Comedy Playhouse - Are You Being Served? (Pilot) Part 1

[pmscotland35]

A true classic one of the best brit coms ever

[TheEastlondonbus]

Great series

[Jan96106]

This is my favorite British sitcom. I watched it every evening at 10:00 on PBS when I was in grad school. The double entendres are part of a long line of British comedy.

[432F01]

Holy Mother what a set of gams on Wendy Richard!

[AstroNerdBoy]

Too bad my DVD set has the black-and-white version. :-(

[comikrocker]

8:00 was mr granger's original name Griffin?

[msunami]

@comikrocker No, he said Crippin, his "nickname". Dr Crippin was often a bad tempered and rude man, much like Mr Grainger

[Thermodynamic]

It'll be fab to see this on DVD. With audio cleaned up as well - it looks like that, along with the ChromaDot color restoration, they might have VidFIRE'd it to restore the fluid videotape look as well... the sound is a little dull, but just seeing it in color is fantastic...

[rubbitydub]

"rip John Inman" lol - he's still alive you idiot

[LonlyHeartsClubBand]

@rubbitydub no he died in 2007

[whiskytangofoxtrotyo]

@rubbitydub John Inman passed away suddenly in 2007.

Googling is easier than putting one's foot in one's mouth.

[MarkSentMe]

@whiskytangofoxtrotyo I LOVE your user name...military?

[waterfallsandrain]

@MarkSentMe Nope. Just a lot of WTF in my life.

[deciusvarus]

I love this show! But I hate Mr. MASH!!!

[LordZacknafien]

Love this show Britin had some pretty good shows with comady like this!.

[tapeduk]

It's great to see this in color--or should I say Colour-----RIP John Inman, Mollie Sugden, Wendy Richards, and Trevor Bannister

[yoyogurl101]

and i LOVE john inman <3

[yoyogurl101]

im 17..and i live in America...and im in LOVE with this show LOL

[Dijichan]

im 14 and love this show and most of my favorite characters are dead. ( john inman and trevor bannister)

[HuskyWolfy]

@Dijichan yeah, i'm with you on that one, i'm only 18 and i used to watch this show alot when i was like 4 or 5 with my mother...my favourite character is mr. humphries! ^v^

it's also too bad that most people your and my age don't watch shows like this anymore, they watch anime and stuff like that

[yaywhewclips242]

never seen this!! Thanx 4 posting. I love this show!! People should post AYBS Again? eps NOW!!

[TralfazConstruction]

A timelessly endearing show. Watching episodes, have on as background embellishment or as 'company', as I do some work here on a bright Saturday afternoon. I began to catch-up with this show mid-'80s-ish; have not been without it since. My favorite episodes are the earliest with Arthur's Mr. E. Granger and Larry's "Mr. Mash". Each variation of the cast has something remarkable to recommend it. That so many original players are gone is sad, sobering and a commentary itself upon the march of time.

[Midori165]

Thanks so much for the color version!

[BumbleGrease2011]

@poppinsexpert Frank Thornton is only 90. He was born on 15th January 1921. He's the same age as his LOTSW co-star Peter Sallis

[prue912800]

@8:00, what does Mr. Humphries call Mr. Grainger? it sounds like griffin wants you, does anyone else think that it should have been grainger wants you, and john inman made a mistake, or was it deliberate

[EkseteraEksetera]

@prue912800 Yes he said Griffin! lol, idk if it is a mistake or not though

[Opium1958]

It kind of breaks my heart to watch this, my family and I used to watch it together every night at 10:00 and laugh together:). but now we hardly have time to do anything together. I wish I hadn't wished so hard to grow up :(

[bladerunner6]

@Opium1958 same here we were a family of 7 back then and saw every episode

[StevoCummisk]

If you check my friends for ksimmuCovetS it's my alternate account that now features part 3 of this pilot.

[iwanttocrashmybike]

Whoa she made that jump in heels............

[prajna8]

Goodbye Mr.Lucas. R I P.

