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10 Forgotten British TV Sitcoms of the 80s
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- čas přidán 17. 02. 2024
- 10 forgotten British television sitcoms from the 1980s. Do you remember these?
Today on Stuview TV, I’m going to take a nostalgic trip back to the 1980s and remember some of the British TV sitcoms from the time that mainly seem to be all but forgotten now.
I’ve chosen ten of these neglected comedies to take a look at. I’ll also let you know where you can still watch them today .
00:17 Keep it in the Family with Robert Gillespie
01:39 Cowboys with Roy Kinnear
02:49 Hallelujah! with Thora Hird
03:38 Andy Capp with James Bolam
04:57 Oh Happy Band! with Harry Worth
06:00 Up the Elephant and Round the Castle with Jim Davidson
07:24 The River with David Essex
08:18 Mann's Best Friends with Fulton Mackay
09:29 The Brothers McGregor with Paul Barber
10:31 Kinvig with Tony Haygarth
All clips and photographs featured in this video remain the copyright of their respective owners and have been used under the terms of UK fair dealing and US fair use, for the purposes of commentary and review.
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Many thanks for watching!
I'd rather watch any of these sitcoms than anything on offer in 2024
same here any day of the week
There is something wrong with you then, absolute rubbish
Agree is hello racist homaphobic or anti lesbian its madness today
Duckman was sooo right about 30 years ago. czcams.com/video/knIroVvPZU4/video.html
I love these videos. Old sitcoms are pure comfort for me, a safe haven from the awful world we live in now.
So glad you enjoy them. Many thanks.
I feel exactly the same as you. I have many recordings of 70's & 80's sitcoms which transport me to simpler & happier times.
My partner and i made the decision not to watch any modern tv over the last Christmas period instead opting to watch only sitcoms from the 70’s & 80’s that we have on DVD. She said it was one of the best Christmas’s she’s had and took her back to much happier times.
I feel exactly the same way.😊
@@garethsavin4464 Wonderful!
If programmes like these were still made I'd maybe tempted to get a TV license again but the golden age has long gone sadly. Thanks Stu for doing these videos mate, at least we have the nostalgia to enjoy.
My pleasure! Glad you enjoy them. Many thanks.
Can't believe the UK still has tv licences and literally the only country out of over 195 countries where its required.
Clarence starring Ronnie Barker is always forgotten but I still love it now.
As a kid I used to watch it because I thought it was a bit rude.. dunno why.. lol
You must be short sighted
Another Ronnie Barker Forgotten Comedy🎭 “The Magnificent Evans.”
Thanks for these - I really had forgotten a few of them! One sitcom I really enjoyed was Colin's Sandwich, a comedy from the late 80s, about a depressed British Rail office worker who aspired to be a horror writer. It had Mel Smith as it's lead character. It was very funny but with its poignant moments. I would say it was a bit before it's time although it was very much wedged in the 80s.
That's a great choice.
David Kelly in Cowboys was probably taken from his role as O’Reilly the Irish builder from Fawlty Towers. He also had a small part in my fav film The Italian Job 1969, as the priest giving the last rites at ‘Great Aunt Nelly’s’ funeral.
Also fun to see Fulton Mackay with Patricia Brake in Mann’s Best Friend as they were both in Porridge
Thanks Stuview for yet another great vid.
An expat now living in Sydney but love your channel 🇬🇧🇦🇺
That's really great to hear! Many thanks.
He was also the one armed waiter in Robins Nest.👍🫡
Thanks 🙂, one show that you don't hear of a lot is Private Shultz.
Starring Micheal Elphic and was a great comedy.
It's lovely of you to have mentioned programmes available on you tube. Thank You.
My pleasure!
Only recall a few of these, Keep It In The Family was real favourite of mine. You hit the nail on the head with "the simple task of making people laugh" modern programme makers need to bear that in mind.
It was a real shame when Network TV went down, would love to see them and their catalogue back.
Your channel is so good for all of us who would sooner remember the good old days great work
That's great to hear. Many thanks!
