''Romany Jones'' is a British sitcom made by

London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT; now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV (TV network), ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00&nbs ...

, broadcast between 1972 and 1975, involving the comic misadventures of two layabout families living on a caravan site. The show was designed as a vehicle for

James Beck Stanley James Carroll Beck (21 February 1929 – 6 August 1973) was an English television actor. He appeared in a number of programmes, but is best known for the role of Private Walker, a cockney spiv, in the BBC sitcom ''Dad's Army'' from th ...

James Beck played the black market

spiv A spiv is a petty criminal in the United Kingdom who deals in illicit, typically black market, goods. Spivs were particularly active during the Second World War and in the post-war period when many goods were rationed due to shortages. According ...

Private Walker Private Joe Walker is a fictional black market spiv (or "wholesales supplier", as he describes it) and Home Guard platoon member, first portrayed by James Beck in the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. Appearing in the first six series, ...

in the ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...

'' and also featured

Arthur Mullard Arthur Ernest Mullard ( né Mullord; 19 September 1910His obituary in ''The Times'' gives his date of birth as 10 November 1910 but conflicts with the birthdate given in his death registration. His year of birth appears as 1908, 1910, 1912 and 19 ...

and

Queenie Watts Queenie Watts (born Mary Spenton; 21 July 1923 – 25 January 1980) was an English actress of film and television, as well as an occasional singer.

as Wally and Lily Briggs. Following Beck's death in August 1973, Bert and Betty Jones were written out of the series. Jonathan Cecil and

Gay Soper Gay Soper is an English actress and singer. Her career includes singing ''Turn Back, O Man'' in the original 1971 London production of ''Godspell''. She sang the role of Madam Thenardier on the complete symphonic recording of ''Les Misérables ...

took over the lead roles, playing new neighbours, Jeremy and Susan Crichton-Jones. The show's pilot episode had been made by

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

and broadcast in 1972. It was followed by a spin-off sequel in 1976 entitled ''

Yus, My Dear ''Yus, My Dear'' is a British sitcom that ran for nineteen episodes over two series in 1976 featuring Arthur Mullard and Queenie Watts in the lead roles. It was written by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, and produced and directed by Stuart A ...

'', starring Mullard and Watts. ''Romany Jones'' has been described by the ''Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy'' as being one of the worst British sitcoms ever produced.

Cast

- Wally Briggs *

Queenie Watts Queenie Watts (born Mary Spenton; 21 July 1923 – 25 January 1980) was an English actress of film and television, as well as an occasional singer.

- Lily Briggs *

- Bert Jones ''(series 1 and 2)'' *

Jo Rowbottom Josephine Rowbottom (born 1942) is a British character actress, best known for guest roles in numerous British TV series and as James Beck's wife in '' Romany Jones''. Film credits *'' Night of the Prowler'' (1962) - Elsie *'' The Bargee'' ( ...

- Betty Jones ''(series 1 and 2)'' * Kevin Brennan - Mr Gibson ''(series 1 and 2)'' *Maureen Sweeney as Val Finch ''(series 2-4)'' * Jonathan Cecil - Jeremy Crichton-Jones ''(series 3 and 4)'' *

- Susan Crichton-Jones ''(series 3 and 4)'' * Alan Ford as Ken ''(series 3 and 4)''

Episodes

Pilot (1972)

Series 1 (1973)

Series 2 (1973)

Series 3 (1974)

Series 4 (1975)

Trivia

* Chris Boucher, later to write extensively for science fiction shows including ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'', ''

Blake's 7 ''Blake's 7'' is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Four series of thirteen 50-minute episodes were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also wrote the first series, prod ...

'' and '' Star Cops'', wrote the episode "Run Rabbit Run". *

Arthur English Arthur Leslie Norman English (9 May 1919 – 16 April 1995) was an English television, film and stage actor and comedian from the music hall tradition. Early life English was born at 22 Lysons Road in Aldershot,'Arthur English, ''Aldershot H ...

played Wally Briggs in the pilot episode. * Mullard and Watts reprised their roles as Wally and Lily in ''

Holiday on the Buses ''Holiday on the Buses'' is a 1973 British comedy film directed by Bryan Izzard and starring Reg Varney, Doris Hare, Michael Robbins, Anna Karen, Stephen Lewis and Bob Grant. It was produced by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe for Hammer ...

''.

DVD release

Notes

External links

Romany Jones at BBC Comedy
*
James Beck Online
{{Chesney Wolfe 1972 British television series debuts 1975 British television series endings ITV sitcoms London Weekend Television shows Television series by ITV Studios 1970s British sitcoms British English-language television shows