Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt!
Encyclopedia
Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt! was a popular ITV
situation comedy
which ran from 1974
to 1977
.
It starred Bill Maynard
as the council labourer, Scarsdale Working Men’s Club secretary, hapless handyman and all-round public nuisance Selwyn Froggitt. It was created by Roy Clarke
, who wrote the pilot episode transmitted in 1974, though the series was mostly written by Alan Plater
. It was made for the ITV
network by Yorkshire Television
With outdoor location filming of the series filmed in Skelmanthorpe
, West Yorkshire
including Elvington
, North Yorkshire
Town of Scarsdale UK, the show was centred around the bungling exploits of Selwyn Froggitt, a burly, balding, good-natured council labourer (Maynard
) usually clad in a donkey jacket, with pretensions to intellectual competence (he carried the Times
rolled up in the pocket of his donkey jacket, although was hardly ever seen reading it, preferring to tell people that "There was an article about it in the Times") and an urge to improve his life and that of everyone around him. Froggitt was on the committee of his local working men's club
, serving as concert secretary in charge of booking 'turns'.
Froggitt was fundamentally and spectacularly incompetent at everything he turned his hand to, being equally inept at his day job (digging holes and filling them in), do-it-yourself at home, and booking acts for the club.
The show featured a number of catchphrases: Maynard's "Magic, our Maurice!" accompanied by two thumbs up, his mother's (Megs Jenkins
) "Don't open that cupboard, our Selwyn, things fall out!" and almost everyone at the club's "A pint of cooking and a bag of nuts, Raymond." Raymond the barman (Ray Mort) was fond of answering the telephone with a number of highly fictitious and fanciful addresses. All decisions taken by the club committee were taken on a "Show of hands..." and "Carried unanimous".
Froggitt's accomplices on the committee included the dour Scouser Jack (Bill Dean), Harry (Harold Goodwin) and excitable, stereotypical Welshman Clive (Richard Davies
). His brother Maurice was played by Robert Keegan.
The show's humour included a fair measure of slapstick
alongside Plater's typical northern humour.
, West Yorkshire
and Elvington
, North Yorkshire
, whilst indoor filming was done at Yorkshire Television Studios, "Kirkstall Road, Leeds" themselves.
changed the format of the show radically. The new version of the series was entitled Selwyn;
all of the regular cast bar Maynard departed to focus on other work and the Froggitt character became entertainments manager at a seedy holiday camp on the east coast. Plater was no longer involved with the show during that series. Selwyn ran for only a single series with disappointing audience reactions, a planned second series was cancelled.
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...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
which ran from 1974
1974 in television
The year 1974 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1974.For the American TV schedule, see: 1974-75 American network television schedule.-Events:...
to 1977
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
.
It starred Bill Maynard
Bill Maynard
Walter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
as the council labourer, Scarsdale Working Men’s Club secretary, hapless handyman and all-round public nuisance Selwyn Froggitt. It was created by Roy Clarke
Roy Clarke
Roy Clarke OBE is an English comedy writer.-Career:Clarke is best known for creating BBC Sitcoms; Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances...
, who wrote the pilot episode transmitted in 1974, though the series was mostly written by Alan Plater
Alan Plater
Alan Frederick Plater, CBE, FRSL was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television from the 1960s to the 2000s.-Career:...
. It was made for the 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...
network by Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
With outdoor location filming of the series filmed in Skelmanthorpe
Skelmanthorpe
Skelmanthorpe is a village in West Yorkshire, England with a population of 4,198 according to the 2001 census. It is part of the parish of Denby Dale in the Kirklees borough....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
including Elvington
Elvington, City of York
Elvington is a village and civil parish situated approximately south-east of York, England, on the B1228 York-Howden road. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,212...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
Cast
- Bill MaynardBill MaynardWalter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
- Selwyn Froggitt - Megs JenkinsMegs JenkinsMuguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
- Mrs Froggitt - Robert Keegan - Maurice Froggitt
- Rosemary MartinRosemary MartinRosemary Martin was an English actress, best-remembered for her television roles .Other notable TV credits include: Z-Cars, Crown Court, Bill Brand, Coronation Street, Pennies from...
- Vera Parkinson (Series 1) - Lynda BaronLynda BaronLynda Baron is a BAFTA-nominated English stage, film and television actress, perhaps best known for playing the extremely busty Nurse Gladys Emmanuel, the object of Arkwright's affection, in the BBC comedy series Open All Hours....
