On the Buses Documentary Elstree Studios Revisited -

[@MartysWhiteSuit]

I always say, watch any three episodes of On The Buses and you'll see a slice of British history. You saw how we lived, what we ate, shift patterns, people living with in-laws. Different world entirely.

[@flashtheoriginal]

Just BRILLIANT to watch As Reg and others have said, the cast never played it for laughs, they delivered everything straight, just like performing a play. The total reliance was on the script and the situation, to draw out the laughs. Thats a very professional, trusting and confident thing to do. Thanks Morris

[@debbieanne7962]

Stephen Lewis, bless his soul, played Blakey 30 years later to perfection. All wonderful comedians. As a young girl in Australia the family would all watch On the Buses for lots of laughs. I have the box set DVDs of the entire series plus all 3 movies. Now in my 60s I watch from time to time ans lmao. It's a pity we can't make comedies like it any more 😔

[@MrDavey2010]

He was only 30 years old when he began acting as Blakey!

[@Peter-pv8xx]

Don't forget his character smiler in last of the summer wine.

[@shanedavis9166]

@@Peter-pv8xx And Harry in Oh Doctor Beeching.

[@beverlygannon4141]

Yes agree. Totally ❤️❤️

[@spud912]

​@@MrDavey2010 True .plus Hard to believe but Reg Varney was 10 years older than Stephen Lewis

[@chestnutsev7]

All gone now, R.I.P cast of OTB.

[@rhettcorbett3346]

To hear Steven say the line 'I'll get you Butler" & make the facial. Was gold. Bought a tear to the eye.😪 RIP Blakey. In Australia we have the old Double Decker buses out every now & then in Sydney for special occasions. I always go up to the driver & say "I'll have you Butler". And they know where it comes from.

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

@Rhett Corbett that's wonderful.

[@flight101]

Just a little fact.. Australia still has uk common laws in place now. As they are not an AOP they can not be changed or altered. I never knew this until i was doing my law degree. 😊

[@markbarker6739]

Met reg in Heathrow I wanted an autograph only paper I could find was a bus ticket when I asked him and produced the ticket he couldn't stop laughing he was such a lovely man

[@chestnutsev7]

That’s great!😂

[@davidloughlin2238]

Now the stars of On The Buses were really stars. Looking at the interviews they come over as lovely people who had passion for their work. Their humility is staggering, in our modern world we rarely get this, the so called stars seem to get ahead of themselves very quickly. RIP to these wonderful writers abd actors, they have given me so much pleasure and I will keep watching the show until the day I die.

[@houseofoddity]

On the buses has a special place in my heart. It alway reminded me of Sunday nights at my Nans house. That’s when I was a little kid. In 43 now. Great little documentary.

[@bondy284]

My Dad, Mum ( Rest their souls ) & I loved the series including the movies and we laughed our heads off. I am 60 now. British comedy is the best and OTBuses was absolutely wonderful. We will never see it’s kind again. Legendary cast !!!!.🇦🇺

[@Rhr118]

I still watch them regularly ...each week in fact! Morris, thanks for re-kindling those memories of a great, great British Comedy

[@Trek001]

I met Stephen Lewis many years ago in the 90s when he was in character as Blakey at the Lord Mayor's Parade in Hull sat in the back of a Routemaster. He was a great pleasure to talk to and very kind to the small boy I was back then. I asked him if he had ever got Stan and Jack to get the bus out on time and he simply went "One day... Oh, one day I will" One thing I do notice in this video is that the badge on the cap is an old London Transport badge whilst when I met him in the 90s on that occasion, the cap had his original Luxton and District crest - I wonder whatever happened to it

[@SPIKE-0000]

This is fantastic...so many memories, must be sad and nostalgic at the same time....

[@terence2678]

Great to see all these actors from 20 years ago again. 👍

[@peterscotney1]

Bloody loved "on the buses" , I still do my Blakey impressions in 2022

[@patrickpayne8330]

As a child..(in the early seventies)...I loved this series....much much later..I got married moved to Edgware...and my big shopping place to shop was tesos in Borehamwood...as soon as I drove into the area....I know I've been here before..Great memories

[@smithpm81]

LOVE on the buses

[@Plazmapants188]

Fantastic 👏

[@pollatso]

Thank you so much for that I enjoyed it lots… Great memories from a golden age 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@sugarbertie1143]

All I'll say is God bless em all. They've all gone now and losing Anna Karen in such tragic circumstances recently was a massive blow to all of us who loved the show. I met her a few times and she was great. Would love to have met Stephen Lewis but latterly he was a very private man and didn't do appearances anymore. They were all immortal imo , and gave us so many laughs. RIP all of them.

