The first episode of the hit London Weekend sitcom.
Undertaker's apprentice Billy Fisher is one of life's dreamers. When we first encounter him, he is in the toilet, listening to a transistor radio and pretending to be a Radio 1 disc jockey. His father ( George A. Cooper ) urges him to turn the sound down, but Billy takes no notice. Soft, soppy girlfriend Barbara ( Sally Watts, sister of Gwendolyn, who played Rita in the celebrated 1963 film ) is present and wants to discuss a forthcoming engagement party. Billy is not keen to attend, particularly as he has another engagement party to attend that evening - to the lovely 'Pauline', played by Cheryl Murray ( who was Gail's best friend 'Susie Birchall' in 'Coronation Street' ). In one of those astonishing coincidences you only ever seem to find in sitcoms, both parties are taking place in the same building! Can Billy attend both without anyone noticing?
Interviewed for the BBC's 'Comedy Connections', Jeff Rawle acknowledged that the role of 'Billy Fisher' was the main reason why Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton cast him a decade or so later as 'George Dent' in 'Drop The Dead Donkey'. They remembered the show, and how good he was in it. They were right. Personally, I thought the role of 'Billy' a better fit for Rawle than 'Dent'. Billy Fisher was an optimist who loved life, whereas Dent was a miserable old devil prone to self-pity. Anyone could have played Dent. Only Rawle could have brought Billy to life back in 1973.
This episode has an impressive guest cast, including Mollie Sugden, Kathy Staff and John Comer ( this was the same year 'Are You Being Served?' and 'Last Of The Summer Wine' both began their respective long runs ). No Mr. Shadrack in this opening episode.
Funniest moment - a spoof of 'The Godfather' ( which had only been released the year before ) in which Billy produces a machine-gun from a birthday cake and wipes out his family!
Did I hear a lone voice in the wilderness denouncing this smashing show as 'painful'? Well, there's no accounting for taste.
Undertaker's apprentice Billy Fisher is one of life's dreamers. When we first encounter him, he is in the toilet, listening to a transistor radio and pretending to be a Radio 1 disc jockey. His father ( George A. Cooper ) urges him to turn the sound down, but Billy takes no notice. Soft, soppy girlfriend Barbara ( Sally Watts, sister of Gwendolyn, who played Rita in the celebrated 1963 film ) is present and wants to discuss a forthcoming engagement party. Billy is not keen to attend, particularly as he has another engagement party to attend that evening - to the lovely 'Pauline', played by Cheryl Murray ( who was Gail's best friend 'Susie Birchall' in 'Coronation Street' ). In one of those astonishing coincidences you only ever seem to find in sitcoms, both parties are taking place in the same building! Can Billy attend both without anyone noticing?
Interviewed for the BBC's 'Comedy Connections', Jeff Rawle acknowledged that the role of 'Billy Fisher' was the main reason why Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton cast him a decade or so later as 'George Dent' in 'Drop The Dead Donkey'. They remembered the show, and how good he was in it. They were right. Personally, I thought the role of 'Billy' a better fit for Rawle than 'Dent'. Billy Fisher was an optimist who loved life, whereas Dent was a miserable old devil prone to self-pity. Anyone could have played Dent. Only Rawle could have brought Billy to life back in 1973.
This episode has an impressive guest cast, including Mollie Sugden, Kathy Staff and John Comer ( this was the same year 'Are You Being Served?' and 'Last Of The Summer Wine' both began their respective long runs ). No Mr. Shadrack in this opening episode.
Funniest moment - a spoof of 'The Godfather' ( which had only been released the year before ) in which Billy produces a machine-gun from a birthday cake and wipes out his family!
Did I hear a lone voice in the wilderness denouncing this smashing show as 'painful'? Well, there's no accounting for taste.