British Comedy Guide
Only Fools And Horses. Image shows from L to R: Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Del (David Jason), Grandad (Lennard Pearce). Copyright: BBC
Only Fools And Horses

Only Fools And Horses

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One
  • 1981 - 2003
  • 64 episodes (7 series)

Sitcom about two market traders, Del Boy and his brother Rodney. Stars David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield, Lennard Pearce, Roger Lloyd Pack and more.

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Series 4, Episode 7 - As One Door Closes

Del's skint again and his latest deal has fallen through, but Rodney discovers a rare butterfly which will solve all of their financial problems.

Further details

A conversation with painter and decorator Brendan O'Shaughnessy leads to Del agreeing to supply enough louvre doors to refit an entire housing estate in Nunhead. Unfortunately, Del's mate Teddy Cummings can only supply in bulk - if the Trotters can't come up with the necessary £2,000 by the next day, they'll be out of the deal.

Just as they're resigned to losing out on the cash, a solution turns up in the form of Denzil's redundancy money; it's only once they've collected the doors that O'Shaughnessy says the estate's architect has changed his mind and no longer wants them! Albert suggests that they could just swap the doors for another kind, but Rodney's horrified when Del reveals that the entire stock is stolen, so there's no chance of that.

It's not long before Denzil's five brothers come looking for the money Del conned him out of, so with nowhere else to go, the Trotters visit their mother's grave - a favourite refuge for Del in times of trouble.

At their mother's graveside, Rodney notices a rare butterfly from the cover of his magazine, that's worth about £3,000 to collectors. After chasing the butterfly around the churchyard, the park and the boating lake, they finally capture it: only for Denzil to come by and unknowingly squash it.

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 4th April 1985
Time
8pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
David Jason Del
Nicholas Lyndhurst Rodney
Buster Merryfield Uncle Albert
Paul Barber Denzil
Writing team
John Sullivan Writer
Production team
Susan Belbin Director
Ray Butt Producer
John Jarvis Editor
Chris Wadsworth Editor
Eric Walmsley Production Designer
John Sullivan Composer

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