Bloomers, episode 1 (Richard Beckinsale)

[@aldiboronti]

It's still hard to believe that he was taken from us so suddenly and at so young an age. Such an amazing actor with superb comic timing. Rising Damp was his greatest work, he and Leonard Rossiter worked magic together. I felt so sorry for his young daughters when it happened. I'm sure he would have been so proud of them.

[@jbrocklobster]

Such a great actor great timing a remarkable talent gone to soon but will never be forgotten I will always think of Richard with love and great affection RIP ❤

[@glamdolly30]

Thanks so much for sharing this I've always been intrigued to see it, as Richard Beckinsale's final piece of work. What a huge loss to the acting world his tragic early death was. Hard to believe watching this that he had only months to live. You want to reach into the screen and beg him to get his heart checked out. Had he known he had a heart defect, maybe they could have done something, fitted a pacemaker, maybe? But who thinks their heart will give out at 31 years of age? He had the most amazing success in arguably the two best sitcoms ever made, Porridge and Rising Damp, simultaneously between approx. 1974-1978. I guess we should be thankful he had all that success and created such wonderful performances as Godber and Alan in those 5 years before he left us - what an incredible legacy of fine work from such a young actor. His daughters Samantha and Kate will always be so very proud. I think he was a rare human being - he had such a special quality about him, hard to explain but he was just so lovable! Leonard Rossiter was said to be difficult and prickly to work with but he turned up and paid tribute at Richard Beckinsale's 'This is Your Life', and was said to be devastated at his death. By all accounts Richard was someone who got on with everyone, and didn't have an enemy in the world. The wonderful Ronnie Barker accepted a BAFTA award for Porridge just days after his co-star died, and paid an emotional tribute to Richard in his speech. A short life, but an incredible one God bless him.

[@nikeeweston]

glamdolly20 he did go to the Drs he found nothing really wrong with him. But he didn’t go again when he felt even worse, his arms and chest hurt, he was tired all the time, he was grey but he didn’t go again DAMNIT.

[@glamdolly30]

@@irenemorley6518 I'm so very sorry to hear you lost your lovely dad, and at the tender age of 13 too. That is very tough at any age, but when you are a child old enough to understand and fully feel the loss, it's particularly cruel. Hearts are funny things, most of us never think about ours. But as soon as there's a problem with it, it's all you can think about - and it rules your waking thoughts and actions. Eric Morecambe was another much-loved star like Richard Beckinsale, who died from heart trouble. He was 58 when he died, so very close in age to your dear dad. I'm sure there is a lot of him in you, and that he would be very proud of the woman you've become. Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you are coping in these strange days of lockdown! Stay safe & well, much love. XXX

[@Truth1561]

I never saw this series as I had just started my nurse training. Such a shock for such a young man to die of a coronary.

[@paullynton-green6570]

Richard was so naturally talented.you never knew he was acting.l managed to obtain his autograph from oz which l believe is very rare.loved everything he did especially rising damp.his comic timing was second too none.what a carreer he had ahead of him.the day he died still sticks in my memory.l was devastated. God bless richard and thanks for all the laughs.xxx

[@nightburgers3670]

I am happy to watch Richard in anything. So glad to be able to finally see this, thank you.

[@carlkane7544]

god bless you Richard so very young to sadly pass away in 79,this programme is what he was good at comedy.

[@JohnKeegan-yv7bg]

Amazingly, as funny as i remembered.

[@ADyingFaith]

Thanks for uploading this. I've never saw it and I love Richard Beckinsale.

[@jnuttso1]

Great to see this old gem love theses rare british sitcoms thanks ever so much for putting your time and effort into uploading them so the likes off myself and others can enjoy :-)

[@RWBHere]

Nice reference to his previous success, Going Straight, in the final scene.

[@wrightcarl1181]

Nice spot 😊 27:00 reference for anyone interested

[@jmmmcc]

David Swift was also in Going straight (Fletcher & Godber after leaving prison) love that show too!! Not well known or repeated but all the episodes are on KZbin

[@kid--presentable]

Absolutely

[@paullynton-green6570]

His brother was richard in keeping up appearances.

