Harold Snoad, long-time sitcom producer and director for the BBC passed away 2 June at the age of 88. Best known for Keeping Up Appearances, it was Snoad who cast Dame Patricia Routledge in the lead role, explaining: “I wanted the character of Hyacinth to be a sort of stately galleon. I didn’t want somebody lightweight, […]
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Aptly described in the British press as “Talking Heads meets Keeping Up Appearances“, the highly successful BBC Radio 4 series, Ladies of Letters, made the always dangerous leap to television back in 2010. Facing an immediate uphill challenge from the sheer fact that the radio series starred the greatness of Patricia Routledge and Prunella Scales, […]
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This week is lockdown telly at its must-see finest. On Tuesday, BBC1 premieres the revival of a late 80s masterpiece, Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologue series with a line-up of stars that reads like a who’s who of the British acting world. The rebirth of the masterful series of to-camera monologues features the likes of Sarah Lancashire […]
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Thank you, Dame Patricia, for the lifetime of laughter you have given us over the years and the continued smiles that await us all in the years to come.
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Clive Swift, known to millions as Hyacinth Bucket’s long-suffering husband Richard in the BBC One 90s sitcom, Keeping Up Appearances, died Friday after a short illness at the age of 82. Swift, who spent 10 years at the Royal Shakespeare Company before breaking into television, also acted in such series as Peak Practice, Born and […]
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In 1971, Doctor at Large, a British televison comedy series from London Weekend Television followed the misadventures of a group of newly qualified doctors. Based on a set of books by Richard Gordon and starring Barry Evans, Doctor at Large featured many actors and actresses that most British comedy fans have come to know and love in later years […]
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Almost three decades ago, American public television audiences were introduced to Richard and Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”). With her white slimline telephone with automatic redial, of course, and her prized collection of Royal Doulton china with hand-painted periwinkles, of course, Hyacinth longed to spend her days visiting stately homes on the oft chance she would […]
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Comedy legend Ronnie Corbett CBE was honored in a service of Thanksgiving on Wednesday at Westminster Abbey. Corbett, who passed away in March 2016 at the age of 85, made up 1/2 of the brilliant sketch comedy duo on The Two Ronnies with Ronnie Barker. The special service of thanksgiving at the historic church included readings, prayers, reminiscences […]
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Patricia Routledge experienced a day Hyacinth Bucket could only dream about this past week at Buckingham Palace where she received her award recognizing her life-long service to the theater and charity. One can only imagine a 21st century Hyacinth answering the slimline telephone with automatic redial…”The Bucket residence, the Dame of the house speaking!” hoping upon […]
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For numerous reasons, I’m quite ready to let go of 2016, no questions asked. 2017 has started off brilliantly, however, with the news that Chichester’s own Patricia Routledge would be among the Queen’s New Year Honors being awarded DBE for her services to theatre and charity. A long-time passionate supporter of the arts who has enjoyed a lengthy relationship […]
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