[@Bulletguy07]

I've lost count of the number of times i've watched all three movies which are often repeated on tv and I still find them a good laugh. I think everyone tuned in to the weekly shows also as the characters and storylines were always a topic of discussion with fellow workmates. Tragic how Bob Grant left us though.....very sad.

[@barneyrubbles2485]

and yes that was a geat show to watch every week.

[@Paul-uu5kf]

Beautiful piece. Bless Reg at the end. Thank you.

[@eveb446]

On The Buses is a wonderful, happy family and work situation show. Very gifted and talented actors, writers, producers etc. It is a joy to watch the show, now on KZbin. Unfortunately, I have only been able to see a few episodes. Can someone upload the entire On The Buses series? Thank you.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

It’s literally on tv all the time on ITV3

[@Viator19]

Reg spent his final years in the town where I live Budleigh Salterton. Used to drink in the Feathers pub in the town. Lovely man.

[@JaneArt64]

I really loved this thank you wish they was all still here, and what a talent and passion they all had.

[@petersmith4202]

Well done to the actors great days

[@victorrowntree8041]

Well Done Elstree Studios Happy New Year 2023! Absolutely Fabulous video a big thank to all that were involved in producing it.

[@jujulionesselsa1416]

I really miss these classic actors, comedians. And I especially loved on the buses. I loved are you being served too. Man about the house I loved also. All of them I miss. I was in my teens from the early 70s when i first began to watch on the buses. And I never realised there was a Christmas edition of on the buses until it appeared on KZbin this Christmas, I sent the link to my Son as he is a huge fan too. Stephen Lewis was a genius he was a brilliant script writer for so many plays, drama, comedy's etc.

[@beverlygannon4141]

Me too 👍👍

[@LostsTVandRadio]

Wonderful!! Loved the show as a kid in the early seventies. Blakey was such a wonderful comedic character and he really brought the series to life.

[@majorberk4647]

Thanks for the upload - lovely people in real life clearly - great footage

[@Mark-yk1ny]

Thank you for all your hard work. Outstanding 👍

[@RABBITANDSNAIL]

Much appreciated!

[@crowquake4123]

I think Reg lived at Budleigh Salterton for the last 20 years of his life. Not Bideford? Great documentary. Thanks for this.

[@VeganStance]

Still watch OTB every day have done for 45 years ,first with my dad in the early 80s

[@peterandgeraldineaspell-gi3417]

I watched a double episode just this morning. Still makes me laugh. Great documentary.

[@RobbieHall1984]

Wonderful video, I could listen to Stephen Lewis talk all day

[@jamesm90]

Great video. I've learnt quite a lot about Elstree studios I didn't know and I worked there for years!

[@salobrena6442]

We watched On The Buses in Toronto when I was a kid.. loved it..

[@rar321blue]

A wonderful piece..thank you

[@rizzleo5425]

I watch them everyday rip all legends thankyou

[@miabahons1953]

Love On The Buses. Ty for this vid. A lovely tribute to all the cast and crew. Now get that bus owttttttttttt😊😊😊😊

[@Jay-ru3mu]

Legends All Of Em, Love watching the Films and Then The series

[@iiiiiMILLYiiiii]

Fascinating video. Thanks for posting...

[@toppyblahblahblah]

Quite brilliant Great British comedy

[@leedavies3629]

Nice one great interviews Sad they have all gone now that was a classic show when we cud all laugh together 🤣🇬🇧✌️

[@nigelspeller1850]

Charming some very talented people

[@stevemellor655]

Really enjoyable to watch . And interesting to see some of the old studio buildings seen years ago from the likes of the saint and countless other british tv shows and films . Pity that elstree studios don't do some form of tour . .

