10 Forgotten British TV Sitcoms of the 70s
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.พ. 2024
- 10 forgotten British television sitcoms from the 1970s. How many will you remember?
In today’s Stuview TV video, I’m going to delve back into the world of British television from the 70s, in particular the world of comedy. The sitcom genre was perhaps at the height of its popularity in the seventies and we could find something to laugh along to pretty much every night of the week.
Along with classics which we remember with reverence today, such as Porridge, Dad’s Army and Fawlty Towers, there are many more which are hardly mentioned at all these days. They are the forgotten sitcoms and I’ve picked ten of these to take a look at today. I’ll also let you know where you can watch these neglected comedies.
00:17 The Wackers with Ken Jones
02:17 Queenie's Castle with Diana Dors
03:39 Not On Your Nellie with Hylda Baker
05:24 Don't Drink the Water with Stephen Lewis
06:48 Down the 'Gate with Reg Varney
07:43 Dear Mother...Love Albert with Rodney Bewes
09:00 Odd Man Out with John Inman
09:58 Casanova '73 with Leslie Phillips
11:43 Whoops Baghdad with Frankie Howerd
12:46 Two in Clover with Sid James
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Take me back to the Seventies! 😆💙🏴
I agree 👍
Best of era of Comedy,and sitcoms,in my opinion.Fabulous!😊
@SKP274 Oh yes, I agree. 👍
ASAP.
Cool stuff but I only know about Queen's Castle that I have the dvd set
These aren't forgotten .They are remembered by those of us who are old enough to have been watching them at the time . There were some excellent actors performing in all of them.
I was a child in 70's so dont remember them . I suppose their only forgotten as they dont get repeated on TV
Born 1947 …I can’t remember any of them
Agreed, not forgotten by some.
Not forgotten but possibly not worth remembering.
I too was a child in the 70s and only remember Queenie’s Castle out of that little lot.
I really enjoyed this video.
Not on your Nellie was a favourite as it brought Hilda Baker into my life. I was a boy of 4 and Hilda had moved to London to film this series. I lived in Bexley Village in South East London and Hilda had moved nearby. I would see her while out with my mum on her daily shopping trips. She always made a huge fuss of me and spent time chatting with my mum and all the other locals. She was so kind to me and my mum and when she moved away we lost touch and I missed her very much. Lovely woman.
Oh wow, that's absolutely fantastic. It's always nice to hear when stars are lovely in real life.
How Wonderful !
Nearest and Dearest,On the Buses, Love thy Neighbour,Rising Damp,Steptoe and Son,Frankie Howerd's Confessions,all comedy greats,and gold!
How's Your Father??
Got the first five of those on DVD 👍
"What are we today, Gilbert? Oh, you're one of those, are you?"
Hilda Baker was a national treasure!
Absolutely!
I just been for a ride on the underworld railway!😂
@@fus149hammer5 I liked the episode where Nellie was convinced that the window cleaner was like jekyl and Hyde, and he drank a 'Hissing, fissing lotion'.
@thebatman4083 I missed that I must get a little hand put on my watch!
We called (behind his back) one of our rather camp teachers Gilbert during that period but eventually we couldn't resist it and one day as he came into the classroom we all stood up and shouted "And what are we today Gilbert?" He didn't get it...
I remember not on your Nellie, she always answered the phone with " hello the brown cow speaking "
Frankie Howard, the only man that can have me in stitches with just a look! Comedy bones, I miss him.
A true comedy great.
I've got a DVD that was free with a newspaper of the Carry On Christmas TV show from 1969(?). It's very dated now and I'm not sure it ever seemed as funny as the films. But Frankie Howerd is in a sketch with Hattie Jacques as the Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett which is hilarious.
Have you ever seen "The House in Nightmare Park" with Howerd and Ray Miland?
He actually did a short-lived sitcom which was filmed here in Canada. I remember watching it but can't recall the details.
The TV version of Billy Liar is worth a look.
Used to love that 👍
Loved don’t drink the water, loved Blakey.
Who remembers TheSquirrels, and a sharp intake of breath with a young David Jason, Fantastic comedy gold, loved the Seventies 😁
Great stuff.
Rising Damp!
The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs was the first show I can remember David Jason being in.
Speaking of David Jason, who remembers A Bit Of A Do?
