Did anyone watch the show Are you being served?

No. Nobody watched it not even if they were free.

Hilarious.....we are most amused.

I remember Mrs. Slocumb’s pussy.

My pussy got soaking wet. I had to dry it out in front of the fire before I left.

I can remember this from when I was a kid

I must go stroke my pussy. And I am unanimous in that.

Her name is spelled Slocombe, pussy lovers at R3 and R6.

This was like an earlier Keeping Up Appearances, very one note, you kept being hit in the head with the same old joke. After sometime you realize there is no other.

Entirely true R9. Formulaic but it worked.

[quote]What does DL think.

We think they'll ride up with wear.

Do you seriously think we've never discussed this show before?

Like, ever?

"MR. HUMPHRIES! LEAVE MY PUSSY ALONE!!"

"Is that you Mr. Akbar? Would you do me a favor? Would you go to my front door, bend down and look through the letterbox, and if you see my pussy would you throw a sardine through it?".

This show reminds me of my grandmother SO much. She loved it, got me into it when I was a little kid, I couldn't have loved that woman more.

Not as good but I did love Are You Being Served Again/Grace and Favour. It has a more comfortable English countryside vibe.

Mph I just wanted to discuss it ok.

They're probably all dead now. Mrs Slocombe's pussy definitely died.

R18 we need more discussions like this!

r18 Young Mr Grace is still going but he lost the store when his nurses formed a class action suit for sexual harassment.

For the treads enjoyment, Mrs. Slocombes pussys' greatest hits.

^THREADS not treads.

R20 yes, Young Mr. Grace would be the spry young age of 170 now.

No, OP. No one on DATALOUNGE watch it, or any other low brow British comedy that aired on PBS on Saturday nights in the olden days. NO ONE.

You could never have a like this anymore. Too much sexual harassment.

I loved the humor, but it's like Golden Girls, knowing they're all dead makes it kind of sad to watch.

[quote] You could never have a like this anymore.

A what?

[quote]I loved the humor, but it's like Golden Girls, knowing they're all dead makes it kind of sad to watch.you g

Do you get sad watching "The Wizard of Ox"? Because I think the last surviving Munchkin died a couple of years ago.

My parents, Mum in particular, loved this show. Remember them watching it when I was a young kid too, v8fairy.

I always wear my supervisor's ruffles when I watch this show.

Love it and the follow-up series from the early 90’s. All pussy jokes aside, I always thought Mollie Sugden as Mrs. Slocombe didn’t get enough credit for her effort on this show. Physical comedy can be really funny, or it can be really corny and awkward, especially by a middle aged woman. Mollie nailed it.

Don’t worry. It’ll ride up with wear.

When I was in London we stopped by a men's shop.

An English gentleman walked in and told the clerk: "I'd like to see something nice in medium underpants."

Of course I thought of Mr. Humphries.....and could barely stop myself from saying: "Who wouldn't?"

Anyone remember Fresh Fields/French Fields?

The Wizard of Oz is kind of sad for a variety of reasons, R28.

John Waters said the Wizard of Oz was depressing cause Dorothy went back to drab Kansas instead of staying with the witches, flying monkeys and gay lions.

I have a prize-winning pussy!

Yes indeed . Missed last episode. We were all at the coronation.

Mr Humphries was actually protested as being a gay stereotype.

I think that's silly. He was a gay icon. But I like that we used to be on top of these stereotypes in media. None of these idiot LGBT activist protested Will and Jack on Will & Grace. They weren't even funny.

[quote] I loved the humor, but it's like Golden Girls, knowing they're all dead makes it kind of sad to watch.

R26 Thanks, Debbie.

R28 "The Wizard Of Ox" made me laugh harder than some of the pussy jokes.

[quote]Mr Humphries was actually protested as being a gay stereotype.

"Are You Being Served?" premiered in 1972. How stupid do you have to be to have expected a well-rounded depiction of a gay man back then?

I have the movie they did in 1977. It's interesting in that there is no laugh track so it has a completely different feel to it. The store has closed for 2 weeks for redecorating and young Mr. Grace has sent all the employees off on company paid holidays. The ladies and gents department, along with Mr. Harman, all go to The Costa Plonka. Their reservation (except for Mr. Harman's) gets messed up and they have to sleep in tents on the roof of the hotel. Mr. Harman paid for a big suite in the hotel which incenses all the others. During their stay the hotel becomes embroiled in a political takeover lead by the crooked brother of the hotel manager. But in the end young Mr. Grace saves the say by flying in by helicopter.

One thing that shocked me about the show was that Arthur Brough (Mr. Grainger) was only 67 when the show started. He looked to be in his 80s to me.

