Jimmy Perry took time off from 'Dad's Army' to pen this I.T.V. sitcom specially for Peggy Mount and Hugh Lloyd. Originally titled 'Lollipop Loves Mr.Mole', it cast them as Maggie and Reg Robinson respectively, who live in a charming cottage in Fulham, and are poles apart in terms of character - she being domineering ( as you might expect ) while he is happy to be dominated. They even have pet names for one another; she is "Lollipop" to him, while he is "Mr.Mole" to her. In the first episode, their idyllic life is shattered by the arrival of Reg's loudmouthed brother Bruce ( Rex Garner ) and his timid wife Violet ( the marvellous Pat Coombs ). They are only supposed to be there for a few days ( having recently returned from Africa ) but the stay turns out to be a permanent one. Bruce is bone idle, with Violet always on the mooch. Reg manages to find Bruce a job at the office where he works, leading to an amusing scene where Maggie breaks the news to him by banging it out on a set of bongos. It went something like this: "Bruce ( bang bang )...you are...( bang bang )...starting work first thing tomorrow morning ( bang bang )...and if you don't like it...( bang bang bang )...you know what you can do ( bang bang bang bang bang! )".
Quite a few guest stars cropped up, including some who went on to work with Perry on 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' such as Michael Bates, Michael Knowles, and John Clegg. Bill Pertwee ( a.k.a. 'A.R.P. Hodges' of 'Dad's Army' ), John Savident ( 'Fred Elliott' of 'Coronation Street' ) and Erik Chitty ( 'Mr.Smith' of 'Please Sir!' ) also appeared.
One episode had Maggie in charge of a sweet shop while the owner is away. She has recently been told by the doctor to cut down on sweets as they are bad for her health, so being surrounded by the things is nothing short of torture. She eventually stuffs her face and makes herself so ill she goes off sweets for life. Another had the Robinsons acquiring a car and taking a trip ( with Bruce and Violet ) to a safari park. In yet another, Reg tried to join a Freemasons-style secret society known as the Crows. The initiation ceremony had him blindfolded in a room full of men dressed as birds, and being made to eat something he thought was worms, but when the blindfold came off, he saw it was in fact spaghetti!
The opening titles of the first season had Peggy and Hugh singing a 'When I'm Calling You'-style romantic duet! It exists in the archives still ( but the sketch on the 1971 'All-Star Comedy Carnival' is gone ). The second had a different theme tune and the title was shortened to 'Lollipop' even though 'The T.V. Times' was quick to reassure viewers 'she still loves Mr.Mole'! Only two of the seven episodes has survived. It was produced by David Askey originally, and then Shaun O'Riordan with whom Mount had starred in 'The Larkins'. 'Lollipop' was a hit, but never enjoyed the same success as 'George & The Dragon'. Mount and Coombs reunited in 1977 for the awful 'You're Only Young Twice'.
Quite a few guest stars cropped up, including some who went on to work with Perry on 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' such as Michael Bates, Michael Knowles, and John Clegg. Bill Pertwee ( a.k.a. 'A.R.P. Hodges' of 'Dad's Army' ), John Savident ( 'Fred Elliott' of 'Coronation Street' ) and Erik Chitty ( 'Mr.Smith' of 'Please Sir!' ) also appeared.
One episode had Maggie in charge of a sweet shop while the owner is away. She has recently been told by the doctor to cut down on sweets as they are bad for her health, so being surrounded by the things is nothing short of torture. She eventually stuffs her face and makes herself so ill she goes off sweets for life. Another had the Robinsons acquiring a car and taking a trip ( with Bruce and Violet ) to a safari park. In yet another, Reg tried to join a Freemasons-style secret society known as the Crows. The initiation ceremony had him blindfolded in a room full of men dressed as birds, and being made to eat something he thought was worms, but when the blindfold came off, he saw it was in fact spaghetti!
The opening titles of the first season had Peggy and Hugh singing a 'When I'm Calling You'-style romantic duet! It exists in the archives still ( but the sketch on the 1971 'All-Star Comedy Carnival' is gone ). The second had a different theme tune and the title was shortened to 'Lollipop' even though 'The T.V. Times' was quick to reassure viewers 'she still loves Mr.Mole'! Only two of the seven episodes has survived. It was produced by David Askey originally, and then Shaun O'Riordan with whom Mount had starred in 'The Larkins'. 'Lollipop' was a hit, but never enjoyed the same success as 'George & The Dragon'. Mount and Coombs reunited in 1977 for the awful 'You're Only Young Twice'.