Sitcom couples where one actor was years older

I have noticed that with some old sitcoms, actors who were playing husband and wife sometimes had a big age difference between them. For example, Carmen Silvera was nearly 20 years older than Gorden Kaye, and looked much older as well and I am surprised she was cast as Edith in 'Allo 'Allo! given the age difference between her and her screen husband.

Dandy Nichols in Till Death Us Do Part was around 20 years older than Warren Mitchell, while the actor playing Wally Batty in Last of The Summer Wine was over 20 years older than Kathy Staff.

Out of American sitcoms, I have read that in I Love Lucy, the actors playing the neighbours had a big age difference between them - William Frawley was over 20 years older than his screen wife Vivian Vance, who actually commented that he should have been playing her father due to the age difference!

It happens in real life so why not sitcoms?

Indeed it was the subject of one May To December.

Quote: Matt79 @ February 1 2011, 5:27 PM GMT

For example, Carmen Silvera was nearly 20 years older than Gorden Kaye, and looked much older as well and I am surprised she was cast as Edith in 'Allo 'Allo! given the age difference between her and her screen husband.

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I've always thought that they looked relatively similar ages personally, but that - simply - she just looked worse than he. It worked to create the believability of René having all the affairs and being so apparently unattracted to her.

In Bewitched, George Tobias (Abner Kravitz) was 16 years older than wife, Alice Pearce (Gladys).

Sid James was 19 years older than Diana Coupland (Bless This House).

This may not be relevant as they are not married - but Del Boy and Rodney are brothers even though David Jason is 20 years older than Nicholas Lyndhurst

I think Del was supposed to have been about 17 when Rodney was born though, so that does work for the characters' ages.

Though not a couple- it's worth noting that Reg Varney was twenty years older than Bob Grant in On the Buses you wouldn't think that and he was nine years older than Doris Hare who played his old Mum.

Quote: Aaron @ February 2 2011, 7:53 PM GMT

I think Del was supposed to have been about 17 when Rodney was born though, so that does work for the characters' ages.

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It's a very confused area the age of how old they're meant to be. In the first series it was mentioned Del was 35 and Rodney 23, that suggests 12 years. Then in the second series it was stated that on Del's 16th birthday, his Dad left them. Rodney was supposed to be 6 at the time of his Mum's death, meaning Del would have been 15, that suggests 9 years and various references from then on throughout the series contradict their actual ages.

Quote: Jack Massey @ February 2 2011, 8:01 PM GMT

Though not a couple- it's worth noting that Reg Varney was twenty years older than Bob Grant in On the Buses you wouldn't think that and he was nine years older than Doris Hare who played his old Mum.

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According to IMDB, Reg (b. 1916) was 16 years older than Bob (b. 1932), but Doris Hare (b. 1905) was 11 years older than Reg.

Regardless, I was surprised that Reg was 53 when the series started.

Yeah, sorry Adicus, was just estimating previous stuff I'd read when typing, but oh well, only a few years out

No worries!

I did just see something more shocking... Reg was 20 years older than Stephen Lewis (Blakey). He was also 20 years older than Anna Karen (Olive), though that's not as surprising.

Quote: Andicus @ February 4 2011, 7:00 PM GMT

According to IMDB, Reg (b. 1916) was 16 years older than Bob (b. 1932), but Doris Hare (b. 1905) was 11 years older than Reg.

Regardless, I was surprised that Reg was 53 when the series started.

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I know. Reg Varney didn't look that old in On The Buses.