[@ashleymiskin5284]

Great video really enjoyed that ! Funny really after watching a recent episode I chuckled to myself and thought wouldn’t it be ‘cool’ if the show was to make a 21 century comeback, I’m sure it would create both a young and seasoned audience!!😂

[@rchippy2319]

Thanks for showing this.loved ' on the buses.'. very interesting watching this.👍

[@jezpower]

Fantastic-Thank you

[@JohnCashin]

'Come on Butler, get that bus out' haha. It's funny but when I used to watch this back in the 70s as a young kid, knee-high to a grasshopper and all that, I didn't exactly like it much, I thought it was a bit naff, not cool, if you know what I mean, although my late much older brother and my late mother used to love it when it was on every week. I couldn't see anything in it at the time, yet, now, when I watch it, I can understand why they liked it so much. I think once you've lived a bit, you get it much more because I'm sure, as we all got older and went out to work, we all had bosses who were a bit like the character 'Blakey' that seem to just have it in for us for some reason and it's often the case that when a boss keeps addressing you by your surname (eg, 'Butler') even after many years of service in a company, instead of being on first-name terms, that's a sign you're not getting on very well with them. Thanks for the upload 😀

[@dawnofthedunk]

Classic comedy, love it. Thanks for sharing 👍❤️

[@tonytcb4504]

Absolutely loved this thank you so much 💓

[@MrBooojangles]

That was absolutely brilliant to watch, thank you. I think I was about 5 when I first remember watching On The Buses. We also have cine film of me when I was young and it was on the black and white TV in the background. I've loved it all my life and still do. In my teenage years at secondary school, things like the letching after gorgeous women did get played out in the school and playground. Many of us would do the coorrrr sound when a gorgeous girl walked by, which was so common from programmes like On The Buses, the Carry On films, Benny Hill and some other comedies of the time. But then a lot of things that influence kids always did and still do now get played out in school. It was amazing to see Stephen still had the uniform too. He seemed to play Blakey when he was in Last Of The Summer Wine. The same grumpy character, or you could say a more extreme version of Blakey. Great to see Reg reminiscing too, but sad to hear his wife wasn't well and he couldn't travel. Anna I had seen in other programmes, but there was a big gap between seeing her in On The Buses and then being in Eastenders or maybe Corrie. Then poor Bob Grant I read commited suicide. So sad to read that. 😞😞😞

[@Mel-he1hg]

Yes the best we won’t get nothing like that again

[@johndean4765]

Mel 1 on the buses was great as it had a cast that was so good,also a great script that was non stop British humour.

[@Mel-he1hg]

@@johndean4765 yes spot on

[@paulmartin4971]

Excellent stuff thanks

[@kymkym6875]

Love the videos

[@mandycoulbeck8692]

fantastic video

[@darrengrimmer8541]

I loved on the buses.. really enjoyed this documentary seeing all the actors again.. sadly they are no longer with us but great memories… The sad thing for me was when you said that of course it was made in the 70’s.. and you couldn’t make it now.. I think that is a great shame but it’s where we are now.. I mean you only have to breathe now and you offend someone.. still never mind

[@alanglasgowbassist]

Amazing

[@alangiles4616]

It was clear at 24' 0'' that the two security men genuinely didn't know who Blakey was - the younger one probably wasn't even born when the series ended

[@pauljames77777]

Great video thanks

[@nigelspeller1850]

Had the delight to work with Julia Varney on the trams in Nottingham , not sure think she was related to Reg

[@davidmcnally6296]

Great video thanks for the memories

[@scottstrails9369]

Superb ..thanks

[@dunko45]

Super doc greatsee top stats of years gone by chatting script writers those days had great imagination simple plots very popular still fun watch old shows beat some modern crap we have now

[@StuartG61]

Loved On the Buses 💙

[@brianroberts9376]

Have you done, or maybe thinking a doing a documentery on the 4 confession movies of the 70's

[@russellhunter8378]

Fun fact, Reg Varney was the first person ever to use a cashpoint.

[@johnvoysey4492]

Nice video Morris

[@conversemackem8653]

Shame Bob Grant wasn't mentioned apart from Reg Varny at the end. Without "Jack" his conductor "On The Buses" wouldn't have been.

