"To the Manor Born" (1979) TV series 1979-1981

Creator:

Peter Spence

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

25 March 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Audrey fforbes-Hamilton is sad when her husband dies but is shocked when she realises that she has to...

Plot Keywords:

Manor | Butler | Supermarket | Lodge | Mother

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Penelope Keith	...	Audrey fforbes-Hamilton / ... (22 episodes, 1979-2007)
Peter Bowles	...	Richard DeVere (22 episodes, 1979-2007)
Angela Thorne	...	Marjory Frobisher (22 episodes, 1979-2007)
Daphne Heard	...	Mrs. Polouvicka (17 episodes, 1979-1981)
John Rudling	...	Brabinger (16 episodes, 1979-1981)
Gerald Sim	...	The Rector (15 episodes, 1979-2007)
Michael Bilton	...	Ned (14 episodes, 1979-1981)

Runtime:

USA:30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Singapore:PG | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Cricket St. Thomas Estate, Nr. Chard, Somerset, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The final episode held the record until 1996 for the biggest-ever audience for a single programme on British TV, with an audience of over 27 million viewers. The record was broken 15 years later by the series "Only Fools and Horses" (1981) with 27.6 million viewers.

Quotes:

The Rector: For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly thankful.
[Marjory stifles a laugh]
Audrey fforbes-Hamilton: Marjory?
Marjory Frobisher: Sorry! Um, got a bone in my throat.
Audrey fforbes-Hamilton: Do watch out for bones everybody. You can't be too careful with avocados.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Comedy Christmas (2007) (TV)

Aristocrats in the poor house

This likable series followed hot on the heels of Penelope Keith's success in 'The Good Life'. In 'The Good Life', Penelope played the thoroughly snobbish Margot Ledbetter and it is possible to see that 'To the Manor Born' was a somewhat carry on from that. In this series, made for the BBC from 1979 to 1981, Penelope plays Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton, a member of aristocracy, (and boy, doesn't she know it) and one of the 'old girls' with the very proper up-bringing. When her husband dies, Audrey discovers she is in serious debt and must sell the house, Grantley Manor. The Estate is bought by Mr Richard DeVere, a Czechoslovak immigrant who has established a very successful chain of supermarkets called 'Cavendish Foods'. Audrey moves into the Gate-Keepers lodge and continues to live the aristocratic life. The show is a gentle dig at English aristocratic life and those who are members of it and those who are trying to. The show is also dominated by the 'will-they-or-won't-they' relationship between Audrey and Richard (played by Peter Bowles). One of the many likeable British comedy series.