Are You Being Served? Again!
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Grace and Favour
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Contributors: Jeffrey Rice, Marty Peritsky, Eric Martinez, and Keri Holley and KNME-TV.
Last Modified April 1, 1999.
Jeffrey Rice
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Their hilarious antics in the Grace Brothers' Department Store
entertained millions of viewers around the world. Now five of the
original cast members are reunited for a brand new uproarious series
which sees them adapting to life in the heart of the English
countryside. The sad demise of the nonagenarian "Young" Mr. Grace while
scuba diving in the Caribbean with his nubile nurse, Miss Lovelock, has
meant the closure of Grace Brothers' store. The remaining staff and
fellow beneficiary, Miss Lovelock, discover that the remains of the
pension fund is a Tudor Manor House which is being run as a country hotel.
A trip to the 16th-century building confirms their worst fears- they are
the only guests and the place is going to rack and ruin. The only staff
left are local yokel Farmer Moulterd and his naive but willing young
daughter Mavis. Over dinner the former colleagues decide to chip in and
make a go of the establishment where they can at least live rent free.
And so as the 'city slickers' try to adapt to 'county ways', there are a
whole host of new and riotous situations ahead.
- Episode List
- First Series
- Second Series
- Cast List
- Pictures of the Cast
- The pictures are available individually at the bottom of this page. From this link they are displayed as inlines.
Plot Summaries
First series
- #1. Young Mr. Grace has died and the store has closed. On behalf of the
Pension Fund Mr. Grace acquired a Tudor Manor house with farm, in the
village of Great Tender - which at the moment is being run as a Country
House Hotel. Being the only source of pension money for the Grace Bros.
staff, they all decide to visit for the weekend to investigate its
possibilities. Mr. Humphries receives a surprise in the bedchamber, and we find that Mrs. Slocombe isn't as cosmopolitan as she would like us to think!
- #2. The staff decide to take over Millstone Manor and run it for themselves
to try and make a profit. The home farm, run by Morris Moulterd and his
daughter Mavis, provides fresh eggs for breakfast, but Mrs. Slocombe gets
a shock whilst collecting them. Captain Peacock and Mrs. Slocombe set
off for the village on Mr. Moulterd's pony and trap and end up in police custody
when Mrs. Slocombe attempts to shift a Gypsy cart that blocks
the road. Mr. Humphries and Mavis "to-and-fro" in the woodshed, and
Mrs. Slocombe's pussy, Tiddles, disrupts the local fox hunt.
- #3. Mrs. Slocombe finds herself in court charged with stealing a gypsy cart
and speeding in it. Jessica Lovelock offers Captain Peacock a lift to
court on her bike but he declines after a demonstration and travels with
the others on the back of Moulterd's pig cart. Once in court the staff as
character witnesses come forward.
- #4. A group of American tourists, the hotel's first guests, are due to arrive
at the weekend but there are still very few replies to Mr. Rumbold's
advert for staff. The only alternative is for them all to knuckle down
and try to make the place presentable. Mr. Humphries exhibits his natural talent for ratting drains.
The staff teasel the sheets, and interview the two applicants who replied to Mr. Rumbold's help-wanted ad.
- #5. A photograph is organized for the hotel brochure and Miss Lovelock offers to share her wide experience in hotels as the staff prepare for their new
roles. The staff decide to fill the vacant positions at the Manor
themselves, and have their photo taken for an advertising brochure.
Something ghastly (with a bald head and big ears) walks about the
Manor on a dark and stormy night.
- #6. A group of American tourists arrive for the weekend as part of their
European tour. The ex-shopworkers do their best to make their guests
feel at home but little do they realize that they are also expected to
provide the cultural entertainment as well as the Americans are expecting a church
service and the traditional Harvest Thanksgiving Dance. Mr. Enberg's dentures are retrieved from the
goat's trough.
Second Series
- #1. Mrs. Slocombe's pussy gets gummed up. A gun discovered by Captain Peacock brings the riot police
to Millstone Manor, where the criminal records of such notorious characters as "Knuckles Rumbold"
are revealed.
- #2. The staff organize a cricket match against the townspeople. The match is marred by jealousy of
Malcom Heathcliff, who sees Mr. Humphries as a competitor for Mavis' affections. The highlight of the
match is a fantastic dive by Mrs. Slocombe, and the winning stroke of Mr. Humphries.
- #3. Mrs. Slocombe's long-lost husband pays an unexpected visit after
an absence of 42 years, forcing Mrs. Slocombe into hiding. After the staff find that he intends to
purchase the hotel they temporarily expand the staff to make the idea seem unprofitable.
- #4. Mr. Rumbold, Mrs. Slocombe, Mr. Humphries and Miss Brahms plant
potatoes. Captain Peacock removes a petrified pussy from a niche
in the attic, precipitating a series of supernatural events.
- #5. A Mongolian tour group gets a cultural extravaganza from the staff
at Millstone, highlighted by ballet by Mr. "Sergei" Humphries and Miss "Natasha"
Lovelock and other selections.
- #6. After Mr. Rumbold complains that he gets no respect, the staff vote
to share authority democratically. The staff play darts against the
local team at the village pub. Captain Peacock leads a commando raid
to rescue a flock of sheep.
Cast List
- Writers- David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd
- Producer/Director- Mike Stephens
- Appearing in all episodes:
- Mr. Humphries -- John Inman
- Mr. Rumbold -- Nicholas Smith
- Miss Brahms -- Wendy Richard
- Captain Peacock -- Frank Thornton
- Mrs. Slocombe -- Mollie Sugden
- Mr. Moulterd -- Billy Burden
- Mavis Moulterd -- Fleur Bennett
- Jessica Lovelock -- Joanne Heywood
- Appearing in a few episodes:
- Miss Prescott (Mr. Thorp's secretary) -- Shirley Cheriton
- Mr. Thorp -- Michael Bilton
- Joseph Lee (Gypsy cart driver) -- Andrew Joseph
- Sir Robert (magistrate) -- Eric Dodson
- Miss Littonwood (lady magistrate) -- Diane Holland
- Malcolm Heathcliff -- Andrew Barclay
- Mrs. Clegghampton -- Maggie Holland
- Mr. Frobisher (tour agent) -- Gregory Cox
- Other players:
- Mr. Slocombe -- Donald Morley
- Mr. Thorp's assistant -- Penny Gonshaw
- Jesse (cricket player) -- Joe Hobbs
- Tourist -- Leonard Lowe
- Fox hunt "whipper-in" -- Martyn Townsend
- Court Bailiff -- Roger Winslett
- Court Clerk -- James Walker
- Constable (in court) -- Geoffrey Greenhill
- Mr. Volpone (job applicant) -- Gordon Peters
- Posh driver -- Jeremy Lloyd (Yes, the writer.)
- Mr. Maxwell (photographer) -- Paul Cooper
- Miss Long Wee (Mongolian interpreter) -- Akemi Otani
- Inspector (riot police) -- Roger Sloman
- Riot police -- Steve Whyment, Richard Lumsden, Steve Edwin
- Museum ticket agent -- Roger Avon
- Museum curator -- Patrick Fyffe
- Percy (village policeman) -- Nick Scott
- Sam (bartender in pub) -- Colin Edwynn
- Henry Heathcliff (Malcolm's dad) -- Paul Humpoletz
- Tiverton resident in pub -- Martin Friend
- The Heathcliff's family dog -- Shirley Brahms
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