- Vera Parkinson (From Series 2) - Richard DaviesRichard Davies (actor)Richard Davies is a Welsh actor, from Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales whose film and TV work covers many years but is probably best known for his performance as the exasperated schoolmaster Mr Price in the LWT popular situation comedy Please Sir!.Davies uses a broad Welsh accent for much of his...
- Clive - Bill DeanBill DeanBill Dean was a British actor who was born in Everton, Liverpool. He was born Patrick Connolly but took his stage name in honour of Everton football legend William 'Dixie' Dean.- Biography :...
- Jack - Harold GoodwinHarold Goodwin (English actor)Harold Goodwin was an English actor born in Wombwell, Yorkshire, England.Goodwin trained at RADA and was a stage actor at Liverpool repertory theatre for 3 years...
- Harry - Ray Mort - Ray
Plot
Set in the fictional YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
Town of Scarsdale UK, the show was centred around the bungling exploits of Selwyn Froggitt, a burly, balding, good-natured council labourer (Maynard
Maynard
Maynard is a name used across the English-speaking world, which comes from a Germanic root meaning "strength, hardy". It may refer to:-Surname:* Brad Maynard , American football punter and holder...
) usually clad in a donkey jacket, with pretensions to intellectual competence (he carried the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
rolled up in the pocket of his donkey jacket, although was hardly ever seen reading it, preferring to tell people that "There was an article about it in the Times") and an urge to improve his life and that of everyone around him. Froggitt was on the committee of his local working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
, serving as concert secretary in charge of booking 'turns'.
Froggitt was fundamentally and spectacularly incompetent at everything he turned his hand to, being equally inept at his day job (digging holes and filling them in), do-it-yourself at home, and booking acts for the club.
The show featured a number of catchphrases: Maynard's "Magic, our Maurice!" accompanied by two thumbs up, his mother's (Megs Jenkins
Megs Jenkins
Muguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
) "Don't open that cupboard, our Selwyn, things fall out!" and almost everyone at the club's "A pint of cooking and a bag of nuts, Raymond." Raymond the barman (Ray Mort) was fond of answering the telephone with a number of highly fictitious and fanciful addresses. All decisions taken by the club committee were taken on a "Show of hands..." and "Carried unanimous".
Froggitt's accomplices on the committee included the dour Scouser Jack (Bill Dean), Harry (Harold Goodwin) and excitable, stereotypical Welshman Clive (Richard Davies
Richard Davies (actor)
Richard Davies is a Welsh actor, from Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales whose film and TV work covers many years but is probably best known for his performance as the exasperated schoolmaster Mr Price in the LWT popular situation comedy Please Sir!.Davies uses a broad Welsh accent for much of his...
). His brother Maurice was played by Robert Keegan.
The show's humour included a fair measure of slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
alongside Plater's typical northern humour.
Filming locations
Locations used for outdoor filming of the series were in SkelmanthorpeSkelmanthorpe
Skelmanthorpe is a village in West Yorkshire, England with a population of 4,198 according to the 2001 census. It is part of the parish of Denby Dale in the Kirklees borough....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and Elvington
Elvington, City of York
Elvington is a village and civil parish situated approximately south-east of York, England, on the B1228 York-Howden road. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,212...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, whilst indoor filming was done at Yorkshire Television Studios, "Kirkstall Road, Leeds" themselves.
Selwyn
In 1978 after three successful series under the title of Oh No Its Selwyn Froggitt. Yorkshire TelevisionYorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
changed the format of the show radically. The new version of the series was entitled Selwyn;
all of the regular cast bar Maynard departed to focus on other work and the Froggitt character became entertainments manager at a seedy holiday camp on the east coast. Plater was no longer involved with the show during that series. Selwyn ran for only a single series with disappointing audience reactions, a planned second series was cancelled.
DVD release
All three series of Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt! including The complete series of short-lived follow-up sequel Selwyn have been released on DVD. A 4-disc set of the complete series of both complete series titles has also been released.| DVD | Year(s) | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete Series 1 | 1974 1976 |
25 May 2009 |
| The Complete Series 2 | 1977 | 7 September 2009 |
| The Complete Series 3 | 1977 | 3 May 2010 |
| The Complete Series 1 to 3 Box Set | 1974- 1977 |
11 October 2010 |