[bladerunner6]

@prajna8 same here my favorite actor when i was a child, time has passed since then R.I.P. Trevor Bannister

[poppinsexpert]

can you not get it in colour on DVD please? its in black and white on my series 1 dvd. How did you manage to get it in colour and can you get it on a DVD in colour please? x

[mewpie85]

i loooove lucas! he's even funny when he was on 'last of the summer wine' :D and his cameo on 'keeping up appearance'

if you squint a little, he reminds me of alex delarge...

[harlechnorthwales]

@mewpie85 his name was Trevor Bannister

[vordman]

I think the idea of Comedy Playhouse was that several pilot episodes of prospective shows were shown and audience response would decide which would get a full series. I'd question that hypothesis though. Building such a big set suggests the BBC were always going to give this the nod.

[maynardsmoreland]

You're free, Mr. Bannister. RIP.

[poppinsexpert]

@maynardsmoreland I know its so sad. He was ana amzing actor bless him and he still had many more acting years in him. He was too young to die....sad the way Gods world works.

[dramaticguy]

RIP Mr Lucas,lost so many AYBS actors in the last few years.

[poppinsexpert]

@dramaticguy indeed we have. Frank Thornton is still alive and he's 91 now! 91!!!!!!!! wow he is old!

[menoddyz]

@awhistel

thanks but Question i how did you find out?

[brooksie19]

thanks so much for posting this its my all time favorite show!!!

[sidious45]

I have only just got into this tv show my gf got me onto it I laugh myself stupid when I watch this

[KateFan]

Good restoration! Some obviously look restored but this is hard to tell.

[dramaticguy]

Does anyone in the UK have this colour pilot?

I messaged the guy who posted this but no reply.

[smoothgroov]

Awwww R.I.P John Iman



[Dennemark]

I love the beginning, when it emphasizes the fact that this is a comedy.

[deanj6969]

Captain peacock is still alive

[likethepear]

@trainmanben1 "TELL-TALE TIT!!!"

:D

[StevoCummisk]

Sorry for the delayed response. I did originally upload Part 3, however I got a message telling me my account would be deleted if I re-upped that part as the whole episode is under copyright. Therefore rather than lose the first 2 parts aswell, I opted against re-upping the 3rd part. Apologies for any inconviniences!

[Glassgirl2009]

@StevoCummisk Could you not remove either part 1 or 2 and re-upload part 3, that way you would still be missing 1 part and not showing the complete episode?

[skicraze112]

@StevoCummisk do you know you can put the whole episode on something like mefeedia

[YourWife2008]

I miss this!

[menoddyz]

RIP are being served characters

.

i think Trevor Bannister died a month ago

[SecretTimeWarp]

@menoddyz No, Trevor Bannister is one of the few castmembers still alive.

[awhitsel]

@menoddyz He is not dead. He turned 74 in mid-August.

[ivorytower71]

Fantastic to see this colourised by the new technology - which, I take it, is the same technique that uses the dot pattern left behind on B&W screens by the colour subcarrier to ascertain the correct colour?

Aside from that techie diversion, it's a classic episode of a classic comedy.

[Allanlegacy43]

Ahh I use to watch this in the 90's everynite at 11 before bed, what a great old show and hilarious to boot.

[PiranhaJaw22]

ms. brahams is quite hot

[onsdagday]

The manikin they are setting up has a left hand attached to it's right arm...

[etraig]

@onsdagday yeah, you're right, the hands are mixed up.

[z5hmg]

The cash registers at the beginning sounding remarkably like Pink Floyd - just checked, this 1972, Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, March 1973 (according to Wikipedia)

Wonder were they fans :-)

[IThinkYouLookLarvely]

@z5hmg This was aired September 1972, and Pink Floyd may well have heard it, as at this point they were recording Dark Side. The song Money along with all the other songs from the album already existed, and they'd been gigging them for several months. As for whether the cash register sound had been added already for the live shows, I'm not sure. A '72 live album called "Crackers" by Floyd is available and that will tell, but I don't have it!

