Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Molly Sugden (Mrs Slocombe from the classic 1970's/80's BBC comedy 'Are You Being Served?') passed away today at the age of 86.
And the magic link?
The Chief Genii is a fan of the show.
(I wonder what will become of her beloved '[censored]' now?)
Cheers
Andrew
And the magic link?
The Chief Genii is a fan of the show.
(I wonder what will become of her beloved '[censored]' now?)
Cheers
Andrew
Last edited by AJM on July 1st, 2009, 5:36 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: Ha ha....fans of the show will easily be able to fill in the blank.
Reason: Ha ha....fans of the show will easily be able to fill in the blank.
Re: Are You Being Served?
And of course the other big joke (which, being slow, I didn't realise until years later) was the pronunciation of the two syllables of her characters name.
Incidentally, John Inman, who played Mr. Humphries (in his early years) used do shows with Peter Diamond (illusion Builder) in Preston.
Incidentally, John Inman, who played Mr. Humphries (in his early years) used do shows with Peter Diamond (illusion Builder) in Preston.
Re: Are You Being Served?
Quentin Reynolds wrote:And of course the other big joke (which, being slow, I didn't realise until years later) was the pronunciation of the two syllables of her characters name.
Man I never realised that until now. Talk about slow on the upswing.
Gord
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I've always been a big fan of the show (most Brits think I'm an idiot--they rate it the same way Americans think of the Beverly Hillbillies).
Sorry to hear about Mollie Sugden. Wendy Richards died from breast cancer earlier this year. John Inman died from the after effects of food poisoning a year or two ago. The older cast members have been long gone for many years, but Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock) was still on Last of the Summer Wine last time I looked.
Sometimes late at night when I'm too tired to do anything else, I still watch Are You Being Served for a chuckle.
Sorry to hear about Mollie Sugden. Wendy Richards died from breast cancer earlier this year. John Inman died from the after effects of food poisoning a year or two ago. The older cast members have been long gone for many years, but Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock) was still on Last of the Summer Wine last time I looked.
Sometimes late at night when I'm too tired to do anything else, I still watch Are You Being Served for a chuckle.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Richard Kaufman wrote:I've always been a big fan of the show (most Brits think I'm an idiot--they rate it the same way Americans think of the Beverly Hillbillies).
All real Americans loved the Beverly Hillbillies, especially Max Baer, Jr. That guy was a genius.
DD
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Cement pond.
Cipherin'
'Being Served' was so flippin' British, it was blast.
Cipherin'
'Being Served' was so flippin' British, it was blast.
Jim Martin
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I loved Are You Being Served. In fact, I was (with my family) in the audience a few times (mid 1970's) as my brother's godfather (my fathers best friend) was an actor/comedian called Felix Bowness (also from Hi-De-Hi/Dad's Army/You Rang My Lord and more) who appeared in a few episodes...
Happy memories....
Paul Gordon
Happy memories....
Paul Gordon
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Just bought the complete series two weeks ago - we watch an episode before we go to bed. 69 episodes - coincidence? That was the year I graduated from high school!
Having very strange - but extremely funny dreams!
Don
Having very strange - but extremely funny dreams!
Don
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Just don't dream about Mrs. Slocum's p*ssy. :)
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Why with the asterisk? We all know you wrote "pessy".
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Re: Are You Being Served?
There used to be a shop in my home Village called Clyde's that was an awful lot like the Grace brothers shop. It only got demolished a few years ago, it never bothered to keep up with modern clothing trends and walking into it was like being catapulted back to the 60's.
Are You Being Served is usually repeated an awful lot along with The Good Life, To the Manor Born, Only Fools and Horses etc.
Are You Being Served is usually repeated an awful lot along with The Good Life, To the Manor Born, Only Fools and Horses etc.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I just got off the phone to Quentin Reynolds who told me a very funny annecdote related to this thread. I hope he posts it here.
Richard you'd love it.
Brendan
Richard you'd love it.
Brendan
Brendan
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I was a fan of the show--and had the pleasure of seeing her live. Some years ago, she performed a speaking role in "The Daughter of the Regiment" at San Francisco Opera (where my wife has been singing for 22 years.)
She was very funny onstage, and by all reports, a pleasure to work with offstage. (unlike the Battle they had with another cast member in Daughter)
And I am unanimous in that!
She was very funny onstage, and by all reports, a pleasure to work with offstage. (unlike the Battle they had with another cast member in Daughter)
And I am unanimous in that!
