The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads is a British sitcom created and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and produced by Dick Clement. Twenty episodes were broadcast by the BBC, in three series, between 16 December 1964 and 23 July 1966. However, only ten of these episodes have survived.[1]
| The Likely Lads | |
|---|---|
Opening title used for the third series, showing Bewes as Bob (left) and Bolam as Terry | |
| Starring | James Bolam Rodney Bewes Sheila Fearn |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Dick Clement |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | BBC Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC2 |
| Picture format | Black and white |
| Original release | 16 December 1964 – 23 July 1966 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? |
This show was followed by a sequel series, in colour, entitled Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, broadcast between 9 January 1973 and 24 December 1974. This was followed in 1976 by a spin-off feature film The Likely Lads.
Some episodes of both the original black and white series and the colour sequel were adapted for BBC radio with the original television cast.
Premise
The original show followed the friendship of two young working class men, Terry Collier (James Bolam) and Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes), in the mid-1960s. Bob and Terry are assumed to be in their early 20s (when their ages are revealed in the later film, this puts both characters at around 20 when the series started).
After growing up at school and in the Scouts together, Bob and Terry are working in the same factory, Ellison's Electrical, alongside the older, wiser duo of Cloughie and Jack. The show's humour derived largely from the tensions between Terry's cynical, everyman, working class personality and Bob's ambition to better himself and move to the middle class.
Bob and Terry were two average working class lads growing up in the industrial North East, whose hobbies were beer, football and girls. They were street-wise, yet they stumbled into one scrape after another as they struggled to enjoy the Swinging Sixties on their meagre incomes.
At the end of the third and final series in 1966, a depressed and bored Bob attempted to join the Army but was rejected because of his flat feet. Terry, who decided at the last minute to enlist to keep Bob company, was accepted and shipped away for three years.
It was gradually revealed that Terry and Bob's full names were Terence Daniel Collier and Robert Andrew Scarborough Ferris (Scarborough not revealed until the 1970s colour series). According to the later feature film, made in 1976, both Lads were conceived during the same wartime air raid and were thus born in the same year, 1944.
Although in the colour sequel much was made of Thelma, who was said to have been Bob's childhood sweetheart, she appeared only once in the original show, in which Bob had no steady girlfriend and was forever seeking one, though she was mentioned in some episodes in series three, including "Rocker" and "Goodbye to All That".
Etymology
This section possibly contains original research. (July 2019) |
The word "likely" in the show's title is ambiguous. In some dialects in Northern England it means "likeable" but it may be derived from the phrase the man most likely to (i.e. likely to succeed, having potential), a boxing expression in common use on Tyneside, hence, in Geordie slang, "a likely lad". Another possible meaning is the ambiguous Northern usage of "likely" to mean a small-time troublemaker.
Cast
- James Bolam as Terry Collier
- Rodney Bewes as Bob Ferris
- Brigit Forsyth as Thelma Chambers
- Sheila Fearn as Audrey Collier, Terry's older sister
- Bartlett Mullins as Cloughie, a workmate
- Don McKillop as Jack, another workmate
- Olive Milbourne as Mrs Edith Collier, Terry and Audrey's mother
- Alex McDonald as Mr Cyril Collier, Terry and Audrey's dad
- Irene Richmond as Mrs Alice Ferris, Bob's mother
- Richard Moore as Blakey
Guest stars included George Layton, Garfield Morgan, Wendy Richard, Wanda Ventham, Susan Jameson (the real-life wife of James Bolam), Michael Sheard, Nerys Hughes, Geoffrey Hughes, Helen Fraser and Tony Caunter.
Episodes
Only ten episodes survive (as film telerecordings) in the BBC's archives, as a result of its wiping policy of the time. However, the BBC Archive Treasure Hunt, a public campaign, continues to search for missing episodes. Of the ten remaining lost episodes, only 'The Razor's Edge' was not recorded as part of the radio adaptation series.