And A Bit Of A Do in the 90s 👍
The Seventies were the golden era of sitcoms, some real gems here alone
I cant help thinking even the worse of the 70s comedy still has more laughs than a lot of the stuff we get today.
Oh no ! Dont titter Mrs! Cheers Stuview great upload.
Thanks!
Humour is subjective and it also evolves, so what was funny 50 years ago is different to what is considered funny now. None are better or worse, becasue it's all just personal taste.
Wasn't "All gas and gaiters" around this time? I was a very Derek Nimmo kind of kid so I particularly enjoyed being bathed in the cathode ray light and cuddling the dog on the floor watching that. The moon landings and sit coms are such strong memories.
I think All Gas and Gaitors had a spin off, Oh Brother, also starring Derek Nimmo.
Got All Gas & Gaiters on DVD 👍
I remember most of these and bought Odd Man Out on dvd, have to say it’s better than I expected! Such a shame Network DVD went bust, they did a lot of fantastic shows. 👍
I know it’s not the best writing wise, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Odd Man Out. It finally got an Australian DVD release this month and now I’m very proud to have it among my collection.
A little surprised Stu you didn't give a mention to Liz Gebhardt during the Dear Mother Love Albert section. Liz as im sure you know was better known as Maureen in Please Sir!.
Got the full series of Please Sir! on DVD 👍
Cheers mate, a much happier time, thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
My pleasure!
ALL TRULY HYSTERICAL & MAGNIFICENT 👍👌🙌🏽
A nice compilation of forgotten British sitcoms, that almost took me back to my embryo day's.. Well edited and produced, great job!
Glad you enjoyed it. Many thanks!
Casanova 73 gave a silly chat up line to us teenagers in the 70’s his patting his sports car and saying ‘like her she’s all mine’ led to us doing it to the one guy in our group who owned a car except his was a £50 Triumph Herald and we had zero success. I’d forgotten all about that thanks for the memories
Bill Dean played the barman in The Wackers. He was in the sitcom Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt and played grumpy Harry Cross in the soap Brookside.
Yus, My Dear starred Mike Reid, Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts.
Some of those looked great. Born in 69' I was too young for these so don't remember them at all. Some of the characters went onto other projects of course so the likes of Sid James (wawawawawawawawa) were familiar faces.
On the buses is certainly not forgotten !
I was not alive when the show finished yet I've still got multiple series on DVD
Apparently the series was hated by toffee nosed critics' but loved by the ordinary folk of the UK
It was an insult to the "ordinary folk" of the UK. I assume that you count yourself as one of the ordinary folk.
@@stephenreeds3632 I remember it was really popular. As a kid I found it 'cringey' (term didn't exist then) and I cant even watch it today.
Well I don't recall any of those series, but enjoyed watching. The thing that struck me most... that background used for the DVDs' is almost exactly like the wallpaper in my bedroom at one point in the 70's 😱
We had the exact same wallpaper in our hallway 😂
While I grew up in the later part of the 60s_70s the only one of these Obscure COMEDIES I do remember seeing was NOT ON YOUR NELLIE with the great Hilda Baker
I remember Hey mom it’s the dustbin men!! 😂😂😂😂😂
Romany Jones starred James Beck (Dad's Army) Jo Rowbottom, Arthur Millard and Queenie Watts. James Beck died suddenly before the sitcom was broadcast.
Yes, I've seen that one, wasn't that great in my opinion, but I love James Beck ❤️
Casanova 73 was actually witty - Madelene Smith was a bonus. Down The Gate - really loved that, Reg Varney was a fine actor
She was absolutely gorgeous, even years later
The Cuckoo Waltz. Starring a gorgeous Diane Keen and pre 'The Professionals' Lewis Collins.
I'm a 64 year old Geordie in Newcastle. The only 2 sitcoms I recognise are Not On Your Nellie and Queenie's Castle. Thanks for another great video.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
me too, never heard of the others, dad must not have liked them & chose what we watched. I was under 10 & had no influence.
Apart from those two, I can vaguely remember that some of the others existed. Mostly for negative reasons.
I know my father never thought Not on your Nellie was as good as Nearest and Dearest, and would _always_ say so, but we watched it as my mother was a big fan of Hylda, who was always worth watching.
My favourite was...I Didn't Know You Cared...with Robin Bailey...wonderfully droll and sarcastic...with well drawn characters....another was Dear John..
Both excellent comedies.