I enjoyed Hallelujah ! ,but how could you not enjoy it with Thora Hird and Patsy Rowlands ? My favourite among this list was Andy Capp which I loved and followed in comic strip form for years.I received the series on dvd for Christmas a couple of years ago and was delighted as I was a big James Bolam fan and he was perfect as Andy Capp.Pity, the series didn't run longer.
Those of us in the US are missing David McCallum. I remember him all the way back to "The Man from Uncle". They did a beautiful tribute to him on NCIS. He will be greatly missed. He was a great actor. I love my British TV. I get both BritBox and Acorn, so that I can watch some of the great shows in the UK.
McCallum was in two great UK TV shows from when I was a kid. 'Colditz', which I wastoo young to watch when it first broadcast but I recall was a big deal at the time. I finally watched the whole lot about ten years ago and was surprised by how well they still stand up, and of course 'Sapphire and Steel', a show that despite the now shonky special effects, was absolutely terrifying as a kid but kind of fun. It was like the twilight zone for kids.
I didn't realise he was a comedian
I'd completely forgotten these sitcoms and then Foot Of Our Stairs reminded me that I'd forgotten them and then I forgot them again. So thanks for reminding me again .
No problem!
If it's obscure 80s sitcoms you're talking about, "All in Good Faith" (starring Richard Briers) has certainly been more forgotten than most!
'Turtle's Progress' never gets mentioned. John Landry in the title role and Michael Attwell as 'Razor Eddie'. "I only told you to nick a van...not a van full of boxes!" Great stuff!!
Great shout. Thanks.
Great video!
Sorry to hear about Network, hope they bounce back.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks.
One that sticks in my mind was The Gaffer with Bill Maynard
Brilliant memories stuview another classic sitcom i remember whilst technically speaking not a 80s sitcom but as it aired in mid to late 79 was the sitcom Shelly with protagonist James Shelly played by Hewel Bennett very rarely seen on tv nowadays but what i can remember of it it was funny at the time 😂
Oh yes, Shelley was excellent. Definitely an 80s sitcom I would say as it ran till 1984 and then again from 1988 to 1992. Glad you enjoyed the video. Many thanks!
@@stuviewtv indeed stuview also hallelujah was classic sitcom with the late Dame Thora Hird very funny it was but to me i will always remember the late Dame Thora Hird as Edie Pegden in last of the summer wine a part she played so well 😁
In the 1980’s there was a show here called *Too Close for Comfort* which I believe is the U.S. version of *Keep it in the Family.* Cartoonist and wife with two daughters living in the upstairs apartment.
Actually Jackie and Sarah lived in the downstairs apartment in Too Close for Comfort.
Brilliant as always, can you do one on Kids TV in the 70's not the predictive popular ones, as I remember the Enchanted Castle being great and also every Tuesday i would run home to see a UFO programmes for kids, and cannot remember its name.
Thanks for the memories my friend
Many thanks! I have a 70s kids one planned which should hopefully be on the channel soon.
I don't know if it was the 1980's but i remember a hillarious comedy, with Thora Hird in it, called In loving Memory, it was about a funeral directors
I briefly mention it in passing in this video. It lasted from the end of the 60s right through to the 80s. A very enjoyable sitcom!
The pilot show was in 1969. The first series was in 1979.
Thanks for finding these! ☀️
Never knew any of them.
My pleasure!
Just subscribed love yr channel all the oldies wen we all lived in happier times.
That's great to hear. Many thanks!
I remember hallelujah , I have Andy cap as I like James bolam work up the elephant and castle also had appearance of linda robson
Hi Stu. I must have been glued to the telly in the 80s! I remember 7 of the 10. (Must have been a party night out for the other 3😆)
Hi Jan. Obviously an avid 70s telly watcher!
I remember Kinvig being shown at 8.30 on a Friday evening. It was, to the best of my knowledge, the only sitcom made by LWT not to have any audience reactions
This brought to mind two things:
1: Doing the Harry Worth 'levitation' trick whilst adjacent to the jeweller's window in town.
2: 'Clochemerle' ; I used to love this strange comedy about a public loo in a small French town. It would probably be unwatchable now, but I loved it then.