Series 1 (1964–65)
| Title | Airdate | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entente Cordiale | 16 December 1964 | The lads return home from their first foreign holiday, pursued by a girl they met in Spain. | |
| Double Date | 23 December 1964 | A lovelorn Bob is cheered up by a double date. | Guest stars: Susan Jameson Coral Atkins. |
| Christmas Night with the Stars sketch | 25 December 1964 | At Christmas Terry and Bob make a bet on which characters appeared in a Rupert Bear annual. | |
| Older Women Are More Experienced | 30 December 1964 | Terry finds an older girlfriend and Bob finds a younger one. | |
| Other Side of the Fence | 6 January 1965 | Bob is offered a better job, in management. | Guest stars: Michael Sheard Anneke Wills |
| Chance of a Lifetime | 13 January 1965 | The lads are offered the chance to emigrate to Australia. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation Guest star: |
| The Suitor | 20 January 1965 | Terry enlists Bob's help to try to get rid of his sister's Italian boyfriend. | Guest star: George Layton |
Series 2 (1965)
| Title | Airdate | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby, It's Cold Outside | 16 June 1965 | The lads have a double date arranged but nowhere they can take the girls afterwards. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation |
| A Star Is Born | 23 June 1965 | The lads compete in a pub talent night | Previously missing, recovered in 2018 |
| Talk of the Town | 30 June 1965 | Bob's engagement to Thelma becomes the talk of the town, but is news to Bob. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation Guest stars: Helen Fraser Irene Richmond |
| The Last of the Big Spenders | 7 July 1965 | The lads take two London girls out on the town. | Previously missing, recovered in 2001 Guest stars: Wendy Richard Wanda Ventham Michael Sheard |
| Far Away Places | 14 July 1965 | The lads plan another foreign holiday but have trouble raising the money for it. | Previously missing, recovered in 2018 |
| Where Have All the Flowers Gone? | 21 July 1965 | The lads attend a friend's wedding and realise that they are now the only unmarried men they know. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation. An audio recording of the episode exists. Guest star: George Layton |
Series 3 (1966)
| Title | Airdate | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outward Bound | 4 June 1966 | The lads go camping, planning to end up at a campsite notorious for hippy love-ins. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation Guest star: Nerys Hughes |
| Friends and Neighbours | 11 June 1966 | Bob is caught in the middle when Terry's granddad starts a feud with Bob's next-door neighbours, whose daughter is Bob's new girlfriend. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation |
| Rocker | 18 June 1966 | Bob buys a moped and Terry ends up in hospital. | |
| Brief Encounter | 25 June 1966 | Unbeknownst to each other Bob and Terry are both dating the same girl. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation (re-titled "Their Hearts Were Touched By Ursula") |
| The Razor's Edge | 2 July 1966 | Bob grows a beard, which causes him trouble at work. When Terry tries to defend him things go from bad to worse. | Missing Guest stars: Geoffrey Hughes Irene Richmond |
| Anchors Aweigh | 9 July 1966 | The lads take a boating holiday together on the Norfolk Broads, despite Terry's deep mistrust of boats. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation |
| Love and Marriage | 16 July 1966 | The lads are invited on a stag night. | Missing – re-made as radio adaptation Guest stars: Helen Fraser Geoffrey Hughes |
| Goodbye to All That | 23 July 1966 | Bob joins the army and Terry, finding life lonely on his own, decides to join up too. | Guest stars: Irene Richmond Tony Caunter |
Surviving episodes
| Series | Episode No. | Surviving Episodes | Broadcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Entente Cordiale | 16 December 1964 | |
| 2 | Double Date | 23 December 1964 | ||
| 3 | Older Women Are More Experienced | 30 December 1964 | ||
| 4 | The Other Side of the Fence | 6 January 1965 | ||
| 6 | The Suitor | 20 January 1965 | ||
| 2 | 2 | A Star is Born | 23 June 1965 | Previously lost, found in 2018 |
| 4 | The Last of the Big Spenders | 7 July 1965 | Previously lost, found in 2001 | |
| 5 | Far Away Places | 14 July 1965 | Previously lost, found in 2018 | |
| 3 | 3 | Rocker | 18 June 1966 | |
| 8 | Goodbye to All That | 23 July 1966 |
Lost episodes
| Series | Episode No. | Lost Episodes | Broadcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Chance of a Lifetime | 13 January 1965 | |
| 2 | 1 | Baby, It’s Cold Outside | 16 June 1965 | |
| 3 | The Talk of the Town | 30 June 1965 | ||
| 6 | Where Have All the Flowers Gone? | 21 July 1965 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Outward Bound | 04/06/66 | |
| 2 | Friends and Neighbours | 11/06/66 | ||
| 4 | Brief Encounter | 25 June 1966 | ||
| 5 | The Razor’s Edge | 02/07/66 | ||
| 6 | Anchors Aweigh | 09/07/66 | ||
| 7 | Love and Marriage | 16 July 1966 |
Christmas Night with the Stars
Additionally, an eight-minute episode of The Likely Lads was broadcast on 25 December 1964, as part of a 90-minute Christmas Day special on BBC 1 called Christmas Night with the Stars 7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., in which Bob and Terry have an argument over Bob's encyclopaedic knowledge of "Rupert the Bear" Annuals ("It was Edward Trunk!"). This recording still exists in the BBC Broadcast Archive. An edited version, which included 'The Likely Lads' sketch, was screened on BBC2 over Christmas 1991.
