The Clitheroe Kid

The Clitheroe Kid started off life as a BBC radio series in 1957, running for an amazing 290 episodes until August 1972, making it one of the longest running radio sitcoms of all time.
The premise of the series centered around 11 year old schoolboy Jimmy Clitheroe and his family (which in the radio series included his mother, older sister, her boyfriends and grandfather). Each episode featured the various antics of Jimmy, which frequently saw him getting into trouble through misunderstandings, mostly caused from listening at keyholes! The radio series was famed for its sharp humor and strong supporting cast, in particular Danny Ross playing Alfie Hall (Jimmy's sisters daft boyfriend!) and was well written by the duo of Frank Roscoe and and James Casey.
The series made the jump to Television in November 1963, 13 days before the premier of Doctor Who on BBC 1 and 12 days before the assassination of John F Kennedy.
Jimmy Clitheroe was 41 when he took the Clitheroe Kid to TV, which many feel was a mistake, in so far as it was fairly easy for him to uphold the illusion of being an 11 year old schoolboy on radio but visually it was much harder to hide his true age on the small screen.
Personally I feel that Jimmy Clitheroe is one of the heroes of British Comedy, but sadly slightly forgotten to the mists of time. This is a shame in many respects as the comedy in my opinion is timeless and still funny today, despite it being from a completely different era (not least per-decimilaisation!). If you enjoy this I recommend checking out some of the radio episodes available on KZbin from other users, they are well worth a listen to!!

[@MrADAVideo]

Just to mention that whilst this is entitled The Clitheroe Kid, this actual series was called Just Jimmy and had no official link to the BBC radio series. The video is entitled The Clitheroe Kid to avoid getting taken down by a KZbin copyright claim. The video is uploaded for entertainment purposes only and not for commercial gain or enterprise:)

[@ferencrupeck845]

Radio, surely you mean the “wireless”? I do agree though, the radio shows were a magical element of Sunday lunchtimes back in the day!

[@paulsawtell3991]

Danny Ross ought to have had far more recognition. His Alfie Hall character was and still is side-splitting

[@sephirothff7ps164]

i remember watching this as a kid in the late 60,s on our b/w tv. thought id never see it again, its took me years to find it. brilliant.

[@honeychurchgipsy6]

john steed - never watched on TV but I do remember listening to it on the radio - I seem to remember it was on at lunch times on a Sunday - I think my dad liked it!!

[@redbeard3923]

Brilliant comedian

[@rangefourharry7226]

Aye i remember it,great days👍

[@marklittler784]

​@@honeychurchgipsy6My gran liked him and Englebert Humperdinck😅

[@bowler8]

Used to listen to the Clitheroe kid while having my sunday dinner

[@linksmummsie]

How comedy has changed, but this takes me back to my saturday afternoons, when i always looked forward to the clitheroe kid, straight after grandstand

[@martinandrews7387]

sue woo Me too.Then Dee Time and Dixon Of Dock Green.

[@lizcole3975]

The good old days bring them back.

[@nursewatch-fun8197]

pure magic!!! i love listening to the old radio shows and danny ross was an absolute gem of a character voiced actor - this show and the navy lark just can't get enough of them

[@ivahadenuff9080]

Educating Archie is back on 4extra Sundays

[@KEVIN-tx6bt]

Mollie Sugden! What a legend of British television.

[@TheInnacity]

lovely piece of nostalgia , even when i was a kid , jimmy was a the funny piping comical voice of a clever scheming kid, and i saw or rather glimpsed his early Saturday evening TV , Danny the stooge was also a great second banana , glad there here as it was unlikely they ever be seen on mainstream again , and i now appreciate the story writers great effort , thanks to the tube and TV time lord i can pass this around , as r4 extra repeats the radio show a friend from Trinidad was impressed that the uk had heard of the clitheroe kid.

[@Maccabee444]

I grew up in clitheroe and I'm called Jimmy ☺️

[@murielbarker4311]

So very sad that Danny passed at only 45 from a heart attack he had such talent to bring to so many RIP Danny much missed

[@angowT]

I believe he died aged 51 after consuming several brandies and an overdose of sleeping pills. It was stated as "death by accidental overdose", however his mother had died only days before, so it may well have been suicide. Sad.

[@original.dwornboy]

Danny died at 45, Jimmy 51.

