Pardon the Expression
Encyclopedia
Pardon The Expression! was an ITV
sitcom made by Granada Television, that was first broadcast from Wednesday 2 June 1965 to Monday 27 June 1966. The sitcom was one of only four spin-offs from the highly popular soap opera Coronation Street
. Pardon the Expression itself had a spin-off: Turn out the Lights
broadcast in 1967. There wasn't to be another spin-off until the 1980s with The Brothers McGregor, which reused two characters (played by different actors) who appeared in a single episode.
Leonard Swindley (played by Arthur Lowe
) was the central character. Formerly the manager of the fashion retail store "Gamma Garments" in Coronation Street, in this series he is the deputy manager of the department store
Dobson and Hawks. His boss in the series was Ernest Parbold played by Paul Dawkins
who was replaced by Wally Hunt played by Robert Dorning
in series 2. Other regulars were Betty Driver
as canteen lady, Mrs Edgeley and Joy Stewart as Miss Sinclair, the boss's secretary.
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...
sitcom made by Granada Television, that was first broadcast from Wednesday 2 June 1965 to Monday 27 June 1966. The sitcom was one of only four spin-offs from the highly popular soap opera Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. Pardon the Expression itself had a spin-off: Turn out the Lights
Turn out the Lights
Turn out the Lights was an ITV comedy-drama series made by Granada Television, that was first broadcast from Monday 2 January to Monday 6 February 1967 by Associated Rediffusion and Tyne Tees Television,...
broadcast in 1967. There wasn't to be another spin-off until the 1980s with The Brothers McGregor, which reused two characters (played by different actors) who appeared in a single episode.
Leonard Swindley (played by Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
) was the central character. Formerly the manager of the fashion retail store "Gamma Garments" in Coronation Street, in this series he is the deputy manager of the department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
Dobson and Hawks. His boss in the series was Ernest Parbold played by Paul Dawkins
Paul Dawkins
Paul Dawkins is a retired American basketball player, who played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA, appearing in 57 games in the 1979–80 season....
who was replaced by Wally Hunt played by Robert Dorning
Robert Dorning
Robert Dorning was a musician, dance band vocalist, ballet dancer, and actor. He is known to have performed in at least seventy-seven television and film productions between 1940 and 1988....
in series 2. Other regulars were Betty Driver
Betty Driver
Elizabeth Mary "Betty" Driver, MBE was an English singer, actress and author, best known for her role as Betty Williams on the British soap opera, Coronation Street, appearing in more than 2,800 episodes...
as canteen lady, Mrs Edgeley and Joy Stewart as Miss Sinclair, the boss's secretary.
Series 1 (1965)
- The First Day (2 Jun 65)
- The Headmistress (9 Jun 65)
- The Trouble With Ada (16 Jun 65)
- Mannequin Parade (23 Jun 65)
- The Dance (30 Jun 65)
- The Wedding (7 Jul 65)
- The Pensioner (14 Jul 65)
- The Visitor (21 Jul 65)
- Birthday Present (28 Jul 65)
- Little Boy Lost (4 Aug 65)
- The Old One Two (11 Aug 65)
- The Brain Drain (18 Aug 65)
Series 2 (1966)
- The Economy Drive (10 Jan 66)
- January Sale (17 Jan 66)
- The Resignation (24 Jan 66)
- Self Defence (31 Jan 66)
- The Stocktaking (7 Feb 66)
- The Home Help (14 Feb 66)
- Big Hotel (21 Feb 66)
- The Gaol Birds (28 Feb 66)
- A Night To Remember (7 Mar 66)
- Whose Baby Are You? (21 Mar 66)
- The Take-Over Bid (28 Mar 66)
- Between The Covers (4 Apr 66)
- Heads Down (11 Apr 66)
- A Sheik In The Night (18 Apr 66)
- Rustle Of Spring (25 Apr 66)
- The Ghost Of Batsworth Castle (2 May 66)
- The Sailor Home From The Sea (9 May 66)
- The Dinner Party (16 May 66)
- Man's Best Friend (23 May 66)
- Thunderfinge - Part 1 (30 May 66)
- Thunderfinge - Part 2 (6 Jun 66)
- The Switched-On Scene (13 Jun 66)
- The Cup That Cheers (20 Jun 66)
- On Health Farm Sommet Stirs (27 Jun 66)
DVD release
Both series of Pardon the Expression were released (separately) in 2009, A 6-Disc set of the complete series is scheduled for release on 12 December 2011.| DVD | Release date |
|---|---|
| The Complete Series 1 | 7 May 2009 |
| The Complete Series 2 | 3 August 2009 |
| The Complete Series 1 to 2 Box Set | 12 December 2011 |