Three Up, Two Down
Encyclopedia
Three Up, Two Down is a British
sitcom
starring Michael Elphick
and Angela Thorne
that ran from 1985 to 1989. It was written by Richard Ommanney
.
and the only solution is to share. Sam is a Cockney
, while Daphne is Cheltenham
-bred and has not forgiven her daughter for marrying Nick, a 'common' photographer. Both Sam and Daphne are widowed, and stubborn. The situation is further exacerbated, from Series Two onwards, by the presence of Sam's gloomy and pessimistic zoo-keeper friend Wilf Perkins, who ends up sharing Sam's room, much to Daphne's displeasure.
The comedy came from the clashes between Sam and Daphne, and the eventual romance that develops between them. The next-door neighbour, Rhonda, was a catalyst for bringing them together.
adaptation of Three Up, Two Down, called 5 Up, 2 Down aired for a pilot on 5 June 1991 on CBS
, but did not develop to a full series. Nick and Angie were played by Jeffrey D. Sams
and Jackie Mari Roberts, and Angie had given birth to triplets. Sam and Daphne were played by Cleavon Little
and Emily Yancy.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
starring Michael Elphick
Michael Elphick
Michael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
and Angela Thorne
Angela Thorne
Angela Thorne is an English actress who is best known for her roles in To the Manor Born and Anyone for Denis?-Early life:Angela Thorne was born in Karachi, British India, , in 1939...
that ran from 1985 to 1989. It was written by Richard Ommanney
Richard Ommanney
Richard Ommanney is an English writer and script consultant who has written extensively for television. He made his situation comedy writing debut with the BBC sitcom Three Up, Two Down which ran for four series, but his writing career had begun over a decade earlier, contributing jokes and...
.
Cast
- Michael ElphickMichael ElphickMichael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
- Sam Tyler - Angela ThorneAngela ThorneAngela Thorne is an English actress who is best known for her roles in To the Manor Born and Anyone for Denis?-Early life:Angela Thorne was born in Karachi, British India, , in 1939...
- Daphne Trenchard - Lysette AnthonyLysette AnthonyLysette Anthony is an English film, television, and theatre actress.-Early life:Anthony was born Lysette Chodzko in Fulham, London, the only daughter of actors Michael Anthony, and Bernadette Milnes....
- Angie Tyler (née Trenchard) - Ray BurdisRay BurdisRay Burdis is an English actor, screenwriter, director and film producer.Burdis started acting at eleven years old when he trained at the Anna Scher Theatre in Islington...
- Nick Tyler - John GrilloJohn GrilloJohn Grillo is a British actor and playwright who has appeared in many film and television productions....
- Wilf Perkins (series 2 onwards) - Neil Stacy - Major Giles Bradshaw (series 2 and 3)
- Vicki Woolf - Rhonda (series 4)
Plot
Nick and Angie have just had a baby, and to help them financially they decide to rent out the basement. Both Nick's father, Sam Tyler, and Angie's mother, Daphne Trenchard, want the basement apartmentBasement apartment
A basement apartment is an apartment located below street level, underneath another structure—usually an apartment building, but possibly a house or a business. Rent in basement apartments is usually much lower than it is in above-ground units, due to a number of deficiencies common to basement...
and the only solution is to share. Sam is a Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
, while Daphne is Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
-bred and has not forgiven her daughter for marrying Nick, a 'common' photographer. Both Sam and Daphne are widowed, and stubborn. The situation is further exacerbated, from Series Two onwards, by the presence of Sam's gloomy and pessimistic zoo-keeper friend Wilf Perkins, who ends up sharing Sam's room, much to Daphne's displeasure.
The comedy came from the clashes between Sam and Daphne, and the eventual romance that develops between them. The next-door neighbour, Rhonda, was a catalyst for bringing them together.
Series One (1985)
- Your Place Or Mine? (15 Apr 85)
- Widower's Mite (22 Apr 85)
- Ill Wind From Cheltenham (29 Apr 85)
- Epping's Not Far (6 May 85)
- Just Desserts (13 May 85)
- Two Down, One To Go (20 May 85)
Series Two (1986)
- Major Inconvenience (7 Apr 86)
- Sweet And Sour (14 Apr 86)
- Arrivals And Departures (21 Apr 86)
- It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (28 Apr 86)
- Winner Takes All (5 May 86)
- Ill Met By Candlelight (12 May 86)
Series Three (1987)
- Four's A Crowd (6 Sep 87)
- One Flew Over The Perimeter Fence (13 Sep 87)
- Truth And Consequences (20 Sep 87)
- Mirror Mirror On The Wall (27 Sep 87)
- Jailhouse Shock (4 Oct 87)
- Come Sail With Me (11 Oct 87)
- Life And Death (18 Oct 87)
Series Four (1989)
- Passionfruit (14 May 89)
- On The Radio (21 May 89)
- Omelettes And Optimism (28 May 89)
- Golf (4 Jun 89)
- The Driving Test (11 Jun 89)
- Cheltenham (18 Jun 89)
American adaptation
An AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adaptation of Three Up, Two Down, called 5 Up, 2 Down aired for a pilot on 5 June 1991 on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, but did not develop to a full series. Nick and Angie were played by Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams is an American actor known primarily for his television work.A native of Ohio, Sams has been a main cast member of several television series, few of which have made it past their first season...
and Jackie Mari Roberts, and Angie had given birth to triplets. Sam and Daphne were played by Cleavon Little
Cleavon Little
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor.Little was widely known for his lead role as Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles. He also was the irreverent Dr...
and Emily Yancy.