Are You Being Served? is a British Sitcom that ran from 1973-1985. The show revolved around "Grace Brothers Department Store" and in particular the goings on within the "Gentleman Ready-To-Wear" and "Ladies Separates and Underwear" Departments. A store reorganization forced these two departments to share floor space, and the conflicts that this created sets the tone for most episodes.

Are You Being Served? showcases a bygone period of time in which the class structure was still very much alive. There was a strict hierarchic within Grace Brothers. Everyone knew their "places" and remained in them, unless, of course, there was a chance for advancement and then it was every man and woman for themselves.

A spin-off series of Are You Being Served? was released, called Grace and Favor. Although in the U.S, it was named Are You Being Served? Again! when it comes to sifting the wheat from the chaff in the congested world of TV sitcoms, the passage of time is a good measure of what can rightly be termed a classic.

So when Are You Being Served? was revived in 1997 to an appreciative audience exceeding eight million - which translated into an audience share of a staggering 46 per cent - Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft's adventures at Grace Brothers had surely earned the tight to be classed as an example of classic comedy But why has the show been so successful?

I think everyone recognized the characters who appeared in the show,' replies Jeremy Lloyd~ ~In every walk of life and every company, a hierarchy existed where those in authority made life just a little more difficult than necessary for the people at the bottom.

' The familiarity of the scenarios explored in Are You Being Served? struck a chord with viewers, who in time found a special place in their hearts for Lloyd and Croft's unforgettable bunch of shop-floor characters, including the redoubtable Mrs. Slocombe, the imperious Captain Peacock and the nattily dressed Mr. Humphries.
While the sitcom's current success has left many people dumbfounded, it speaks volumes for the style of comedy one associates with Messrs Croft and Lloyd. Whereas contemporary sitcoms bludgeon viewers with blatant images and messages, Are You Being Served? simply hinted at such matters, and in doing so created an air of gentleness sadly lacking in many of today's offing.

Resolute against the arrival of progressive, alternative comedy, David Croft, together with his writing partners, continued delivering shows which boasted all the ingredients of good, old-fashioned comedy, and Are You Being Served? was no exception. Some people viewed it as bawdy and smutty, but the show's seaside postcard-style huntour, with regular doses of double entendres and pure farce, attracted a loyal following for whom the sitcom became part of the fabric of their lives.

Although Are You Being Served? didn't contain the degree of pathos and character study that shows like Dad~ Army offered, and was never a substantial social document, it won respect for being an honest slice of solid, dependable British comedy.

Watching life unfold at Grace Brothers was fascinating. The store was hopelessly antiquated, and
the stock well past its sell-by date. It was ineptly managed and, to judge by the number of customers it attracted, must have been verging on bankruptcy~ Production budgets didn't extend to employing lots of extras as customers, so Grace Brothers quickly earned the reputation of being a store where shoppers were incidental to the day-to-day chit-chat between staff Customers who did venture on to the
- shop floor were usually served by the non-spealting sales assistants occupying the background counters, who must have been earning a packet in commission compared with Mrs Slocombe and the others.
At times, customers seemed so inconsequential that the staff held informal meetings in the middle of the shop floor - but that was life at Grace Brothers! The department store was precariously set in its ways: its traditional, hierarchical structure meant it only a matter of time before the Grace brothers succumbed to the pressures of modern-day retail and close4 the business to enjoy their long overdue
LEFT Staff at Grace Brothers were so under- -worked that they frequently held meetings on the shop floor 4uring the working day.

Retirement.
Sadly, in Young Mr Grace's case, retirement was short-lived: he died soon after, while on holiday. In an environment where maintenance staff were forbidden from sitting with sales assistants in the canteen, the style of hat one could wear to work was determined by level of seniority; with bowler hats reserved for departmental heads and above, and where female junior assistants were not allowed to wear more frills on their blouses than senior staff, Are You Being Served? never failed to tickle the hanny bone.

The sitcom may be celebrating its 25th birthday but it's still remarkably fresh. It continues to offer a glimpse into a lost world of innocence, of gentle British humour; and its continued popularity, while new vapid examples of sitcom are languishing, strongly suggests that veterans of British comedy like Are You Being Served? will have a place in TV schedules for years to come.

