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British Sitcoms
A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for Television in the United Kingdom, British television. British sitcoms have predominantly been recorded on studio sets, while some include an element of location filming. Live audiences and multi-cameras were first used in the US by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball for their American show ''I Love Lucy'' in 1951 and the system was adopted in the UK. Several are made almost entirely on location (for example, ''Last of the Summer Wine'') and shown to a studio audience prior to final post-production to record genuine laughter. In contrast to the American team writing system, Galton and Simpson, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson's huge successes were of such quality that they became the paradigm for British sitcom writing. By the time the television set had become a common part of home furnishing, sitcoms were significant expressions of everyday life and were often a window on the times of enormous social changes in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy, which features different characters and settings in each Sketch comedy, skit, sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity across episodes. This continuity allows for the development of storylines and characters over time, fostering audience engagement and investment in the characters' lives and relationships. History The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners. These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term ''sitcom'' emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Are You Being Served?
''Are You Being Served?'' is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was created and written by David Croft (TV producer), David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Croft also served as executive producer and television director, director. Michael Knowles (actor), Michael Knowles and John Chapman (screenwriter), John Chapman also wrote certain episodes. Produced by the BBC, the series starred Mollie Sugden, Trevor Bannister, Frank Thornton, John Inman, Wendy Richard, Arthur Brough, Nicholas Smith (actor), Nicholas Smith, Larry Martyn, Harold Bennett and Arthur English. Set in London, the show follows the misadventures and mishaps of the staff and their regular rotating series of customers at the retail ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments in the flagship department store of a fictional chain called Grace Brothers. The series was broadcast on the BBC for ten series, totalling sixty-nine episodes between 8 September 1972 and 1 April 1985, including five C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinwright's Progress
''Pinwright's Progress'' is a British television sitcom that aired on the BBC Television Service from 1946 to 1947, and was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom. The ten episodes, which aired fortnightly in alternation with ''Kaleidoscope'', were broadcast live from the BBC studios at Alexandra Palace. Still photographs are all that remain of the show's transmitted form. ''Pinwright's Progress'' was written by Rodney Hobson, produced and directed by John Glyn-Jones, and the script editor was Ted Kavanagh, who also wrote the BBC radio comedy series ''It's That Man Again''. Cast * James Hayter as Mr. J. Pinwright *Clarence Wright as Aubrey *Sara Gregory as Sally Doolittle *Daphne Maddox as Miss Peasbody * Doris Palmer as Mrs. Sigsbee * Leonard Sharp as Ralph *Benita Lydal as Mrs. Rackstraw *Charles Irwin as Salesman *Jill Christie as Pinwright's daughter [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conscription In The United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, military conscription has existed for two periods in modern times. The first was from 1916 to 1920, and the second from 1939 to 1960. The last conscription term ended in 1963 although many soldiers chose to continue in the service beyond 1963. It was legally designated as "Military Service" from 1916 to 1920, and as "National Service" from 1939 to 1960. However, between 1939 and 1948, it was often referred to as "War Service" in documents relating to National Insurance and pension provision. First World War Conscription during the First World War began when the British Parliament passed the Military Service Act in January 1916. The Act specified that single men aged 18 to 40 years old were liable to be called up for military service unless they were widowed with children, or were ministers of a religion. There was a system of tribunals to adjudicate upon claims for exemption on the grounds of performing civilian work of national importance, domestic ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, distribution, and education. It is sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and partially funded under the British Film Institute Act 1949. Activities Purpose The BFI was established in 1933 to encourage the development of the arts of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom, to promote their use as a record of contemporary life and manners, to promote education about film, television and the moving image generally, and their impact on society, to promote access to and appreciation of the widest possible range of British and world cinema and to establish, care for and develop collections reflecting the moving image history, heritage and culture of the United Kingdom. Archive The BFI maintain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Took
Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series '' Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Horne'' and other projects. He is also remembered in the UK for presenting '' Points of View'', a BBC Television programme featuring viewers' letters on the BBC's output, and the BBC Radio 4 programme '' The News Quiz''. Took was known as the "Father of Monty Python", for bringing together the comedy performers who would establish ''Monty Python's Flying Circus''. Early life and education The son of a manager at the Danish Bacon Company, Took was born in Victoria Road, Muswell Hill, north London, and lived in Winton Avenue, Bounds Green. When evacuated to Wisbech in Cambridgeshire during the Second World War, he ran away from his assigned home there, cycling 20 miles to Peterborough in order to get a train back to London. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (founded in 1821), are published by Times Media, since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, in turn wholly owned by News Corp. ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' were founded independently and have had common ownership only since 1966. It is considered a newspaper of record in the UK. ''The Times'' was the first newspaper to bear that name, inspiring numerous other papers around the world. In countries where these other titles are popular, the newspaper is often referred to as or , although the newspaper is of national scope and distribution. ''The Times'' had an average daily circulation of 365,880 in March 2020; in the same period, ''The Sunday Times'' had an average weekly circulation of 647,622. The two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miranda (TV Series)
''Miranda'' is a British television sitcom written by and starring the eponymous comedian Miranda Hart. It originally aired on BBC Two from 9 November 2009, and later on BBC One. Developed from Hart's semi-autobiographical BBC Radio 2 comedy ''Miranda Hart's Joke Shop'' (2008), the situation comedy revolves around socially inept Miranda, who frequently finds herself in awkward situations. The show features actors Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis (actor), Tom Ellis and Patricia Hodge. It was filmed in front of live audiences at the BBC Television Centre and The London Studios. Receiving positive reviews from television critics, ''Miranda'' won a Royal Television Society award and gained several BAFTA TV Award nominations. The series has since been regularly repeated on British television and is available in the United States through Hulu. The episodes revolve around the difficulties that Miranda (Miranda Hart) gets herself into. She is tall and sometimes mistaken for a man, is address ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Absolutely Fabulous
''Absolutely Fabulous'' (often shortened to ''Ab Fab'') is a British television sitcom created and written by Jennifer Saunders, which premiered in 1992. It is based on the 1990 '' French and Saunders'' sketch " Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Saunders. Saunders stars as Edina Monsoon, a heavy-drinking, drug-abusing PR mogul who spends her time failing to lose weight and chasing bizarre fads in a desperate attempt to stay young and "hip." Edina's best friend is ex-model and magazine fashion director Patsy Stone ( Joanna Lumley), whose drug abuse, alcohol consumption and desperate promiscuity far eclipse Edina's. Edina relies upon the support of her daughter Saffron ( Julia Sawalha), a student and aspiring writer whose constant care of her immature mother has left her a bitter cynic. ''Ab Fab'' also stars June Whitfield in a supporting role as Edina's dotty, sarcastic and often thieving mother, who appears in nearly every episode. Jane Horrocks as E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with her best friend and comedy partner, Dawn French. With French, she co-wrote and starred in their eponymous sketch show, '' French and Saunders'', for which they jointly received a BAFTA Fellowship in 2009. Saunders later received acclaim in the 1990s for writing and playing her character Edina Monsoon in her sitcom '' Absolutely Fabulous''. Early life Jennifer Jane Saunders was born on 6 July 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England.Hannah Hamad. Jennifer Saunders' — screenonline.org. Retrieved 4 October 2007. Her mother, Barbara Jane (née Duminy), was a biology teacher, and her father, Robert Thomas Saunders, served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He reached the rank of group captain, and later worked ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Vicar Of Dibley
''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom. It consists of three series, which aired on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2000, and several specials, the most recent of which aired on 23 December 2020. It is set in the fictional Oxfordshire village of Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1993 changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women. Dawn French plays the lead role of vicar Geraldine Granger. In ratings terms, it is among the most successful British programmes in the digital era, with the Christmas and New Year specials entering the UK top 10 programmes of the year. ''The Vicar of Dibley'' received multiple British Comedy Awards, two International Emmys and was a multiple British Academy Television Awards nominee. In 2004, it placed third in a BBC poll of '' Britain's Best Sitcoms''. Premise Background The series was created by Richard Curtis and written for actress Dawn French by Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer, wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