Well I'm glad that wasn't a quiz stu, I only remembered a couple of them 😂 shame some of them weren't very popular especially as they feature some of the best sitcom actors, another interesting video stu, many thanks 🙂
Yes, you're right there Julie - some absolutely fantastic comedy actors in these sitcoms. Makes it all the more surprising when they become forgotten over time. Thanks again for watching!
@stuviewtv The days sitcoms actually made you laugh, thanks again for the memories stu 🙂
This was fantastic - remember half, not all but *Hilda Baker*, what a fantastic actress, she was the female Les Dawson for me - will definitely watch Not on your Nellie.
She was a real treasure.
@@stuviewtv Never to be forgotten
Honourable mentions of forgotten sitcoms go to The Upchat Line, My Wife Next Door, Rings on Their Fingers, Bloomers and everything David Jason did in the 70s aside from Open All Hours 😊
Great choices. Thanks!
A "Sharp intake of Breath" was a late 70s sitcom that ran into the early 80s . But I think David Jason is outstanding in the 1974 series made by LWT ( in it's turbulent years) " The Top - Secret Life of Edgar Briggs"!
Seen about half, two in clover looks great, always been a Sid James fan,love Reg Varney aswell, shame they weren't all recorded for prosperity. Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
Don't you mean posterior😊
Hello Stu🙋♀️ Thank you for an entertaining video📹 of 1970s Situation 🎭 Comedies. There are only 2 I vaguely remember: “Not on your Nellie” and “Down the ‘Gate.” There are a few Situation Comedies from that era I remember watching: “Feet First” a football ⚽️ comedy. “The Squirrels” also starring Ken Jones. “Room Service” is another I remember watching 📺 I am surprised the Situation Comedies you did mention that I had never heard of..!! With only three channels in the “Good Old Days” there are plenty of shows from the 1970s I do remember 🤔📺
Hi Alison. Don't think I remember Feet First or Room Service. I may well have to include them in a future forgotten sitcom video!
@@stuviewtvhere's a few rarities from Yorkshire TV in the early 70s : 'All our Saturdays' Starring Diana Doers & Tony Caunter( straight from Queenies Castle. And from 1974 'My Old Man ' starring Clive Dunn( made up to look old ,like he was currently playing Corporal Jones in Dad's Army at the time!
Fantastic. Thanks Mike.
And Found By Those Us Millennium Who LOVE THIS 70s MADNESS XX
Thank you Stu, thoroughly enjoyed this. Two in clover was a favourite and of timeless quality. How about "Moody & Peg" which had the most beautiful 'earworm' title tune ever, talking of beauty, a short scene with 'Peg' wearing stockings & suspenders that was a key 70's moment for me !. I've not met anyone who remembers "The good guys" with Nigel Havers & Keith Barron. Though of the early 1980's and not a laugh a minute, it was great acting ; two charactors who seemed unwittingly to be forced into situations where they solved crimes...seemingly all filmed around Richmond, Surrey. I've never known it to have been repeated.
Glad you enjoyed the video. Many thanks for the comedy suggestions too. Great picks!
I missed those ones, never saw them, they sound good
Diana Dors ❤
One of my favourite reads is 'Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy' and whilst I don't remember watching many of these, the titles of most are known to me. As someone else has commented, Ken Jones was in 'The Squirrels' which had a great cast and was actually quite funny. Keep up the good work as your vids often bring a smile to my face.
Many thanks. The Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy is one of my favourite reads too. It's indispensable for research purposes.
One of my favourite books, too.
Did Sid James ever play a character that wasn’t called Sid? 😂
Johnny Ringo the Rumpo Kid.😅
Played Sid in Hancock's half hour 😁👍
Another great episode. Thank You for Being
Many thanks!
Better TV than than what's on now
Going to look up The Wackers, loved the 70s.
My late father loved the Wackers whereas my mum loved Queenie’s Castle.
I liked Queenie's Castle but didn't like Don't Drink the Water the rest I don't remember but I was a teenager through most of the seventies so had other things to interest me!
Only found this channel recently, but I quickly subscribed. There are some brilliant videos on there..thank you. Got to say I only remember Queenie's Castle out of these sitcoms ..I must have been enjoying my "wild youth" and not watching much TV back then 😅
Many thanks for subscribing. It's very much appreciated!
I used to love watching Leslie Phillips films back in the day, he fitted the character due to his look and style. A much missed comedy actor TV sitcoms were not him longer films were.