The Idea

Desperation was a key influence behind Jeremy Lloyd's creation. He'd just returned from America, where he'd been writing Rowan and Martins LaughIn, to find himself out of work. His only job during a barren year was writing a sketch for Jimmy Clitheroe. ~I think people thought I was still in the States,' says Jeremy. ~I was desperate to think of something, so I asked myself: ~What do I know best?" The answer was my life at Simpson's department store in Piccadilly. So I wrote an outline about life in a store.

Jeremy had always admired the work of producer/writer David Croft, so he sent him a copy of his synopsis, as well as posting it to a few TV companies. By the time he received a response from the other companies, Jeremy had already met David to discuss the project. ~David's a man of few words,' smiles Jeremy, ~nd when he spoke to me about my idea, he just said: ~I think ~t's very funny, do you want to write it with me?" I agreed, so he told me to meet him the following day. I went over to his house and we started work - it was as simple as that. It was wonderful fun; his wife cooked us delicious meals, and within four days we'd finished the pilot.'

One of the oldest maxims in the world of literature is write from experience, and although Are You Being Served? was steeped in comedy and farcical situations, many scenarios explored in the sitcom
were plucked straight from Jeremy's memories of the short time he'd spent working at Simpson's. 'It was very realistic of life in a department store, he admits. All the little nuances like brimming a hat, fluting a handkerchief and the pecking order reminded me of my time at Simpson's. The only things I didn't include were the cardboard collars and cuffs!' when it came to kneeing the jackets - something that happened regularly at Grace Brothers - Jeremy had first-hand experience. 'It's something I got up to,' he smiles. 'If you only had one jacket and it didn't quite fit because it was too tight under the arms, you'd take it round the back of the counter, stick your knee in the armpit and give it a tug; if you pulled too hard, of course, you'd lost a jacket, so you had to be careful. I was always told: "Walt till you hear the stitches go.
" So that's what I did!' Jeremy left his job at Simpson's in 1948.
The catch phrases that peppered the scripts are something else he remembers from his days in the retail trade. "Are you being served?" was a normal shop phrase,' explains Jeremy, 'and "I'm free" was also frequently heard, but as I was a junior and way down the pecking order, I'd only get the chance to say it if the four more senior assistants were busy.'
David Croft liked Jeremy's idea, although he suggested a fundamental change to the format. Jeremy's original plan only had a gentlemen's department, so I suggested a joint ladies and men swear department. It needed some girls in it, and Jeremy agreed, so we quickly wrote the pilot. But I really liked the idea, particularly as it was group comedy. Now all we had to do was get the BBC to accept it.'

Getting the Show on Air

The Are You Being Served? pilot was transmitted by BBC l under the Comedy Playhouse umbrella, the testing ground for sitcom fledglings. Although many efforts have sunk without trace after their martial outing, Croft and Lloyd were quietly confident, particularly as their contribution had been shot within the studio and didn't demand expensive location work: its low production costs were a p081-tive factor in the show's urinate success.
The pilot was given its chance under woeful circumstances: the tragedy of the Munich Olympics, in which eleven Israelis were killed in September 1972, meant that the BBC - whose schedules had been geared around the world event - found them-selves with blank screens to fill as coverage of the Games was cancelled. With hours of transmission time to occupy, the Are You Being Served? pilot was plucked from the shelf and aired to a captive audience of millions.

Disappointingly, the show met an indifferent response from viewers and BBC executives alike. There was no great rush to commission a series, and it was only because David Croft was in the right place at the right time that the series went ahead at all. 'I was lounging around in the doorway of Bill Cotton's office at the BBC,' he recalls, 'when someone's script for a new series hadn't turned up, so I suggested giving Are You Being Served? a chance. I reminded Bill it was cheap and that Jeremy and I could have it ready in six weeks.'

Cotton thought for a while, before agreeing -with one proviso. 'He said: 'All right, you can do it, but I don't want the poof in it!" I protested and said: "Without the poof there's no series, Mr Humphries is the funniest character in it." Eventually Bill agreed, but not before warning me against overemphasizing Mrs Slocombe's pussy. He felt two or three jokes of that nature per series would be enough but, of course, we did more.

