Forgotten Sitcoms of Our Favourite Comedy Stars

In today’s video, we’ll take a look at 5 of the UK’s favourite comedy stars and the forgotten sitcoms they starred in.
Even the biggest comedy stars, with multiple successful television sitcoms to their name, occasionally appear in a series that, over the course of time, will be forgotten by audiences. It isn’t always necessarily down to a lack of quality in these forgotten series. Some are actually quite good but simply get overshadowed by much more successful shows on that star’s CV. How many of the sitcoms featured in this video do you remember?
All clips and photographs featured in this video remain the copyright of their respective owners and have been used under the terms of UK fair dealing and US fair use, for the purposes of commentary and review.
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[@stuviewtv]

If there is a favourite comedy star you would like to see featured in future Forgotten Sitcom videos, leave your suggestion in the comments here and I will see what I can do.

[@stingray4real]

Sid Jamy

[@summonersumnerus4364]

Clarence is an underappreciated gem.

[@stuviewtv]

Absolutely. It's very underrated.

[@Steve_P_B]

Same with The Magnificent Evans

[@leer798]

Agreed .I’ve had the dvd years and watch it now and then :)

[@johnsurrey7426]

I disagree - they were both one-joke shows, and pretty poor ones at that. Ronnie well past his best, imho

[@krakatoa1200]

I remember Lucky Feller well. when I mention it to friends, they say they've never heard of it.

[@markbunn4376]

I picked up "Clarence" in 2021 for a £1 in a charity shop. It is vastly underrated and does contain a very funny joke about "Baker Street Station".

[@stuviewtv]

Bargain!

[@HereticMonalith666]

Couldn't agree more. I've had the DVD for some years now and love re-watching it has such charm and funny moments.

[@alisonjordan]

Gosh... “Forgotten Situation Comedies” brought back some wonderful memories. Admittedly, the only comedy 🎭 I remember David Jason in, before Only Fools and Horses” was “A Sharp intake of Breath.” My favourite among the actors is Penelope Keith. I loved her in” The Good Life” and “To the Manor Born.” I remember “Sweet Sixteen” was panned by a the critics.! I had forgotten “Next of Kin.” Thanks for an interesting video 📹

[@stuviewtv]

Thanks Alison! I must admit Sweet Sixteen was one that had completely slipped my memory before researching this video.

[@mattkilleen7174]

Great video. I did not know Graham Chapman and Eric Idle collaborated outside of Python, or that Chapman worked on so many sitcoms.

[@stuviewtv]

I could be wrong but that may be the only time that Chapman and Idle worked together in a writing capacity outside of the Python team.

[@fus149hammer5]

A short story.. I'm a retired London cabbie and many years ago I was flagged down by Victor Spinetti. He was such a lovely gent and we had a great conversation as we went through darkest Soho but as with anyone of note I had I didn't let on that I knew who he was. At the end of the journey he said "Thank you driver it's been lovely". To which I replied "And thank you Mr Spinetti." "You know who I am?" "Of course I do and what's more anyone that manages to get his hand up Koo Starks knickers is all right by me!" He nearly fell over laughing! As I said a lovely gentleman. If you're not sure what I mean look up the film Emily. 😘

[@stuviewtv]

Love it! A fantastic memory.

[@anthonyfisher-7090]

Can you imagine if Ronnie B was given a part on Only Fools with David Jason. Even just for 1 episode.

[@stuviewtv]

That would have been fantastic. I could just see Ronnie in The Nag's Head playing a Fletch type character.

[@stingray4real]

Spring And Autumn starred Jimmy Jewell, Jo Warne and Larry Martin. Jo Warne originally played Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders.

[@b003]

I loved this kind of stuff, my only exposure to was on PBS and Canadian tv. This is what I'd watch on BBC America. American shows I can watch anywhere.

[@annalewis5443]

Once again very interesting viewing

[@martinkinsella6484]

Looking forward to the next one. Really enjoyed Clarence and Sharp Intake of Breath. You’re right that Clarence was underrated. Prince of Denmark was a shocker. Not as bad as Not on Your Nellie but it was terrible.

[@stuviewtv]

Yes, Prince of Denmark certainly wasn't one of Ronnie C's best.

[@Steve_P_B]

Now Look Here was also a good early role for Richard O'Sullivan, prior to him starring in Man About the House

[@fus149hammer5]

O'Sullivan played Ptolemy in Antony And Cleopatra one of the most expensive films made up to that point alongside Burton, Taylor and Rex Harrison! The UK sets and props were later used in Carry On Cleo!

[@johnpirie4804]

He also starred in the "Doctor" comedy series in the early 1970's

[@joanne26]

I just ❤Sid James. Yes in all the Carry On’s but Bless This House. To me Asa kid he always looked ill and older than his years but we know Sid died on stage 👍 👍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿❤️❤️🙏🙏

[@joanne26]

As your video title ‘forgotten’ sitcoms but for me they are NEVER forgotten I still try and watched them on TV and on KZbin I’m so glad I was a kid in the 70’s and times when you laughed so much you had belly ache In todays bonkers woke 🌎 all these shows would be part of cancel culture 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙏🙏♥️♥️👍 👍

[@stuviewtv]

The 70s was certainly a golden age for TV comedy.