[@slickrick320]

It was a shame he didn't mention bob much

[@gareth838]

And arthur Bob I noticed seems to get left out on a few of these documentaries

[@elliottg.1954]

You mentioned the old water tank at Estree, correct me if I'm wrong but I think the Porridge TV series was filmed in that tank, and it was the jail set.

[@nikkic36]

Only 2 on the buses films were shot at elstree. Holiday on the buses was shot mainly in wales and the tv series were shot at lwt in London

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

It is still very much an Elstree production with much more shot there than you would think. The chalet scenes, the stairs and corridor scenes with Olive going to the toilet, the goods store where they get the toilet and paint, the ferry scene, the hotel manager's bedroom scene and Blakey being towed by the donkey all shot at Elstree Studios.

[@nikkic36]

@@OntheBusesDatabase1 I didn’t realise most of that. I was always under the impression apart from some of the interiors (let’s face it you’d never fit a full film crew in a chalet) were shot on location

[@mikemartin2957]

The TV series were made firstly at London Weekends Wembley studios from 1968 until about 1972 & the final series 1972/'73was made at their newly built studio's at Kent House on the South Bank! This later studio had doors that would not let a Double Deck bus in, but a single decker could drive in( Reg at the wheel?) & the set designer would lower a plywood top deck on to appear if it was a proper double decker!

[@nikkic36]

@@mikemartin2957 yes I remember seeing that somewhere I never knew until I read it somewhere reg varney actually had a psv license

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

@@nikkic36 but never held insurance so professional drivers were still needed. Reg's skill was good for starting the bus up in the depot or returning to depot set though.

[@michaelholmes4374]

When can we see the finished documentary can't wait

[@Andyroar1]

Loved the show and the films. Could anyone tell me if they did some filming for Holiday on the Buses in Cardiff? I’m sure there is a scene where the bus is driving thought the city at that time.

[@paulmartin4971]

Hi mate you will probably find out if you subscribe to on the buses database with Craig walker. When he's next doing a live q and a you can ask him he will know.

[@matthewjones8977]

Holiday on buses was filmed in North Wales on location around the pontins camp site Prestatyn. The town scenes were filmed in Rhyl.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

@@paulmartin4971 the simple answer is yes it was.

[@gareth838]

Could of mentioned Arthur and Jack a bit more

[@macker8017]

That fella with teeth like a row of bombed out houses was funny rip

[@peterstudley1804]

There is no comedy any more , we now live in a world of too easily offended snowflakes , look what happened to little Britain, the 1970s were the heyday of hysterically funny shows.

[@chrissheppard5068]

Morale of the story do not work as a stunt man on "the buses".

[@jontaylor1652]

I never liked the show really but Stephen Lewis was excellent.

[@mrjagriff]

A time that’s still remembered if you’re over 70 ,the young ones today won’t even recognise the Britain then compared to the disaster of today

[@maxandshakira]

Why did Reg Varney not finish the series off and leave with only a few episodes left ?

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

Reg had a history of heart trouble and was ordered by doctors to rest or risk a fatal heart attack. He had the option of doing all of series seven and missing Holiday on the Buses or choosing the option he did. Holiday on the Buses started filming just two weeks after series seven's filming ended so not the extended rest doctor's ordered so doing both series seven and Holiday on the Buses was not an option.

[@maxandshakira]

@@OntheBusesDatabase1 Thanks do you know why olives Husband left ? ( actor)

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

@@maxandshakira Michael Robbins loved stage work above all else. He was offered a role in a West End stage production of Time and Time Again written by the noted playwright AlanAyckbourn. It was an offer he could not refuse and as its run clashed with the filming of series seven of On the Buses he left the hit sitcom at the end of series six.

[@paulanderson7796]

Anna Karen was absolutely nothing like the character she portrayed as Olive.

[@egonrhoodie2745]

Came from Durban South Africa 😇🙏

[@paulanderson7796]

@@egonrhoodie2745 Yeah, I discovered this a couple of years ago. I think Cicely Courtneidge was Aussie born. Quite a diverse cast.

[@Porch.monkey.slayer]

Ronald Chesney looks uncannily like Jack

[@Michaellipmanactor]

Lovely documentary. I’d love to know why they used red buses and not green ones in the film. I always thought that spoilt it for me. It’s like going to see a band play live and they play a different version of their songs.