He and his wife had a theatrical repertory company (The Arthur Brough Players) that started the careers of many British stars, including Trevor Bannister (Mr. Lucas).

I loved young Mr. Grace, but I despised old Mr. Grace who I thought looks outlandish in that wig and the aging makeup. My favorite character on the show was Arthur English who played Mr. Beverly Harman, of the packing department. "Mr. Harman, I've told you repeatedly I don't want you on the floor after 9am!".

And dear God that nurse they had for both Grace brothers, Vivienne Johnson. They touted her as this great beauty. She was so buck toothed she could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence.

Let me tell you, Trevor Bannister (Mr. Lucas) is sexy as can be. Mr Humphries was a cool guy, and it was a really great show.

Things certainly did always seem to be happening to Ms. Slocombes pussy, indeed. It was always "my poor pussy this" and "my pussy needs that."

And the fireman who was looking through the mail slot at her pussy.

It was one of the funniest comedy series I had ever seen! The writing was spot on (and believable!) and the characters, PRICELESS!

WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE!!

The lovely Candy Davis who played Mr. Rumbold's secretary Miss Belfridge was only 21 years old when she started on the show. She went on to become an award winning novelist under the name of Mo Hayder. Sadly, she died just 2 years ago.

Are you free?

I’m freeeeeeeeeee!

Nicholas Smith, who played Mr. Rumbold, was the last surviving member of the original cast. He died in 2015. The only principal cast member still alive is Mike Berry, who played Mr. Spooner, the replacement character for Mr. Lucas. Berry is now 80.

If they were all alive today who would be the youngest?

I love that theme song.

[quote]If they were all alive today who would be the youngest?

Certainly not young Mr. Grace.

R52, I'm pretty sure the youngest would be Wendy Richard (Miss Brahms), born in 1943. She died in 2009 at age 65.

AYBS was created as a vehicle for Trevor Bannister (Mr. Lucas). However as wont to happen one character in an ensemble cast becomes a break out hit, that was Mr. Humphries (played by Jon Inman).

Early on while suits liked the show they demanded writers/creators of AYBS get rid of "the pouf" (Mr. Humphries). Latter stood their ground and rest as they say is history.

John Inman actually did a brief stint in toy department of Selfridges in London. Mollie Sugden (Mrs. Slocombe) tells in a televised interview that one in a shop some "shop bottom" came panting up to her going on about how he once worked with Jon Inman at Selfridges "and please remember me to him..."

Mike Berry (young Mr. Spooner) was quite a handsome young man. He was also a singer who recorded several songs that became top ten hits.

Joanna Lumley made two appearances on AYBS

Couldn't get into this show. The British are only slightly more funny than the French. And we all know how funny they are.

Weak as water

The last of the great Brit music hall comedy. Nasty, biting, perfect timing. I watched it as a kid in Oz. Eventually, they tried an Oz version, bringing out John Inman to star. It wasn't even close to the original, only lasted two seasons.

The first time I went to London, I was discussing British TV that I saw in America. Most barely remembered AYBS...or at least didn't want to admit that they did.

Perhaps it was one of those shows more popular overseas...like Baywatch.

I like it because it’s like a live play that just happens to be filmed.

R58 All right, recommend a better show from that time. What kind of comedies do you think are so much more hilarious?

Nobody made as many unfunny sitcoms as Americans.

Frank Thornton's last regular television acting gig was as Herbert Truelove on long running British television series "Last of Summer Wine".

Mr. Like Captain Peacock, Herbert Truelove was a pompous twit.

Last of Summer Wine was sort of last call for scores of British actors of stage or screen. Thora Hird and Josephine Tewson among others.

Herbert Truelove

I recently started rewatching Are You Being Served on Britbox and I am embarassed to say that in the first couple of seasons, I found Frank Thornton sexy...also, Trevor Bannister, but then, I always thought he was cute.

", I found Frank Thornton sexy."

Bizarre, but you're joking.

Are You Being Served ranked 20th in a survey done back in 2004 asking Britons to name chose best sitcoms of all time.

Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder and the Vicar of Dibley, Dad's Army and Fawlty Towers were top five.

Either I was too young to really get it or Last of the Summer Wine was truly boring. I think it would be nice relaxing background television.

Early one rather liked LOTSW. Our local PBS station at one time had it as part of their Britcom rotation, but then dropped it, so watch elsewhere.

Lately have sort of gone off it however; there's only so much one can take of castrated Northern men and battleaxe women.

R57, Lumley was briefly married to the writer of AYBS, Jeremy Lloyd, though they had parted ways by the time the show premiered.

