Love Thy Neighbour
Encyclopedia
Love Thy Neighbour was a popular British sitcom
, which was aired from 13 April 1972, until 22 January 1976, spanning seven series. The sitcom was produced by Thames Television and broadcast by ITV
. The main cast included Jack Smethurst
, Rudolph Walker
, Nina Baden-Semper
and Kate Williams. In 1973, the series was adapted into a film of the same name
, with a sequel series set in Australia.
The series was created and largely written by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, and was based around a suburban white working class
couple who found themselves living next door to a black
couple, and the white couple's attempts to come to terms with this. Love Thy Neighbour was hugely popular in the 1970s. During that era, Britain struggled to come to terms with its recently-arrived population of black immigrants, and Love Thy Neighbour exemplified this struggle. It aroused great controversy for many of the same reasons as the earlier Till Death Us Do Part.
The views of the white male character (Eddie Booth, played by Smethurst) were presented in such a way as to make him appear stupid and bigoted, and were contrasted with the more tolerant attitude of his wife. His use of terms such as nig-nog to refer to his black neighbour attracted considerable criticism from viewers.
The male black character was, in contrast educated and sophisticated, although stubborn and also capable of racism using the terms Honky, Snowflake, Paleface or Big White Chief to describe his white neighbour (often in response to being called "nig-nog" or "Sambo"). The series has since been repeated on satellite television stations in the UK, however, each episode begins with a warning about content at the start of each show. Repeats of the show are also shown in Australia on the Seven Network Digital channel. The theme song "Love Thy "Neighbour" was composed by Roger Webb and sung by Stuart Gillies.
handling of issues of race, although its writers have claimed that each episode included both anti-white and anti-black sentiment. It is often used as shorthand for television before the era of political correctness. Although both characters were bigoted and intolerant, Bill usually had the last laugh and rarely got his comeuppance.
"All Star Comedy Carnival", has never been released for reasons unknown. Episode 30, "April Fools", was deemed too offensive for inclusion and has also never been released. Episode 53, "The Couch Outing To Bournemouth", has never been released due to contractual issues with the music used.
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
, which was aired from 13 April 1972, until 22 January 1976, spanning seven series. The sitcom was produced by Thames Television and broadcast by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. The main cast included Jack Smethurst
Jack Smethurst
Jack Smethurst is an English TV and film comic actor whose career dates back to the 1950s.-Career:Smethurst made his film debut in 1958's Carry On Sergeant...
, Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
, Nina Baden-Semper
Nina Baden-Semper
Nina Baden-Semper is a British actress of West Indian descent, best known for her role as Barbie Reynolds in the controversial sit-com of the 1970s, Love Thy Neighbour. She has appeared mainly in character parts in TV, most recently in the ill-fated revival of Crossroads in 2002...
and Kate Williams. In 1973, the series was adapted into a film of the same name
Love Thy Neighbour (1973 film)
Love Thy Neighbour is a 1973 British comedy film starring Jack Smethurst, Rudolph Walker, Kate Williams and Nina Baden-Semper, spun off from the television series Love Thy Neighbour.-Cast:* Jack Smethurst as Eddie Booth...
, with a sequel series set in Australia.
The series was created and largely written by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, and was based around a suburban white working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
couple who found themselves living next door to a black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
couple, and the white couple's attempts to come to terms with this. Love Thy Neighbour was hugely popular in the 1970s. During that era, Britain struggled to come to terms with its recently-arrived population of black immigrants, and Love Thy Neighbour exemplified this struggle. It aroused great controversy for many of the same reasons as the earlier Till Death Us Do Part.
The views of the white male character (Eddie Booth, played by Smethurst) were presented in such a way as to make him appear stupid and bigoted, and were contrasted with the more tolerant attitude of his wife. His use of terms such as nig-nog to refer to his black neighbour attracted considerable criticism from viewers.
The male black character was, in contrast educated and sophisticated, although stubborn and also capable of racism using the terms Honky, Snowflake, Paleface or Big White Chief to describe his white neighbour (often in response to being called "nig-nog" or "Sambo"). The series has since been repeated on satellite television stations in the UK, however, each episode begins with a warning about content at the start of each show. Repeats of the show are also shown in Australia on the Seven Network Digital channel. The theme song "Love Thy "Neighbour" was composed by Roger Webb and sung by Stuart Gillies.