Other forgotten sitcoms include the excellent L for Lester with Brian Murphy, Solo with a hot Felicity Kendal, The Mistress with a hot Felicity Kendal, There Comes a Time with Andrew Sachs, Comrade Dad with George Cole, Room at the Bottom with James Bolam (recommended), That's My Boy with Mollie Sugden (not recommended), Bottle Boys with a cast that deny they were in it, High Street Blues written by the legendary Jimmy Perry (recommended to worst enemies only) and what seems to be at least two dozen awful upper-middle class sitcoms with Penelope Keith and/or Geoffrey Palmer.
Some great picks there. Many thanks!
I take it you have something about Felicity Kendal?
Remember.."Say what you like about the queen but leave Felicity Kendal out of this!"😂😂
saying hot Felicity Kendall is somewhat redundant, ie like saying 2 twins
Thank you, I now have several new shows in my watch box to watch when I have the time.
Excellent!
Some great ones there, Stu! I enjoyed "In Loving Memory" which you mentioned in passing, the chemistry between Thora Hird and Christopher Beeny as her nephew, Billy, was brilliant. However, I wasn't as keen on "Hallelujah". "Cowboys" was ace, and Colin Welland and Roy Kinnear were hilarious in it. They looked like they had a lot of fun making that show. "The Gaffer" with Bill Maynard was a bit similar in that the boss was dodgy and drove round in a dilapidated car! I remembered "Kinvig" and watched every episode at the time, probably waiting for something interesting to happen. Prunella Gee provided some much needed glamour but I think the budget for the show was too low to have anything good in the way of special effects.
I used to enjoy watching The Gaffer when it was first on but must admit I haven't watched an episode for years. I may have to track it down again. Thanks for the reminder!
@@stuviewtv Welcome, Stu !!!
Thanks Stu for another great video, i remember up the elephant and round the castle & hallelujah but not much else great memories 😊😊😊
Thanks!
👍 Another great compilation video Stu,
Remember watching ‘up the elephant’, don’t remember Manns best friend, Brothers McGregor or Kinvig… the rest never saw, but vaguely remember from the clips or titles
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks as always.
Never ever heard of Keep it in the Family. Funny I know of Hallelujah of the top of my head - I watched that.
Best to keep it to yourself
I do remember a few of those, Mann's Best Friends, Oh Happy Band and Kinvig i can't recall ever watching, i vaguely remember Cowboys because of the actor David Kelly also being in Fawlty Towers and Robins Nest, some great comedy actors in all of them tho, thanks for the video stu enjoyed it as always 🙂
Thanks as always Julie. David Kelly was such a great comedy character actor. Always very funny in whatever he was in.
@@stuviewtvThanks stu 🙂
2/10 hallelujah, and the river. my cousin was obsesed with david essex, we had sally army conections
''Rosie'' starring Tony Haygarth was good.
That was a big favourite in our house. Always remember Wilmot lusting over the gormless “girl from FreezyPops”.
Loved Keep it in the Family. Thanks for showing. 👍🏻
What about the Shillingbury Tales.. Never gets a mention..
Love the nostalgia of this channel.. Keep up the good work 😃
Did they do a film spinoff of that with Trevor Howard or am I am dreaming?
Oh... I loved “Shillingbury Tales” starring Robin Nedwell, Diane Keen, and the late great Bernard Cribbins. There was a spin off series: “Cuffy” featuring the character played by Bernard Cribbins.
I remember watching Shillingbury Tales. Very enjoyable. I'll see what I can do about including it in a future video. Glad you are enjoying the channel. Many thanks!
@@stuviewtv Shillingbury Tales was a spinoff of the one off play - The Shillingbury Blowers
I liked Shillingbury Tales, I think it was on Sunday evening on ITV. Don't recall it being a sitcom though? And it had Jack Douglas (from the 'Carry On' films) in a straight role, if I remember
Keep it in the family was great! I had completely forgotten about that one. Thanks for the happy memories!
