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

Creators:

David Croft
Jeremy Lloyd
(more)

Seasons:

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

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:

Innuendo | British TV | Cockney Accent | Farce | Sitcom

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)

(more)

Series Directed by
Ray Butt		(16 episodes, 1975-1977)
Bob Spiers		(9 episodes, 1977-1983)
John Kilby		(8 episodes, 1981)
Bernard Thompson		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)
Harold Snoad		(5 episodes, 1974)
Gordon Elsbury		(5 episodes, 1979)
Mike Stevens		(unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Jeremy Lloyd		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Jeremy Lloyd		(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
David Croft		(68 episodes, 1972-1985)
Michael Knowles		(4 episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Produced by
David Croft	....	producer / executive producer (12 episodes, 1972-1981)
Harold Snoad	....	producer (5 episodes, 1974)
Mike Stevens	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1992-1993)
Martin Shardlow	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Bob Spiers	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Ken Pimenta		(1 episode, 1981)

Series Production Design by
James Bould		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)
Nigel Curzon		(5 episodes, 1974)
Bernard Lloyd-Jones		(unknown episodes)
John Stout		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Andree Welstead		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
George W. Ward		(5 episodes, 1974)
Mary Husband		(unknown episodes)
Andrew MacKenzie		(unknown episodes)
Christine Rawlins		(unknown episodes)
Valerie Spooner		(unknown episodes)
Irene Whilton		(unknown episodes)
Mary Woods		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Ann Briggs	....	makeup artist (5 episodes, 1974)
Dawn Alcock	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Judy Cain	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Pauline Cox	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Jacqui Fitzmaurice	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Lucy Hutchinson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Jill Matthews	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Sylvia Thornton	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Maggie Webb	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Susan Belbin	....	production manager (1 episode, 1981)
Robin Carr	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Chris Ferriday	....	property buyer (unknown episodes)
Pauline Seager	....	properties buyer (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
John Lloyd	....	sound (6 episodes, 1973-1974)
Larry Goodson	....	sound (4 episodes, 1972-1973)
Adrian Bishop-Laggett	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Bob Foley	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Michael McCarthy	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Tony Philpot	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Len Shorey	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Laurie Taylor	....	sound (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Tony Oxley	....	visual effects (4 episodes, 1974)
Colin Mapson	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Erik Monk	....	lighting technician / lighting (11 episodes, 1972-1976)
Terry Brett	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)
John Farr	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Warwick Fielding	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Mike Jefferies	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Paul Kay	....	camera supervisor (unknown episodes)
Ken Major	....	camera supervisor (unknown episodes)
Clive Thomas	....	lighting technician (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Angela Beveridge	....	vision mixer (1 episode, 1981)
Dave Hambelton	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Mykola Pawluk	....	editor: video tape (unknown episodes)
Hilary West	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Donald Clive	....	production assistant (1 episode, 1974)
Jo Austin	....	production assistant (1 episode, 1976)
Iain McLean	....	production team (1 episode, 1981)
Vicky Pugh	....	production team (1 episode, 1981)
Bernadette Darnell	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Roy Gould	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes)
Peter Laskie	....	assistant floor manager (unknown episodes)
Sue Oakey	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Bob Spiers	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1972-1985) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• BBC Video (2002-2005) (USA) (DVD) (as BBC Warner)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (complete series)
• Warner Home Video (2002-2005) (USA) (DVD) (as BBC Warner)

Also Known As:

Grace Brothers

Runtime:

28 min (69 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour | Black and White

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:

According to an interview with Mollie Sugden, who portrayed Mrs. Slocombe, the first season of the series was produced by the BBC, but the company eventually decided not to broadcast it. In the summer of 1972 however, the broadcasting of the live reports from the Munich Olympics had to be canceled due to the Black Monday incident. Seeing how they needed a show to fill in the gaps in the programming, 'Are You Being Served?' was "dusted off", according to Mrs. Sugden.

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:

Miss Brahms: Well if England's a such good country you've cracked it up to be. How come then we've got strikes & inflation. Mmm? So what's so good about England then?
Captain Peacock: I shall tell you what is so good about England Miss Brahms. It is the only country in the world that isn't semi-detached.
[referring to Miss Brahms's house]
Captain Peacock: .

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Little Britain: Bath of Beans (#1.1)" (2003)

The U.K. series that made a splash in the U.S.

In Arizona, where I live this T.V. series was a major audience to the local P.B.S. station. The comedy was quick, sometimes crude, but always funny. The characters were portrayed as the different types of British workers, from the rigid Captain Peacock, the proud Ms. Slacombe with her blue hair, and the effeminate male clothing sales person Mr. Humphrey.The fights between the two clothing departments (men's and women's) were hilarious. Although it was sterotypical, I still get a laugh at seeing Mr. Humphrey answered the telephone with a deep voice, "Men's wear", then back to his normal squeaky voice when he realizes it is someone he knows.