On The Buses - ITV1 Sitcom - British Comedy Guide

TV sitcom
ITV1
1969 - 1973
74 episodes (7 series)

Comedy following workshy bus driver Stan and his family; his conductor, Jack; and their depot boss, Inspector Blake. Stars Reg Varney, Bob Grant, Stephen Lewis, Anna Karen, Cicely Courtneidge and more.

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On The Buses (1971)

On The Buses. Image shows from L to R: Stan Butler (Reg Varney), Inspector Blake (Stephen Lewis), Jack Harper (Bob Grant). Copyright: London Weekend Television

Genre

Sitcom

Broadcast

1969 - 1973

Episodes

74 (7 series), plus 1 short special

Stars

Reg Varney, Bob Grant, Stephen Lewis, Anna Karen, Cicely Courtneidge, Doris Hare and Michael Robbins

Writers

Ronald Chesney, Ronald Wolfe, Bob Grant, Stephen Lewis, George Layton and Jonathan Lynn

Directors

Stuart Allen, Derrick Goodwin and Bryan Izzard

Producers

Stuart Allen, Derrick Goodwin and Bryan Izzard

Company

London Weekend Television

Life on the buses is a relatively care-free one for workmates Stan Butler (driver) and Jack Harper (conductor) - much to the chagrin of their pencil-moustachioed boss at the Luxton & District Traction Company, Inspector Cyril Blake (affectionately known as 'Hitler'), who spends half of his time trying to get them out of the depot on time and the other half trying to get them fired.

When failing to get their bus to the cemetery gates and back anything remotely like on time, Stan and Jack can be found stuffing their faces with cheap nosh in the depot canteen; chasing the female clippies and any other dolly birds they happen to spot on their route; stuffing their faces with more nosh at Stan's house; or trying to avoid his quarrelsome family.

Living with his mum, Mabel; younger sister Olive; and her ever-irritated husband Arthur, Stan's not got too bad a life on the whole, although his own consistent trail of pratfalls, plus Mum's slightly old-fashioned nature, always seem to get in the way of his getting a girlfriend, and his own loveable laziness stops him earning more money and being able to move out! But Mum's cooking is a real bonus - as long as she doesn't leave it to Olive to take over kitchen duties!

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