Citizen James
Encyclopedia
Citizen James was a BBC
sitcom that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 1962. The show featured comedian and actor Sid James
(best remembered for his roles in the Carry On films), Bill Kerr
, Liz Fraser
and Sydney Tafler
. It was written by the comedy
writing team of Galton and Simpson
, who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in Hancock's Half Hour
.
The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in Soho
, and centred around Sid's get-rich-quick scheme
s. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local bookmaker
Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.
Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.
Later episodes were written by then Morecambe & Wise writers Sid Green and Dick Hills.
Despite not being written by Galton and Simpson, the sets and familiar supporting cast gave these last two series a recognizable Hancock
feeling to the proceedings.
Series 1
E01 - The Race
Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
E02 - The Elixir
Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James' Magical Elixir.
E03 - The Money
Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert
E04 - The Rivals
Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds
E05 - The Raffle
Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts
E06 - The Brand Image
Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand
Series Two
E11 - Elope
Sid and Charlie rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
Series Three
E10 - The Watchdog
Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 1962. The show featured comedian and actor Sid James
Sid James
Sid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona...
(best remembered for his roles in the Carry On films), Bill Kerr
Bill Kerr
William 'Bill' Kerr is an Australian film and television actor. He was born into a performing arts family in Cape Town, South Africa, but grew up in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia....
, Liz Fraser
Liz Fraser
Liz Fraser is an English actress, mainly in comedy roles.- Life and career :Her birthdate is usually attributed as 1933, the year she gave when auditioning for her role in I'm All Right Jack, as the Boulting Brothers wanted someone younger for the part...
and Sydney Tafler
Sydney Tafler
Sydney Tafler , was a British film and television actor, first appearing in London's West End in 1936, after two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, with Sir Seymour Hicks in The Man in Dress Clothes....
. It was written by the comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
writing team of Galton and Simpson
Galton and Simpson
Ray Galton OBE , and Alan Simpson OBE , are British scriptwriters who met in 1948 at a tuberculosis sanatorium, the Surrey county sanatorium near Godalming, on which the sitcom Get Well Soon was based...
, who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in Hancock's Half Hour
Hancock's Half Hour
Hancock's Half Hour was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy, series of the 1950s and 60s written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James; the radio version also co-starred, at various times, Moira Lister, Andrée Melly, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr...
.
The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, and centred around Sid's get-rich-quick scheme
Get-rich-quick scheme
A get-rich-quick scheme is a plan to acquire high rates of return for a small investment. The term "get rich quick" has been used to describe shady investments since at least the early 1900s....
s. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.
Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.
Later episodes were written by then Morecambe & Wise writers Sid Green and Dick Hills.
Despite not being written by Galton and Simpson, the sets and familiar supporting cast gave these last two series a recognizable Hancock
Hancock's Half Hour
Hancock's Half Hour was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy, series of the 1950s and 60s written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James; the radio version also co-starred, at various times, Moira Lister, Andrée Melly, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr...
feeling to the proceedings.
Episodes
Like many BBC series of this time episodes were not retained past their sell-by date for overseas markets. Only eight episodes from the three series are known to still be in existence.Series 1
E01 - The Race
Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
E02 - The Elixir
Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James' Magical Elixir.
E03 - The Money
Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert
E04 - The Rivals
Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds
E05 - The Raffle
Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts
E06 - The Brand Image
Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand
Series Two
E11 - Elope
Sid and Charlie rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
Series Three
E10 - The Watchdog
Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands.
External links
Comedy Guide- Citizen James at British TV Resources
- Citizen James at lostshows.com