The hilarious antics in the Grace Brothers' Department Store entertained millions of viewers around the world.
Shown between 1972 and 1985, 81 episodes were made along with a film in 1977. Seven years after the original series finished, a sequel - Are You Being Served? Again! - was produced, with just 13 episodes made.
Grace Brothers Department Store was situated in London. The sitcom followed the antics of the staff in the Gents' Ready Made Clothes department and Ladies Intimate Apparel which, due to reorganisation, shared the same floor of the shop. Set at a time when Womens' and Men's clothing sections were normally miles apart, neither department was happy with this arrangement, although eventually they managed to get along.
Headed by the balding Mr "Captain" Steven Peacock (Frank Thornton), the Gents' Ready-Made was staffed by the wonderfully camp Mr Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries (John Inman) and the young and reckless Mr "Dick" Lucas (Trevor Bannister), while the Women's Apparel was run by the formidable purple-haired Mrs. Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Jennifer Rachel Yiddell Abergavenny Slocombe (Mollie Sugden) and her young assistant Miss Shirley Brahms (Wendy Richards).
Other members of the Grace Brothers staff included Old Mr Grace (Kenneth Waller), Young Mr Grace (Harold Bennett), senior clothing salesman Mr Grainger (Arthur Brough) and manager Mr Cuthbert Rumbold (Nicholas Smith). And all the young scantily clad executive secretaries that come and go from the Rumbold and Grace offices. A new janitor - Mr Harman (Arthur English) - freshened things up from series four onwards, but the show was definitely poorer without Mr Lucas, who departed after the seventh series.
A brilliant and hilarious British sitcom, it may look dated today, but still packs in the laughs. For those sensitive to political corectness, be aware that the show pulls no punches with sex/race/culture/politics (militant unions), or religion. But that was typical Britain in the 1970s.
A comedy classic. Enjoy.
Are You Being Served? is a Sitcom programme that first aired in 1972 and has been classified a PG certificate.
