Quote: Anorak @ May 20 2009, 2:08 PM BSTI see from your guides that Rosenthal didn't write The Lovers, although he did write the movie version. The sitcom was written by Geoffrey Lancashire. Who I think is/was Sarah's dad.
Rosenthal wrote the first series, Lancashire wrote the second series. Jack Rosenthal was actually a lodger at Geoffery Lancashire's house.
Are there 3 top ITV sitcoms? Rising Damp, Auf Wiedersen Pet (comedy drama really), Only When I Laugh (maybe). I remember liking Whoops Apocalypse and Hot Metal. The New Statesman seemed good at the time but seems a bit rubbish now.
Who starred in 'It Takes A Worried Man'. I've got a vague memory of it and it's a good one.
Quote: Chappers @ May 20 2009, 5:15 PM BSTThis is like saying what are your top three diseases?
Rising Damp???
Quote: Yellows 586 @ May 20 2009, 5:34 PM BSTWho starred in 'It Takes A Worried Man'. I've got a vague memory of it and it's a good one.
Peter Tilbury, the author, with Nichlas le Prevost as his shrink, Christopher Benjamin as his boss, and Sue Holderness as the love interest.
Quote: Anorak @ May 20 2009, 1:40 PM BSTKeith Waterhouse wrote a sitcom set in an ad agency early 80s whose name I forget - started promisingly but went off the boil.
I dimly recall a very clever Keith Warehouse series called The Upchat Line starring John Alderton as a smooth chancer, but don't remember anything about an ad agency. Alderton dropped out for the second series, and was replaced by Robin Nedwell, with the series being retitled somehow.
Number 1 for me has to be Rising Damp. It really is a cut above everything else ITV ever put out in my opinion.
At 2 I think it's Only When I Laugh. A dream team of a cast and some very good writing.
As for number 3, I thought hard and long over this one and nearly went for Man About The House which at the time was very funny and any show that can have two equally successful spin offs has to have something going for it but I finally opted for Shelley It was just that bit different to everything else ITV was doing at the time and Hywell Bennett played the role so very well.
It's a shame I couldn't find something worthy that started later than 1979 but for me Whoops Apocalypse and The New Statesman just don't hold up so well.
Quote: Anorak @ May 20 2009, 2:08 PM BSTNice work Inspector Aaron. No mention of the Waterhouse ad agency show though, you're slacking.
Well I should be revising for my exams! The others I knew off the top of my head (sadly).
Quote: Jack Massey @ May 20 2009, 5:34 PM BSTJack Rosenthal was actually a lodger at Geoffery Lancashire's house.
Talk about trivia! Where'd you get that from?
Quote: Timbo @ May 20 2009, 6:30 PM BSTI dimly recall a very clever Keith Warehouse series called The Upchat Line starring John Alderton as a smooth chancer, but don't remember anything about an ad agency. Alderton dropped out for the second series, and was replaced by Robin Nedwell, with the series being retitled somehow.
The Upchat Connection. On a similar basis, when he died, Leonard Rossiter's Mr Tripper in Tripper's Day was replaced by Brucey as Mr Slinger, retitled to Slinger's Day.
Quote: Aaron @ May 20 2009, 9:16 PM BSTTalk about trivia! Where'd you get that from?
Jack Rosenthal's autobiography. A great autobiography, written in a script, I really enjoyed it.
Written as a script?! Blimey. Well, I'll make mental note to pick up a copy if I see it cheap. 
Yes, I've seen it in The Works.
Ah brill. I might see if I can get to one at the weekend then. Thanks!
Rising Damp is head and shoulders for me, the rest are mainly childhood choices from nostalgia:
On The Buses
Keep it in the Family
A Fine Romance
Shelley
Please Sir.
The Upchat Connection (Only remember it with Nedwell)
I thought No Heroics was pretty ok for a contemporary entry.
Quote: Fred Sunshine @ May 20 2009, 2:55 PM BSTAnd for a bonus point what classical piece of music was used for the theme tune.
Nancy, she was a secretary etc etc
1. Benidorm
2. Watching
3. The Upper Hand
----------------
4. Barbara
5. Second Thoughts
6. Surigcal Spirit
1. On The Buses
2. Man About The House
3. Rising Damp
In no particular order . . .
On The Buses
Rising Damp
Cowboys (if I remember correctly ! Eh Aaron?)