AYBS Recollections from Cast, Costars and Fans
“I had the opportunity to meet Ron Lynch (John Inman’s spouse) when I was visiting the UK in 2017. Even though he was very ill, he took some time out to meet with me and we had a really nice chat. I brought a smile to his face showing him some of the magazines I had that had John Inman mentions as well as reflecting back on a PBS tour he was on in Iowa where I met John Inman at a ‘Meet and Greet.’ I will always be grateful for the visit.”-Elina (Owner/Webmaster- AYBS Central)
“John was a gentleman to work with and always a true professional!”-Jimmy Cricket
DONALD SPEAKE (Prop Hirer and Maker for AYBS series except pilot)
For my father, Donald Speake, prop hirer & maker who passed away on the 11th April 2013
“My father Don, personally dressed the set of every episode of Are You Being Served for the entire production run, except the pilot episode. As I understand it, this was quite exceptional at the time, since the BBC Unions were very unhappy about it. David Croft personally intervened apparently. My father knew how to display items from the period, and hit on an ingenious method of keeping costs down – using my grandfather’s loft insulation covered with material instead of real shirts & blouses for the cabinet drawer fronts. This meant that shirts etc. did not disappear from the locked BBC cages overnight (very frequent), and also that hire costs were minimal.”
“All the cabinets, shop models, clothing & fitments on set were hired from Don Speake & Co. (still in business), and came originally from my grandfather’s gentleman’s outfitters & drapers shop in East Acton established in 1929 (Speake Brothers). My father was extremely fortunate to have been allowed to dress the set for the entire run, thanks to David Croft. He has never been credited, as far as I know, and I would like to put on record my appreciation of his charm, hard work and likeability which I know made a contribution to the overall success of the show as a whole, as I sometimes dressed the set with him. He was held in great regard & affection by those on the set.”
Yours sincerely,
David Speake, his son.
“One of the funniest stories from the filming of Are You Being Served / Memories are Made of This…. I went to wardrobe to sort out my costume. As is the case, more often than not, I wore my own clothes apart from the golf glove which the wardrobe person gave me the choice of two. Naturally I picked the one which was more eye-catching. And we were just about to shoot the scene when one of the technicians walking past the camera told the director in no uncertain terms that his so-called golf pro Mr Conrad was wearing the glove on the wrong hand!”-Jess Conrad
“AYBS was always a pleasure to take part in. John and Wendy were the most popular during rehearsals. They were first into the pub for lunch break. I couldn’t keep up with them. They were on champers and me on shandies. Had to ease out of that as I couldn’t take the intake and still do my bit later on in the afternoon. Didn’t seem to bother them.”-Gordon Peters
Arthur Brough: “Many of my old school friends remember him, and my parents (keen am-dram) and I went every week to the Leas Pavilion and they knew him well. We used to provide ‘props’ for his repertory theatre, such as a Gladstone bag for the ‘doctor ‘ to bring in. We also gave accommodation to many of his young actors.”-Caroline Thomas who runs a site at: http://www.smogs.org.uk
Jenny Kenna
Wendy Richard: “On one occasion Brian & I went to Blackpool to stay with John during his summer season & we took him, Ron & Wendy for dinner after the show. We ordered food & Wendy disappeared – I wondered where she was & she came back with half a bottle of champagne & said ‘I wouldn’t expect you to buy my champagne.’ Which was nice of her as champagne was the only thing she drank.”
Arthur English: “I’d worked with Arthur before & during rehearsals he kept telling me about his new girlfriend (the one he married after his wife had died & had his child.) The rest of the cast we almost relieved I was there to listen to this endless conversation as it stopped them from having to hear this over & over again.”
Mollie Sugden: “During one of the rehearsals for ‘Are You Being Served’ I mentioned to Mollie Sugden that I’d just moved and was looking for flowers to plant on my roof terrace, The very next day she walked into the rehearsal room overloaded with plants and flowers and gave me the whole collection. Just shows what a thoughtful lady she was when after a long day at rehearsals she took the trouble to go home and dig up the many plants for me.”
Nicholas Smith: “The other story that springs to mind is when I worked with Nick Smith on the tour of ‘Me & My Girl’. I was a dancer & Nick at that time a singer. All the dancers and singers were in the same digs and one night after work we had a seance. Nick got so scared that he told us girls that he was frightened to sleep in his own room. In my bedroom there was four of us dancers who shared two double beds. My particular bedmate took pity on Nick and said he could sleep at the bottom end of our bed – consequently I had Nick Smith’s feet in my face all night!”
John Inman: “When I began working on my 1st children TV series I was in Summer Season with John in Bournemouth. I was stuck for a name for it & immediately John said Windfalls & that’s how it got its name!”
John Inman: “When John was in hospital once, long before he died I visited him & instead of taking grapes I took along the most grotesque looking fruit that’s actually called ‘Ugly Fruit’. The note I wrote accompanying the fruit said,’I know you’re not feeling well but spare a thought for this poor bugger’. It made him laugh & laugh which was a real tonic to see.”
Mollie Sugden Memories
Keighley News July 9, 2009
Courtesy of the Keighley News. Used with permission.
Last 4 items above provided to me from Janet Mawson at Keighley Local Studies Library.
Courtesy of the Keighley News. (Used with permission)
Another neat item from the Keighley Library:
Provided to me from Janet Mawson at Keighley Local Studies Library.
“Mollie was a really lovely lady, homely and welcoming. I was fortunate to visit Mollie and Bill for tea, Bill was also a well known actor here. We were greeted so warmly,and being a hot summer day had a walk around the beautiful gardens,and then to the lovely house for tea. This being the english tea,as it was before the modern trend,which was cucumber sandwiches,scones with jam and fresh cream,and an assortment of cakes,set out on a table with a beautiful hand made lace table cloth and really delicate china,all the baking Mollie had done herself and it was delicious.”
“We spent the time talking of their early days in show business and of the their twin sons and familys of which they were so proud of,it was so enjoyable.”
“Next day I wrote a letter of thanks to them,and remarked on one of the cakes,which was a new one to me,and I was delighted that Mollie wrote back,enclosing in her own handwritting the recipe,in her busy life she found the time to do that. Both Mollie and Bill were charming,and I remember them fondly. Mollie and Bill together RIP.”
(Images and info used with kind permission from Joyce Powell who had a John Inman Tribute page with many photos of John Inman).
Do you have a fun recollection and/or tribute concerning a cast or crew member from AYBS or AYBS/A/Grace and Favour or the show you would like to share? If so, please fill out form below: