Please Sir!
Encyclopedia
Please Sir! was a London Weekend Television
produced situation comedy
, created by writers John Esmonde
and Bob Larbey
and featured the actors John Alderton
, Deryck Guyler
, Joan Sanderson
, Noel Howlett
, Erik Chitty
and Richard Davies
. The series ran for 55 episodes between 1968 and 1972.
The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street school, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by David Barry
(as Frankie Abbott), Peter Cleall
(as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer
(as Dennis Dunstable), Liz Gebhardt
(as Maureen Bullock), Malcolm McFee
(as Peter Craven; played by Leon Vitali
in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day"), and Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Carol Hawkins in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day" and in the movie). Bernard Hedges and the 5C pupils were replaced by a new teacher and pupils for the final series in 1971–72. Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Mollie Sugden
as a parent of a 5C student, Barbara Mitchell
as Frankie Abbott's mother, Ann Lancaster
as Mrs Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.
A spin-off series, The Fenn Street Gang
, followed the adventures of the former 5C members (see above) in the adult world after leaving their school days behind them; for this series Carol Hawkins
took the Sharon Eversleigh role and Leon Vitali
took the role of Peter Craven, replacing Malcolm McFee for half of the first series episodes with McFee returning for the remaining series. It ran for 47 episodes between 1971 and 1973. Bowler (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off – following The Fenn Street Gang crime boss Stanley Bowler, played by George Baker
; there were 13 episodes.
Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version
was released in 1971. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre, but starred most of the TV cast.
(In Australia, Series One and Two are available as one set of DVDs, Series Three (along with the 1971 Please Sir movie) as another).
Note: The first series was in an experimental 40-minute format (to fit in a 45-minute slot). The remaining episodes were in the traditional 25-minute format (to fit in a 30-minute slot)
The transmission dates and times reflect the listings for the London ITV region. Listings for the alternative ITV regions are not indicated.
TV system.
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
produced situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, created by writers John Esmonde
Esmonde and Larbey
John Gilbert Esmonde and Bob Larbey were a British television comedy scriptwriting duo from the 1960s to the 1990s, creating popular situation comedies such as Please Sir! and The Good Life.-Larbey's life:Larbey was born in Clapham, South London in 1934 and made his writing debut for...
and Bob Larbey
Esmonde and Larbey
John Gilbert Esmonde and Bob Larbey were a British television comedy scriptwriting duo from the 1960s to the 1990s, creating popular situation comedies such as Please Sir! and The Good Life.-Larbey's life:Larbey was born in Clapham, South London in 1934 and made his writing debut for...
and featured the actors John Alderton
John Alderton
John Alderton is an English actor who is best known for his roles in Upstairs, Downstairs, Thomas & Sarah and Please Sir!. Alderton has often starred alongside his wife, Pauline Collins.-Early life:...
, Deryck Guyler
Deryck Guyler
Deryck Guyler was an English actor, best known for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as Please Sir! and Sykes.-Early life:...
, Joan Sanderson
Joan Sanderson
Joan Sanderson was an English television and stage actress. During a long career she invariably played dragonish dowagers, stuck-up spinsters and suburban matrons.-Theatre:...
, Noel Howlett
Noel Howlett
Noel Howlett was an English actor, principally remembered as the incompetent headmaster, Morris Cromwell, in the ITV 1970s cult television programme Please Sir!...
, Erik Chitty
Erik Chitty
Erik Chitty , was an English film and television actor.-Early life:Chitty was the son of a flour miller. He attended Dover College and Jesus College, Cambridge where he was one of the founders of the Cambridge University Mummers, before training at RADA and becoming a professional actor...
and Richard Davies
Richard Davies (actor)
Richard Davies is a Welsh actor, from Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales whose film and TV work covers many years but is probably best known for his performance as the exasperated schoolmaster Mr Price in the LWT popular situation comedy Please Sir!.Davies uses a broad Welsh accent for much of his...
. The series ran for 55 episodes between 1968 and 1972.
The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street school, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by David Barry
David Barry
David Barry is a Welsh actor. He is best known for his role as Frankie Abott, , in the LWT sitcom Please Sir! and the spin-off series The Fenn Street Gang,...
(as Frankie Abbott), Peter Cleall
Peter Cleall
Peter Cleall is an actors' agent and former actor who is probably best known for his performance as Eric Duffy in the London Weekend Television comedy series Please Sir! which ran from 1968 to 1972....
