I'm doing a quiz, has anybody got any obscure sitcom facts that would be good to include?
My favourite so far is, the show 'Bottom' was originally meant to be called 'Your Bottom'!
Obscure sitcom facts
J.G. Devlin who played the older Irish convict alongside Leonard Rossiter in Steptoe and Son "The Desperate Hours" was second choice to play Albert Steptoe.
Ronnie Barker turned down the role of Frank Spencer
Fulton Mackay turned down the role of Doctor Who (fourth doctor) to star in Porridge.
The budget for the second series of Happy Families was used to secure production of the first series of Red Dwarf instead.
The pilot of Red Dwarf was delayed by a year due to an electricians strike stopped production. I remember that because I had to wait a year after seeing it being advertised early 1987 before it was finally on TV in 1988.
Quote: lofthouse @ 8th April 2016, 7:03 PM BSTRonnie Barker turned down the role of Frank Spencer
A role which was made for Norman Wisdom as first choice.
Hugh Dennis out of Outnumbered has the nickname "Desk".
Guest stars on The Office included Peter Purves, Bubbles and Howard from the Halifax ads.
The first choices to play Margo and Jerry in The Good Life were Hannah Gordon and Peter Bowles.
Peter Bowles would have been good, not sure about Hannah Gordon.
Paul Merton is in an episode of The Young Ones.
Quote: lofthouse @ 10th April 2016, 10:17 PM BSTPaul Merton is in an episode of The Young Ones.
I'm trying to think of the part without Googling. Does he play a shopkeeper or chemist?
Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 10th April 2016, 10:21 PM BSTI'm trying to think of the part without Googling. Does he play a shopkeeper or chemist?
He plays a yokel alongside Gareth Hale in the episode Time. I think he has two lines to speak for his part.
ah yep I remember now. That's the legs falling of in one second scene lol I was getting confused with the scene when Mike goes out to buy condoms but that's a woman who serves him. Time is one of the funniest episodes.
"Where did you get that howitzer?"
"Found it!" 
I've just been reading about David Rappaport who was in a few episodes of young ones and I never knew that he committed suicide. I was about the same age as Kevin when I first saw Time Bandits and loved him in that.
In 1978, Buster Merryfield was the manager of the NatWest in Thames Ditton.
Two cracking points there that I'd never heard of (Buster Merryfield & Fulton Mackay)
My contribution is probably known by all.
Jim Broadbent turned down the part of Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses.