• • • • • Website Are You Being Served? (originally styled as 'Are You Being Served?' In quotation marks) is a created and written by and (Croft also directed some episodes), with contributions from and, for the. Set in, the show follows the misadventures and mishaps of the staff of the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments, in the flagship of a fictional chain called Grace Brothers.

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Broadcast between 1972 and 1985 on, the sitcom spanned ten series totaling 69 episodes – five of which are Christmas specials. There was also, with some of the same main cast in 1991-92, and a one-off episode with a new cast in 2016. Are You Being Served? Was a great success in the and was also popular in three other countries of the (,, and ). The show was also popular in and in the United States, where it gained a loyal and enthusiastic following when television stations began airing of it in the mid-1980s, along with other. In it was ranked 20th in the countdown of.

It is regularly repeated worldwide ( in the UK, and in the United States; and in Australia and New Zealand) and in Australia on 9go and on foxtels channel Fox Classics. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • History [ ] The idea for the show came from Lloyd's brief period in the early 1950s working at, a clothing store which traded for over 60 years until 1999. The inspiration for the store has also been credited to Rossiters of department store from the time Lloyd and Croft spent there, and the former Clements of. The was created as part of the series, although the had originally chosen not to broadcast the programme.

The pilot was used as a filler during the when the coverage of the Olympiad was interrupted by the on 8 September 1972, leading to a full series being produced. This first episode was repeated at the beginning of the first series on 14 March 1973. Although the first series was aired in the same timeslot as on, consequently receiving relatively little attention, the repeats shown later in the year were much more successful. The show became a ratings hit, and after a successful 13-year run, Are You Being Served? Came to an end on 1 April 1985. Of the original cast, only,,, and appeared in all 69 episodes of the programme's 13-year run; these five later featured in the sequel sitcom, (also known as Are You Being Served?

The cast performed in character for a stage sketch on the programme Variety on 19 June 1976. Following the death of the last remaining original cast member, Nicholas Smith, on 6 December 2015, the only surviving permanent cast members are as Mr Spooner, (Miss Belfridge in the final two seasons),, who played Mr Grace's secretary Miss Bakewell between 1976 and 1979, and, who played both Young and Old Mr Grace's nurse from 1977 to 1981., starring as feisty canteen manageress Diana Yardwick over several seasons, also survives, however only appeared on a recurring basis and was never part of the regular cast. Although the pilot was produced in colour, the was wiped in the 1970s leaving only a 16mm film. In 2009, the pilot episode was restored to colour using the technique previously used for the episode '.

The restored colour version was first shown on BBC2 on 1 January 2010 as part of a special Are You Being Served? Critical reception [ ] The series gained much of its popularity with TV viewers by ' through its deliberate-yet-subtle use of, -infused dialogue and cleverly-disguised. These comical devices also attracted some mild criticism, in part for relying on sexual and – e.g., Mrs Slocombe discussing her cat: 'Animals are very psychic.the least sign of danger and my 's hair stands on end'. John Inman's portrayal of Humphries' over-the-top antics and sharp-tongued, witty responses, along with his trademark 'I'm free!' , were enthusiastically embraced by many audience members, and the character evolved into a in popular culture. Despite this, Inman pointed out that Mr Humphries' true sexual orientation was never explicitly stated in the series, and David Croft said in an interview that the character was not homosexual, but 'just a mother's boy'. In an episode of the spin-off, the character is further described as neither a 'woman's man' nor a 'man's man' and as being 'in limbo'.

The characters (Mr Humphries especially) sometimes broke the for comical effect. International broadcasts [ ] The series was shown in the United States on stations and on, as well as in many nations around the world. PBS first began airing it (on 24 stations) in 1987, and viewership steadily climbed as more stations carried it. By the early 1990s, it had gained such a loyal following that viewers of the show formed fan clubs and were in large attendance wherever cast members made guest appearances. Are You Being Served? Aired in Canada late night on.

It also became available to Canadian viewers on PBS station WNED (Buffalo). The show aired on Saturday evening prime time from the mid 1980s to late 1990s. The series was also extremely popular in Australia. It started on in 1974 and was repeated by ABC in Australia several times. By 1978 it had been acquired by the commercial who successfully screened repeats of the program to audiences larger than those who viewed it on the ABC. Are You Being Served? Was ranked as the top rated show on Australian television for 1978, being watched by 2,255,000 people in five cities.

The Best of Are You Being Served? (1992) [ ] Buoyed by the huge success of the series in the USA, commissioned a special straight-to-VHS compilation in 1992. Running at 78 minutes, The Best of Are You Being Served featured newly-shot scenes of Mr Humphries reminiscing with his elderly mother, Annie, about his time working at Grace Brothers. Both roles were played. The additional sequences were filmed in America, and directed by Don Hopfer. Episodes [ ].

Main article: In 1977, as for many other popular sitcoms of the time, including, a feature film was produced: the film had the same characters and cast. It was set in the fictional resort of Costa Plonka, in Spain. The film was an adaptation of the successful stage version of the show, which played at the Winter Gardens Theatre, Blackpool over the summer of 1976.

Adaptations in other countries [ ] A US adaptation pilot episode called aired on 5 May 1979 on, but it did not make it to series. An, also called Are You Being Served?, ran for sixteen episodes from 1980 to 1981 on. It starred as Mr Humphries, and Australian actors as copies of characters of the original series ( as a character similar to Mrs Slocombe, as a character similar to Mr. Lucas, and so on).

The show takes place in the fictional Bone Brothers store, as ' was the name of an actual department store chain in Australia. While most episodes were somewhat direct re-films of old scripts (with minor changes like names), the first episode features a new start showing Mr Humphries joining from Grace Bros, and a series 2 episode is completely original, dealing with Mr Humphries' visa running out. The Singaporean sitcom Can I Help You? Had a similar title and premise, and was described by former cast member as ' Are You Being Served, minus the wonderfully filthy jokes'. 2016 Revival [ ] In 2016, a one-off revived episode was broadcast, as part of BBC's celebration of 60 years of television sitcoms.

It was set in 1988 with the original characters, played by a new set of actors. Captain Peacock was played by, Mrs Slocombe by, Mr Humphries by, Miss Brahms by, Mr Grainger by (Grainger having come out of retirement 'To spend less time with his wife'), Mr Harman by, and Mr Rumbold. New characters in the show were Young Mr Grace's grandson – also called Young Mr Grace – played by, Miss Croft – named as a tribute to series co-creator David Croft – played by, and newcomer Mr Conway, played. The series was written. The BBC issued a press release saying: 'It's 1988 and Young Mr Grace is determined to drag Grace Brothers into, well 1988, but he has a problem on his hands. Mr Humphries, Captain Peacock, Mr Rumbold and Mrs Slocombe all seem to be stuck in another era.

A new member of staff, Mr Conway, joins the team but will he help shake things up or will he just put a pussy amongst the pigeons?' The episode was aired in August 2016, but received poor reviews. Characters [ ]. Series 8 cast of 1981.

( left to right): ( top), Wendy Richard,,; ( bottom) Nicholas Smith, Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden,, John Inman,, Louise Burton Are You Being Served? Featured humour based on sexual, misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and occasional. In addition, there were generated by outrageous costumes which the characters were sometimes required to wear for store promotions, and gaudy store displays frequently featuring malfunctioning robotic mannequins. The show is remembered for its prolific use of. The main humorous base of the series was a merciless parody of the. This permeated almost every interaction and was especially evident in the conversations between the maintenance men and the ostensibly higher-class store personnel.

The episodes rarely left the store, and to parody the stereotype of the British class system, characters rarely addressed each other by their first names, even after work, instead using their formal titled names ('Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss', or even 'Captain'). When they did address each other by their first names, it was usually either as an aside, or often for comic effect (e.g.

An underling addressing a superior). Main characters [ ].

Main article: • () (Series 1-10), a senior sales assistant and head of the ladies' department. She is known for her changing hair colour and conversations about her cat, which she always refers to as her 'pussy'. • () (Series 1-10), a young, attractive, working-class, -speaking junior sales assistant to Mrs Slocombe. • Mr Ernest Grainger () (Series 1-5), a 40-year veteran of Grace Brothers, a senior sales assistant and head of the gents' department, who often falls asleep on the job, is usually grumpy, and wears a measuring tape over his shoulders. Arthur Brough died before the filming of Season 6.

• Mr Percival Tebbs () (Series 6), Mr Grainger's replacement. He retired after only one year in the men's department.

• Mr Harry Goldberg () (Series 7), Mr Tebbs's replacement. Originally the junior salesman, he was quickly promoted to senior after proving to be a master salesman. Like Tebbs, Goldberg lasted only one year. • Mr Grossman () (Series 8), an expert shoe salesman, joined the gents' department, when some of the floor space was given over to shoes.

He lasted only four episodes. • Mr Abraham Klein () (Series 8), joined the gents' department to help out with upcoming sales in the store. Klein lasted only four episodes. • () (Series 1-10), a sales assistant in gents'; a -acting man who lives with his mother. He made frequent use of, especially related to his presumed lifestyle. • Mr James/Dick Lucas () (Series 1-7), the young, penniless, womanising junior salesman; a source of irritation to the female sales staff. Always referred to as the department 'junior', but Bannister was in fact one year older than Inman.

The character left the series after Series 7 (1979). (In Series 2 his name was given as 'James' but was stated as 'Dick' in Series 5 and 6.) • Mr Bert Spooner () (Series 8-10), eventually replaced Mr Lucas as gents' junior sales assistant and was similar to him in many ways. • () (Series 1-10), the haughty (an employee who both supervises sales staff and assists customers) who purportedly fought in the of but was accused of actually being in the and never seeing combat. • Mr Cuthbert Rumbold () (Series 1-10), the autocratic, obsequious (to the Grace brothers), yet bumbling and incompetent floor manager. • 'Young' Mr Grace () (Series 1-8), the very old, rich but stingy store owner, surrounded by attractive young women.

The character's final appearance was in 1981 following Bennett's death. The character was killed off in the first episode of the spin off series.

• 'Old' Mr Grace () (Series 8), 'Young' Mr Grace's even-older brother – replaced him at the store when he took a sabbatical to write his memoirs. In Series 9 & 10, the management of the store was again attributed to 'Young' Mr. Grace, who was by then an invisible character. • Miss Belfridge (), the last and longest-running of Mr Rumbold's secretaries. She was admired by all male staff, including Mr Humphries and especially Captain Peacock, who dined her. • Mr Mash () (Series 1-3), • Mr Harman () (Series 4–10), the stock and maintenance men who installed mechanised display units in store and were both often scolded by Captain Peacock for being on the floor during opening hours. • Diana Yardwick (), the manageress of Grace Brothers' canteen at which the staff had their lunch.

Known for serving grossly unappetizing food, and for her ill temper and sarcasm, as well as for enforcing strict social order, which dictated that management, sales staff and the maintenance crew and lift operators all dine separately. Theme song [ ] The theme song, written by the show's co-writer and composer, consists of a (whose voice was provided by Stephanie Gathercole) announcing each floor over the sounds of a (which effectively serves as the only percussion instrument) and a simple musical. The 1977 film has a different version of the theme song which is longer, in a different key and without the floor announcements. A remix of the theme was released in 1996 by a dance act calling itself 'Grace Brothers', and featured vocal samples of John Inman and Frank Thornton. There is a homage to the theme song in the song 'Paco!' Lg Bluetooth Headset Driver Windows 7.

From the album, and New Zealand band 's 'I hate guns'. A lugubrious version of the theme song is featured on the album by the group. The theme song has also been covered by Australian band on their 1999 album. Waves Mercury Bundle Windows 7 Torrent on this page. Pop singer 's song 'Window Shopping' (from her 2006 album ) begins with a sample of the familiar cash register sound effect as well as Mrs Slocombe's voice inquiring, 'Good morning, Mr Grainger; are you free?' The song was also used in a 2016 advertisement for their range. Merchandise [ ] Seven early episodes were novelised for a book, written by Jeremy Lloyd, called Are You Being Served?

– Camping In and other Fiascos. This was written in 1976, and republished in 1997 by KQED Books.

The seven episodes featured are Camping In, Up Captain Peacock, Wedding Bells, His and Hers, Coffee Morning, The Hand of Fate and The Clock. In 1995, KQED Books published Are You Being Served – The Inside Story by, Anthony Brown, and Geoff Tibbals, with a foreword by Jeremy Lloyd, and sub-titled: 'The Inside Story of Britain's Funniest – and Public Television's Favorite – Comedy Series'. In 212 pages, the book's six chapters cover: The Cast of Characters, Behind the Scenes, The Episodes, The Spin-offs, Trivia Quiz, and Glossary.. In 1999, I'm Free! The Complete Are You Being Served?, a guide to the series, was published. It was written by Richard Webber, with contributions from David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd.

A board game was also produced in the 1970s. Players moved round a board resembling the shop floor to purchase one item from each of the four counters and leave the store, before their opponents and without going over budget.

DVD releases [ ] All ten series, including a black and white version of the pilot episode, and all five Christmas specials from those years, as well as both series of Grace & Favour are now available on DVD in the UK (Region 2). Are You Being Served?: the Movie was released in 2002. A colour-restored version of the original pilot episode has yet to be released commercially. All ten series, as well as both series of Grace & Favour (in packaging titled Are You Being Served? Again!) and the film are available on DVD in Region 1 (North America). All ten series, as well as both series of Grace & Favour and the film have been released in Australia (Region 4). A DVD titled Are You Being Served?

– Best of The Early Years and Are You Being Served? Christmas Specials have also been released.

DVD title Discs Year Ep. Retrieved 21 April 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013. 1 February 1999. • Camber, Rebecca (1 February 2009)..

London: Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 October 2015. • Coates, Sam; Asthana, Anushka (9 March 2007).. London: The Times. 6 December 2015. 7 January 2010.

Retrieved 21 April 2014. – The Complete Are You Being Served?' • Collier, Shayne.

Again and again and again. – The Guide: 2 June 1986, p.1, 6. • Semmler, Clement. Why 'Are You Being Served?' Is our top-rating program.: 25 October 1978, p.8. ACT: National Library of Australia. 30 December 1978.

Retrieved 11 August 2013. • Lopez, Vernetta (2012).. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions. Retrieved 26 June 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2016. • Guide, British Comedy (22 February 2016)..

Retrieved 8 October 2016. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016. 29 August 2016. Your Local Guardian.

Retrieved 8 October 2016. External links [ ] Wikiquote has quotations related to: • at • at the • at • at the 's • on • • • •.