Andrew T. Smith

I've just been on the phone with the old young Bill... he's delightful. Very pleased to say that Paul Greenwood has now contributed an interview to Writing All Hours.

The opening scenes of Roy Clarke's 'Pictures' – a seven part series broadcast by ITV in 1983. I don't think it has ever been repeated in the UK.

Earnshaw willing!

Quietly announced yesterday amongst the Roy Clarke birthday celebrations – my new biography of the man is to be titled 'Writing All Hours'

It is on Youtube in pretty decent quality.

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My book on all of this and more will be published by Ten Acre Books later in the year. If you'd like to be kept posted visit: www.summerwinos.co.uk/biography

All of this, amazingly, is only scratching the surface and I haven't even gotten around to Roy Clarke, the man. Since I've known him, he has consistently shown himself to be warm, generous and decent. Hopefully, he's having a lovely day doing whatever the hell he wants.

The cast also expands and diversifies – somehow managing to retain a timeless feel while brining the show up to date.

Decades on from the last time we visited, Arkwright's is now run by Granville, who has inherited many of his uncle's penny-pinching ways whilst still somehow remaining the silly young lad we knew way back when.

To everybody's surprise, the series' one-off revival, Still Open All Hours, proved to be a monster hit when it was shown on Boxing Day 2013. Six full series followed, with the show coming to a premature end due to Covid.

Open All Hours has proven itself timeless. Corner shops may have changed dramatically since it debuted, but there's something fundamental within that remains instantly identifiable.

Hawks and A Foreign Field are two feature film gems that don't get as much attention as they deserve – particularly the former, which tells the tale of two cancer patients deciding to break free from their sick beds in order to seize one last burst of life amongst the delights of Amsterdam.

Redvers Potter is one of what Roy describes as his "loveable monsters" – Foggy, Seymour, Hyancinth and more fit the description too. He's overbearing and completely oblivious to the way others perceive him, but there is something in his earnestness that can't help but charm.

Potter with Arthur Lowe is a joyful series to revisit – suburbia with dark undertones. Following Lowe's death, Robin Bailey stepped in. The scripts for series three remained as planned, but it just didn't work. Bizarrely only available on DVD from Australia.

Conversely, Rosie, the police sitcom that proved rather popular during its initial run, has almost completely faded from popular memory. Roy was a policeman before he was a teacher and then full time writer and based much of PC Penrose's character on himself.

The series says something about what it is to be British. The snobbishness, the long suffering, the pretensions. Decades on, everybody still seems to know a Hyacinth as the show continues to attract new waves of admirers.

Hyancinth Bucket is a cultural institution and a character that Roy describes as one of his "least invented". Iterations of her can be found years before Keeping Up Appearances, not least of all in Thora Hird's Edie in Summer Wine.

The Misfit – Roy's great "lost" project. It all exists, but it sits undigitized on the shelves of an ITV archive. The first episode can be viewed at the BFI and, frustratingly, it's brilliant. A comedy-drama that sets returned ex-pat Ronald Frasier loose on swinging Britain.

Roy's script has grit & depth drawn from his 1975 novel, but also shows a confidence that ten years of writing a series offers. It's beautifully filmed by Alan JW Bell & after @richardlatto.bsky.social & I had the chance to restore it a few years ago in only looks better. (Stephen Mansfield poster)

Getting Sam Home – For me, the high point of Last of the Summer Wine. This 1983 television film set a template for other series to follow and if it was released as a stand alone in cinemas I firmly believe it would be up there is the film comedy pantheon.

Last of the Summer Wine – 295 instalments, his crowning achievement, still enchanting viewers every day on repeat broadcast. The Clegg, Compo, and Foggy adventures of the early '90s were my entry point to Roy's work. My life would be so much poorer without it.

Sir Roy Clarke turns 96 today and, having considered himself retired on several occasions, will have works premiering on television this year. I'm still in the midst of writing his biography – a colossal, but infinitely rewarding undertaking. Some thoughts follow...

I love how time period specific Kaufman's neck brace makes this as well.

We've had January off, but the podcast returns next month with UFO. In the meantime, here's our back catalogue.

The Disney Treasures releases still seem like something that should come back... but then I realise they stopped over fifteen years ago... Quite a few full episodes made their way out in decent quality via those DVDs and I still go back to the ones I managed to get before prices went wild.

Bit by bit*

Disney are mad for not just adding it to their streaming platform but by bit. You're absolutely right.

Details of Rainbow Connections: Volume One - Meeting the People Who Brought Jim Henson’s Vision to Life Interviewees include Bill Barretta, Steve Barron, Fran Brill, Tony Charmoli, Mark Eades, Louise Gold, David Gumpel, Bruce McNally, Rob Mills, Larry Mirkin, Victor Pemberton, Austin Pendleton, Mike Quinn, Gord Robertson, John Stephenson, John Stevenson, Jocelyn Stevenson & Jeremy Swan. You sent We discuss projects including Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Muppet movies, Muppet*Vision 3D, The Jim Henson Hour, Dinosaurs, The Storyteller, Muppets Tonight and many more.

What was it really like working with Jim Henson? I spent years tracking down the puppeteers, writers, directors and other creatives who helped bring the magic to life. Their stories became Rainbow Connections: Volume One, out 31st July 🌈

Find out more: jonathanmelville.substack.com/p/rainbow-co...

Great to see this getting another outing. Still can't (yet can) believe I found the unseen rushes of this rare Terry interview just slung in the corner of a room in a couple of 16mm cans, forgotten for 40 years! A pleasure to produce this with the talented Mark Simpson #wogan

Roy Clarke | An Authorised Biography Sign up to receive updates about the first authorised biography of Sir Roy Clarke.

Find out more here: www.summerwinos.co.uk/biography