[@billyemma828]

Molly sugden from are you being served fame, i recognised her voice straight away

[@jessicapaine9992]

LOVE LOVE LOVE, i'm only young but i grew up with this as an audiobook and it still is to this day !♥♥♥☺☺

[@MrADAVideo]

Ironically that's how I discovered Jimmy Clitheroe, listening to my parents copy of The Clitheroe Kid on Cassette when I was young. Instantly I became a big fan and thanks to the power of KZbin it's been awesome to discover and listen to a lot more episodes! Despite its age, it's still funny today, and the comedy is so sharp and witty, which can be credited to the talented writers!

[@ambajet9251]

I have watched this show four times I need more

[@michaelbarry4313]

Loved listening to the show on the radio and then a few comic books great entertainment for a kid in them days different world now

[@takata98]

Every once in a while I remember this and search out the episodes. It's hard to believe it was 1973 that Jimmy died. I recall stories of people sighting him whilst driving his Jaguar, they used to say he was so small (4ft 2in) he had supported seating to see over the steering wheel when he was driving. Other people claimed they did double takes because he was hardly seen when driving they thought the car driver less. I like these because they are also my earliest recollections of Molly Sugden "Mrs Slocombe.

[@davecarr6718]

fascinating, I have been re-listening to The Jimmy Clitheroe show on the radio with huge enjoyment and while some of the situations for example the 'good hidings' Jimmy gets on a regular basis are of their time, the writing and phrases used are so wonderfully reminiscent of my childhood it feels both comfortable and just so funny! Jimmy and Alfie (Danny) in particular are true comic geniuses even after all this time.

[@2pppp]

listened to the clitheroe kid on rjr in the 80s in jamaica as a kid.i didn't have a tv set at my house.to actually see the character is hilarious.love it...!!!

[@ivahadenuff9080]

Is it it about time Blackpool honoured the memory of Danny Ross by putting up a bronze statue After all he filled their theatres year after year and brought revenue into the town

[@shaunlowthian213]

He was a comedy genius.

[@paulsawtell3991]

Indeed so. While the Alfie Hall character invented and portrayed by Danny Ross was an unbelievable misfit choice of boyfriend for well-spoken Susan, that and Jimmy's characters made for some of the most delightfully absurd comedy. In many episodes it is possible to hear Ross struggle to stop laughing and I would say also that Ross was worthy of his own show.

[@brandywell44]

Used to love this as a child on tv late Saturday afternoon after the wrestling in the sixties.

[@veronicaelsegood5175]

I used to listen to this on the radio.As for the TV show only Clitheroe could play the part . His voice was ingrained in my mind. I still find this show funny.

[@jnuttso1]

this is wonderful to see i have listened to the radio series many times but never seen the tv episodes mollie sugden was so young in this thanks for sharing

[@brandywell44]

I never thought of Mollie as young when I was child, rather a Mother figure, but looking today she was young. She was always a favourite of mine because of her loving nature in the part she played.

[@NigelDixon1952]

Oh, I remember it well! Thank you so much for saving this TV show from being forgotten in the mists of time. I used to love watching Jimmy Clitheroe back in the 60s when I was a kid. But like many others I enjoyed the original radio series more. Well done.

[@carlnp9979]

Please get more if you can, thanks for sharing.

[@philip167]

heck this brings back some memories I still remember then some where in my flat I have the CD of it why not bring the Program back on TV this is a great classic

[@ericellis3506]

Danny Ross..The most recognizable voice on the radio..

[@gaynormossop1678]

I prefer the radio shows but it's still lovely revisiting the past

[@lafreewaylafreeway]

I recently discovered the radio show on Radio 4 Extra….did not know it was also a tv show…..very funny… thank you 👍👍

[@davidgathern4358]

The radio shows were magical but the tv shows don't stand the test of time

[@jrgboy]

Danny Ross was the only one who made it from radio to TV with Jimmy, different writers & different family situation, Jimmy was well in his 40's & it showed, friends said Jimmy did it for the money as TV work paid a lot more than the radio..

[@mccartney2]

Seems that of all 51 episodes across 5 seasons only this one remains -there are all 7 episodes of the previous show up here "that's my boy"

[@christopherabbott8284]

love jimmy clitheroe when this started on tv i was just coming up to my fifth birthday the next month it is a shame both jimmy and danny died too early

[@jamieorourke767]

How strange that Jimmy was around 50 years old in this

[@malcolmclements9254]

Every Sunday lunchtime in the sixties The Jimmy Clithero show on the radio.

