The Likely Lads (1976)

Director:

Michael Tuchner

Writers:

Dick Clement (concept)
Ian La Frenais (concept)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Emotion blazes across the big screen as Bob and Terry knock down the frontiers of human knowledge and Newcastle ale.

Plot Keywords:

Based On TV Series | Sequel | Independent Film

Cast

Rodney Bewes	...	Bob Ferris
James Bolam	...	Terry Collier
Brigit Forsyth	...	Thelma Ferris
Mary Tamm	...	Christina
Sheila Fearn	...	Audrey Collier
Zena Walker	...	Laura
Anulka Dziubinska	...	Dawn (as Anulka Dubinska)
Alun Armstrong	...	Milkman
Judy Buxton	...	Iris
Vicki Michelle	...	Glenys
Penny Irving	...	Sandy
Michelle Newell	...	Alice
Susan Tracy	...	Edith
Gordon Griffin	...	Cyril
Edward Wilson	...	Les

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film and TV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Anglo-EMI Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

Alun Armstrong(milkman) would later star with James Bolam in New Tricks in the early 21st Century.

Quotes:

Christina: You are so tired, I put you up.
Bob: You've put up with me long enough.
Christina: I not mean with, I up-put you.

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?" (1973)

30 years have passed and no sequel - Unbelievable !

These two actors were so good together and the script equally top notch - why oh why in these days of poor sequels and the flogging to death of anything half-decent must we be deprived of this fantastic idea / partnership. The main players are still alive - so too the writers - what is the problem BBC ?? If it is still Bewes & Bolam's dislike of each other that is simply not an excuse - many actors have turned out memorable roles opposite people they detested. Common sense and professionalism should enter the scenario here as future generations will not thank us for allowing this wonderful pairing to die off - DO IT NOW. You did it with 'Only Fools....' Whether they like it or not these two characters/actors are a NATIONAL INSTITUTION and they achieved legendary status in their own lifetimes - something very rare indeed - this should simply NOT BE ALLOWED to wither on the vine. If you are reading this Messrs. Bolam and Bewes...please bury the hatchet (if that is indeed the problem). Even if only for the sake of posterity...Delboy has gone, so too Victor Meldrew.....Blair's Britain must have something to look forward to.....your nation expects.

Must more licence-payers money be thrown at a seamless line of Antique / Boot Sale / Move to the country / Flog it / DIY / Cookery programmes? To say nothing of those awfully bad sensationalist fly-on-the-wall 'Reality' programmes which only serve to provide a stage for and inevitably generate yet more moronic and talentless 'wannabes'.

I recently met up with an old work colleague after 30 years and it's been great - please let Bob Ferris and Terry Collier do the same.

As both would now be heading down the retirement road, a nice twist would be Terry having finally turned out to be the more successful of the two whilst Bob (& Thelma's) fortunes have stagnated on the Elm Lodge Housing Estate courtesy of occupational pensions that didn't live up to their expectations.

They could meet at an airport ......having recently sold his string of Costa Del Sol bars, a flush, sun-tanned Terry returns and literally bumps into Bob re-stocking vending machines in the airport lounge "I do this part-time purely to keep active, you understand, kidder" Come on..MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR A NATION CRYING OUT FOR A DECENT SIT-COM....I've started it off, all you've got to do is carry it on.