Jeffrey Korst
San Francisco Bay Area Magician
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Two stories in the vein of Mrs Slocombe, one personal the other from a book.
Back in December 1977, I was running a stand in Switzer's department store in Dublin selling balloon animals and kits to make them. One afternoon, a large lady in a mink coat made, what can only be called, an entrance down the staircase which faced my stand. She came straight up to me and said, "I know what I want and I want someone to give it to me." "Pardon?"
"Two Totopolies and an Ulcer ... they are games."
I directed her to the games department.
Fast forward six years and I am in the reception/waiting room of the Dartmouth Square veterinary clinic with my rabbit. In walks this same woman with another lady behind her carrying a cat in a basket. She marches up to the receptionist announcing (and I swear these are her exact words), "I have an appointment to have my p*ssy fixed at half past nine."
The other story I found in Roy Hudd's book of showbiz stories. This act - a lady who played the electronic organ complete with flashing lights etc - opens with her playing "Happy Days are Here Again".
Unfortunately, on this occasion, there is no sound. She clicked switches and pulled stops to no avail. Arising from behind the organ, she approaches the audience to make this announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, owing to a loss of power, I am unable to entertain you with my organ onstage. However, in order not to cause you disappointment, I shall try to give you some alternative pleasure by coming in the pit."
Back in December 1977, I was running a stand in Switzer's department store in Dublin selling balloon animals and kits to make them. One afternoon, a large lady in a mink coat made, what can only be called, an entrance down the staircase which faced my stand. She came straight up to me and said, "I know what I want and I want someone to give it to me." "Pardon?"
"Two Totopolies and an Ulcer ... they are games."
I directed her to the games department.
Fast forward six years and I am in the reception/waiting room of the Dartmouth Square veterinary clinic with my rabbit. In walks this same woman with another lady behind her carrying a cat in a basket. She marches up to the receptionist announcing (and I swear these are her exact words), "I have an appointment to have my p*ssy fixed at half past nine."
The other story I found in Roy Hudd's book of showbiz stories. This act - a lady who played the electronic organ complete with flashing lights etc - opens with her playing "Happy Days are Here Again".
Unfortunately, on this occasion, there is no sound. She clicked switches and pulled stops to no avail. Arising from behind the organ, she approaches the audience to make this announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, owing to a loss of power, I am unable to entertain you with my organ onstage. However, in order not to cause you disappointment, I shall try to give you some alternative pleasure by coming in the pit."
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Quentin,
I either hadn't heard that first story before or had forgotten it. I seldom laugh out loud at jokes I read online but that was very, very, very funny.
Brendan
ps Richard Iknew you would love it.
I either hadn't heard that first story before or had forgotten it. I seldom laugh out loud at jokes I read online but that was very, very, very funny.
Brendan
ps Richard Iknew you would love it.
Brendan
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Richard Kaufman wrote: The older cast members have been long gone for many years, but Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock) was still on Last of the Summer Wine last time I looked.
Richard, you certainly know your British sitcoms.
Frank Thornton is still with us and was interviewed last night on Sky News following the announcement.
Last of the Summer Wine, a sort of 'God's Waiting Room' for British comedy actors of a certain age, now also features Trevor Bannister (Mr Lucas from AYBS).
Another recent addition is Burt Kwouk - Kato from the Pink Panther films.
And of course Peter Sallis, who has been in the show for almost 150 years, is also well known as the voice of Wallace of Wallace and Gromit fame.
Cheers
Andrew
Re: Are You Being Served?
And Holmfirth, the town where Last Of the Summer Wine was filmed is just 30 - 40 minutes drive from Manchester.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Ah, Last of the Summer Wine. That's my favorite. I still miss Compo.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
and Nora Batty...
Incidentally, one evening I was channel hopping and stumbled upon a film which featured: -
Julia Roberts
John Malkovich
Michael Gambon
(so far so good...)
George Cole (Minder's Arfur Daily / St Trinian's Flash Harry)
Kathy Staff (Nora Batty)
(eh?)
I thought at one point I'd drifted off into some strange cinematic nightmare - however, sure enough, I was still wide awake and made sure I remained so until the next ad break (so I could find out what I was watching)
Now, without cheating on the Interweb, can anyone name the film?
Incidentally, one evening I was channel hopping and stumbled upon a film which featured: -
Julia Roberts
John Malkovich
Michael Gambon
(so far so good...)
George Cole (Minder's Arfur Daily / St Trinian's Flash Harry)
Kathy Staff (Nora Batty)
(eh?)
