Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo
Encyclopedia
Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo is a short story
by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in the United States
by Liberty Magazine
on August 07, 1926 and in the UK in The Strand
in November 1926. A BBC TV adaptation of the story first aired on 12 December, 1978 in the series Wodehouse Playhouse
starring John Alderton
as Augustine Mulliner
and Belinda Carroll
as Jane Brandon.
, a meek and mild young curate, arrives in Lower-Briskett-in-the-Midden to assist the vicar, the Rev. Stanley Brandon and falls in love with the vicar's daughter, Jane Brandon. The young lovers wonder how to approach the fierce vicar about their love when a package arrives from Augustine Mulliner's aunt containing a tonic, Buck-U-Uppo (it works directly on the corpuscles). Mulliner takes a tablespoonful as recommended by his aunt and becomes more confident and assertive. The next morning, after another tablespoonful, he rescues a visiting bishop chased up a tree by a dog and firmly ends a quarrel between the bishop and the vicar, receives the vicar's blessings for his love for Jane, saves the bishop from being forced to wear thick winter woolies, and becomes the bishop's secretary. On returning to his rooms, he finds a letter from his cousin Wilfred Mulliner (A Slice of Life
) explaining that the tonic, mistakenly sent to Augustine, is meant for steeling the nerves of elephants in India ("too often elephants, on sighting the tiger, have turned and galloped home," he writes). Augustine promptly writes for three cases of Buck-U-Uppo!
, and Gala Night.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Liberty Magazine
Liberty (1924-1950)
Liberty was a weekly, general-interest magazine, originally priced at five cents and subtitled, "A Weekly for Everybody." It was launched in 1924 by McCormick-Patterson, the publisher until 1931, when it was taken over by Bernarr Macfadden until 1942. At one time it was said to be "the second...
on August 07, 1926 and in the UK in The Strand
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
in November 1926. A BBC TV adaptation of the story first aired on 12 December, 1978 in the series Wodehouse Playhouse
Wodehouse Playhouse
Wodehouse Playhouse is a British television comedy series based on the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. From 1975 to 1978, three series were made, with twenty half-hour episodes altogether in the entire series.-Overview:P. G...
starring John Alderton
John Alderton
John Alderton is an English actor who is best known for his roles in Upstairs, Downstairs, Thomas & Sarah and Please Sir!. Alderton has often starred alongside his wife, Pauline Collins.-Early life:...
as Augustine Mulliner
Rev. Augustine Mulliner
The Rev. Augustine Mulliner is a recurring fictional character from the Mr Mulliner short stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a Mulliner nephew who rose from meek curate to married vicar thanks to the Buck-U-Uppo tonic....
and Belinda Carroll
Belinda Carroll
Belinda Carroll is a British stage and television actress.-Background and early career:Carroll's parents were John F. Carroll, a flying instructor with the Royal Air Force, and actress Hazel Bainbridge...
as Jane Brandon.
Overview
Augustine MullinerRev. Augustine Mulliner
The Rev. Augustine Mulliner is a recurring fictional character from the Mr Mulliner short stories of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a Mulliner nephew who rose from meek curate to married vicar thanks to the Buck-U-Uppo tonic....
, a meek and mild young curate, arrives in Lower-Briskett-in-the-Midden to assist the vicar, the Rev. Stanley Brandon and falls in love with the vicar's daughter, Jane Brandon. The young lovers wonder how to approach the fierce vicar about their love when a package arrives from Augustine Mulliner's aunt containing a tonic, Buck-U-Uppo (it works directly on the corpuscles). Mulliner takes a tablespoonful as recommended by his aunt and becomes more confident and assertive. The next morning, after another tablespoonful, he rescues a visiting bishop chased up a tree by a dog and firmly ends a quarrel between the bishop and the vicar, receives the vicar's blessings for his love for Jane, saves the bishop from being forced to wear thick winter woolies, and becomes the bishop's secretary. On returning to his rooms, he finds a letter from his cousin Wilfred Mulliner (A Slice of Life
A Slice of Life (short story)
"A Slice of Life" is a short story by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in 1926 in Strand Magazine, and appeared almost simultaneously in Liberty in the United States. It also appears in the collection Meet Mr. Mulliner...
) explaining that the tonic, mistakenly sent to Augustine, is meant for steeling the nerves of elephants in India ("too often elephants, on sighting the tiger, have turned and galloped home," he writes). Augustine promptly writes for three cases of Buck-U-Uppo!
Buck-U-Uppo
The creation of Wilfred Mulliner, one of Mr. Mulliner's brother, Buck-U-Uppo is a tonic invented 'primarily with the object of providing Indian Rajahs with a specific which would encourage their elephants to face a tiger of the jungle with a jaunty sang-froid'. The dose for an adult elephant is a teaspoonful mixed with the elephant's morning mash and, since the various characters in the Mulliner stories take glassfuls, it is hardly surprising that statues get painted pink and Bishops frequent nightclubs dressed in Sinbad the Sailor costumes! Buck-U-Uppo features in three Mulliner stories: Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo, The Bishop's MoveThe Bishop's Move
"The Bishop's Move" is a short story by the British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse. A part of the Mr. Mulliner series, the story was first published in August 1927 in Liberty" in the United States, and in September 1927 in Strand Magazine in the UK. It also appears in the collection Meet Mr. Mulliner....
, and Gala Night.