[z5hmg]

@IThinkYouLookLarvely, thanks for that info!

of course it could well have been that the music writers for this pilot had been to a Pink Floyd gig ;-)

[IThinkYouLookLarvely]

@z5hmg Haha, yes it may have even been that way round! A bit like the guitar riff used in The Sweet's Blockbuster and Bowie's Jean Genie from this very era. These songs were also recorded really close together, with one apparently not knowing about the other, so this case is regarded as a complete coincidence. Cash registers are less common in music than guitars, so this is surely not a coincidence?!! :)

[roooozz]

I always wondered if mrs. Slocombe's hair already had a color in the Pilot...

[pixiedra]

@roooozz Me too! I kind of always assumed it did so I kind of always imagined it to be a bright red or something...wrong!

[fjccommish]

@pixiedra It has color. It has a tinge of green.

[maribeltst]

I remember seeing this show when I was younger... Loved it and still do.

[cbtwn]

not long ago somebody had all episodes uploded on youtube

looks like for whatever reason everything was removed

if the "copyright holders" think that posting some teaser clips will entice people buying DVDs, it will not

stupid assholes would have done better doing advertising

[TokyoDaProdigy]

@cbtwn Well then YOU upload something rudeness

[cbtwn]

@TokyoDaProdigy

why do you care??

[alwrig]

Thanks for posting this! Much better than the B&W version!

[ptashgirl]

@alwrig totally agree! The b&w version makes it look older than it was.

[Cynful27]

Does Mr. Humphries say to Mr. Lucas "Griffin wants you" just after Mr. Lucas straightens Ms. Slocombs tights (@ 8:00)?

[Dylvente]

@Cynful27 Yes he does. I wonder why?

[StoliDassah]

@Cynful27 No, he says Crippen.

[eieiowens]

@4:53, Ms. Brahms calls Mrs. Slocombe "Mrs. Lucas". She ends the phrase in a whisper realizing her mistake.

[Michaelmyersrulz]

@eieiowens  omg ur right!

[storrs19]

Awesome! I've never seen this restored colour version. Top notch job. I love this entire series as well as Grace & Favour. Thanks much for sharing with us.

[kyle1081]

Wow much better than the original black and white. The Beauty Belle Bra....Oh dear

[kyle1081]

Wow much better than the original black and white.

[putty1994]

Classic

[eccarter22]

By the way, the color is amazing. Much better than what's on tv now

[eccarter22]

It is sad that I love this show if I'm a twenty-five year old American. I hope not.

[mellamokori]

@eccarter22 yea, me too...

[MegaPianoplayer1]

@eccarter22 I'm a twenty year old American and I love this show.



[TimestheTruth]

@MegaPianoplayer1 lol I'm a 22 year old Canadian and I luv it too

[judy1386]

@eccarter22 No it's not because I'm a 19 year old jamaican and I'm addicted to this show! haha

[grvyrunr]

@eccarter22 Of course it isn't sad! It's marvelous! :)



[serdragon]

"kinky"

[tritestravis]

i love this show its so funny!!!

[jelissajaconiworld]

camp as tits! I LOVE IT X

[patsaxon]

Glowing breast was so funny! You're just jealous because you can't do it!

[Helleborus1972]

Please upload more episodes. Thank you. I really enjoy this show.

[nikkidav]

MR HUMPHREY THATS MY BOY!!

[whitesentinix]

I'm not sure what's more unnerving...seeing the pilot in color, or seeing Mrs. Slocombe's hair in black and white.

Eh...who cares, still quite possibly one of the greatest sitcoms of all time

[bellydancermama]

This is my favorite BBC Britcom ever... glad to see this pilot so wonderfully restored!

[animals4eva]

great restoration, very good quality



[Fussinated]

"bloody woman drivers."

[Cool2BCeltic]

Yes, this was Comedy Playhouse. A series of six one-off shows and whichever one went down best with the viewers was made into a series. This was the most successful thing to come out of Comedy Playhouse.

[thekroton]

@Cool2BCeltic -The best thing to come out of Comedy

Playhouse-with the exception of Steptoe And son!

And one of the other great things was Open all hours,

[pf126p]

This is incredible work. Where can the proper DV version of it be had?

