Are You Being Served? is an Australian sitcom that is based on the British sitcom of the same name; it was produced by Network Ten. A total of 16 episodes were produced in two series, which aired in 1980 and 1981. The draw-card was the presence of actor John Inman reprising his role of Mr. Humphries from the original series. The other characters were all directly based on the regular characters in the show's original British version, but were all given new names. Hence there were no other returning original actors.
In comparison to the original series, Inman described this version of the series as "tighter - there's less padding."
For the opening theme, Inman himself performed vocals.
Premise
Audio samples of Are You Being Served? (media help) Mr. Humphries (Inman) is sent to Australia by Mr. Grace to work temporarily for his Australian cousin Mr. Bone at Bone Brothers. Apart from the new setting and Australian rather than British characters, the characters and situation are almost identical to that of the original series, as are the set design and layout and even the costuming (down to the senior sales woman's ever-changing hair colours). Menswear and ladies apparel share a floor of a large city department store and the departments come into regular conflict. The staff on the floor are the pompous floor-walker Captain Wagstaff (Reg Gillam), crusty senior salesman Mr. Mankowitz (Anthony Bazell), randy sales junior Mr. Randel (Shane Bourne), strident older sales woman Mrs. Crawford (June Bronhill) and attractive but brassy and common younger sales woman Miss Buxton (Judith Woodroffe). Basil Clarke portrays the store's owner Mr. Bone, Reg Evans is the obnoxious cleaner Mr. Cocker, Kerry Daniel plays the nurse, and Tracey Kelly is Bone's attractive secretary.
Cast
John Inman as Mr. Humphries
June Bronhill as Mrs. Crawford
Reg Gillam as Captain Wagstaff
Judith Woodroffe as Miss Buxton
Christine Amor as Miss Nicholls
Tony Bazell as Mr. Mankowitz
Shane Bourne as Mr. Randel
Peter Collingwood as Mr. Dunkley
Ken Fraser as Mr. Fenwick
Basil Clarke as Young Mr. Bone
Reg Evans as Mr. Cocker
Kerry Daniel as Young Mr. Bone's Nurse
Tracey Kelly as Young Mr. Bone's Secretary
Bernadette Gibson as the Canteen Manageress
Both Judith Woodroffe (Miss Buxton) and Peter Collingwood (Mr. Dunkley) were unavailable for series two so they were replaced with Miss Nicholls (Christine Amor) and Mr. Fenwick (Ken Fraser) respectively.
Character similarities with the original series
Mrs. Crawford = Mrs. Slocombe
Captain Wagstaff = Captain Peacock
Miss Buxton/Miss Nicholls = Miss Brahms
Mr. Mankowitz = Mr. Grainger (with some characteristics of Mr. Goldberg) Mr. Randel = Mr. Lucas/Mr. Spooner Mr. Dunkley/Mr. Fenwick = Mr. Rumbold Young Mr. Bone = Young Mr. Grace
Production notes
The first series was produced at the ATV-0 studios in Melbourne in the early months of 1980.
It was the first television role for opera singer June Bronhill. (Her first straight dramatic acting role had been in a theatre production the previous year.) John Inman said, "It's amazing to think this is her first television role, she's a natural." Bronhill discussed the role with TV Week magazine. "I'm delighted with the way my character has turned out. Mrs. Crawford tries to be very refined but sometimes the ocker in her slips out. The British version of Are You Being Served? has always been my favourite comedy series. And I loved Mollie Sugden's performance as Mrs. Slocombe, my counterpart."
For the second and final series, produced in late 1980, original regular cast members Judith Woodroffe, who was Mrs. Crawford's attractive junior Miss Buxton, and Peter Collingwood who had played the Mr. Rumbold-like store manager Mr. Dunkley, were unavailable. To replace them, Christine Amor was the new, brassy young female retail assistant Miss Nicholls, and Ken Fraser came in as Mr. Fenwick.