[@stephenmatthias3503]

I've waited years to see the TV show, them wert days than-knowse 😉😎😎😎

[@chrisjames4837]

Aye thous right there lad

[@jrgboy]

I don't think many shows have survived, the early shows were only shown in the northern part of the UK, as I am in London I vaguely recall seeing some when I was around 16 but I was mostly busy doing other things & although I loved radio I wasn't a great fan of TV back then.

[@alfie081]

This episode of just jimmy is on the that's my boy dvd. Only this episode survived.

[@seemablake3739]

Brilliant! Thanks so much. You have a new subscriber!

[@geoffreyadlam1300]

JIMMY CLITHEROE FANTASTIC GEOFF REDDISH

[@chrisjames4837]

Many thanks for this. Been. Hoping for years to find this show and hopefully you can put more of these on here. And at last I've found out the name of these shows. Just Jimmy. Thanks so much tv timellord. Hoping you find more of these to put on here. Thanks again. You're. A. Ggenius

[@murielbarker4311]

IF THEY CAN PUT A STATUE TO Eric Morecambe in Morecambe why carnt Blackpool put one up for the great Danny Ross such TALENT

[@veronicaelsegood5175]

Just realised, mother is a very young Mollie Sugden!(aka Mrs Slocombe from Are you being Served)

[@fernanditaluiz2591]

She's so beautiful. I nearly didn't recognise her, if it wasn't for her voice.

[@bretwalda100]

Wow, Mollie Sugden played his mother. It's all coming back now.

[@DRAINPIPE57]

Shame the sound a bit cranky but its great to see a younger Jack Duckworth and Mollie Sugden

[@kevinstephenson4674]

Slight correction, forgive the pedantiscism, but it's Jack Douglas, not Jack Duckworth

[@billybabu]

Radio shows were very entertaining 👌 Amazing how you picture people on the radio 📻

[@geoffreyadlam1300]

JIMMY CLITHEROE ME AND MY FAMILY USED TO LISTEN TO JIMMY CLITHEROE ON A SUNDAY WHEN HE WENT OUT EVERY WEEK AND WATCH IT ON TV IN THE 1960s ON BLACK AND WHITE TELEVISION COLOUR TELEVISION'S WERE OUT IN 1967 BUT AT £200 AND £300 ONLY A LUCKY FEW COULD AFFORD ONE WE GOT ONE CHRISTMAS 1973 BACK IN 1973 WE COULD ONLY RENTER ONE IT WAS LONG TIME BEFORE WE COULD BUY ONE GEOFF SOUTH REDDISH CHESHIRE STOCKPORT

[@terencebarrett2897]

As a TV program It doesn't work, Jimmy Clitheroe ,Danny Ross weren't visual entertainers ,they were to be audio, to be conjured in your mind of imagination,the radio series is spot on 'every actor fits the individual part 100%,of either arrogance ,innocence ,stupidity, or naivety, it fits like a glove,a jigsaw 'and with great respect to wonderfull entertainer "peter goodwright"" Susan's boyfriend", Danny ross made the part of Alfie hall wonderful,

[@Hertog_von_Berkshire]

Has to be said, Charles Hill (Mr Stockwell) looks very much like Alfred Marks. Had me fooled until he spoke.

[@tonyknight9912]

Good to see it again but the radio series was so much better, Danny Ross was simply brilliant in it.

[@johnwoods8595]

Listen carefully to the laughter tracks and compare them to the ones used today, to me they are identical, the dead are laughing at us. Is a person still employed to press a button when something is funny and to persuade us to laugh, or is it now decided by a computer?

[@barrycross2585]

Our family like thousands of others listened to The Clitheroe Kid on the radio every week, but i don't recall ever seeing it on the box, thanks for this

[@aprilblossom9268]

Lovely find for me this was - had absolutely no idea that Clitheroe Kid could be SEEN and not just HEARD. Adored this on the radio as a 4 year old staying with my Grandparents - and my Grandad spoke broad Scots just like Jimmy's Grandad which endeared the show to me even more.