The Vicar Of Dilbey beat Keeping Up Appearances?

Don't know about Americans but many British one has spoken with about KUA found Hyacinth Bucket "irritating". Needless to say good number felt a little of Mrs. Bucket went a long way.

R68, no joke.

^It’s not bizarre to me, R67/75. As Peacock, Thornton comported himself with dignity, and haughty sarcasm can be alluring.

Black Adder!!!!

R74 That's how I feel about The Vicar Of Dibley.

R74 How many British has one spoken with about it?

Anyone in Britain who found Hyacinth irritating either knew too many people like her to enjoy the exaggerations intended or were little Hyacinths themselves who resented the laugh track for Mrs. Bucket's 'perfectly normal behavior."

R64 misses the point of the range of sitcoms there have been.

She's also a cunt. The British and, God help us, the French have done terrible "comedies."

There was some scuttlebutt that Patricia Routledge is a lesbo. 94 years old, never married (thought she claims 2 affairs with men). Also she was a 'very close friend' of the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd up until Boothroyd's death. And I seem to remember some writeup on her years back where her "companion" was mentioned and it was a woman's name.

I think she's tremendous!

And the other one, too!

All of them are tremendous!

"Lumley was briefly married to the writer of AYBS, Jeremy Lloyd"

He was younger and she was a brunette. They met when Jeremy Lloyd was back in England visiting while on break from American television show "Laugh In". After their marriage tensions arose due to among other things Ms. Lumley did not wish to raise her young son in USA where her husband was working.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I ADORE that show! Started watching on PBS in the early '90s. The follow up series Grace and Favour wasn't as good.

That vicar pulled some high quality cock.

"Dear Sexy Knickers,

I don't half fancy you. Meet me round back at 5:30, and we'll get it together."

That episode was hysterical. And Mrs. Slocombe's call to Captian Peacock at 23:30 is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

"Hello Captain Peacock. This is sexy knickerrrs. You naughty boy. Now I'm not promisin' anything, but I'll meet you outside at 5:30..."

Who ever came up with character of "Captain Darling" on Blackadder was a genius.

Lord Flash Heart!

Doctor In The House was a funny Britcom.

Joanna Lumley also appeared in "German Week" episode of AYBS.

MAH POOSEY STINKS!

I leave it on during the day for my sweet pussy to enjoy.

Mrs. slocombess hair was ahead of it's time.

The Brits fashion is always a decade ahead.

R64 American sitcoms not funny? When we had 'F Troop'? Well I never in all my life.

"American sitcoms aren't funny!," R64 proclaims, citing as proof two shows from 50 years ago. Case closed!

As evidenced by the failed attempts to recreate the show in Australia and America, it was the cast that made Are You Being Served? work. The writing was predictable, but there was undeniable chemistry between the actors, who (with the exception of Wendy Richard) were all veterans and masters of "end-of-the-pier" entertainments.

Years ago I had the good fortune to see Nicholas Smith as the titular character in a West End production of The Mikado. I had no idea who he was at the time, but his performance was so memorable that I later looked back at my playbill and discovered who it was.

My great-grandmother played a shop-girl in one of the episodes, so we had it on all the time at my home.

I watched this show just before I went to England for four months when I was 23. It actually kind of unnerved me! I guess I thought that would be the environment I would find at work.

R99 Do you mean some of the background staff of Grace Bros. who never had speaking lines? You would always see them in the background folding and putting away clothing items.

Simon Doonan loves this show

Ground floor, perfumery!

Station'ry and leather goods

Wigs and haberdashery

Kitchenware and food

Going up ...

Thanks, OP -I've been rewatching episodes on YouTube all day thanks to you...

I was a young teen when it first came on and I thought it was cringeworthy. Only saw one or two episodes. British people being coy about sex, yuck.

After i graduated, i moved in with a couple of blue bloods in Weston, MA. They were the parents of one of my teachers at Emerson. They LOVED the show because the wife had worked at Harrods in London in the '50s. She said it was true to life.

[quote]She said it was true to life.

Seriously?

R107 I'm guessing she was talking about the way the staff was structured, and the politics of the store.

[quote] I was a young teen when it first came on and I thought it was cringeworthy. Only saw one or two episodes. British people being coy about sex, yuck.

r105 I bet you thought "Three's Company" was hilarious. That's the difference between subtle British humor and American cheeseball.

I've seen a few episodes and found the show totally depressing.

R110 whats depressing about it?

I never saw an episode of Three's Company, R109. It looked from the ads like a horrible re-make of Man About the House, which wasn't great itself.

