"Richard Briers Richard David Briers, (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor. His fifty-year career encompassed television, stage, film and radio. Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ""Marriage Lines"" (1961–66), but it was a decade later, when he narrated ""Roobarb"" and ""Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk"" (1974–76) and when he played Tom Good in the BBC sitcom ""The Good Life"" (1975–78), that he became a household name. Later, he starred as Martin in ""Ever Decreasing Circles"" (1984–89), and he had a leading role as Hector in ""Monarch of the Glen"" (2000–05). From the"
"1959–61; NBC, 1961–64), but only used it for the first four episodes of the series (see its controversy below). Hanna-Barbera followed suit and utilized a full laugh track for its prime-time shows up to 1970, including ""The Flintstones"" (ABC, 1960–66), ""Top Cat"" (ABC, 1961–62), and ""The Jetsons"" (ABC, 1962–63). Hanna-Barbera's mid-summer sitcom, ""Where's Huddles?"" (CBS, 1970), also used a laugh track. Midday programming, like ""The Banana Splits Adventure Hour"" (NBC, 1968–70), gradually followed suit. From 1968 to 1983, most comedic cartoons produced for the Saturday morning genre were fitted with a laugh track, beginning with Filmation's ""The Archie Show"" in"
"was canceled after three months. The Pruitts of Southampton The Pruitts of Southampton is a situation comedy that aired during the 1966-67 season on the ABC network. The show was based on the novel ""House Party"" (1954) by Patrick Dennis. It was ABC's attempt to turn female stand-up comic Phyllis Diller into a sitcom comedian very much in the style of Lucille Ball. The program starred Diller as Phyllis Pruitt, and featured Gypsy Rose Lee and Richard Deacon in supporting roles with Diller feeling the series was an inverted version of ""The Beverly Hillbillies"". The show's producers originally sought comic"
"Ever Decreasing Circles Ever Decreasing Circles is a British television sitcom which ran on BBC One for four series from 1984 to 1989. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with Richard Briers, the star of their previous hit show, ""The Good Life"". It was much less brash than most situation comedies, and was more like a comedy-drama in places. This move into darker areas of comedy was continued with Briers's later series ""If You See God, Tell Him"". Briers plays Martin Bryce, an obsessive, middle-aged man at the centre of his local suburban"
"The Pruitts of Southampton The Pruitts of Southampton is a situation comedy that aired during the 1966-67 season on the ABC network. The show was based on the novel ""House Party"" (1954) by Patrick Dennis. It was ABC's attempt to turn female stand-up comic Phyllis Diller into a sitcom comedian very much in the style of Lucille Ball. The program starred Diller as Phyllis Pruitt, and featured Gypsy Rose Lee and Richard Deacon in supporting roles with Diller feeling the series was an inverted version of ""The Beverly Hillbillies"". The show's producers originally sought comic actress Beatrice Lillie in the"
"Perfect Scoundrels Perfect Scoundrels is an early-1990s British television comedy-drama following two con-men's travels while conning various people. Produced by TVS Television for the ITV network, it ran for three series between 22 April 1990 and 30 May 1992. The show's main stars were Peter Bowles and Bryan Murray, as well as a cameo appearance from pop singer Lulu. The series was repeated on The Family Channel but has never been commercially released on DVD. This is possibly due to ongoing rights issues after the production company, TVS, dropped out of the ITV network in 1992 and subsequently went through"
"Crane (TV series) Crane is a British black and white adventure series that aired on ITV from 1963 to 1965. It was shown on Monday nights at 8 PM. The series was based around Richard Crane (Patrick Allen) who was a successful city businessman who was tired of the big city rat race. He took his money and retired to the sun drenched shores of Morocco, near Casablanca, investing his money in a beach side café and boat. Having let it be known that his services were available for import and export assignments, he soon found himself involved in minor"
"The Richard Boone Show The Richard Boone Show is an anthology television series. It aired on NBC during the 1963-64 season. Richard Boone hosted the series and starred in about half of the episodes, garnering an Emmy nomination for himself and a Golden Globe award for the show. His repertory company of 15 actors included up-and-comers such as Guy Stockwell and Robert Blake as well as such established performers as Bethel Leslie (who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the series), Warren Stevens and Harry Morgan. They rotated parts freely; each appeared in most episodes, and"
"who had seen him in the West End. His other early appearances included ""The Seven Faces of Jim"" (1961) with Jimmy Edwards, ""Dixon of Dock Green"" (1962), a production of Noël Coward's ""Hay Fever"" (1968) and the storyteller in several episodes of ""Jackanory"" (1969). In 1970, he starred in the Ben Travers Farce ""Rookery Nook"", shown on the BBC. In the 1980s he played several Shakespearean roles, including ""Twelfth Night"". Briers was featured twice on the Thames Television show ""This Is Your Life"" in May 1972 and March 1994. In a role specifically written for him by John Esmonde and"
"in March 2013. Prospects (TV series) Prospects is a British television comedy drama series that was written by Alan Janes and originally shown on Channel 4 in 1986. Created by Euston Films who had a pedigree of producing successful, gritty drama such as ""The Sweeney"" and ""Minder"", it followed the exploits of two East End 'geezer' characters - Jimmy 'Pincy' Pince played by Gary Olsen and Billy 'Bill' Pearson played by Brian Bovell and their trials and tribulations of making a living in London's Isle of Dogs. Comprising 12 episodes ""Prospects"" - with a comic slant, dealt with many of"
"Comedy Crackers Comedy Crackers is a Canadian comedy television series which aired on CBC Television in 1970. This series was a follow-up to 1969's ""Comedy Cafe"" which was a local series that was brought to the national CBC network to fill in for the early cancellation ""Barris and Company"". This new series followed a similar format as ""Comedy Cafe"" with its sketches whose themes often reflected the Canadian cultural divide between English and French. The same cast also returned, namely Barrie Baldaro, Dave Broadfoot, George Carron, Joan Stuart and Ted Zeigler. They were joined by the Harry Marks Orchestra and"
"Down to Earth (1995 TV series) Down to Earth is a British television situation comedy, aired in 1995 on BBC One. It was devised by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and starred Richard Briers, who also featured in Esmonde and Larbey's earlier series ""The Good Life"" (1975-1978) and ""Ever Decreasing Circles"" (1984-1989). One series consisting of seven episodes was produced. Richard Briers played Tony Fairfax, who upon graduating from Oxford University had been appointed as a ""cultural advisor"" in a South American banana republic (as a university friend was its president) and was used to a life of luxury, only"
"by George Frideric Handel. In 2012 he featured in the comedy-horror film Cockneys vs Zombies. In 2013, he did voice work for an episode of the motoring programme Top Gear, which aired one week after his death. Briers met Ann Davies while both were at Liverpool Rep. Davies was employed as a stage manager, and had acted on television and in films from the mid-1950s. Soon after meeting, he borrowed £5 from his mother, bought an engagement ring and they were married within six months. They had two daughters, one of whom, Lucy, is also an actress; Kate (or Katie)"
"Man' Briers made his film debut in 1960 British feature film ""Bottoms Up"". He then took parts in ""Murder She Said"" (1961), ""The Girl on the Boat"" (1962), ""A Matter of WHO"" (1962), ""The V.I.P.s"" (1963); and Raquel Welch's spy spoof ""Fathom"" (1967). He latterly appeared in Michael Winner's ""A Chorus of Disapproval"" (1988) and the 2002 film ""Unconditional Love"" as well as the 1998 Kenneth Branagh adaptation of ""Much ado about Nothing"" where he played the role of ""Leonato"". His last film was ""Cockneys vs Zombies"" (2012). He was a familiar voice actor. Briers narrated the animated children's TV"
"Waring wrote five of the thirteen episodes. The series also spawned a spin-off ""Mr Justice Duncannon"", also written by Cecil. There were also two radio adaptations, one in 1955 starring Donald Sinden, and in 1970 in which Briers reprised the role. The latter radio series by the BBC ran for thirty nine episodes in three series. They were adaptations by Richard Waring of the TV series. The cast included John Glyn-Jones (Grimes, Roger's pupil master) with Julia Lockwood (Sally) and Bridget Armstrong (Joy) as the women in Roger's life. Brothers in Law (novel) Brothers in Law is a 1955 comic"
"to be exiled back to Britain when the regime was overthrown at the start of the series. He moves in with his brother Chris (Christopher Blake), who finds him work at his landscape gardening business with limited success. Down to Earth (1995 TV series) Down to Earth is a British television situation comedy, aired in 1995 on BBC One. It was devised by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and starred Richard Briers, who also featured in Esmonde and Larbey's earlier series ""The Good Life"" (1975-1978) and ""Ever Decreasing Circles"" (1984-1989). One series consisting of seven episodes was produced. Richard Briers"
"""Brimstone Butterfly"" (aired 12 Jan. 1966). British TV show starring John Le Mesurier.<br> 3. ""The Image"" (aired 19 Jan. 1966).<br> 4. ""Valentina"" (aired 26 Jan. 1966). Previously aired in the UK.<br> 5. ""Uncle Selwyn"" (aired 2 Feb. 1966). Previously aired in the UK.<br> 6. ""Finger on the Balance"" (aired 9 Feb. 1966). By Patrick Simpson<br> 7. ""No Trams to Lime Street"" (aired 16 Feb. 1966). By Alun Owen<br> 8. ""Acquit or Hang?"" (aired 23 Feb. 1966). British TV play, story of the Mutiny on the Bounty.<br> 9. ""The Gypsy Baron"" (aired 2 March 1966). Operetta by Johann Strauss<br> 10. ""Return"
