Arkwright 1, Apu 0
Combining their unique ability to create “best-of” lists for just about anything with their definite love for the small screen, the British have done it again. This time, it’s Britain’s favorite television shopkeeper. According to a recent poll conducted by consumer watchdog, Which, and reported on in WalesOnline, Ronnie Barker’s portrayal of Arkwright in Open All Hours topped the list with respondents citing his “old-fashioned values” and customer knowledge as the reasoning behind their vote.
Top-10 television shopkeepers
The list of the nation’s favorite television shopkeepers are:
- Arkwright – Open All Hours
- Hardware shopkeeper – Ronnie Corbett, The Two Ronnies
- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon – The Simpsons
- Norris Cole – Coronation Street
- Mrs. Slocombe & Mr. Humphries – Are You Being Served?
- Bernard Black – Black Books
- Roy – Little Britain
- Tubbs and Edward Tattysyrup – League of Gentleman
- Pet store shopkeeper – Michael Palin, Monty Python (Dead Parrot sketch)
- Pete Beale – EastEnders
Personally, while I like most of these (not familiar with some), I would have to add the following:
- Renee Artois – ‘Allo, ‘Allo (I know, it’s not a shop, it’s a pub, but it’s my blog 🙂 )
- Reginald Perrin – Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin (how can you leave off the owner of Grot, the shop that sells useless goods at outrageous prices?)
- Yev Kasem (The Soup Nazi) – Seinfeld (hey, they picked an American sitcom character from The Simpsons in their poll)
Anyone else?