[@lllucky13]

Yo uplloader.. you dont know how rare this is.. keep it on file dude.. its a classic

[@carlkane653]

this programme makes me feel sad watching poor old Richard having no idea the poor guy would sadly leave this earth forever.

[@shueber]

I was looking for this sitcome. I read about this sitcome in John Challis his book. Challis was a part-time gardner and he did that job together with a friend from the pub to earn some money(he coudn't find any theathershow or tv work at the time). After a while he and his friend started a Small Garden and Flowers shop in the High Street. The first months was a big sucses but than they had bad luck with the warmest summer in British history. Challis and his friend had a big bussiness Dept and Challis went to South africa to run away from his problems. Years later he wrote a script to create a series were he could play the main part. The BBC saw the potencial in his script but took a writer to rewrite the script and gave the main acting part to Backinsale.

[@paullynton-green6570]

Wow.thanks for that info.

[@QuorkEx]

Never knew any of these ever got as far as the BBC studio. Amazing what can be found on KZbin.

[@jeffmee763]

RIP Richard just a great loss.

[@KingKenny.]

I will echo someone else's comment on here , that you just want to pull him through the screen and tell him its your heart Richard !!! .... of all the people in the public eye throughout the history British showbusiness ... The sudden passing of Richard Beckinsale at such a young age , has to be considered as the most tragic and devastating of them all !!! ... at least he will be forever young !!

[@hatednyc]

That intro reminds me of the Young Ones when Vyv tears into the good life title card

[@michaelpowell1577]

cheers for upload as i never Richard Beckinsale in this he did such good comdey he was awsome in Riseing damp

[@reddevil9554]

A good looking man, a good actor too. RADA trained. He always played dippy characters but he was far from it. You can see how seasoned he is as an actor, even from such a young age. You can learn a lot from his facial expressions, mannerisms, reactions and other techniques. I think if he hadn't been taken so young he would have moved more into straight acting. I've always though he'd have made a good lead in a prime-time British detective series.

[@reddevil9554]

@@irenemorley6518 He'd actually already played a young detective before in a TV play. You might be able to find it, it's called, 'Detective Waiting'.

[@tonymcgrath8292]

Was actually a very funny comedy, So sad about Richard Beckinsale. R.I.P

[@naylorthejailor]

I agree, but as you say always a treat, tinged with a bit of sadness though for great actor,

[@ryantablet7153]

Wonder if Stanley Partridge is any relation to Alan? 😂

[@realamerican6101]

Pretty funny .

[@carlkane7544]

its such a real shame that Richard didn't get to complete the full series,ive seen the film bloody kids I think he would have played the part he was originally given to a t,31 years of age and then sadly died was way to young .

[@carlsenden8750]

Thanks for posting from a British comedy fanatic. The bearded man is the hotel owner in Going Straight, and I believe he is also the man in Rising Damp who climbs onto the roof to commit suicide (minus the whiskers)?.

[@barbaraannecortina7899]

The actor you're on about is David Swift, brother of Clive and who later starred as the irascible Henry Davenport in the media satire Drop The Dead Donkey. If you listen to Clive Swift in Keeping Up Appearances, you might be able to detect a slight Liverpool accent there and get this, gardener Joe Swift is his son and he doesn't half look like his dad.

[@carlsenden8750]

Barbara Cortina Thank's Barbara. I'm always looking to make connections in the world of BBC comedy. I'll be sure to follow the trail to which you have enlightened me. Lately, I have been recognising some familiar faces in All Creatures Great And Small. Mavis, the undecided customer from Open All Hours makes an appearance etc. Unashamedly, I am an absolute tragic for this period of television..... absolute gold!! Thanks again

[@carlsenden8750]

Barbara Cortina Ha! I see now! Thanks. Immediately too, I see one of the characters from Drop The Dead Donkey is also in Doc Martin. Thanks again🤗

[@barbaraannecortina7899]

Unfortunately, David joined the choir invisible not that long ago...back in April in fact. His older brother Clive is still with us, but for how long? Most of the faces we know and love disappear by the year!