'That was how a programme's fiture was determined in those days. There were no big committees to convince, it was all about one person's hunch; if they felt it seemed right, you got the go-ahead. I miss those days very much.'
And so Jeremy's brainchild hit the screens, with a repeat of the pilot kicking off the first series in 1973. Like most classics, it took a while before the public began viewing it with affection, but Jeremy sensed the feeling of acceptance much earlier.
'When the BBC ordered a second series I suddenly thought the show was a triumph,' he says. 'It was a great time to be writing. The BBC never asked what we were doing; we'd just turn the scripts in, the actors would arrive for rehearsals and before we knew it an episode had been recorded.'

Although the show built up a loyal following of fans, there were factions of the public who disliked aspects of the sitcom. The way Mr Humphries was portrayed angered some in the gay rights
movement, but Jeremy Lloyd didn't take much notice of their protests. 'I think 99 per cent of the audience would have loved having Mr Hurnphries round for dinner, because he was most entertainmg, charming and amusing. He was always a friendly, caring sort of character, and I can't see why anyone should have been offended. But you can't please everybody, and I'd rather satisf~ most of the audience, as we did, than the minority.' Concerning Mr Humphries' sexuality, David Croft adds: 'As far as we were concerned, he was just a mother's boy. We never implied he was homosexual, but some people were against him because they thought he was gay yet denying it; we never once suggested anything of the kind.' The sitcom was also branded politically incorrect by some, but Jeremy feels the pales in comparison with some of today's output. 'We didn't think of it as politically incorrect, that's something that came along after we'd started the show. It may have seemed a little outrageous at times, but it's tame compared with some shows now.

The Scripts

There was never a dull moment when it came to writing the scripts. Uproarious bursts of laughter were frequently heard as Jeremy and David sat down to pen an episode. In the comfort of either David or Jeremy's home, they took it in turns writing the script in longhand, as Jeremy recalls. 'I'd write five pages, then David five; we'd be talking and writing non-stop. And as soon as the characters fell into place, we'd be imitating them, speaking the lines in their voices - it was hard work but good fin.'
Croft and Lloyd established such a rapport that they found they were able to turn out scripts in days. 'We worked very fast,' explains Jeremy, 'and completed one script in just over two days. I'd got used to working quickiy on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, but as David is also a quick worker we were ideally suited for working together.'

Restricting themselves to around seven scripts a year allowed sufficient time for polishing before
rehearsals began. It was an enjoyable period for David and Jeremy. 'We worked well together,' Jeremy says. 'David is the best writing partner I've ever had. As the show progressed we became good friends; initially, we'd go our separate ways when we finished writing a series, but by the third season we'd occasion-ally have dinner together!'
David found Jeremy an amus
mg person to work with. A stream of comedy pours from him all the time. We'd have hilarious sessionswriting the scripts, even though we worked fast. Each episode took just a few days, which is incredible, bearing in mind that included stopping for regular chats and some food.'
Although most scripts were wn.tten by the Lloyd-Croft partnership, Michael Knowles - who also appeared in the series - was invited to write a few. David was too busy to write them all, so he called me and asked whether I'd like to do some,' says Michael. 'With Harold Snoad, I'd adapted the Dads' Army TI episodes for radio, so David knew my writing.' Even though he relished the challenge, Michael was nervous about writing with Jeremy Lloyd. 'Jeremy had just come back from Hollyod, so as a young writer I was worried about
working with him. He also writes terribly fast; his brain works like lightning so it's very difficult keeping up with him.'
Michael didn't experience any difficulties writing in the style and manner established in previous episodes. 'It was important I was au fait with the show: I watched all the episodes, and read the scripts to understand how the episodes were structured Although it's strong on character the object of Are You Being Served? is to make people laugh with constant gag lines. And that's something I felt able to contribute to.'