I remember The River.... for the obvious reason 💖
I really like Keep it in the Family. My other favourite that was really underrated was Life Without George.
Another great video.
Thanks!
A very enjoyable one as usual, thanks Stu.
The forgotten 80's comedy that I've never found is Happy Families starring Jennifer Saunders in multiple roles, and Adrian Edmondson. It only lasted one series, was commissioned for a second, but that never happened. The budget went to commission the first series of Red Dwarf.
I don't think it had ever been repeated after the first airing, and I don't think it's ever had a video, DVD, or Blu-ray release.
Thanks for reminding me of this! My sister recorded it onto VHS when it was on and we watched it loads. Song for Guy by Elton John was the theme I think?
But yes it was very funny and given how Jennifer and Ade were both on their way to becoming big comedy stars it's strange how that series has seemed to go under the radar.
Thanks Mark! Happy Families is a great shout. I'll try to include that in a future forgotten sitcom video.
It's on CZcams, I just searched for it. It's not great quality, but it's there.
@@susi-emily Oh wow, I didn't think to look on TY. It looks like it got an airing on UK TV.
Thanks for sharing.
OMG I didnt realise Network are no more - the managed to bring so many old gems back to revisit. Who will fill their shoes going forward?!
I very vaguely remember Keep it in the Family, but couldn't tell you anything about it! Up the Elephant and Round the Castle and then Home James were fun at the time, although not sure I'd be comfortable watching them now (I can't bring myself to watch Big Break now and I loved that as a kid!). Hallelujah was pretty good as I recall, but again, I don't have many memories of it. The one I remember the most is Andy Capp. My Dad would buy the Mirror every day and I'd always read the funnies when I saw him so was well acquainted with Mr Capp's misadventures! When the series came out I was keen to watch it but my Mum would have none of it so I had to wait until the access weekend 'round my Dad's to see it! I thought it was good at the time. Might look it up now you've jogged my memory!
Enjoyed this and your other 70's based video, cheers!
Glad you enjoy the videos. Many thanks!
Even though Australia was inundated with British TV shows back in the day...I can't recall seeing any of the ones shown here.
Some might say you were lucky!
I remember and have fond memories of most of these. Thanks.
I remember half of these (I'm 53). Keep it in the Family and Up the Elephant were the only ones I liked though. I recall Andy Capp being terrible, there was just something off about it, I guess it was how they tried to make it cartoon like albeit with actual people.
Nice one, cheers. I haven't forgotten any of these shows. The fact is, I never saw them in the first place. I had no idea that they even existed. Still, it is fun to discover what I was missing out on. The fact is, it looks like I didn't miss out on much at all. Keep them coming, I learn something new every time.
Will do. Thanks!
Network was a gem 💎 so sorry it went - my dvd stash swelled, thanks to them 😊 Keep it in the Family was a fave when I was a child - some good 'uns in the list - Hallelujah was also a gentle fun show ❤️
Remember most of those. Keep it in the family was awesome. Was quite obsessed with it as a kid. Must watch it again. Up the Elephant was really good to, as was the sequel
Thanks for a very enlightening video.
I remember most 70s sitcoms and even a few from the late 60s but I didn’t watch any of the sitcoms in this video and most of them I’d never heard of. There’s a good reason as to why. I was a young kid in the late 60s and would watch tv with my parents. Consequently I recall some sitcoms of the late 60s and most sitcoms of the 1970s up to 1977. In 1978 I got my first job and began what was to be a very active social life so I wasn’t watching much tv during the 1980s. I was aware of the Jim Davidson sitcom but I’ve never watched it. I didn’t know the late great Harry Worth made a sitcom in the 1980s and wasn’t aware that David Essex starred in a sitcom. I did actually watch a few episodes of The Young Ones which I enjoyed due to the Brilliant Rik Mayall. At the end of the 1980s I became a big fan of Red Dwarf, especially the first 6 series which I found original and very very funny.
My wife and I are big Red Dwarf fans too. Love it.