I thought at one point I'd drifted off into some strange cinematic nightmare - however, sure enough, I was still wide awake and made sure I remained so until the next ad break (so I could find out what I was watching)
Now, without cheating on the Interweb, can anyone name the film?
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Ah, a shame. Nora Batty, I didn't hear about her death. The last I heard was the Pegden's and Eli. They where great characters too. I saw Brian Wilde passed too.
PBS stopped showing it in the NYC area bacause of lack of funding about 6 months ago. Another shame.
PBS stopped showing it in the NYC area bacause of lack of funding about 6 months ago. Another shame.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
That film would be the turd masquerading as "Mary Reilly."
Oh was that bad.
Oh.
Oh was that bad.
Oh.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I am a US based fan of the show as well and that is sad. Losing both Wendy and Mollie in the same year! I recently started watching Are you being Served Again (Grace and Favour) which made me laugh.
What's your favorite AYBS episode? I love Hand Of Fate (ep 3.1) and The Father Christmas Affair (ep 4.7)
What's your favorite AYBS episode? I love Hand Of Fate (ep 3.1) and The Father Christmas Affair (ep 4.7)
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Is that the one with the flashing santa display?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time
Re: Are You Being Served?
Yes, the malfunctioning CDU (Central Display Unit)
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Re: Are You Being Served?
The public transport strike which means Mrs S and Mr H have to spend the night in Grace Bros.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Father Christmas Affair: "Ho, Ho, Ho, little boy ... have I got a surprise for you."
I just watched the episode a few weeks ago where London transport went on strike and everyone stayed on the top floor of Grace Brothers (an empty unused floor in the department store), where all of Mrs. Slocum's furniture had been laid out as if it were an apartment because squatters were in her new flat. The funniest moment, for me, is when Mr. Lucas gets in bed beside Captain Peacock, who says, "Humphries?" And Lucas says, "Lucas," to which Captain Peacock replies, "Thank god for that," and immediately goes back to sleep. The timing of the delivery of the lines by Frank Thornton is dead perfect. I never fail to laugh.
I just watched the episode a few weeks ago where London transport went on strike and everyone stayed on the top floor of Grace Brothers (an empty unused floor in the department store), where all of Mrs. Slocum's furniture had been laid out as if it were an apartment because squatters were in her new flat. The funniest moment, for me, is when Mr. Lucas gets in bed beside Captain Peacock, who says, "Humphries?" And Lucas says, "Lucas," to which Captain Peacock replies, "Thank god for that," and immediately goes back to sleep. The timing of the delivery of the lines by Frank Thornton is dead perfect. I never fail to laugh.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
This link will take you to the wikipedia list of the top 45 rated broadcasts in tv history. On it you will find a bunch of super bowls, a few series finales, two mini-series (Roots and Thorn Birds), and assorted special events (the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, the Olympic Figure-skating competition that featured Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan).
There are only two regular, ordinary, episodes of regular television shows, and they are both episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. "The Giant Jackrabbit" from 1/8/64, and "The Girl from Home" from 1/15/64, one week later. These are back-to-back episodes, number 34 and 45 in the all time list. If you took this list out to the top 100, I bet you would have 10 Hillbillies episodes. Its success is just incredible.
There are only two regular, ordinary, episodes of regular television shows, and they are both episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. "The Giant Jackrabbit" from 1/8/64, and "The Girl from Home" from 1/15/64, one week later. These are back-to-back episodes, number 34 and 45 in the all time list. If you took this list out to the top 100, I bet you would have 10 Hillbillies episodes. Its success is just incredible.
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Re: Are You Being Served?
I always enjoyed The Beverly Hillbillies which were shown in Ireland, along with Green Acres.
Go to http://www.gracebrothers.net/index.htm and click on QUOTES. On that page you will also find a link to Mrs. Slocombe's most famous p*ssy quotes. I can't give the direct link as the word p*ssy is censored by the forum's software.
Go to http://www.gracebrothers.net/index.htm and click on QUOTES. On that page you will also find a link to Mrs. Slocombe's most famous p*ssy quotes. I can't give the direct link as the word p*ssy is censored by the forum's software.
Re: Are You Being Served?
Last edited by AJM on July 4th, 2009, 12:18 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: spelling
Reason: spelling
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Re: Are You Being Served?
Betty! I didn't have to look that one up.
But Mr. Lucas had two different first names during the course of the series. I believe the first was James, and the second was Dick.
But Mr. Lucas had two different first names during the course of the series. I believe the first was James, and the second was Dick.
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