A Silver Jubilee Performance of The Good Life
At the conclusion of the myriad of events surrounding the recent Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, I started thinking back to the Silver Jubilee in 1977 when Her Majesty and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended a taping of an episode of The Good Life (Good Neighbors in the States), starring Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington. “When I’m Sixty-Five“, was a Royal Command Performance in front of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and senior BBC management. The cast and crew were presented to The Queen and Prince Philip after the recording. The episode was originally broadcast in a 45-minute slot with footage either side of the 30-minute episode showing the Royal Party entering and exiting.
Writer, Bob Larbey, who described the thought of recording in front of the Queen as “…terror, in a word“, and series stars, Richard Briers and Penelope Keith, sat down with us during our filming of Behind the Britcom: From Script to Screen for PBS back in 2010 to share their thoughts on even the idea of taping a live recording for Her Majesty. While not part of the ‘official’ Silver Jubilee celebration, knowing that The Good Life was a favorite of the Royal Family, you have to think it was probably one of her most enjoyable celebrations during the year.
