"Are You Being Served?" (1972) TV series 1972-1985

Creators:

David Croft
Jeremy Lloyd

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | unknown

Release Date:

21 March 1973 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store.

Plot Keywords:

Store | Department Store | Sitcom | Cockney Accent | Innuendo

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mollie Sugden	...	Mrs. Betty Slocombe (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
John Inman	...	Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries / ... (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Frank Thornton	...	Captain Stephen Peacock (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Wendy Richard	...	Miss Shirley Brahms (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Nicholas Smith	...	Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold / ... (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Trevor Bannister	...	Mr. Dick Lucas / ... (48 episodes, 1972-1979)
Arthur English	...	Mr. Beverley Harman / ... (48 episodes, 1976-1985)
Harold Bennett	...	Young Mr. Grace (46 episodes, 1972-1981)
Arthur Brough	...	Mr. Ernest Grainger (34 episodes, 1972-1977)

Also Known As:

Grace Brothers

Runtime:

28 min (69 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Producer Garry Marshall created a 1979 pilot for an American version of "Are You Being Served?" (1972). It was titled "Beanes of Boston", and was screened but never found a network buyer.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the series, the scripts constantly change the location of the Ladies' and Gentlemens' departments, sometimes referring to it being on the third floor, sometimes on the fourth. Also, the theme song lyrics indicate the department is on the first floor.

Quotes:

Mr. Humphries: [discussing having to hang onto backs of buses and skateboard to Grace Brothers to save money] I had just bent down to tighten my nuts, and there was a double yellow line, see? And next thing I knew, there was policeman behind me. He put a sticker on my helmet and tried to clamp me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Little Britain: Most People in a Mini (#1.8)" (2003)

A great British comedy

This is a series about the adventures and misadventures of the staff of Grace Brothers Department Store.

This is a very funny series. It can be watched over and over without getting tired of it. In fact, my wife and I have done just that. Frank Thornton is excellent as the pompous Captain (or is it Corporal?) Peacock, the floor walker of the men's department, overseeing the likes of Wilberforce Humphries (John Inman), the effeminate middle salesman. John Inman and Molly Sugden are definitely the anchors of this series, and provide consistency and humor to the series around other changing staff. Arthur Borough is especially good as the aging Mr. Grainger in the first several episodes.

While the humor is somewhat juvenile, it is clever and remains consistently funny throughout the run of the series. It is, without a doubt, British humor, but for those of us who are entertained by the British, this is a series not to miss.