Creating the Characters

Once Grace Brothers a name influenced by a friend of David's, whose father had Inherited a store " 11d Grey Brothers had been established, staff Mrs Siocombe (Mollie Sugden) and Miss Brahnis (Wendy Richard) resort to pedal power to get to work.

were required to man the shop-floor. For this, Jeremy relied on his life experiences. After working at Simpson's, he travelled the length of the country as a salesman, selling industrial paint. Qn his travels he met all sorts of people, many of whtim influenced his creations in Are You Being Served?
'We created characters who were identifiable,' explains Jeremy, who still spots similar characters in today's department stores. 'Once you've got an ex-army type like Captain Peacock in charge of the floor, you know exactly how he's going to act and talk, and you need to know all your characters that well.'
Peacock, played by Frank Thornton, epitomized the floorwalkers who patrolled department stores in those days. 'They had usually retired from the army, only to find it difficult getting employment after the war. They always looked smart in a suit, wore their regimental tie with pride and had an air of authority about them.'
As for Mr Humpliries, Jeremy believes all stores employ a similar type of character. 'He was bright and enthusiastic, just a mummy's boy, really.

I modelled Mr Lucas - who was a thorn in everybodys side - on myself. He'd never be afraid to say how ridiculous things were, challenging traditions like I did until being fired from Simpson's for sell- -mg soft drinks in the fitting-room at the height of the summer.

'I've met many Mrs Slocombes in my time, but I don't think she represents anyone in particular, just
a northern hattie-axe. However, my grandmother was from the north, and a lot of her expressions were fitted in to Mrs Slocombe, so there's an element that was influenced by my grandmother. Miss Brahms, meanwhile, is a typical Essex girl, which will offend some people, no doubt. I borrowed the name from a friend of mine because it was interesting. Miss Brahms was young and more interested in socializing than going to work; she'd never think of her job as a career, it was just a temporary posting she'd held a long time.

'Mr Grainger, the oldest man on the shop floor, was a kind, wonderful old grandfather figure to whom children and adults easily relate. He represents the past, really, and is kind and charming, a loveable character in my view, who was long past retirement even when he joined the department.

'Mr Rumbold wasn't mentioned as often as other characters, but was vital to the show. He was the
linclipin because he's the one everyone has to please; Rumbold represents the inefficient mariagement I've encountered several times in my life. He always maintained a tremendous front, but was only in a position of power because of his length of service, not through talent.'

As far as Young Mr Grace is concerned, Jeremy is uncertain what influenced this character. 'He's diflic#t to place, but I've come across Mr Graces in my time: elderly heads of a compary who are very solicitous. By giving him a young secretary we got a lot 6f Ln out of his character. Young Mr Grace was kindlyAooking so no one got offended by the remarks he made concerning his secretaries, especially as he was obviously too old to do ariything about them!'

In episode 63,

a desperate Mrs Slocombe will do anything to keep her job at Grace Brothers - including cleaning the floor! The maintenance men, Mr Mash and Mr Harman, adroitly played by Larry Martyn and Arthur English respectively, were treated with disdain by the counter staff and the despotic Captain Peacock. According to their creator, they were the 'below stairs' characters. 'Both Larry and Arthur were in the same happy role, albeit at different times,' explains Jeremy. 'They always got a laugh as they did their best to antagonize authority.' Again, Jeremy Lloyd drew on personal experience when creating these overall-clad maintenance men. 'I knew these characters well,' he says. 'Even before my time behind the suit counter at Simpson's I'd been a "below stairs" person, working in the packing department of an electric light company, starting as a van unloader before working my way up to light bulb inspector. Many of the printable ribald remarks I'd heard in that incarnation appeared in the show. In fact, Mr Mash was based on a Mr Mash I worked with at the electrical company.

Finally, the shop floor wouldn't have been complete without a few customers wandering around,
Mrs Slocombe loved showing off her bras to her colleagues. even if 'few' is the operative word. 'We couldn't afford lots of customers,' explains Jeremy, 'so we got the lift girls and secretaries to walk on the set occasionally, which added extra life to the floor.'