"to ""The Addams Family"", composed the musical theme for Diller's show as well. According to ""Television"" magazine, ""The Pruitts of Southampton"" finished 77th among the 91 shows rated during the 1966-1967 season. It began the season airing on Tuesdays, opposite ""The Red Skelton Hour"" on CBS, which finished second in the ratings. For the first half of the season, ""The Pruitts of Southampton"" followed ABC's unsuccessful ""The Rounders"" starring Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills, loosely based on a 1965 film of the same name. On January 13, 1967, with the episode ""Little Miss Fixit"", the program changed its"
"Ripcord (TV series) Ripcord is an American syndicated television series that ran for a total of 76 episodes from 1961 to 1963 about the exploits of a skydiving operation of its namesake. The premise was a variety of adventures surrounding the then-new, thrilling sport of skydiving. The two men and their private Cessna airplane were placed in unusual situations where their special skills and abilities were needed. This led them on exciting weekly adventures from chasing dangerous criminals to performing difficult and daring, if occasionally absurd, rescues. This series starred Larry Pennell as the handsome, headstrong, youthful, colorful, audacious, intrepid"
"The Tammy Grimes Show The Tammy Grimes Show is an American sitcom starring Broadway actress Tammy Grimes that aired during the 1966–67 season on the ABC network. ""The Tammy Grimes Show"" was one of the few prime time series of the era canceled after only four episodes. Grimes portrayed the role of Tammy Ward, a spendthrift heiress under the financial thumb of her uncle Simon (Hiram Sherman). The series also stars Dick Sargent (billed as Richard) as Tammy's uptight twin brother Terrance with whom she works at their Uncle Simon's bank. Maudie Prickett appeared as Tammy's nosy housekeeper. Upon its"
"engaged to play minor male roles, replacing Clarence Wright from the first series. The main announcer throughout the programme's run was David Dunhill, known as ""Dunners"", although other staff announcers took his place on occasion, famously including Brian Matthew, later to become a mainstay of Light Programme and Radio 2 music programmes. In 1953 Joy Nichols married an American, and settled in New York City in the hope of becoming a success in Broadway theatre. Because she had been engaged both as singer and actress, she was replaced by Alma Cogan the singer, and June Whitfield the actress (Prunella Scales"
"a number of take-overs. This problem affects the majority of the TVS programme archive as much of the original production paperwork and sales documentation has been lost during the intervening years. Perfect Scoundrels Perfect Scoundrels is an early-1990s British television comedy-drama following two con-men's travels while conning various people. Produced by TVS Television for the ITV network, it ran for three series between 22 April 1990 and 30 May 1992. The show's main stars were Peter Bowles and Bryan Murray, as well as a cameo appearance from pop singer Lulu. The series was repeated on The Family Channel but has"
"was rebooted for television with Jack Scalia reprising his role as Bonetti; only this time, the show was filmed and aired in Italy. Bonetti goes to Rome to team up with a new ""Tequila"", a cross between a Saint Bernard and a golden retriever, and the policewoman Fabiana Sasso (Alessia Marcuzzi). Again, only the audience can hear the dog's thoughts, but this time Bonetti is the one with strange American habits, as seen by his new Italian friends. Tequila and Bonetti Tequila and Bonetti is an American comedy-drama crime series starring Jack Scalia. The series originally aired on CBS from"
"1969 to 1973, by the actor Derek Fowlds (known as ""Mr Derek""); then until 1976 by actor and singer Roy North (""Mr Roy""); then by ""Mr Howard"" Howard Williams, who was in the original ""Three Scampies""; and finally by ""Mr Billy"" (Billy Boyle). By the mid-1970s the show was aimed at a family audience, so was usually broadcast on BBC1 in an early evening timeslot on Saturdays (although in the early days it had aired during children's programmes on Thursdays, before the evening news at 5:45 pm), typically running for 13 weeks in each series. The show was recorded in"
"Prospects (TV series) Prospects is a British television comedy drama series that was written by Alan Janes and originally shown on Channel 4 in 1986. Created by Euston Films who had a pedigree of producing successful, gritty drama such as ""The Sweeney"" and ""Minder"", it followed the exploits of two East End 'geezer' characters - Jimmy 'Pincy' Pince played by Gary Olsen and Billy 'Bill' Pearson played by Brian Bovell and their trials and tribulations of making a living in London's Isle of Dogs. Comprising 12 episodes ""Prospects"" - with a comic slant, dealt with many of the major issues"