Thank you for this. It is a perfect video for me as a) I am a big sitcom fan and b) I spent the entire 1980s living overseas with no access to British TV apart from odd episodes watched on video tapes that people brought back from leave. One series that I did get to see a couple of episodes of on a creaky VHS tape is Sharron and Elsie. I really enjoyed this, but it seems to have sunk without trace. I don't think it was ever released on DVD, but I have managed to watch most episodes on CZcams and similar. It starred Bridget Forsythe and John Junkin and featured Paula Tilbrook in several episodes.
It's just great to see these comedy programmes spoken in english thank you.
Rolling pin 😳😆
Love James Bolam in “The Likely Lads” 💙
After seeing that David Essex part, I'm tempted to rewatch Lovejoy. Such a similar concept, loveable rogue out of jail, lives in the country and wants to go straight. Take the canal away and add antiques and it's very similar even the clothes.
Remember 'Keep it in the family ' as I was a budding cartoonist at the time. I also remember 'Andy Capp' which l rather liked despite being panned by the critics. It seemed rather similar in some respects to 'Jane', based on another Daily Mirror comic strip of the same name starring Glennis Barber.
Oh yes, I remember Jane. I used to quite like that. Haven't seen it for years though so not sure what I would think now.
Excellent Video Stu as, Always 👍
Thanks Steve!
Keep It In The Family was a favourite of mine.
Some do ring a bell but I can honestly say I didn't really give any the benefit. I was aware of Keep It in The Family as my brother was pretty keen on it though. Regards Robert Gillespie, I attended a tribute to Richard Brires at Leicester Sq. theatre early last year and Robert made an appearance. Although in a wheelchair, he was definitely sharp up top.
Cheers from Indiana !
All the best to you! Thanks.
I remember watching "Up the Elephant" and looked it up on CZcams a couple of months ago, there is a bar maid in it, who is Marina Sirtis who went onto TNG
I remember Kinvig. I was intrigued by the plot and fancied the lead actress (well i was a teenage boy lol)
Among these I saw Keep It In The Family, I recall Hallelujah being around but am not aware of seeing any of it, similar with Up the Elephant, knew it was on but never saw an episode. The others featured here I've never heard of. I do recall a strange comedy called They Came From Somewhere Else.
I Absolutely love Cowboys Especially the first series. Really good cast I've always loved anything starring David Kelly or. Roy Kinnear. Such a sad ending to Debbie Lindon. Thanks for doing these vids I really do like a good reminisce
My pleasure!
Cant wait for you to do a 90s version with shows like love hurts, my wonderful life and game on featuring.
i liked keep it in the family when i was a kid
Great stuff Stu , enjoyed that as always . Keep up the good work 👋👍
Many thanks!
Clarence, Horace, Blot On The Landscape, Fairly Secret Army, Bottle Boys, Dear John, and The Gaffer to name but a few, I used to love watching. :)
A very forgotten one, but one of my favourites of all time, was Pig in the Middle. Dinsdale Landen, then Terence Brady, who co-wrote it. Covered the tale of a man juggling his wife and mistress. He sounds reprehensible, but it was comedy gold, and surprisingly sweet and gently done.
I remember all them sometimes I still watch them when there on
Really enjoy your videos stu keep them coming
That's great to hear. Thanks!
The country waz still a great place back them
I remember most of them except for 'Oh Happy Band', 'Mann's Best Friend' and 'Kinvig'.
You forgot to mention Marina Sirtis later to play Councillor Troi in Star trek TNG also starred with Jim Davidson in Up The Elephant and Round the Castle.
Thanks for the memories
There are three i don't remember at all, "Kinvig", Mann's Best Friends" and "Cowboys", the others i do remember but some better than others.
I remember keep it in the family , I have quite a few 70s and 80s series on nerwork
One of my favourite forgotten sitcoms was channel fours' Rude Health. I wish one of yoy guys would did it out and feature it, it was so good!
Great suggestion. Thanks.
They're was some I hadn't heard of... And I was born in 1964... but to be fair I was out a lot back then aswel 😂
Me too 😁 born in 1966, started working in 1984, out every night spending my wages 😂😂
Not sure if it's truly forgotten, as such, but my favourite of the lesser-known sitcoms of the 80s was First of the Summer Wine. Obviously a prequel series for Last of... I found it quite charming.
