"On the Buses" (1969) TV series 1969-1973

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Creators:

Ronald Chesney
Ronald Wolfe

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

28 February 1969 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The trials and tribulations of bus driver Stan and his conductor Jack unfold in this weekly comedy....

Plot Keywords:

Inspector | Bus Driver | Bus | Bachelor | Working Conditions

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Anna Karen	...	Olive Rudge (73 episodes, 1969-1973)
Bob Grant	...	Jack Harper (73 episodes, 1969-1973)
Stephen Lewis	...	Inspector Cyril 'Blakey' Blake (73 episodes, 1969-1973)
Reg Varney	...	Stan Butler (67 episodes, 1969-1973)
Doris Hare	...	Mum (66 episodes, 1969-1973)
Michael Robbins	...	Arthur Rudge (60 episodes, 1969-1972)

Runtime:

30 min (75 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Canada:14A | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Wood Green Bus Garage, Lordship Lane, Wood Green, London, England, UK

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Trivia:

The buses were diesel-powered Eastern National Bristol Lodekka FLF6LXs with 70-seat bodies.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dancing with the Stars: (#6.4)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Happy Harry

Cor blimey Jack ! -- -- Stone the crows Stan!

A huge cult like following way back then. In the days when there was only three TV channels "on the buses" was a gimmie when up against "Songs with praise" and some 1940's movie on BBC 2. Despite it being over 30 years old the last time I saw it a couple of years back I still found it reasonably amusing , although very dated and obviously politically incorrect. If you love political incorrectness this is the stuff for you! Let's just add it all up.

The flirting and groping of mini skirted female staff, (who for what ever reason were labeled as 'clippy's), the endless helpings of cholesterol laden food in the form of chips, eggs, bacon, meat pies and sausages in the canteen. Smoking cigarettes, no female bus drivers, a west Indian employee called 'Chalky' .( I cringe when you think that people were still laughing at the gag "I hope your head get's better" to an Indian employee wearing a turban). Lastly, Butlers tormentor Inspector Blakey who they insulted all the time, whose image was obviously based on Adolf Hitler with his mustache. I tell you it does not get any better than this.

It's hard to imagine today a comedy series being made about bus conductors in general let alone two homely looking middle aged men flirting with young women. In addition the average age of the cast in this series was probably 45 you would never get that nowadays! Yet it has to be said that there have been a number of comedy duffers that have long since come and gone that in no way can stand up to this one.

Memorable episodes, well, Stans new uniform getting ruined, getting radios for the buses that interfered with the airlines, Stan getting drunk on his home brew and Jack and Stan trying to impress the birds with their snazzy new uniforms claiming they were airline pilots. It's a credit to the writers that it is still watchable today!