(as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer
Peter Denyer
Peter John Denyer was an English actor who was perhaps best remembered for playing Dennis Dunstable in London Weekend Television's Please Sir!, and its spin off series The Fenn Street Gang, taking on the role of a teenager when already into his 20s.Another semi-regular role, again for LWT, was as...
(as Dennis Dunstable), Liz Gebhardt
Liz Gebhardt
Liz Gebhardt was an English actress, best known for playing the part of form 5C student Maureen Bullock in the LWT sitcom Please Sir! and in the subsequent spin-off show, The Fenn Street Gang ....
(as Maureen Bullock), Malcolm McFee
Malcolm McFee
Malcolm McFee was an English actor best known for his role as Peter Craven in the TV series Please Sir!, the film of the same name, and the spin-off TV series The Fenn Street Gang.-Career:Malcolm McFee made his first appearance on television in 1967...
(as Peter Craven; played by Leon Vitali
Leon Vitali
Leon Vitali is an English actor, best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, most notably as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon.- Biography :...
in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day"), and Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Carol Hawkins in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day" and in the movie). Bernard Hedges and the 5C pupils were replaced by a new teacher and pupils for the final series in 1971–72. Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Mollie Sugden
Mollie Sugden
Isobel Mary 'Mollie' Sugden was an English comedy actress best known for portraying the saleswoman Mrs. Slocombe in the British sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985. She later reprised this role in Grace & Favour, which ran from 1992 to 1993...
as a parent of a 5C student, Barbara Mitchell
Barbara Mitchell
Barbara Mitchell was an English actress who became a familiar face on British television in the 1960s and 1970s, best known for her work in many classic sitcoms of the period.- Career :...
as Frankie Abbott's mother, Ann Lancaster
Ann Lancaster
Ann Lancaster was a well-known character actress who appeared in many British films, television shows and in the theatre. She specialised in comic roles. She had a talent for voices and often used this on radio to portray children. She also used her talent to do voiceovers on television...
as Mrs Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.
A spin-off series, The Fenn Street Gang
The Fenn Street Gang
The Fenn Street Gang is a British television sitcom which ran for three seasons between 1971 and 1973. The series was created by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, it was spun-off from their Please Sir! series, and followed the lives of many of the pupils from Fenn Street School as they entered the...
, followed the adventures of the former 5C members (see above) in the adult world after leaving their school days behind them; for this series Carol Hawkins
Carol Hawkins
Carol Hawkins is an English actress.Carol trained at the Corona Stage School. London stage shows have included, Sextet, Run for Your Wife, See How They Run, Wife Begins at Forty, The Undertaking also including tours such as Time and Time Again, Bedroom Farce, Wait Until Dark, Dirty Linen...
took the Sharon Eversleigh role and Leon Vitali
Leon Vitali
Leon Vitali is an English actor, best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, most notably as Lord Bullingdon in Barry Lyndon.- Biography :...
took the role of Peter Craven, replacing Malcolm McFee for half of the first series episodes with McFee returning for the remaining series. It ran for 47 episodes between 1971 and 1973. Bowler (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off – following The Fenn Street Gang crime boss Stanley Bowler, played by George Baker
George Baker (actor)
George Baker, MBE was an English actor and writer. He was best-known for portraying Tiberius in I, Claudius, and Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries.-Personal life:...
; there were 13 episodes.
Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version
Please Sir! (film)
Please Sir! is a 1971 British comedy film starring John Alderton, spun off from the television series Please Sir!.-Cast:* John Alderton as Bernard Hedges* Deryck Guyler as Norman Potter* Noel Howlett as Maurice Cromwell...
was released in 1971. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre, but starred most of the TV cast.
Episodes
NOTE: All of these episode descriptions have been taken from the DVD sleeves of the Please Sir DVDs, released by NetworkNetwork DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
(In Australia, Series One and Two are available as one set of DVDs, Series Three (along with the 1971 Please Sir movie) as another).
Note: The first series was in an experimental 40-minute format (to fit in a 45-minute slot). The remaining episodes were in the traditional 25-minute format (to fit in a 30-minute slot)
The transmission dates and times reflect the listings for the London ITV region. Listings for the alternative ITV regions are not indicated.
Series One
This series was recorded and transmitted in black and white on the VHF 405-line405-line
The 405-line monochrome analogue television broadcasting system was the first fully electronic television system to be used in regular broadcasting....
TV system.
| # | Episode | monochrome Monochrome Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white... , as ITV began colour transmission on Saturday 15 November 1969. All were shown in colour in a repeat run, seen in some ITV regions in early 1970.
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