Well done, didn't know any of them ! :)
Same here. Grew up in the 70s & early 80s and the faces are all familiar from other shows but I haven't even the vaguest recollection of any of the shows in this list.
we had that wallpaper when I was a child
Queenies Castle was filmed in leeds at the now demolished quarry hill flats
the west yorkshire playhouse now stands on the same site Another Great Vid Stu thank you 👍👍
Cheers Steve!
I had the “pleasure” of working in Quarry House, built there to house civil servants . I do just remember the original Quarry Hill flats too.
9/10 The only one not watched was 'two in clover' as too young to remember. But all the others I did. Thanks for reminder of these great comedies, that now make me feel old.
Was my childhood wasted on T.V. shows. No, as I learnt so much from them, humour, love, friendship, family & society.
Absolutely. A childhood watching telly is never wasted!
I loved the squirrels 😊
Thanks for this trip down memory lane! I remember watching most of these when first broadcast, as a kid growing up in Birmingham. Queenie's Castle was one of my favorites! Subscribed!
Thanks!
That was fantastic Stu, some I remember and some I'll be checking up tube for, definitely Queenies Castle being a Leeds lad, can't remember that one though I'm sure Diana Dors lived in Leeds for a while. Yeah some of these wouldn't get made now but we lived in a different time then, which to be honest I would go back to in a heartbeat. Thanks again Stu
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks! I'm sure you will probably recognise the flats used in the opening credits but I believe they are now demolished?
@@stuviewtv yeah it's Quarry Hill Flats, think at one point it was the largest flat complex in Europe, the opening shots also show them looking out across Leeds Market which is still going strong
The Wackers introduced me to the expression "leg over" which I still use to this day! 😁
Out of those, Not on Your Nellie and Queenies Castle should be considered absolute classics in my eyes. I also have a soft spot for The Wackers, not perfect, but some great moments.
Don't Drink The Water is the only one of these I remember. It was actually quite popular I remember.
Plus Spring and Autumn (1973) and the quirky Pickersgill people (1978).
Aw thank you for this. So wonderful to be reminded of these shows again. I remember them all.......
Would love to see beryls lot again, never got released on dvd.
So nice to look back thank you
I'm 70 and I only recognise Queenie's Castle and Whoops Baghdad.... wow
Yamyam - I remember Boon very well. Despite not mentioned in this video.
I actually remember "dont drink the water" - the only one.
Too bad most of the DVD releases went out of print last May when Network UK folded. Thanks for another solid video.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks.
I remember about half some rusty doors of my mind opened there.
Don't remember most of these shows..however, if they were mostly on ITV, I'm not surprised. There was only one , truly great comedy on ITV and that was Rising Damp.
Not on your Nellie isn't forgotten we still watch it on that's tv
Born in 1960, i recall watching 4 of these as a kid.
It's just a shame that Network went into liquidation. They were a favourite for old and obscure series on dvd/bluray.
Cool video. There’s a good reason a lot of these got dropped😂😂
Hi Stu, that’s a full 10/10 for me . . . never heard of any of them! That said, brilliant video. I like looking up the history of TV programmes from when I was really young, so this was really useful. All the best to you and yours. 👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it John! Thanks! I'm going to do more forgotten TV show videos, probably more comedy and some kids TV too.
Diana Dors was so beautiful when she was young, then she got older and larger she turned into 'Divine' 😱
I loved the Wackers it's really funny, I am from liverpool, they where us 🙂
I still watch episodes of it, programs from then where much better than they are now,
Not forgotten by those of us alive watching them at the time.
Odd man out is an absolute classic. It's definitely worth watching and such a shame it wasn't given a chance. It also stars Peter Butterworth from Carry on fame.
I'm pretty intrigued by most of these. I grew up watching a lot of British television on PBS, but I don't remember any of these being shown. I'm especially interested in seeing Odd Man Out, mostly because I love John Inman. Great video!
Thanks!
This is great. Anyone remember The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs. Thanks, Stu.
That's a hidden gem of a series. Such a shame it never took off.
The Many Wives of Patrick.
I remember all these. A walk down memory lane. Oh yes and they were crap and very similar to comedies today
I've just watched the first 2 episodes of The Wackers (at your suggestion). They're worth a watch ..well funny!!!!
Excellent!
Good video. Does anyone remember `O Brother` with Derick Nimmo?
