BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy

Subject: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 04:26 PM

Would any of the older Brits here remember an ancient series - perhaps from the mid-1960s or even earlier - concerning an aristocratic family whose mansion and many acres are repossessed by the taxman, leaving them trying to live in the same world as the rest of us?
It was hilarious at the time; I don't know if it still would be, but would love to take a look if it's extant. The first episode, as far as I remember, included a scene where the family settled in to a new flat, and then the paterfamilias set off to visit the dole office to get help finding work. He got on a bus, and when the conductor arrived, asked how much the fare was -
"That'll be fourpence, mate."
"Ah…" (searches pockets). "I say, would you take a cheque?"
Cut to him hitching a ride on the back of a bin lorry…

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 03:42 AM

The nearest I can get to that is Sue Townsend's "The Queen and I" - where the Royals get deposed and live on a council estate - but that was written in 1992. Too late for your series.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 05:19 PM

Yes, Will, that's what it reminds me of too. It was a very funny book.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 05:22 PM

I forgot to say:

Thompson, can you remember any of the actor's names. You could look up sites like IMDB under the name of each actor.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 12 Jan 17 - 05:32 PM

Or try doing a search for UK TV comedies 1960's

E.g.:

UK ratings 1960's

Category:1960s British comedy television series

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 03:32 AM

Could it be The Upper Crusts?

"The Upper Crusts

ITV sitcom. 6 episodes (1 series) in 1973.

Overview
The Upper Crusts

Lord Seacroft and his family have come across hard times and they need to adjust their lifestyles to accommodate their new circumstances"

Upper Crusts

From review on IMDB:

"I loved this show and can't understand why it had such short run and has never been seen since. Margaret Leighton and Charles Gray play an aristocratic couple without any money who have to leave their stately home to live in a council house. She ends up giving guided tours of her council house, grandly pointing out, "and this is the West Wing". She also takes a bus ride and then goes to the front of the bus as she says she always tips the driver. It is 33 years since I last saw this show so I can't really remember too much else about it. I do recall that she becomes a maid to the wonderful Joan Hickson which is terribly funny. I just wonder if there is anyone else who remembers this marvellous comedy."

Upper Crusts IMDB

LFF

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 04:43 AM

Yes! I think The Upper Crusts has to be the one! Very funny at the time; I suppose no footage has survived, so we won't know if it would still be funny.

The context of the time: in an unprecedented move, the rich were expected to pay taxes at a level with their income and goods; this meant that a lot of 'stately homes' had to be sold.

I don't know that any of the aristocracy actually became penniless, though lots of them lived the hippie lifestyle, as we would say in Ireland if the circumstances were here, ag sodar i ndiadh na h-ísle.*

*obscure linguistic joke

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 04:49 AM

Oh, and yes, I see from IMDB that my memory was right and there were also the son-and-heir and daughter-and-heiress.
The father was the best thing; Charles Grey played him with that vague, away-with-the-fairies manner of the Irish ascendancy, to great comedy effect.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 05:13 AM

Here's a fairly comprhensive, though far from complete, list ov Most Popular "Lost Tv Series" Titles

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 05:21 AM

It was ITV. Wonder if they've kept footage - probably unlikely, as video tape was often reused in those days.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 05:45 AM

I see it had Romana in it. I do remember her, but not from this series.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 06:39 AM

Romana?

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 07:33 AM

Romana?

Lalla Ward, listed in the cast of The Upper Crusts on IMDB, played the second incarnation of romana in Dr Who. She met and married Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor, though I don't believe it was a happy marriage.

LFF

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 07:37 AM

Ahh, Dr Who. I've only passed through it tangentially.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Nigel Paterson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 08:05 AM

The BFI has a huge archive of old TV programmes. For a modest charge they will make a copy, but I think, only for cast members. The British Library is an excellent resource & for programmes made for & transmitted by ITV, Fremantle Media can be very helpful too. I speak from personal experience of all these organisations.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 08:42 AM

Ah, thanks, interesting - must see if the British Library has it next time I'm over.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 08:51 AM

Long Firm Freddie: Lalla Ward, listed in the cast of The Upper Crusts on IMDB, played the second incarnation of romana in Dr Who. She met and married Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor, though I don't believe it was a happy marriage

Very short....lasted less than 16 months.

She's been married to Richard Dawkins for over 24 years but they separated last year.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 09:48 AM

I didn't realise that she had split up with Dawkins. But 24 years, thats a sterling effort. You might gather I am not a great fan of Dawkins.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 01:42 PM

Well done,Long Firm Freddie! The Mudcat Detective Agency triumphs again!

While waiting for possible copies of the show, I can highly recommend reading the book mentioned by Will Fly: Sue Townsend's "The Queen and I". She wrote the Adrian Mole series, which is also very sharp and funny - in an excruciatingly painful, teenage-angst sort of humour. Different to most of the other intensely serious, didactic teenage fiction we had in the library at the time.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 01:53 PM

I'm not prepared to guarantee the security of content on this site because it comes up with a question mark on the Google search page but it is available here:

The Upper Crusts - watch online

Make sure your anti-virus gear is up to date and in full battle mode, and if it says "Run!" just run. That's what I would do.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 03:28 PM

I have loved Sue Townsend with my whole heart since I heard her describe the first day after she'd got a big cheque for Adrian Mole; she bought a fur coat and went into town, and went to a fancy restaurant there; she looked in through the glass to see if anyone she knew was there. An aged, suffering homeless man was staring in. He turned to her and said "Eee, lass, it's not for the like of you and me", and hobbled away.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Thompson
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 03:30 PM

The 'watch online' doesn't contain anything to watch, by the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Long-lost long-forgotten British comedy
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jan 17 - 07:17 PM

Oh, that's a disappointment, Thompson.

And a funny story about Sue Townsend.