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

The films were standalone. LWT owned the TV series and fictional Luxton and District bus company but they did not write into contracts making sure they secured any potentialbfilm rights. The writers/creators Ronnie Wolfe and Ronnie Chesney were contacted by Hammer Films about the possibility of a spin-off film and they agreed. To avoid any copyright issues with LWT they had to use a different fictional bus company - red liveried Town and District and although the same characters were used it was because the writers owned the characters but the films ran to theiir own timeline and were in no way a direct continuation of the TV series hence the differing fortunes of Arthur and Olive having a kid in films and not being divorced and Stan not leaving to work in a car factory.

[@Michaellipmanactor]

@@OntheBusesDatabase1 Thank you for clearing that up. Much appreciated.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

The colour of the buses spoilt it for you?

[@robertconlon2604]

Used too watch when I was young loved it still watch it now loved blaikie I ate you butler ate y

[@BunyanaRed1958]

Where is Bob Grant's grave ?

[@frank290862]

Chelsea.

[@paulfreeman4900]

I enjoy On the Buses but some of it makes me wince, such as the way they talk to Olive. At least Anna Karen was on board and into the joke! Very much of its time, but still good. Olive was the most beautiful of the whole cast

[@johndean4765]

Paul Freeman amazing how they show incessant violence and swearing since those days but people are fine with this.

[@wilsonflood4393]

Without Blakey the show would have been much less funny. He made the show.

[@kantaralak.billlbill1857]

Its BOREHAM WOOD not elstree!!!

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

Yes it is Elstree? There’s two sites in Borehamwood currently used for film and tv production, that’s BBC Elstree Centre and Elstree Studios.

[@danwoodhouse9290]

Two things about buses 1 Why was it based around Eastern National when it could have been London Transport 2 Why were the uses and tbe company names different between the TV and film versions

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

1. Producer Stuart Allen first went to London Transport to ask for use of buses and depot but London Transport refused. They did not want thevpublic to think theirvstaff were uncouth and buses unpunctual. Next port of call for Allen was Eastern National who were far more obliging and the rest is history. 2. Different bus companies was necessary for copyright issues. LWT owned the TV series and fictional 'Luxton and District' but had not secured rights to any films. When Hammer Films gained rights to the films from the writers/creators another fictional bus company was invented to avoid any copyright issues with LWT. Also the films are in no way a direct continuation of the TV series. The films places the characters in a new settingvand on its own timeline.

[@philliphurley5341]

The Eastern National bus garage in Lordship Lane Wood Green (my home town) was used for exterior shots in the TV series.

[@OntheBusesDatabase1]

@@philliphurley5341 indeed. Closed in the early 80s and demolished. A small block of flats called Omnibus House stands there now.

[@philliphurley5341]

Yes I know about the flats. I had family who were still living in Wood Green until 2000 and I was still going there until then.

[@cliveallen7853]

Why they can't make a new on the buses with new actors

[@spud912]

2 people spring to mind who could play Stan and Jack would be Harry Enfield as Stan and Paul Whitehouse as jack . The pair did a comedy sketch of them about 15 years ago on Harry Enfield and chums 😁 Really good it was too

[@stevenpaulgoulding]

Apart from Rising Damp and Benidorm, On the Buses and the rest of the ITV sitcoms have all failed the test of time.

[@peterandgeraldineaspell-gi3417]

Nonsense

[@stevenpaulgoulding]

@@peterandgeraldineaspell-gi3417 Name one ITV sitcom that has stood the test of time?

[@johndavis364]

I loved on the buses thankyou for this vid.

[@davidcritchley3509]

A lot more people also used buses in those days. So it was very relevant to a lot of travellers. When Reg left the show, and "Arthur" did. It went downhill though. Wouldn't want to be a stuntman on the show from what they tell us!

[@dorindatodd123]

Holiday was filmed at pontins holiday camp preststyn North Wales. The camp still exists but it's terrible now. I was there with my parents the year it was filmed I later took my parents and daughter there many years later. The camp was unrecognisable most of the things weren't there anymore and was a real dump.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

17:08 Anna Karen was already a semi regular on EastEnders as Aunt Sal at the time, so she will have already been familiar with Elstree wouldn’t she as it was in 2002?