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

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Roy Clarke (writer) & Alan J. W. Bell (director) (23 December 1989). "What's Santa Brought for Nora Then?". Last of the Summer Wine. Series 11. BBC One. Christmas Special. a b "BBC calls time on Last Of The Summer Wine". The Independent. 2 June 2010 . Retrieved 2 June 2010. Roy Clarke (writer) & Alan J. W. Bell (director) (2 February 2003). "In Which Gavin Hinchcliffe Loses the Gulf Stream". Last of the Summer Wine. Series 24. Episode 6. BBC One. Although the show initially focused on the trio and four to five supporting characters, the cast expanded over the years to include an ensemble of eccentric characters who rounded out the show. 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). [57] Further additions came the following year when the film Uncle of the Bride introduced Seymour's sister, Edie, played by veteran actress Thora Hird, and her family, who were brought over to the programme the following series. [58] The only addition with no professional acting experience was the Holmfirth resident Gordon Wharmby, who performed so well during his audition as mechanic Wesley Pegden, that Alan J. W. Bell cast him in one episode. Pegden would make two more appearances before being brought in permanently as Edie's husband and Seymour's brother-in-law after positive audience reception, becoming a regular character starting in Uncle of the Bride. [59] [60] [61] The increasingly large cast ensured a sense of continuity with the changing configuration of the trio, especially following the death of Bill Owen. [44] Bright, Morris; Robert Ross (25 October 2001). 30 Years of "Last of the Summer Wine". BBC Books. ISBN 978-0-563-53445-7.

A new stage adaptation of the show debuted in 2003. Based on Clarke's novel The Moonbather, the play was first performed by the Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club from 7 to 11 October 2003. [122] Using new actors to perform the roles of Compo, Clegg, and Foggy, the play featured the trio as they attempted to get to the bottom of the disturbance created by a near-naked man in the town. 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. [123] I have watched these episodes so many times that I could probably play any part! I never get tired of the beautiful countryside, the warm, fuzzy feeling, and of course, all the laughs!Camping, Katie (5 September 2008). "Survey says Summer Wine worst thing about Yorkshire". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner . Retrieved 5 April 2017. Wilkes, Neil (17 July 2007). "Sky1 revamp pulls in 1 million". Digital Spy . Retrieved 5 April 2017. I've reached the stage now where I don't want it to end. I'm hoping that as one by one we drop dead that, provided Roy is still alive, it will just keep going. The joy of Bill Owen's Compo is not what he does with the words but where he takes the character beyond what's in the script. He did this in a physical manner. It was only when I saw Bill on screen that I realized what a wonderful physical clown he was.

Last of the Summer Wine focused on a trio of older men and their youthful antics. The original trio consisted of Compo Simmonite, Norman Clegg, and Cyril Blamire. Blamire left in 1976, when Michael Bates fell ill shortly before filming of the third series, requiring Clarke to hastily rewrite the series with a new third man. The third member of the trio would be recast four times over the next three decades: Foggy Dewhurst in 1976, [87] Seymour Utterthwaite in 1986, [88] Foggy again in 1990, [89] and Truly Truelove in 1997. [90] After Compo died in 1999, his son, Tom Simmonite, filled the gap for the rest of that series, [42] and Billy Hardcastle joined the cast as the third lead character in 2001. [91] The trio became a quartet between 2003 and 2006 when Alvin Smedley moved in next door to Nora Batty, [72] but returned to the usual threesome in 2006 when Billy Hardcastle left the show. [92] 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. [46] The show used actual businesses and homes in and around Holmfirth, and Nora Batty's house, which is actually a Summer Wine themed holiday cottage where members of the public can stay in a replica of Nora Batty's home. [6] Although this has helped the Holmfirth economy and made it a tourist destination, tensions have occasionally surfaced between Holmfirth residents and the crew. One such incident, regarding compensation to local residents, prompted producer Bell to consider not filming in Holmfirth any more. The situation escalated to the point that Bell filmed a scene in which Nora Batty put her house up for sale. [22] Crew [ edit ] Roy Clarke (writer) & Alan J. W. Bell (director) (30 April 2000). "Surprise at Throstlenest". Last of the Summer Wine. Series 21. Episode 5. BBC One. A live production of Last of the Summer Wine, known informally as the "summer season", was produced in Bournemouth in 1984. While Bill Owen and Peter Sallis reprised their roles as Compo and Clegg, Brian Wilde chose not to take part because of personal differences with Owen. [14] 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. The first act built up to the appearance of Marina ( Jean Fergusson), who was in correspondence with Howard. At the end of the first act, Marina was revealed to be a blonde sexpot. [120] Howard and Marina's story line was partly based on an early subplot of the television show. In the first series, the librarian, Mr. Wainwright, was having a love affair with his married assistant, Mrs. Partridge. Despite their efforts to keep the plot a secret, especially from Mrs. Partridge's husband, the trio of old men were well aware of the affair. [53] The summer season reversed the roles: Howard became the married partner, and the challenge was to keep the affair secret from his wife. [14]a b "Moonbather 2003". Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008 . Retrieved 24 May 2008. Atkinson, Neil (24 December 2008). "Last of Summer Wine boss quits in axe row". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner . Retrieved 5 April 2017. Awards Database – Last of the Summer Wine". British Academy of Film and Television Awards. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009 . Retrieved 2 April 2017.