"Granada TV and the series proved to be very popular and often drew a weekly audience of over 22 million viewers, sometimes knocking ""Coronation Street"" off the top spot. It was also loved by audiences in Scandinavia, and the cast were treated like superstars when they visited. Another lead role was Bonehead in the comical children's black and white BBC TV series ""Bonehead"" which lasted two seasons between 1960-1962. It was about three hopeless crooks, Paul Whitsun-Jones as Boss, Douglas Blackwell as Happy and Colin Douglas as Bonehead. Boss would devise a criminal scheme and along with the eternally miserable"
"The Islanders (TV series) The Islanders is an American adventure television series which aired on ABC from 1960 to 1961, starring William Reynolds, James Philbrook, and Diane Brewster. At the beginning of the series, Sandy Wade (Reynolds) and Zack Malloy (Philbrook), co-owners of a Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft, start their one-plane airline in the Moluccas or Spice Islands of the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Throughout the series they experience a variety of adventures where seemingly harmless charter flights put them into danger. They are frequently aided in their endeavours by the unusually-named Wilhelmina ”Steamboat Willy” Vanderveer (Brewster) and Shipwreck Callighan (Roy"
"In the 1960s Oppenheimer created and produced three short-lived sitcoms: ""Angel"" (1960–61), starring Annie Fargé and Marshall Thompson, ""Glynis"" (1963–64), starring Glynis Johns, and ""The Debbie Reynolds Show"" (1969–70). His other TV credits included writing ""The United States Steel Hour"", producing ""Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre"", and writing, producing, and directing a portion of the 1967-68 season of ""Get Smart"", starring Don Adams. Oppenheimer received two Emmy Awards and five Emmy nominations, a Sylvania Award, and the Writers' Guild of America's Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Achievement. Oppenheimer was also an inventor, holding 18 patents covering a variety"
"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was an American comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969. The series was a major success, especially considering it was scheduled against the major NBC television series ""Bonanza"", with content that appealed to contemporary youth viewership with daring political satire humor and major music acts such as Buffalo Springfield, Pete Seeger, Cream, and The Who. Despite this success, continual conflicts with network executives over content led to the show being abruptly pulled from the schedule in violation"
"October 1963. This real-life drama inspired Anderson to create a new programme format about a rescue organisation, which eventually became his most famous and popular series, ""Thunderbirds"" (1964–1966). The dramatic title was inspired by the letter Anderson's older brother Lionel had written to his family during World War II. Grade was very enthusiastic about the concept and agreed to back a series of 25-minute episodes (the same length as ""Stingray""), so the Andersons scripted a pilot episode, ""Trapped in the Sky"", and began production. Gerry initially wanted actress Fenella Fielding to perform the voice of Lady Penelope, but Sylvia convinced"
"After Henry (TV series) After Henry is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1988 to 1992. Starring Prunella Scales and Joan Sanderson, it had started on BBC Radio 4 in 1985, finishing in 1989. It was written by Simon Brett. ""After Henry"" was made for the ITV network by Thames Television. The BBC was reluctant to produce ""After Henry"" for television, so in 1988 after the third radio series Thames Television did so. The show was surprisingly popular, attracting over 14 million viewers. A second television series was shown during the same months as the fourth radio series"
"Douglass for their Saturday-morning content. Hanna-Barbera (HB) was the first cartoon production studio to cease using Douglass's services. They first used the laugh track for their prime-time shows, such as ""The Flintstones"", ""Top Cat"", and ""The Jetsons"". They then expanded using the laugh track into their daytime fare, starting with ""The Banana Splits"" in 1968, which emulated Filmation's ""The Archies"". Successful series prior to 1971, like ""Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!"", ""Harlem Globetrotters"" and ""Josie and the Pussycats"" employed a full laugh track. This changed at the start of the 1971–72 season, when Hanna-Barbera employed their limited laugh track using the"
"The New Three Stooges The New Three Stooges is an American animated television series that ran from 1965 to 1966 starring the Three Stooges. The show follows the trio's antics both in live-action and animated segments. The cast consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe ""Curly Joe"" DeRita, with actor and close friend Emil Sitka co-starring, as well as Margaret Kerry. 41 live action sequences were executively produced by cartoonist Norman Maurer, Moe's son-in-law, who was their film agent at this time. Edward Bernds, who had directed the team at Columbia Pictures from 1945 to 1952 during most of"