Man About The House/George & Mildred/Robin's Nest

[RitaLittlewood]

I say yes. I couldn't stand watching on Granada Plus because of their editing. And I'm disgusted MATH especially wasn't included in ITV's Top 50 list of the past 50 years when it was groundbreaking.

Patsy

[RitaLittlewood]

Gretchen Franklin, who we know played Mildred's scatty mother in G&M, died today aged 94. Here's the obit from BBC Online (which doesn't mention G&M):

From BBC Online:

Last Updated: Tuesday, 12 July, 2005, 11:52 GMT 12:52 UK

Obituary: Gretchen Franklin


Gretchen Franklin, who has died at the age of 94, spent nearly 80 years in showbusiness.

But she enjoyed her greatest fame as the elderly Ethel, a favourite character in BBC soap EastEnders.

Her monologues with her pug dog, "my little Willy", provided some of the show's lightest relief.

She was born in south-west London, into a theatrical family. Her father had a song-and-dance act, while her grandfather was a well-known music hall entertainer at the turn of the century.

So it was no surprise when the teenage Gretchen Franklin made her debut as a pantomime chorus girl in Bournemouth at £2 a week.

In her words, she was just a rather plump little girl. "But I was very ambitious," she said.

Stuck on stage

In 1929, she took dancing lessons at the Theatre Girls Club in Soho in London's West End.

She soon became a renowned tap dancer and founder member of a quartet known as Four Brilliant Blondes.

She toured with the Gracie Fields Show, married Caswell Garth - a writer of revue sketches - and performed with another dance group, The Three Girlies, before making a gradual switch to straight dramatic roles.

Franklin appeared in several productions for the BBC and on stage.

She was playing in the West End in Spring and Port Wine in 1965 when she became the first Mrs Alf Garnett in a pilot episode of Til Death Us Do Part, with Warren Mitchell.

But she missed the chance to become a permanent part in what was to become a hugely successful series - because she couldn't obtain her release from her stage role.

Controversial storyline

During the 1970s, Gretchen Franklin starred in two soaps, Crossroads and the short-lived Castle Haven.

But it was EastEnders, where she played Ethel Skinner, that made her a familiar figure for 15 million viewers.

She exchanged gossip and bickered with her bosom pal, Dot Cotton, as she shamelessly exploited any opportunity to celebrate in the Queen Vic.

But she was back a year later, a twinkle still in her eye as she enjoyed her favourite tipple.

And Franklin was to be at the centre of one of the series' most dramatic storylines, as Dot Cotton helped Ethel to end her life.

Whether on or off the EastEnders set, Franklin was an irrepressible spirit.

While 15 million viewers watched her TV funeral in 2000, she confessed that she didn't.

And she added, with characteristic mischief: "I won't miss being on the show, but I will miss the salary."

[mrsmikebaldwin]

Definately to all 3. George and Mildred remains one of my akll time favourite programmes and I'm not ashamed to say it.

Oh just been reminded Robin's Nest is still being repeated on Paramount Comedy Channels 1 & 2 I think? Might be just 2.

[RitaLittlewood]

It might be. I know it used to be. Network will be bringing them all out. There's poor Umbrella Entertainment in Australia struggling to get out series 3 on DVD and has been held up due to clearances since last year (were meant to be out in October though no RN) so I hope Network's aren't out first since Umbrella's worked damn hard with commentaries and stuff.

Patsy

[Madge]

I haven't seen it for a long time. I remember Robin's Nest more than the others possibly because it was on after the others ended. What was the name of the Irish dishwasher with the one arm? I liked him. He was funny.

I saw a trailer for tonight's episode of ITV The Peoples Channel and noticed there was a clip of Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy so perhaps they'll talk about these programmes.

[corriegirl]

Loved loved loved George and Mildred and Robins Nest. Wasn`t too keen on Man About The House though, or maybe it was just Paula Wilcox I didn`t like.
The tacky doorbell on George and Mildred always used to crack me up. ;D

[corriegirl]

What was the name of the Irish dishwasher with the one arm? I liked him. He was funny.

Albert Riddle played by David Kelly. He was my favourite too
He was also funny in Waking Ned Devine, great film that ;D

[RitaLittlewood]

I was very disappointed tonight in that People's Channel rubbish most of it was a rehash of the first one with very little devoted to sitcoms. Only 1 clip of MATH and that was George & Mildred rather than Robin, Chrissy and Jo. Not that I mind really since it was Yootha. But as it was a groundbreaking show more should have been devoted to it. On The Buses got loads! Mind you, if they'd shown a clip of Yootha in that I wouldn't have minded so much. LOL!

Oh Albert Riddle. He was great. I remember seeing a repeat of Fawlty Towers years later (The Builders) and being shocked he actually had 2 arms! LOL! It was a shame there were no crossovers. I would have liked George and Mildred to dine in Robin's Nest or for Chrissy and wet Norman, or maybe Jo to pop in. And what happened to Larry? He was meant to be Robin's best friend in London. Wasted opportunities.

I also preferred G&M and RN to MATH. My favourite bits of MATH always involved the Ropers. They always had the best lines.

Patsy

[pearly queen]

corriegirl said:

What was the name of the Irish dishwasher with the one arm? I liked him. He was funny.

Albert Riddle played by David Kelly. He was my favourite too
He was also funny in Waking Ned Devine, great film that ;D

David Kelly plays Grandpa Joe in the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with scrummy oddball Johhny Depp.

[corriegirl]

wow what an excellent choice.
Johnny Depp looks too creepy for me to watch Charlie and the choccy factory. He reminds me of Freddy Mercury from Queen on the Bohemiam Rhapsody video

[RitaLittlewood]

I saw him briefly in the trailer. I think he was giving money to Charlie or something. I almost didn't recognise him. It's good some of these people are still acting. I wish Richard O'Sullivan had been before his stroke in 2003.

LOL CorrieGirl! I think Freddie looks much less creepy. Although I always thought Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show looked a bit like Freddie.

Patsy

[corriegirl]

I wish Richard O'Sullivan had been before his stroke in 2003.

awww how sad. I didn`t know Richard O`Sullivan had a stroke. Must be some sort of curse as John Ritter (Jack Tripper in Three`s Company) died 2 years ago. A huge shock that as he was hugely successful in '8 Simples Rules for Dating My Daughter"

[RitaLittlewood]

Richard's still in a nursing home apparently. I think he had the stroke in December 2003. It was in the Daily Mail then anyway. Tessa Wyatt and their son visited him a lot and he's slowly on the mend. But he'd become such a hermit before then which is a shame. Umbrella Entertainment in Australia are hoping to get everyone together for commentaries on the MATH releases. So far on series 2 they had Paula and Brian Murphy. Not sure though if Richard would do it even if he hadn't had the stroke.

Patsy

[pearly queen]

ritalittlewood said:

I saw him briefly in the trailer. I think he was giving money to Charlie or something. I almost didn't recognise him. It's good some of these people are still acting. I wish Richard O'Sullivan had been before his stroke in 2003.

LOL CorrieGirl! I think Freddie looks much less creepy. Although I always thought Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show looked a bit like Freddie.

Patsy

I always thought Tim Curry's Frankenfurter was a 100% rip-off of Miss Jones from Rising Damp.

.

[pearly queen]

The film version of George and Mildred will be on C4 next Monday afternoon, but does not get a good write-up from What's On Tv.