British Comedy Guide

Sitcom characters you never see Page 4

Quote: Kenneth @ November 19 2009, 10:19 AM GMT

I'm certain there's at least one episode (or was it the movie?) where Mrs Slocombe brings her cat to Grace Brothers. But I'm not sure I'm going to go to the effort of finding it and posting an image here.

Yes, when it was having kittens.

Quote: Kenneth @ November 19 2009, 10:39 AM GMT

Yes it was grey. Or at least it had a grey tail when it was smuggled into Grace Bros in the first episode of Series 5. Only the tail was shown. More clearly on display in that episode is Mrs Slocombe's feline pyajama case. And the six kittens that her cat gives birth to inside a hatbox in the ladies changing room.

Ah.

There was actually a radio show on this subject a few years ago. Can't for the life of me find it anywhere though. Absent Friends, presented by Tony Hawks.

Mrs Raven's triplets in My Hero.
Joanie Trotter (soon to be rectified, mind).

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ November 19 2009, 12:00 PM GMT

Marion and Geoff must be the only title characters from a comedy to not be seen? Okay, their feet, etc were very briefly seen in the barbeque special - but that doesn't count.

All right!

We certainly saw more Geoff than just his feet in the special. The shot of Steve Coogan (Geoff) being knocked over into the kids' paddling pool springs to mind. He had dialogue too, during the whole sequence where him and Marion were trying to leave in her new car. :)

Quote: Tim Walker @ November 19 2009, 4:48 PM GMT

We certainly saw more Geoff than just his feet in the special.

It's certainly an eye opening robe.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ November 19 2009, 10:04 AM GMT

The Meldrew's neighbour's mum.

Yes. You do hear her making noises in one episode - tooting and banging. I like the way at the start you weren't sure if she really exists or not or if she's a figment of Nick's imagination.

Also:

- Margaret's Mum and Mrs Warboy's husband Chris.

Quote: Kenneth @ November 19 2009, 10:19 AM GMT

I'm certain there's at least one episode (or was it the movie?) where Mrs Slocombe brings her cat to Grace Brothers. But I'm not sure I'm going to go to the effort of finding it and posting an image here.

I'm not sure if you see the pussy or just the kittens. However, I think the cat changes sex during the show doesn't it?

Quote: Ronnie Anderson @ November 19 2009, 11:56 AM GMT

My favourite unseen characters are Keith, the wife beating racist, and Dane, a phycotic toddler from The Smoking Room.

I haven't seen all of 'The Smoking Room' but isn't there quite a lot of reference to Ben who is never seen?

'Nanny' from The Muppet Babies, you only ever see her striped socks. Oh sitcom, sorry.

HI-DE-HI - the fearsome Miss Cathcart (Peggy's boss)

FAWLTY TOWERS - Sybil's mother (although not recurring) 'Her and that cat!' Oh yeah, and she's got all sorts of phobias including thinking men are always following her.

Mrs Dooms-Paterson from The Good Life.

BRITTAS EMPIRE - You don't see SOME of Carol's children I think. Or do you? I know you do see her son Ben at some stage.

OPEN ALL HOURS - Do you ever see 'her at number 32' or whatever it was? I'm not sure. You never see Granville's mother but you hear remarks about her implying she was loose. Also, you never see Nurse Gladys's mother.

Quote: The Giggle-o @ November 20 2009, 1:23 AM GMT

Mrs Dooms-Paterson from The Good Life.

That's a good one.

Del boys make monkey harris in OFAH I think he talks about him or is on the phone to him in a few episodes

Quote: Aaron @ November 19 2009, 3:53 PM GMT

Joanie Trotter (soon to be rectified, mind).

Unlikely though as she's dead.

What about Dan the Van from Chucklevision.

Quote: Jack Massey @ November 20 2009, 7:10 PM GMT

Unlikely though as she's dead.

Only Fools Kids.

Quote: noddy @ November 20 2009, 4:04 PM GMT

Del boys make monkey harris in OFAH I think he talks about him or is on the phone to him in a few episodes

Yes! Monkey Harris comes up quite a bit right near the start of the program till the end. Has anyone mentioned Del's Mum. She is talked aobut a lot but is never seen of course because she's dead. Although you might see her in the new prequel. Rodney is never quite sure if she cared for him properly or not.

Oops! Just read follow up posts.

I'm rewatching Hi-De-Hi! DVDs. Reminds me of...

Rupert the assistant pudding chef (Peggy's friend). He's mentioned quite a bit in the middle series. (That's series as in the plural. Is there a way in English to distinguish between the singular and plural of 'series'?)

(Rupert is described as thin, wears glasses and is a bit pale - cause he doesn't get out much cause he's busy assisting with the other cooking too. He likes Peggy and they are friends but nothing properly romantic eventuates from the relationship. Peggy teaches Rupert to ride a motorbike. Don't know what else.)

Not TV - but radio...

THE GLUMS. You never see Mrs Glum. (Well you wouldn't as it's a radio show! :$)
But a little more seriously - you don't hear her speak properly either - you just hear a muffled sound - but there is a lot of references to her. "MOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!!" "OMHOMOBOMOHMM" The Glums must have been one of the funniest things on radio.

The dreaded Mrs Barraclough in Porridge, whom inspires Mr Barraclough to ponder on the subject of love... "Well it's better to have loved and lost, than spent your whole ruddy life with her."

Marion and Geoff must be the only title characters from a comedy to not be seen

There's a few other sitcoms where we never see the title characters, on Radio 4.

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