[@soeffingwhat]

@@barbaraannecortina7899 You can watch Drop The Dead Donkey on KZbin now, though I have series 3 and 4 on DVD also.

[@loureviews]

It's been a while since I got copies of these. A weak series and a sad one (given that Beckinsale died after episode 5 before the series was finished) but I am glad to see it finally on here.

[@paullynton-green6570]

Anything on richard is always worth watching.

[@paullynton-green6570]

Can you buy thus on dvd?have looked but can't find anywhere.

[@mk2dubster]

As far as I'm aware there has never been an official commercial dvd release, any dvd that out there will be homemade and over priced

[@kimberleylink1321]

I second that!!

[@danashton9204]

@mk2dubster You may have posted the rarest possible video on KZbin next to someone finding footage of a dinosaur walking around. Wherever did you get this from? Thanks ever so much. I'm gobsmacked this series is on here finally. Do tell the story behind it? Wow. Dan x

[@cranecitytramp]

Dan Ashton I'm equally amazed, I can only think it's come from a long forgotten VHS tape, or someone with access to the BBC archives? Whatever, its a really great upload. Thanks a lot @mk2dubster.

[@cranecitytramp]

***** Not true...the programme is 1979. VHS began in 1976. I had a VCR in 1980, so lots of people could have recorded it in 1979.

[@stevebailey5591]

+cranecitytramp That's true - but I'm sure only the first episode was actually broadcast in 1980 because Richard died before the second episode.

[@andrewsmith2757]

+Steve Bailey Six episodes of Bloomers were planned but only five were completed due to Richard's untimely death in March 1979. The series ( five episodes) was finally broadcast at a later date than planned in late-1979. It's clear from these uploads that they have been recorded off air to VHS or Betamax. They're unfortunately not from the original BBC archives.

[@stevebailey5591]

Andrew Smith Thanks for the clarification Andrew.

[@mandysmith5275]

😍💙❤💙

[@MrDavey2010]

What date was this? I’d never heard of it.

[@busog97641]

It aired on 27 September 1979. It was the first of five episodes.

[@alanpearce9665]

Yep xx

[@robertboyle2573]

Not bad at all.

[@JackLongbridge]

Although it is always a treat to see Richard Beckinsale,this is pretty weak material. Following The Lovers,Rising Damp & Porridge was always going to be hard, but I feel this one was a poor career decision on his part. Perhaps that's just me though,because these late 70's early 80's gentle philosophical sitcoms in the Butterflies/Shelley mold always left me cold.

[@danashton9204]

Well not really - Richard was starting to go into drama and was thinking of films rather than TV. This was a thinking step onto that next leap. He was filming at the same time as this and well... wasn't to be. Who wouldn't need a break from all that success with a silly sitcom about a flower shop. He was very very tired. The rest wasn't to be. X

[@danashton9204]

Dan Ashton Oh - forgot to say. Here he plays an unsuccessful actor. That tells you a lot.

[@millionseller001]

youre right.

[@nikeeweston]

Bryan Braddock he died, he didn’t even have a chance at what he really wanted to do. He was in 2 of the most successful tv shows ever. He was branching out, just started poor man.

[@stingray4real]

He did 'Going Straight' a poor sequel to 'Porridge' with Ronnie Barker.

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

Hes part Burmese right or Malaysian?

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

@@Hgv.scania no he actually is part Burmese, I looked it up. His family were mixed back in the Raj days. I love Kate Beckinsale

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

@@Hgv.scania He's born in England but yeah his family were mixed

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

@@Hgv.scania I don't mean it like that take it easy.

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

@@Hgv.scania he is ethnically part southeast asian, he is in all other ways totally english, cool?

[@susancunningham1451]

hello Mrs.Kotter!

[@fredfat1606]

thanks for the upload but a weak show to finish with

[@neilmcdonald9164]

Not terrible,not especially funny...had Richard lived it would not be considered a career highlight (Note the "Porridge" sequel "Going Straight" was not the mega flop most think it was BAFTA nominated and may have gone to a second season had RB lived)🎩

[@knockedoutloaded279]

was this any good....

[@lllucky13]

yea it was ace

[@richardhewlett5603]

Wow,middle-class comedy.