Could you explain where the subtle British humour was in Are You Being Served? I'm sure we'd all like to know.

Three's Company was funnier than Man About the House.

I would agree that AYBS? wasnt exactly subtle.

Once Trevor Bannister left, it was never the same.

R109 AYBS subtle? Maybe compared to Benny Hill.

[quote] British people being coy about sex, yuck.

[quote] Could you explain where the subtle British humour was in Are You Being Served? I'm sure we'd all like to know.

r112 You said it yourself. You perceive the humor as "coy", not so "in your face" it's cringe, like American tv.

Animals are very psychic, you know. At the least sign of danger, my pussy’s hair stands on end like a golliw**. - Mrs. slocombe

Misses Slocombe’s pussy has a proper name

R118 I know a guy with a cat named Tiddles.

Yes, on Grace and Favour, she started saying "my Tiddles" instead of "my pussy." I wonder why. Were they suddenly conscious of the show possibly airing on PBS?

No R120 because there were actually even dirtier pussy jokes on Are You Being Served Again/Grace and Favour.

R121 how so? She stopped saying pussy.

R122 please watch it again. She never stopped.

R122

Absolutely adored this show, and I generally don't care for British humor, although I was fond of "Man About the House" and the British spinoff with the Ropers (forgot the name). I loved Yootha Joyce as sex starved Mrs. Roper-thought she was much funnier than Audra Lindley who was so exaggerated.

We went to London in September of 84-as a matter of fact, DL fave Mr. Megan Markle was born when were there. Caught it on TV in the hotel one night, fell in love with it, especially Mr. Humphreys and of course, Mrs. Slocombe.

Just couldn't get into "Keeping Up Appearances". Thought DL fave Patricia Routledge was terrific, but wasn't fond of the the rest of the cast or the premise. Wouldn't the upper class snobs she tried so hard to impress in every episode, know she was really just middle class? How long could she really hope to "keep up appearances".

I may be crazy, but I always thought if she could sing at all and really wanted to stretch herself, Mollie Sugden would have made a great Mrs. Lovett in ST. She would have nailed the comedy of course, but I suspect she could have brought something fascinating to the darker parts.

By the same token, I think Routledge would have been an interesting Lovett as well. She certainly would have sung the hell out of it.

[R125] one of the best comedy series, ever!! wittty--full of laughs! The characters are priceless!! Why can't we have more like it? Those English!!

George and Mildred, r125

[post redacted because independent.co.uk thinks that links to their ridiculous rag are a bad thing. Somebody might want to tell them how the internet works. Or not. We don't really care. They do suck though. Our advice is that you should not click on the link and whatever you do, don't read their truly terrible articles.]

Sorry I didn’t realize the Independent is now off-limits. RIP Mike Berry. Who does that leave alive?

Given the headline, no one. Unless Mrs. Slocombe’s pussy has been preserved

Mike Berry is finally free.

As far as I know, these actors who played recurring Grace Bros characters, are still alive:

• Doremy Vernon (Canteen Manageress)

• Penny Irving (Miss Bakewell, also Miss Nicholson in the movie)

• Vivienne Johnson (the Grace Brothers’ Nurse)

• Keith Hodiak (Seymour from Packing)

The only 2 characters on the show I hated were Old Mr. Grace played by Kenneth Waller & Mr. Mash played by Larry Martyn. Waller was a 54-55 year old man playing a 90 year old character. His makeup was horrendous and his acting was lackluster. Martyn portrayal of Mr. Mash made him seem like a perv.

My favorite character was Mr. Beverly Harman played by Arthur English. There were a couple other people in the cast who had great comic timing, but English was without compare.

You've all done very well!

I much preferred Mike Berry's (Young Mr. Spooner) over Trevor Bannister's (Mr. Lucas). Bannister was much better once he got old and was on "Last Of The Summer Wine".

The AYBS movie is simply weird. No laugh track first of all and a lot of the gags simply don't land.

The Sequel to AYBS, "Grace & Favour" aka (for American audiences} "Are You Being Served Again", IMO was even better than the original.

R136 if I recall correct, the movie was done by a different production company than the television series. That’s why even the set is different.

Here's the trailer for the movie.

The laugh track on those Brit comedies makes them unwatchable.

R128 oh my that makes me so sad.

I don't know why that Guardian article above didn't even mention the fact that it was Arthur Brough (Mr. Grainger) who pretty much gave Trevor Bannister his start just after WWII was over by hiring him to be part of his repertory company "The Arthur Brough Players". Lots of British actors got their starts with Brough who had repertory companies all over the UK.