Characters
- Eddie Booth (Jack SmethurstJack SmethurstJack Smethurst is an English TV and film comic actor whose career dates back to the 1950s.-Career:Smethurst made his film debut in 1958's Carry On Sergeant...
) is a white socialist. His world is turned on its head when Bill and Barbie Reynolds move in next door. He is even more annoyed when Bill gets a job at the same factory as him, and refers to him as a "nig-nog", "Sambo", "choc-ice" or "King Kong". He also has a tendency to call ChineseChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
is or Indians names like "Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
", "Gunga DinGunga Din-Background:The poem is a rhyming narrative from the point of view of a British soldier, about a native water-bearer who saves the soldier's life but dies himself. The last line suggests a deep-down unease of conscience about the prevailing views of natural hierarchies, both in the depicted...
" and "Ali BabaAli BabaAli Baba is a fictional character from medieval Arabic literature. He is described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
". He is a very devoted supporter of Manchester United Football Club. His catchphrases include "Bloody Nora!", "Knickers!", "The subject is closed", "you bloody nig-nog!" and "Get knotted!"
- Joan Booth (Kate Williams) is Eddie's wife. She does not share her bigoted husband's opinion of their black neighbours, and is good friends with Barbie. Her catchphrases include "Don't be ridiculous!" and "Don't talk rubbish!". Played by Gwendolyn WattsGwendolyn WattsGwen Watts was a British actress of the 1960s and 1970s.-Career:Born as Gwendolyn Watts in Carhampton, Somerset, Watts made her first television appearance in 1958 in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, going on to appear in The Rag Trade , The Avengers , Maigret , Steptoe and Son ,...
in the Pilot Episode.
- Bill Reynolds (Rudolph WalkerRudolph WalkerRudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
) is a West Indian and a ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Whenever Eddie tries to outdo him, Bill usually ends up having the last laugh. He occasionally refers to Eddie as a "white honky" and "snowflake", and doesn't like catching Eddie staring at his wife. He also has a very high-pitched laugh. His catchphrases include "Hey, honky!", "Cobblers!" and "You talking to me, snowflake?".
- Barbie Reynolds (Nina Baden-SemperNina Baden-SemperNina Baden-Semper is a British actress of West Indian descent, best known for her role as Barbie Reynolds in the controversial sit-com of the 1970s, Love Thy Neighbour. She has appeared mainly in character parts in TV, most recently in the ill-fated revival of Crossroads in 2002...
) is Bill's wife and gets along very well with her next door neighbour, Joan Booth. Eddie is sometimes fascinated by her, especially in the pilot episode when she bent over while wearing hot pants.
- Jacko Robinson (Keith Marsh) is an elderly white man and socialist who works with Bill and Eddie. His catchphrase is "I'll have a half", in reference to a half pint of beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
.
- Arthur Thomas (Tommy GodfreyTommy GodfreyTommy Godfrey was an English film and television actor, mostly playing working-class Cockney characters.His television credits included Love Thy Neighbour, Mind Your Language, The Avengers, Bless This House, Till Death Us Do Part, Z-Cars, Softly, Softly, The Goodies and On the Buses.His film...
) is another of Eddie and Bill's co-workers at the factory, and is often seen in the local pub playing cards and talking about trade union issues. Arthur, like Joan, is also more tolerant of Bill than Eddie is.
Criticism
Love Thy Neighbour has been criticised for its politically incorrectPolitical correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
handling of issues of race, although its writers have claimed that each episode included both anti-white and anti-black sentiment. It is often used as shorthand for television before the era of political correctness. Although both characters were bigoted and intolerant, Bill usually had the last laugh and rarely got his comeuppance.
