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"Are You Being Served?"
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"Are You Being Served?" (1972) More at IMDbPro »TV series 1972-1985

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Overview

User Rating:
8.3/10   1,091 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Contact:
View company contact information for Are You Being Served? on IMDbPro.
Seasons:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 full episode list
Release Date:
21 March 1973 (UK) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Plot:
The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store. full summary
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
British Actress Sugden Dies
 (From WENN. 1 July 2009, 3:01 PM, PDT)

Eastenders Star Richard Dies
 (From WENN. 26 February 2009, 8:15 AM, PST)

User Comments:
A British Comedy Classic! more

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 9 of 61)
Mollie Sugden ... Mrs. Betty Slocombe (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
John Inman ... Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries / ... (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Frank Thornton ... Captain Stephen Peacock (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Wendy Richard ... Miss Shirley Brahms (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Nicholas Smith ... Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold / ... (69 episodes, 1972-1985)
Trevor Bannister ... Mr. Dick Lucas / ... (48 episodes, 1972-1979)
Arthur English ... Mr. Beverley Harman (48 episodes, 1976-1985)
Harold Bennett ... Young Mr. Grace (46 episodes, 1972-1981)
Arthur Brough ... Mr. Ernest Grainger (34 episodes, 1972-1977)
more

Additional Details

Also Known As:
"Grace Brothers"
more
Runtime:
28 min (69 episodes)
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG | UK:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The "lift voice" heard during the theme song played in each episode is that of Stephanie Gathercole who plays Mr. Rumbold's secretary in the earliest episodes. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The sex of Mrs. Slocombe's cat, Tiddles, frequently changes from him to her. more
Quotes:
Captain Peacock: [walks up to the manageress] Did you notice that I was clicking my fingers, clearing my throat and banging my spoon on the table?
Canteen Manageress: I did notice it, yeah.
Captain Peacock: And what message do those actions convey to you?
Canteen Manageress: Well, when my two-year-old does it, it usually means he needs to go to the potty.
Captain Peacock: Your truculent behavior has not gone unnoticed and will be reported!
Canteen Manageress: Good! That's what I hoped. Then perhaps the management will realise that sacking my waiting staff is more trouble than it's worth because I ain't serving.
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Comedy Connections: Just Good Friends (#5.7)" (2007) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful:-
A British Comedy Classic!, 9 January 2003
Author: mapleleaves from Atlanta, GA

This series ran from 1972 to 1985, but as British series typically only do six or seven episodes in a season, there are only sixty-nine episodes in all.

The series focuses on the relationship between the staff of the ladies' department and the gentlemen's department in a mid-priced department store in London. Also involved in the humor and bickering are the floorwalker, the department manager, and the owner of the store. There were several cast changes, but most of the crew stayed on through the entire run.

As Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock, the floorwalker) points out in interviews, this show is appealing because it's about shops. Everybody knows what goes on in a shop. We see the bickering for display space, the outrageous lies told to clinch a sale, and the petty squabbles as management institutes ridiculous rules.

The one flaw to the series is that continuity stank. The departments in question bounced from floor to floor over the years, not because they were moved, but because the writers forgot where they were supposed to be!

A blessing to fans of the series is the new DVD collection which includes 34 episodes from the first five seasons. There were four Christmas episodes that are rarely shown on television, and two are in the time frame of this set. Also included is "Top Hat and Tails," which had been "lost" for twenty-five years. Once you see it, you'll understand why someone "lost" it until just recently (there's a scene that was surely considered inappropriate at the time).

This series has its down moments, but every episode brings laughs and joy. The quick wit and hilarious physical comedy remain timeless, even as the clothes seem more dated and the political references get stale.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for "Are You Being Served?" (1972)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The Ladies Department?? Planet-38
Mr. Lucas is not attractive holdencopywriting
The way they addressed each other richardmorran
Favourite Episode? jransford1984
Trevor Bannister on LOTSW Tyler94
Fire Practise and Fifty Years On johnl244
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