A Brit-Com From the 70s

Cafe Society
1

This is a long shot, 'cause I have virtually nothing to go on.

But in the 70s on WTTW our local PBS station we used to have a night where they’d run British Comedies. They would run Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, *The Two Ronnies *and one other one.

I can’t remember the name of this. All I recall is that it was starring a man and a women. I think they were husband and wife. It was light humour. Any one have any possible clue? It was run during the late 70s (possibly early 80s)

I know this is not much to go on but if you have any idea, please throw it out so I can look it up and see.

2

The Good Life, made in 1975, and broadcast in the US as “Good Neighbors”?

3

There were several, but I’m wondering if it was To The Manor Born?

4

Scooped!

ETA: by that I mean I second The Good Life.

5

Is that the one where the couple was named Nigel and Beryl? (Two names that are completely British and would never show up in the US!)

6

If it was The Good Life he likely would also have remembered Margo and Jerry. And the goat.

7

Of the top of my head, here are three for consideration.

Terry and June (1979-1987).

My Wife Next Door (1972, repeated 1979).

George and Mildred (1976-1979).

8

Did the man and wife like each other?

9

How about a show called “No, Honestly”?

The theme song went something like

“No, honestly,
I know you were meant for me,
and nothing’s going to change the way I feel about you.
ba-da ba-da”

10

I don’t think Terry and June or George and Mildred were that popular here in the US, if they showed up at all on PBS. Every market’s different, of course, so maybe the OP’s mileage may vary. And I think The Good Life would’ve stuck in his mind for reasons other than just the married couple – like, the gardening, the goat, the pigs, the neighbors…

Sticking with shows that were popular on PBS: how about Butterflies, which was shown a lot on PBS, about a married woman (Wendy Craig) in a fairly gloomy marriage who has an ongoing flirtation about a sexy dentist (Peter Bowles, also in To the Manor Born). The husband was played by Geoffrey Palmer, in his standard sourpuss role.

Or could it be Executive Stress? Another Penelope Keith / Peter Bowles sitcom (like To the Manor Born) but this one’s about a pair of marrieds who end up working for the same company, IIRC. (Actually, I just remembered that the husband role was originally played by Geoffrey Palmer, who also starred in Butterflies. Showed up in the US in the late-eighties, I believe. (BTW, Peter Bowles was originally offered the Jerry role in The Good Life, so seems he was destined to be paired up with Keith.)

Or what about As Time Goes By or even – this may be a longshot – Robin’s Nest, the sequel to Man About the House (the origin of Three’s Company here in the States)? Couple live over a restaurant run by the husband? Then there was a show … er, can’t remember the full name, but it was something like All in No. 10, about a married couple whose adult kids move back in with them?

11

I thought about Terry and June and The Good Life (Felicity Kendall, yay!)

For some reason Keeping Up Appearances has a cult following among the American PBS set, but it’s too late - I think it was in the late 1980s.

12

Rings on their Fingers? (Diane Keen/Martin Jarvis)
They weren’t actually married at first, which was the source of much of the “sit” in the sitcom, as I recall.

13

That was it…

You guys are great.

Thanks

14

I remember that show; I remember loving the two young leads. CD and Clara, wasn’t it? The guy had (has had?) a long acting career and played James Herriot in one of the “All Things Bright and Beautiful” movies. (American here who loved '70’s Brit TV)

15

By my ears and whiskers…

Now I’ll have that stuck in my head all week.

16

When I saw the thread title I thought - No, Honestly! - without even hearing the question. Boo ho, ! am 12 hours too late. Great show. I was able to pick up episodes on DVD from my local library. However, Blockbuster and Netflix do not have them in their databases.

17

One that fits the bill is Butterflies.
One that doesn’t really fit the bill, but had a married couple and is from that era is The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

18

Stick this 1970s photo of singer/songwriter Lynsey de Paul inside your head as well.

A very foxy lady. If I recall correctly, she had a beauty spot somewhere on her face. That could be it, on the right hand side of her upper lip. If not, my computer screen could use a wipe over.