I remember Not On Your Nellie because I associate Hylda Baker with the phrase "How now brown cow." A John Inman vehicle rings a bell but didn't he have another sitcom on ITV? Might have been that one. All the rest? Never heard of 'em.
I do remember Lynne Perrie, Bryan Mosely and Sue Nicholls because they were regulars at my bar where I was a 19 year old barman in 1988 on Quay St across the road from Granada Studios called The Variety Club.
That must've been exciting! I think there was a later John Inman series called "Take a Letter Mr. Jones" with him playing a male secretary, and Rula Lenska as his boss. But that was in 1981.
@@carolebarker2195 that's the one because I remember it being set in an office not a chip shop.
I remember all except Wacker.
Casanova '73 was a great comedy romp, fondly recalled.
Diana Dors, my absolutely fave! She was something else!
Wow, I really enjoyed this look at 1970's Britcoms. Some of these I remember, as a kid in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada. Some UK sitcoms were broadcast up into Canada from a Yank channel in Bellingham, Washington. KVOS-TV Bellingham catered to the " longing for the old country" tastes of many British Columbians, many B.C'.ers that came from the Ol' Blighty, When I was a boy, tweener & even a teenager in Vancouver, I met many people that had immigrated from the UK to settle in Canada. KVOS-TV was once a CBS network affiliate station, but went independent .Usually later weekend evenings, KVOS would broadcast TV sitcoms from the UK. Also, KVOS-TV every Sunday after noon used to have " Sunday British Theatre" when they'd show classic films like " The Titfield Thunderbolt", " Genevieve", "Iron Maiden", "Carry On" flicks, or a movie that I loved but know can't think of the name of now with Sid James running an outfit called " Glam Cabs". Anyway, I do recall " Don't Drink The Water" with Inspector Blakey. I had a friend that could do a great Blakey impersonation. I vaguely remember that Diana Dors sitcom. Other shows you didn't mention, but I recall from KVOS-TV Bellingham were " Some Mothers Do 'ave Them!" & " Robin's Nest". Cheers & appreciation from British Columbia, Canada.
Many thanks for watching. The Sid James film you mentioned is Carry On Cabby.
I remember a comedy that went out around seven or half seven on a Sunday night called, All Gas and Gaiters, very funny show with i think, Derek Ninmmo.
Don't drink the water, I remember that and not on ur nelly was repeated on that's TV... But the rest off the spin offs I'd never heard of, I would love to see the Wacker's repeated and the Dianna doors 1 she was beautiful back in the day,,😎
Albert and Victoria (1971-72) starring Alfred Marks, Alexander the Greatest starring Adrienne Posta and Sidney Taffler and The Best Things in Life (1969-70) Harry H Corbett all existing in the archives are top of my wants list.
Great suggestions there.
That was very entertaining. I remember one in particular called
"Leave It To Charlie", set in Bolton with George Roper, I think .
There is a wealth of radio comedy from the 70's and 80's that's just as good as anything, like the men from the ministry and the spin off of Dad's army, It sticks out half a mile.
Loved Sid James 💙
Me too. My biggest comedy hero.
Two in clover sounds a bit like Clarkson's Farm.
My era, but can only very vaguely remember two - Queenie’s Castle and Not on Your Nellie, but I only recall the names, that’s about it.
I was born in 1968 so I don't know any of these shows that you did a splendid job of narrating on but I love comedy's from the 70s so I will be seeking out these definitely great viewing😊😊
That's great to hear. Many thanks!
Odd man out and down the gate were shockers!😂
In at least half of these shows, the lead actor is playing a version
of a pre-existing style of character or the same character in a different setting (e.g.Blakey). I'm not suggesting stereotyping as such, but you know what for example, John Inman, Leslie Phillips, Reg Varney are going to be like in these shows without seeing them. Viewers prefer the original shows; hence these have been 'forgotten'.
I remember "Queenie's Castle" and also "Don't Drink the Water", as I used to watch it at my Auntie's house when we visited on a Saturday evening. Pat Coombs was always good value, but it seemed a tepid affair compared to "On the Buses" which was usually more raucous! Do you remember "And Mother Makes Three" with Wendy Craig?
I have the Wackers dvd, great. but I would like to see Valentine park also starring Ken Jones.
I was a kid then and vaguely remember not on your Nellie, I think my gran liked it