Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em 

Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby.

Stars:

Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte

5 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Michael Crawford	...	Frank Spencer 23 episodes, 1973-2016
Michele Dotrice	...	Betty Spencer 23 episodes, 1973-2016

Storyline

Frank Spencer is more than just a complete klutz. Everything he touches falls apart, and he can't keep a job for more than a day. The only thing that keeps him going is his long-suffering wife Betty, who somehow manages to cope with his disaster-prone life-style.

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Plot Keywords:

job | husband wife relationship | clumsiness | sitcom | pregnancy | 

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Taglines:

Before Mr. Bean there was Frank Spencer, the original Master of Disaster.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 February 1973 (UK)

Also Known As:

Anyám büszke lehet

Filming Locations:

Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min (22 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Crawford was the third choice for the role of Frank Spencer. The part had been created for Norman Wisdom (based on the physical clowning, pratfalls and ineptitude of his "Gump" character), but he Had to turn it down due to other commitments . Ronnie Barker also turned it down. Dudley Moore was also considered for the role.

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Goofs

Australia House (Series 3). When the phone rings asking Frank to go and have a look at the electrics in a house, the address he is given over the phone to him which is written down by Betty is "26 Upton down". However when Frank arrives the number on the door is 24.

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Connections

Referenced in Cool It: Episode #2.2 (1986)

User Reviews

Quirky Michael Crawford

Michael Crawford was a quirky boy actor in 50s films and as a young adult in 60s films where he usually played the odd man out, out of sync with swinging London. His offbeat charm was a success in big films like HELLO HOLLY, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, THE KNACK, and TWO LEFT FEET.

When he came to British TV in his early 30s, he brought his original style along with him to fashion the hapless Frank Spencer, the disaster-prone but lovable TV character. Crawford seems to have harvested all sort of old Music Hall bits and pieces in creating the slightly spastic, prissy Frank whose constant tinkering and butting in wreaks all kinds of havoc. The slapstick comedy recalls the time-honored work of Buster Keaton (a co-star in FORUM).

Seemingly adrift in his own catastrophic universe, his only real connections with the real world are his wife Betty (Michele Dotrice) and baby daughter Jessica. Otherwise, Frank lives in a constant state of harassment from co-workers in the endless parade of failed jobs, nasty neighbors, a mother in law, and even the local priest.

Yet Crawford makes Frank a character you root for even as you laugh at his silliness and foresee his failures. On top of this, Crawford proves to be a splendid slapstick comedian, doing all his own stunt work (as he did in his films) that involves all sorts of situations.

Familiar faces among the guest stars over the course of the series include Jane Hylton as the mother in law, Bryan Pringle, George Baker, James Cossins, Christopher Timothy, Peter Jeffrey, Cyril Luckham, Bernard Hepton, Deddie Davies, Desmond Llewelyn, Sydney Tafler, Hazel Bainbridge, Glynn Edwards, Roland Curram, Derek Farr, Diana King, and Dick Bentley as Grandad.