"Last of the Summer Wine" (1973) TV series 1973-????

Creator:

Roy Clarke

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | unknown

Release Date:

12 November 1973 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Three old men from Yorkshire who have never grown up face the trials of their fellow town citizens and everyday life and stay young by reminiscing about the days of their youth and attempting feats not common to the elderly.

Plot Keywords:

Elderly | Sitcom | Countryside | Eccentric | Old Man

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Peter Sallis	...	Clegg / ... (289 episodes, 1973-2009)
Jane Freeman	...	Ivy (269 episodes, 1973-2009)
Kathy Staff	...	Nora Batty / ... (245 episodes, 1973-2008)
Robert Fyfe	...	Howard (224 episodes, 1985-2009)
Juliette Kaplan	...	Pearl (220 episodes, 1985-2009)
Jean Fergusson	...	Marina (211 episodes, 1985-2009)
Sarah Thomas	...	Glenda / ... (209 episodes, 1986-2009)
Bill Owen	...	Compo / ... (185 episodes, 1973-2000)
Jean Alexander	...	Auntie / ... (163 episodes, 1988-2009)
Mike Grady	...	Barry / ... (155 episodes, 1986-2009)
Thora Hird	...	Edie / ... (152 episodes, 1986-2003)
Gordon Wharmby	...	Wesley / ... (139 episodes, 1982-2002)
Stephen Lewis	...	Smiler / ... (135 episodes, 1988-2007)
Frank Thornton	...	Truly / ... (129 episodes, 1997-2009)
Brian Wilde	...	Foggy / ... (116 episodes, 1976-1997)

Also Known As:

Roy Clarke's Last of the Summer Wine (Australia)
The Library Mob (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Higgin Brigg, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

In May 2009, Peter Sallis (Clegg) revealed that the programme was nearly cancelled before it had even started, when Bill Owen (Compo) who was very left-wing and Michael Bates who was very right-wing started having a heated and vigorous argument about their different political affiliations, over dinner when they first met. Producer James Gilbert read them the riot act and told them that unless they agreed to differ, and not to argue about politics, he was going to cancel the project. Owen and Bates meekly agreed and never discussed politics again.

Quotes:

[the boys are climbing a hill that provides a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside]
Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst: Every time I come up here, the spirit soars! You can't help thinking what a wonderful place it would be to set up a machine gun! Give me a small squad of hand-picked men and I could defend this place indefinitely!
Norman Clegg: How long have you been a nature lover, Foggy?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'The League of Gentlemen': Behind the Scenes (2000) (TV)

Growing old with the Summer Wine

When we first started to watch this show we were in our 30's which put the actors at around 50 years of age, As I am sure most of you "younguns" out there of 30 or under will testify, 50 is an age you yourselves will never be, just as we thought then, how wrong we were, Time shoots by so very quickly that here we are 30 odd years later and still avid fans. Last of the Summer Wine was and still is wonderful viewing if you prefer your television to not be peppered with unnecessary expletives nor have endless closeups of moving bed-clothes and sundry body parts. This was a story of 3 middle-aged men who still had their wits and humour about them and most of all loved to laugh. The fact that you knew in advance the slide down the hill on a tray or running with a kite being pulled by Wesleys "jeep" would always end in disaster for one or the other of the trio was part of the attraction and still is. Viewing the programme now with many new actors in the cast, due mainly to the demise of the original cast members, is just a reflection of life and death but the humour, fun and sheer joy of living is still there despite the fact that Norman Clegg still professes to find it difficult to talk to women or for that matter anyone except his close compatriots. Now in our mid 60's my husband and I still love this programme and will always watch the repeats which are, fortunately for us, now running on cable TV. A toast to the Summer Wine-- Long may it Last-.