"Too Close for Comfort" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Close_for_Comfort was the Americanized version, premiering only 10 months after "Keep it in the Family" It lasted 129 episodes vs 31 (7 US seasons vs 5 British series per IMDB).
However, I remember watching TCfC and thinking it was a knock-off of "My World and Welcome to It" which predated both shows by 11 years. "MWaWti" is also sitcom with a cartoonist father with wife but only one daughter. In this case, I thought TCfC was a superior product, largely on casting.
Thanks for the video.
Great video. I remember watching some of these shows back in the day.
Does anyone remember Help? BBC series I think..
Yes, I remember Help. Set in Liverpool. That's a good start suggestion for a future video. Thanks!
@@stuviewtv I hope you can find it somewhere 😂
Having just done a bit of a vintage Corrie marathon, the MacGregor brothers only appeared (at least in the 1976 to 1983 episodes I watched) when Eddie Yeats married Marion.
I think I only watched an episode of Up the Elephant out of all those and wouldn’t watch Bolam in anything 🙄….Fab post as always Stu…👍
Thanks Andy.
I LOVED ALL OF THESE SADLY I CAN NO LONGER WATCH THEM AS I HAVE CATARACS IN MY EYE
Forgotten British 90s and 2000s sitcoms please. 🙏👍
I've forgotten the 2000s sitcom's already 😆
A couple of these weren’t totally forgotten. “Keep It In The Family” and “Up The Elephant” were repeated on UK Gold in the 90s.
Brilliant. Thanks, Stu. I didn't remember any of the last 4. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
@@stuviewtv How about children's TV? Tomorrow People, Timeslip, Jensen Code, that other one with the standing stones? The music creeped me out.
@@rw8733 Funny you should suggest that. I'm just putting the finishing touches to a 70s children's TV video at the moment! Hoping to have it ready for tomorrow night
@@stuviewtv Fantastic.
The title sequence of Up The Elephant... is one of my earliest tv memories. I think its stuck in my mind as, not being from London, I had no idea what the title was referring to and found it very confusing.
I remember most of them. Especially Jim Davidson sitcoms
This is the first time that I’ve heard about Network going into administration. That is such a shame as it was a god send for those of us who adores vintage British TV. Maybe they should have jumped on the streaming bandwagon. Still, at least I have their ‘Saint’ box set, The Return of the Saint box set and the persuaders box set
"Keep it in the family" was running just 9 months ahead of it's American counterpart, "Too Close For Comfort" starring Ted Knight, even though they referred to the American version as a "reboot" Which I always found strange, because there usually a gap of a year or 3 before a show jumps the pond..
I've come to the conclusion that I didn't watch television in the 80's. Thanks for sharing!
Chance in a million holds in my memory. Not because i liked it, but for some reason, it does.
Very interesting. I'm sure that "Keep it in the Family" was rebroadcast not all that long ago - am having one of those "Did it happen, or did I dream it?" moments 😂 The programme has many comedy connections.
Although there were several cast changes over the series, it featured the late Pauline Yates who is probably better known for playing Elizabeth, the long suffering wife of Reginald Perrin (Leonard Rossiter).
Also in the cast was Sabina Franklin, daughter of actor William, well remembered for his part in the Schweppes commecial and "Sshhh, you know who" catchphrase. Sabina was, for a time, married to the late John Challis, aka Boycie from Only Fools & Horses.
I remember 4 of these, sadly they weren't very funny even then. I did not know home James was a follow on to up the elephant and round the castle. Thanks for showing these off.
I was in my 30's back then and I can only remember (vaguely) the Elephant and Castle one (just the title, not the show) and Kinvig (ditto). Would love to watch them now, probably much better than today's crap.
Jeez I was born in 1976 and I've never herd of any of these lol
Fresh Fields was interesting. Great theme tune. Same for Chance In A Million starring Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn.
I always thought Dear John was sadly under rated. I loved it.
A great series.