[@tsb6396]

Wonderful I'll watch them till the cows come home but good as they were his radio show was better

[@andyshaw325]

Yes the humour was sharper. I don't think they could have got away with it on TV. I remember one show (radio) set on a bus and him buying a ticket for his sister with the words 'and a single to battersea dogs home'. Still great today - if not P.C.

[@ushoys]

Andy Shaw Aye it were luxury back then. But tell youngsters today that and they won’t believe you.

[@Hertog_von_Berkshire]

As someone once said, I prefer radio because the pictures are better.

[@tonyknight9912]

@@andyshaw325 Agree and Danny Ross as Alfie Hall was simply brilliant.

[@ambajet9251]

Please tell me you have more of these shows

[@MrADAVideo]

Ask and you shall receive. Please watch this space.

[@ambajet9251]

Thank you .. thank you.... Thank you 😀😀😀😀😀

[@ivahadenuff9080]

@@MrADAVideo can you please try and unearth the itv shows Danny Ross did with Glenn Melvin. about a milkman called Wally I think?.I was just too young to see Danny work live.but in my mind he was the greatest comedian we had

[@geoffreyadlam1300]

DID JIMMY CLITHEROE EVERY GO IN COLOUR ON TV ?

[@carlnp9979]

Sorry but no

[@martinandrews7387]

As Carl said,no.ABC ceased to exist in 1968, bringing Jimmy on TV to an end.Thames(51percent ABC),did not continue with the show. Colour came to ITV in November 1969.

[@malcolmclements9254]

Mrs Slocombe was in this.

[@KaydeyRai]

Although this works a lot better on radio imo ( Jimmy is only fully believable as a child if you can’t see him - it reminds me a bit of that horror film ‘orphan’ when he’s on screen tbh) It’s a real shame that only one episode of this show with Mollie Sugden/Danny Ross exists despite there being over 50 episodes broadcast, it’s much better than the other earlier Clitheroe tv show

[@MrADAVideo]

I think at the time many people advised Jimmy to do TV, for exactly this reason. However my understanding of Jimmy Clitheroe (the actor) he was very motivated by money, just like his character and I suspect they chucked alot of money his way to persuade him to do it.

[@KaydeyRai]

@@MrADAVideo I can’t say I blame him for transferring the role to television even if it was just for the cash - a lot of successful Radio shows of that era became successful Television shows too (Hancock’s half hour, life with the Lyon’s etc), I guess people just suspended belief that he was a regular normal looking kid and on the smaller television sets it maybe wasn’t as noticeable anyway? Like I said it’s a real shame this is only available episode of the series - always love seeing Mollie Sugden and Danny Ross has a likeable screen presence

[@angelsone-five7912]

Poor Danny Ross only lived til his 40s and JC committed suicide when his girl friend gave him the elbow. Sad people.

[@bowler8]

They said Jimmys death was an accidental overdose

[@angelsone-five7912]

@@bowler8 Yea, accidental after his relationship collapsed.

[@claireseyeviewonredbubble]

@@bowler8 Wiki says he died 5 days after his mother's funeral from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills plus 7 brandies. The brandies couldn't be accidental but clearly he was grieving for his mother, and being of such a short stature and small body, any sleeping pills would almost certainly be an overdose.

[@weelogans3]

Jack Douglas as the Policeman 👍👍

[@bretwalda100]

I remember Jimmy Clitheroe well from my childhood in the 60s, but I've no idea what programme he was in, perhaps it was this. Got a vague recollection of him appearing on Crackerjack once, though maybe it's a false memory.

[@malcolmclements9254]

When England was England.

[@geoffreyadlam1300]

JIMMY CLITHEROE WAS ON TV ON SATURDAY'S TILL 1972 DID IT EVERY GO OUT IN COLOUR IF NO WHY NOT COLOUR TV IN THE SHOPS GEOFF REDDISH STOCKPORT

[@martinandrews7387]

Geoffrey Adlam I think you are thinking of his radio series Geoffrey.His TV show ended in 1968,so was never made in colour.Colour came to ITV in November 1969.