Casting the Roles

Other than playing a flindamental role in securingthe services of Candy Davis as Rumbold's final secretary, Jeremy Lloyd was happy to leave the crucial job of casting to David Croft, who already had a great track record in that area. 'Casting is his forte',' says Jeremy, who tried desperately to secure a part for himself. 'I failed to convince David that I should play any sort of role,' he smiles. 'I wouldn't have minded being a customer, but could never get a part It took about eighty episodes of A/b, Allo before I made a brief appearance as a German general, and that was because David was away that day!' admits Jeremy, who did manage a cameo appearance as a driver in Grace and Favour.

One of the hallmarks of a David Croft production is a fine cast. With a plethora of thespians to choose from, he has a discerning eye when it comes to selecting the right person for the job, and frequendy calls upon their services more than once. 'If you know the actor and how they work, it can save a lot of trouble,' he says. 'The wrong person in a company can unsettle a production terribly. I like avoiding hassle and always try to create a family atmosphere.' David's early experience as an actor aids his ability to communicate with the performers he hires. 'Many directors hate actors, but having been one myself I can relate to them and understand the fears they experience. Basically, I listen and treat them as professionals - you have to if you want a happy crew.'

People talk of David Croft's own private repertory company, a cluster of tried and tested actors whom he considers first whenever casting a show. The likes of Jeffrey Holland, Michael Knowles, Wendy Richard and others have popped up in sev
store because he'd worked in one, so that was useful. Mr Humphries wasn't a big part to begin with, but John's a wonderful laugh-gatherer and so the role grew and grew as the series progressed.

'Nicholas Smith was a great musician and during rehearsals he'd play anything available - he'd even get a tune out of a teapot if there was one hanging around. Unless it was required for the show I'd have any pianos taken out of the room! But I was very pleased with Nicholas. We wanted a pompous character who was the principal voice of authority. Young Mr Grace was an option, but because of his age I didn't want to lean too heavily on him, and Rumbold worked very nicely

'I'd worked with Mollie Sugden plenty of times in shows like Beggar My ivezghbour and Hugh and I, so knew her well; she was the only choice as far as

Mrs Slocombe was concerned.
'My wife had worked for Arthur Brough in rep at Folkestone, and I'd cast him as a tailor in Hugh and I and as a bank employee in Dad's arny A lovely man who was sorely missed, he was very funny during the recordings because occasionally his
eral shows he's been involved in, and their sterling performances prove that when it comes to picking the personnel, David Croft is a true master. While the sitcom's current success has left many people dumbfounded, it speaks volumes for the style of comedy one associates with Messrs Croft and Lloyd. Whereas contemporary sitcoms bludgeon viewers with blatant images and messages, Are You Being Served? simply hinted at such matters, and in doing so created an air of gentleness sadly lacking in many of today's offing.

Resolute against the arrival of progressive, alternative comedy, David Croft, together with his writing partners, continued delivering shows which boasted all the ingredients of good, old-fashioned comedy, and Are You Being Served? was no exception. Some people viewed it as bawdy and smutty, but the show's seaside postcard-style huntour, with regular doses of double entendres and pure farce, attracted a loyal following for whom the sitcom became part of the fabric of their lives.

Although Are You Being Served? didn't contain the degree of pathos and character study that shows like Dad~ Army offered, and was never a substantial social document, it won respect for being an honest slice of solid, dependable British comedy.

Watching life unfold at Grace Brothers was fascinating. The store was hopelessly antiquated, and
the stock well past its sell-by date. It was ineptly managed and, to judge by the number of customers it attracted, must have been verging on bankruptcy~ Production budgets didn't extend to employing lots of extras as customers, so Grace Brothers quickly earned the reputation of being a store where shoppers were incidental to the day-to-day chit-chat between staff Customers who did venture on to the
- shop floor were usually served by the non-spealting sales assistants occupying the background counters, who must have been earning a packet in commission compared with Mrs Slocombe and the others.
At times, customers seemed so inconsequential that the staff held informal meetings in the middle of the shop floor - but that was life at Grace Brothers!

The department store was precariously set in its ways: its traditional, hierarchical structure meant it only a matter of time before the Grace brothers succumbed to the pressures of modern-day retail and close4 the business to enjoy their long overdue