[AuburnRed1]

Who knew that the Land of OZ was somewhere in Grace Bros. :D

[19GirlBad]

little class cow.

[pf126p]

Middle-class cow.

[LindorVlog]

I've seen this pilot on TV so many times. It's so great to see it in colour! Thank you for uploading it :D

[SHNKRDS]

3.14 Great view for Mr. Lucas

[zabukazar]

Wow. This is awesome. It's such a treat to frinally see it in color.

[GanymedeBoy]

The Pilot???....in color? This is a sign that it's going to be a good day! =)

[pucpimp]

yeah i couldn't even tell it was a restoration. (miss brahms is hot!)

[temajsamot]

grrreat ! absolutely grreat !

[ElveeKaye]

Oh, cool, they colorized it! I remember watching the black and white version and thought that's how it was originally filmed. Didn't realize it was actually meant to be in color. Thanks for posting this! I love that YouTube is keeping alive all the great old series.

[thekroton]

i HAVE THE FIRST SERIES ON DVD AND THIS IS ONLY IN

BLACK AND WHITE,-NICE TO SEE THAT IT HAS BEEN RESTORED TO IT'S FORMER GLORY.

[dolphin8b]

@jakestooge34 No! Sadly the piloy episode fopr are being served was pre-recorded on Videotape ( 625/50 PAL colour) A B&W film recording (FR) or telerecording (called kinescoping in the US) was made to sell overseas by BBC enterprises with a Marconi rapidpulldown film recorder. The colour restoration is possible because chroma dots are visible on the film negatives if scanned in a HD telecine machine.

[MsMaestro00]

Is Miss Brahms (Wendy Richard) singing the theme? It sounds a lot like her....I love this show!

[GoWithJoeShow]

Wow - it actually was in color at one point! - Thanks for posting. I'm ashamed to say I may have the first five seasons memorized!

[queenginbell]

love this show

[StoliDassah]

oh wow! thanks so much for posting this. i own the whole series on DVD, but have never seen refurbished version of the pilot. you just made my night.

[TheBmoChannel]

This is fantastic!

[jaredini]

Wow, the colour version has been found, i heard it had been lost in the BBC. This was shown part of the docu of this sitcom a few weeks ago but I missed it.

[Mattleycrue66]

Just watched the black and white version yesterday. This looks great!

[pspboy7]

Thank goodness this is still up, AYBS is the best.

[imjunipernow]

It looks fabulous!

[ljfox3]

In addition to its head rotating by itself while trapped in the lift gates, the mannequin's hands are backwards! Note especially at 3:40 and 4:27. LOL.

Nonetheless, it is an awesome series and this is a fantastic episode!

[imjunipernow]

@ljfox3

Note Mr. Humphries calls Mr. Granger "Griffin"

[luvjazzemj]

@imjunipernow I believe he calls him "Crippen." That's the name of an infamous British doctor who was convicted of murdering his wife. I've heard characters in other British sitcoms & movies refer to another character whose consider mean or bothersome as "Crippen."

[SignalsOverTheAir]

Has this aired in the US or UK yet? Does this mean there might be a re-release of the complete series on DVD?

[rockergirl83]

Restored beautifully. Thanks for uploading!

[94donnacone]

this is one of the best comedy series i still enjoy it...............

[FIlmJunkie10355]

@94donnacone i know right! i love it!

[antontango]

WOW! u had only seen it in BW!

[skicraze112]

ding dong 2:20

[skicraze112]

notice the mannequin's hair is brown at 5:31 and at 7:01 it has blone hair

[BaneLupine]

@skicraze112 at 6:14 Miss Brahams replaced the head in the background because of the crooked nose which explains the differences

[awhitsel]

It is also a different hair style. The other wig was long all around but the blonde one is shorter so they must have put a different one on.

[KitsuneProductions]

@skicraze112 that's because they've put a different head on it with a different wig, they do discuss it in the script

[mkrobinson95]

Notice how the mannequin's head was face up at 4:18 ... then at 4:27 it's face down ... ha ha

[mkrobinson95]

WOW - how cool to see this in colour finally!