[@geoffreyadlam1300]

@@martinandrews7387 i see i had be going By BBC2 GOING IN COLOUR IN 1967 PLUS I HAD ALL SO GONE ON SOME PROGRAMMES THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN COLOUR MIGHT HAVE GONE OUT ONCE IN COLOUR OR 2 TIMES AT THE MOST AND THEN PUT IN TO BLACK AND WHITE THEY DID IT WITH DAD'S ARMY AND ALL SO ONE OF THE STEPTON AND SON GEOFF STOCKPORT

[@martinandrews7387]

Geoffrey Adlam I see what you mean Geoffrey.Yes I agree colour came in 1967 to BBC 2,but that channel then was just a distant dream for most of us.No one I knew in 1967 could afford to buy or rent a colour TV.

[@geoffreyadlam4586]

I think it was 1974 when we first got to. Colour television Rented.

[@jrgboy]

The TV series has nothing to do with the radio show , different writers and actors , only Danny Ross as Alfie Hall appeared in both. BTW Mollie Sugden played his mum on TV & in stage shows whereas on radio she was played by Patricia Burke.

[@chrisjames4837]

Sadly Danny ross who played Alfie in the radio series. Died in 1976. Aged just 46

[@marklittler784]

Mentioning colour in 1964?

[@josephlandrut4154]

Jimmy was a great child star.

[@ushoys]

Joseph Landrut He was 45 years old in this

[@markroe8893]

Was it filmed in clitheroe???

[@michaelcorrigan4625]

Is the Clitheroe home in Chorltonville?

[@DRAINPIPE57]

Is it me or does he not remind me of a young Johnny Vegas ? Great memories

[@jonathanmitchell2070]

I find Jimmy Clitheroe creepy, something very sinister going on with him I reckon.

[@john111257]

Never really worked tv

[@pauloliver6813]

I've known the radio series for a few years now, but hadn't seen this TV series. It just doesn't work...The TV image really just brings home to you that it's a middle aged man; the Radio show allowed you to use your imagination. If they were going to do this at all they should have gone the whole hog- all the radio characters- right down to Higginbottom.

[@MrADAVideo]

They don't come much stranger than Mr Higginbottom! Or is it Mr MadBottom or Higginhouse? Haha

[@jrgboy]

That 's what James Casey, the radio writer/producer said , that why he had nothing to do with the TV series

[@pauloliver6813]

@@jrgboy Thanks- I didn't know that. It must have been the same for the live Radio audiences- you know it's a middle aged man, but you suspend disbelief. That pops when you see the reality-although I'm told Jimmy wore the full "schoolboy" outfit even at radio recordings.

[@leejohnson2672]

Sorry - in what way do you not believe that that is a (probably) 13- or 14-year-old delivering those lines in his trademark high voice? He has a full head of dark hair, his skin is not overly wrinkled (or well made up to look smooth), and he stays in character throughout. Unlike a modern day transformational artist such as Mrs Brown. He is a bloke, always looks like one in drag, and never looks remotely like any Mammy I've ever come across. Sitcoms like this one are very sadly missed.

[@ajjy1110]

because its clearly a bloke

[@independentpuppy7520]

What is a bob in money terms?

[@MickyP2]

A Shilling or 12 old pennies. Equivalent to 5p after decimalisation.

[@veronicaelsegood5175]

It was 5p.... But you got alot more for it.

[@terencebarrett2897]

Its different ,nothing like Quality of radio show ,it look completely weird' it never would work,different actors' yes they are good' but not like the original,jimmy is supposed to be a 10 year old boy' Alfie is good 'but better by our imagination,there's no Susan,mum,no grandad or ''grandad is dad'''' if this was made under different name, nah jimmy looks like how he was in real life' a man'' which by radio' it conjured up our imagination'

[@andicampbell8621]

I remember watching these as a nipper and thought they were great at the time. Not so much now to be honest.

[@0161GHM]

what an odd lookin lad

[@JonJonJonJonJonJonJonJon]

Dom Hallwood well he is in his late 40s 😹

[@JonJonJonJonJonJonJonJon]

This is like something from a nightmare. Did every comical turn pre python have that daft northern accent.

[@ushoys]

Jon Jon Nightmare is right. Thank god those awful days are over.

[@garygalt4146]

Python sketch four Yorkshire men So F off you southern snob 😂

[@janettemohan7739]

"Till Death Us Do Part"? "George and the Dragon"? "Hancock's Half Hour"? "Steptoe and Son"? All based in Lan-dan, where they talk about "the futbaw".

[@angelsone-five7912]

@@ushoys Are you mad?