down as one of the bbcs biggest television sitcom triumphs ever. With its innuendoladen comedy, penchant for slapstick and pantotype characters, are you being served. He appeared in the bbc sitcom are you being served. Nicholas smith, the last surviving member of the original cast of the bbcturned pbs slapstick sitcom are you being served. Frank thornton has died aged 92, it has been announced. Nicholas smith, the actor who played store manager mr rumbold in the bbc. This section contains information on the characters who worked in the menswear department of grace brothers.
Actor known for his role as mr lucas in are you being served. There was a film in 1977, also entitled are you being served while all episodes were in colour, the pilot had originally survived only in blackandwhite as a film transfer from the original colour source. Lucas are sick, and rather than giving them the day off, the store decides to pair them up on the ladies counter and send miss brahms over to the mens. But that wasnt for want of trying in 1977, while are you being served. Grace had died during a scuba dive when his secretarys bikini top came off and triggered a fatal heart attack. Smith played pc jeff yates in a number of episodes of z cars. Coronation street kills off a major character in next weeks factory collap. John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from londons west end throughout the country and as far as australia, canada and the. The actor john inman, best known for his role in the bbc television sitcom are you being served. Frederick john inman 28 june 1935 8 march 2007, known as john inman, was an english actor and singer best known for his role as mr.
With mollie sugden, john inman, frank thornton, wendy richard. Between the end of are you being served and its sequel series grace and favour, it was revealed mr. The characters final appearance was in 1981 following bennetts death. Sugden appeared in many other television series, including the liver birds and coronation street. Ramsay cant handle being served apple juice risotto. Her hair, her passion for double entendres, and her refusal to be bossed around all made her such a great character. An evidently artificial posh accent was undercut by a propensity for malapropisms and a tendency to revert back to a workingclass blackpool accent when surprised or angry. As part of its are you being served night, the bbc broadcast two documentaries about actors mollie sugden and john inman.
Trevor gordon bannister august 14, 1934 april 14, 2011 was an english actor best known for playing the womanising junior salesman mr. Tebbs is established as a new reoccurring character. Kaye starred as rene artois in all 84 episodes of the bbc series, which ran between 1982 and 1992, and. He was also well known character actor in the united kingdom as a pantomime dame. Isobel mary mollie sugden july 21, 1922 july 1, 2009 was an english comedy actress best known for portraying the saleswoman mrs. Nicholas smith, the last surviving member of the original cast of the bbcturnedpbs slapstick sitcom are you being served.
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