[@zezet0ni594]

Great comment Joanne. I too grew up in the 70s, when in 1970 I was 11yrs old. I can remember watching the great comedys/programmes on the telly with my family, and like you often find myself catching up with them on YT 📺 Good Times. I do find myself looking back to those years with real affection 🙂

[@joanne26]

@@zezet0ni594 I have commented on lots of entertainment from the 70’s Life was simpler then Yes, there were bad things going on but it never ‘affected’ us as children The children’s programmes for me were ‘up there’ and we only had the BBC and ITV. Such great morning programmes Champion the Wonder Horse The Banana Splits Lassie Why Don’t You Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion Mary, Mungo and Midge I could go on 😢😢😁😁👍 👍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@zezet0ni594]

That's a great list of TV 1970s programmes for children​@@joanne26 📺 And of course, with our Saturday morning movies at our local cinema we did feel spoilt! 🎬 Like I said, great memories for me 👏

[@davidcoombsbestmegadethalb9780]

I am jealous because im 39 and wished I lived in those days seems better than todays world

[@Agnethatheredhairkid]

I love 'Edgar Briggs' and 'No Job For A Lady'.

[@kakauling]

I liked Sweet Sixteen. I remember there being a bit of controversy due to the age gap between the two main characters and the fact that the older character was a woman.

[@nervo6321]

Clarence had a certain charm that was sadly overlooked for some reason.

[@sebastianwrites]

The Manor Borne... or however it was spelt, was I am sure not more popular that It's a Good Life!

[@stuviewtv]

Although both were massively popular, To the Manor Born actually got higher viewing figures.

[@davidcoombsbestmegadethalb9780]

yes it did my parents got a box set of it on dvd very funny sitcom with the great Penelope KEITH @@stuviewtv

[@fannycraddock99]

Gosh, I had forgotten or never heard of at least 75%!

[@nervo6321]

My favourite comedy actor…Richard O’Sullivan.

[@Fcutdlady]

Sir David Jason called Ronnie Barker the guv'nor!

[@philashby2823]

Look at George Cole in 'Comrade Dad'.

[@glnnchrstphr9717]

Even you have forgotten about "Do Not Adjust Your Set" David Jason was in that one long before the ones mentioned here.

[@stuviewtv]

Indeed he was but Do Not Adjust Your Set was a children's sketch show, so did not qualify for this video as it is just about forgotten sitcoms.

[@Louisejames23]

I have the Edgar Briggs dvd. It’s terrible. I tried to like it but it’s very hard work! 🤷‍♀️

[@jamespasifull]

The top secret life of Edgar Briggs is hardly ever mentioned, whenever David Jason is in the spotlight! I suppose everyone thinks he's always hit the jackpot every time, but Edgar Briggs wasn't as popular as it should've been, which is odd really, because that style of comedy was later used in the 'Airplane' movies, & 'Police Squad' TV show, in America, to great effect! I loved the Edgar Briggs series, & even though I was just a young teen, I got the humour. To me, it was one of the best things on TV, but sadly TV is run by adults who haven't got a bloody clue, so Edgar Briggs was dumped!

[@PipkinsUK]

Sid also starred in a long forgotten BBC sitcom called Taxi! between 1963 and 1964 with Ray Brooks as his co-star. Out of the 26 episodes transmitted, all were wiped bar 1. The sole surviving episode is this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIKofWecd8mHY6c

[@stuviewtv]

Such a pity that there is only one episode left now. Would love to see more. The only reason I didn't include it here is because it's a comedy drama rather than a full-on sitcom.

[@fus149hammer5]

Sid was also given his own show called Citizen James. In it he played the same character he played in Hancock but people were uneasy about him as a craggy faced middle aged man letching after young girls. A bit like Reg Varney and Bob Grant in On The Buses. Reg was actually 42 when he filmed his first episode! Then again Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were 28 and 23 respectively when they filmed Grease. Didn't do them any harm.

[@jamesragsdale3069]

Just discovered you. Great video! I love Britcoms. Even the older stuff is quite funny, and always leaps and bounds ahead of the american trash I grew up with. Cool hearing about the other works of some of these actors. Looking forward to more in this series. Do you plan on doing US/Canadian sitcoms? I am trying very hard but few people are prolific enough to even warrant this treatment on this side of the pond.

[@stuviewtv]

Many thanks for watching James! Glad you enjoyed the video. I will probably stick to British sitcoms for this particular series as they tend to be more popular on the channel but it's very possible I'll include some US ones in other future videos. All the best!

[@jamesragsdale3069]

@@stuviewtv Like I said, I don't think it's even possible to give US sitcoms this treatment. The British comedians were devoted to it. The US actors just kinda fell into their poorly written roles. Looking forward to more!

[@ILoveMusicfromthesonwards]

Clarence was ORIGINALLY a pilot episode made by LWT in 1971 in the series, Six Dates with Barker, the episode was called The Removals Man. However Barker's character was called FRED, Josephine Tewson also appeared in that episode.

[@fus149hammer5]

Ronnie Corbett had the same problem as Ernie Wise in as much as they had to live in the shadow of two of Britain's greatest comedy stars. Sorry.... but Ronnie C and Ernie W just weren't in the same league.

[@anjkovo2138]

👍👍

[@marcraygun6290]

Of course Sorry and it's story of oppressed son Timothyand domineering mother was succesfully remade as Bate's Motel

[@allanallen1835]

Boon

[@dementednun1175]

I don't think Ronnie Barker is very good and I don't find him very funny Ronnie Corbett was funny Ronnie Barker was just annoying

[@annoldham3018]

That's funny as I find it the other way round 🤣. Never cared for Mr Corbett. I think seeing him be quite rude backstage when he played Buttons in panto turned me off him even more. But Barker I thought was very good.

[@jofoster1596]

I do slightly prefer Ronnie C. He was hilarious in Sorry and loved his chair monologues on Two Ronnies