Radio adaptations
Sixteen of the television scripts were adapted for radio by James Bolam, and broadcast in two series during 1967 and 1968.[2]
Produced by John Browell, the radio adaptations were recorded at the Paris Studios in Lower Regent Street, London using the original television cast (although some minor parts had to be recast for some episodes, where the original actor was unavailable).
Series 1
| Title | Airdate | Cast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Where Have All the Flowers Gone? | 6 August 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | Series 1 was broadcast on the BBC Light Programme |
| 2. The Suitor | 13 August 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 3. Rocker | 20 August 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 4. Older Women Are More Experienced | 27 August 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 5. Baby, It's Cold Outside | 3 September 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 6. Outward Bound | 10 September 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 7. The Talk of the Town | 17 September 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | The part of Cloughy was recast this week, as Bartlett Mullins was not available. The part of Thelma was also recast, with Susan Jameson playing the role on this occasion. She had previously appeared in the television series as a different character, in the episode "Double Date". |
| 8. Anchors Aweigh | 24 September 1967 | Bob – Rodney Bewes |
Series 2
| Title | Airdate | Cast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Friends and Neighbours | 19 May 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | Series 2 was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 |
| 2. The Other Side of the Fence | 26 May 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 3. Entente Cordiale | 2 June 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | The part of Cloughy was recast this week, as Bartlett Mullins was not available |
| 4. Double Date | 9 June 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 5. Love and Marriage | 16 June 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 6. Their Hearts Were Touched by Ursula | 23 June 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | An adaptation of the television episode Brief Encounter |
| 7. Chance of a Lifetime | 30 June 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes | |
| 8. Goodbye to all That | 7 July 1968 | Bob – Rodney Bewes |
DVD releases
In one DVD release, only seven of the eight (then) extant episodes were included, in spite of the cover stating that it contained all the surviving episodes. The eighth episode (Other Side of the Fence) was included on the Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? combined box set, as an 'extra' rather than in chronological order. The two episodes rediscovered in 2018 have been released, with the feature film made in 1976.
See also
- List of films based on British sitcoms
- The Liver Birds, a comparable comedy about two women living in Liverpool.
Sources
- A Likely Story: The Autobiography of Rodney Bewes, published by Century, 1 September 2005
- BBC Comedy Guide, The Likely Lads
- BBC Comedy Guide, Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads
- The Likely Lads on Tyne
- The Likely Lads IMDB entry
- Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads IMDB entry
References
External links
- The Likely Lads at BBC Online
- The Likely Lads Radio Series, 1967-68
- The Likely Lads at IMDb
Further reading
- Wickham, Phil (8 August 2008). The Likely Lads. BFI TV Classics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan/BFI Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84457-213-7.
- Webber, Richard; Clement, Dick; La Frenais, Ian (1999). Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?. London: Orion. ISBN 978-0-7528-1815-3.
- Clement, Dick; La Frenais, Ian (1967). The Likely Lads. London: Rapp & Carroll Limited.