Episodes
- 0. "The Pilot" (Unbroadcast Pilot Episode)
- "New Neighbours" (Broadcast: 13 April 1972)
- "Limbo Dancing" (Broadcast: 20 April 1972)
- "The Petition" (Broadcast: 27 April 1972)
- "Factory Dispute" (Broadcast: 4 May 1972)
- "The Seven Year Itch" (Broadcast: 11 May 1972)
- "Refused A Drink" (Broadcast: 18 May 1972)
- "Sex Appeal" (Broadcast: 25 May 1972)
- "The Housewarming Party" (Broadcast: 11 September 1972)
- "Voodoo" (Broadcast: 18 September 1972)
- "Clarky Leaves" (Broadcast: 25 September 1972)
- "The Bedroom Suite" (Broadcast: 2 October 1972)
- "The T.U.C Conference '72" (Broadcast: 9 October 1972)
- "Religious Fervour" (Broadcast: 16 October 1972)
- "All Star Comedy Carnival" (Broadcast: 25 December 1972)
- "The G.P.O" (Broadcast: 19 March 1973)
- "The Car" (Broadcast: 26 March 1973)
- "Eddie Returns From Holiday" (Broadcast: 2 April 1973)
- "Lion And The Lamb" (Broadcast: 9 April 1973)
- "The Lift" (Broadcast: 16 April 1973)
- "Barbie Becomes Pregnant" (Broadcast: 30 April 1973)
- "Hines' Sight" (Broadcast: 12 December 1973)
- "Friendly" (Broadcast: 19 December 1973)
- "Working On New Year's Eve" (Broadcast: 31 December 1973)
- "Eddie's Mother In Law" (Broadcast: 7 January 1974)
- "The Ante-Natal Clinic" (Broadcast: 14 January 1974)
- "Two Weeks To Babies" (Broadcast: 21 January 1974)
- "To The Hospital" (Broadcast: 28 January 1974)
- "The Big Day" (Broadcast: 4 February 1974)
- "The Mediterranean" (Broadcast: 11 February 1974)
- "Bananas" (Broadcast: 18 February 1974)
- "Teething Problems" (Broadcast: 25 February 1974)
- "Cat's Away" (Broadcast: 4 March 1974)
- "Ghosts" (Broadcast: 11 March 1974)
- "Eddie's Birthday" (Broadcast: 18 March 1974)
- "April Fools" (Broadcast: 25 March 1974)
- "Reggie" (Broadcast: 2 January 1975)
- "Jacko's Wedding" (Broadcast: 9 January 1975)
- "Duel At Dawn" (Broadcast: 16 January 1975)
- "The Darts' Final" (Broadcast: 23 January 1975)
- "Royal Blood" (Broadcast: 30 January 1975)
- "Club Concert" (Broadcast: 6 February 1975)
- "The Nannies" (Broadcast: 13 February 1975)
- "Famous Crimes" (Broadcast: 17 April 1975)
- "The Lady And The Tramp" (Broadcast: 24 April 1975)
- "Protection Of The Law" (Broadcast: 1 May 1975)
- "The Opinion Poll" (Broadcast: 8 May 1975)
- "Manchester... United" (Broadcast: 15 May 1975)
- "The T.U.C Conference '76" (Broadcast: 22 May 1975)
- "The Coach Trip" (Broadcast: 29 May 1975)
- "The Local By-Election" (Broadcast: 11 December 1975)
- "Eddie Becomes A Father Again" (Broadcast: 18 December 1975)
- "Christmas Spirit" (Broadcast: 25 December 1975)
- "The Couch Outing To Bournemouth" (Broadcast: 1 January 1976)
- "For Sale" (Broadcast: 8 January 1976)
- "Power Cut" (Broadcast: 15 January 1976)
- "The Lodger" (Broadcast: 22 January 1976)
DVD Releases
The DVD releases of Love Thy Neighbour are somewhat muddled. Series 1-3 were originally released by Pegasus Entertainment, and Series 4-8 were released by FremantleMedia. The movie has also been released by FremantleMedia. The following is each DVD release as available:Pegasus
- Unbroadcast Pilot Episode - Series 1
- Episodes 1-7 - Series 1
- Episodes 8-13 - Series 2
- Episodes 15-18 - Series 2
- Episodes 19-20 - Series 3
- Episode 21 - Love Thy Neighbour: The Movie
- Episodes 22-29 - Series 3
Fremantle
- Unbroadcast Pilot Episode - Series 1
- Episodes 1-7 - Series 1
- Episodes 8-13 - Series 2
- Episodes 14-19 - Series 3
- Episodes 20-28 - Series 4
- Episodes 30-36 - Series 5
- Episodes 37-43 - Series 6
- Episodes 44-50 - Series 7
- Episodes 51-53 - Series 8
- Episodes 55-56 - Series 8
"All Star Comedy Carnival", has never been released for reasons unknown. Episode 30, "April Fools", was deemed too offensive for inclusion and has also never been released. Episode 53, "The Couch Outing To Bournemouth", has never been released due to contractual issues with the music used.
External links
- Race and Sitcom (TV series) (film)