Last Of The Summer Wine: The Complete Collection [DVD]

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The role of supporting character Entwistle steadily grew until the beginning of the 30th series, when he and Alvin were recruited by Hobbo Hobdyke, a former milkman with ties to MI5, to form a new trio of volunteers who respond to any emergency. In 1983, Granada Books published a slightly different version of the first novel with Foggy in it instead of Blamire. Main article: List of Last of the Summer Wine episodes A collage illustrating the different compositions of the main characters during Last of the Summer Wine's 37 year run. Last of the Summer Wine inspired other adaptations, including a television prequel, [12] several novelisations, [13] and stage adaptations.

The 1981 Christmas special, "Whoops", had two verses of lyrics written by Roy Clarke that were performed over the closing credits. Repeats of the show are broadcast in the UK on BBC One (until 18 July 2010 when the 31st and final series started on 25 July of that year), Gold, Yesterday, and Drama. Peter Sallis and Jonathan Linsley were the only actors from the original series to appear in the spin-off: Sallis played the father of his own character from the original show and Linsley appeared during the second series as a different character. In 1985, the show was once again produced, first as a two-week tour of Britain, and then as another summer season in Bournemouth.The biggest expansion came in 1985 when four characters from the stage adaptation of the show were brought over to the series proper: Howard ( Robert Fyfe), Pearl ( Juliette Kaplan), Marina ( Jean Fergusson), and Ivy's nephew, "Crusher" Milburn ( Jonathan Linsley). The site for the exterior shots of Last of the Summer Wine was, in part, suggested by television producer Barry Took, who was familiar with the area. Although many of these guest appearances lasted for only one episode, [62] [63] some led to a permanent role on the show, as in the cases of Gordon Wharmby, [64] Thora Hird, [65] Jean Alexander, [66] [67] Stephen Lewis, [68] Dora Bryan, [69] Keith Clifford, [69] [70] [71] Brian Murphy, [72] Josephine Tewson, [73] June Whitfield, [74] Barbara Young, [75] and Trevor Bannister.

Each series has between six and twelve episodes; most were thirty minutes in length, with some specials running longer. The book became the basis for the Last of the Summer Wine film, Getting Sam Home, with Blamire being replaced by Foggy. Citing differences with the BBC and his dislike of their indifference towards the series, Bell said, "I have now decided I will not do it again. The book was written by Morris Bright and Robert Ross and chronicled the show from its inception through the end of the 2000 series. A 2008 survey by County Life magazine, which named the show the worst thing about Yorkshire, was disputed by members of the Holme Valley Business Association, who said the show was good for business.They nevertheless commissioned a ninety-minute film named Getting Sam Home, which was broadcast on 27 December 1983, and started a trend which would continue with other British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses. W. Bell, Last of the Summer Wine became the first comedy series to do away with the live studio audience, moving all of the filming to Holmfirth. Also making her first appearance in the film was Thora Hird as Seymour's sister and Glenda's mother, Edie, as well as re-introducing Gordon Wharmby as Edie's husband Wesley, previously seen in three popular one-off appearances. W. Bell responded that Radio Times has always been anti- Last of the Summer Wine, and Roy Clarke remarked that people who dislike the show "shouldn't switch it on" if they are "too idle to turn it off".

Each of these recurring characters contributed their own running jokes and subplots to the show, often becoming reluctantly involved in the schemes of the trio, or on occasion having their own, separate storylines. The show focused on the men's interaction with Clegg's new neighbour, Howard ( Kenneth Waller), and his wife, Pearl, played by a local actress. A 2008 release named Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1976 focuses on the third series of the show and includes bonus interviews with Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, and Frank Thornton. The play was later performed in Eastbourne by Eastbourne Theatres from 15 July 2009 to 8 August 2009 before touring the country through November 2009.

The character of Norman Clegg was created especially for Sallis, who liked the character and agreed to play him. It was confirmed on 26 June 2009 that a 31st series of 6 episodes had been commissioned for transmission in 2010. Bell, in an effort to get each scene exactly right, was known for his use of more film and more takes than his predecessors [6] and for using wider angles that feature more of the local Holmfirth landscape. Although the new characters were not originally intended to be carried over to the television programme, Roy Clarke included them in four of the following six episodes of the 1985 series, beginning with the episode "Catching Digby's Donkey".