Firecrackers

Firecrackers

1964 - United Kingdom

1960s comedy that was heavily influenced by the classic Will Hay comedy Where's That Fire? that had been shot twenty-five years earlier at the same Elstree studio. 

The setting was the remote English village of Cropper's End (population: 70) and concerned the misadventures of its local fire service who had to work with vintage fire-fighting equipment, assuming that they arrived to the scene of the fire on time on their 60-year old engine, Bessie. 

Firecrackers TV series
The fire crew on Bessie.

Most of the time there was very little fire fighting to do (except on the one occasion when the fire station caught alight) and they contented themselves by passing time at the local Cropper's Arms. Alfred Marks starred as Fire Chief Charlie and British comedy stalwarts Cardew Robinson, Joe Baker and Sydney Bromley (who bore a striking resemblance to Moore Marriott in the original Hay movie) aided and abetted alongside Ronnie Brody, Clive Elliott, John Arnatt, Norman Chappell and Colin Douglas. The writers included Fred Robinson (who had cut his scripwriting teeth on The Larkins) and producer Alan Tarrant went on to work, it seems, on just about every ITV sitcom on the 1960s. The series was popular enough to have two runs from August to October 1964 and January to February 1965, going out at peak time on Saturday nights.

Published on December 11th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

kathy kirby

Music, dance and comedy sketches starring Kathy Kirby from Ilford, Essex.

Also released in 1964

Impromptu

Improvised comedy sketch show

Also released in 1964

David Kossoff in Little Big Business

Standard sitcom starring David Kossoff as a wise but stubborn furniture maker who resists his son's attempts at modernisation.

Also released in 1964

The Laughter Makers

In the golden age of British comedy, when radio waves crackled with wit and television screens flickered with laughter, there existed a cadre of unsung heroes. These were the wordsmiths, the invisible architects behind the guffaws and punchlines that echoed across living rooms and theatres

Also tagged 1960S Comedy

The Five Foot Nine Show

A one-off comedy show that reunited two of the regulars from That Was The Week That Was.

Also released in 1964

Butterflies TV series

Gently thoughtful, amusing and well observed eighties situation comedy series for the BBC about a seemingly ordinary, contented, middle class suburban housewife who suddenly find herself plunged into the middle of a disorienting, emotionally tumultuous, mid-life crisis.

Also tagged Britcom

Johnny Quest

Cartoon series for kids inspired by James Bond.

Also released in 1964

Gilligan's Island

Although never a huge hit in the UK, Gilligan's Island was a massive success in its native USA, and has stood the test of time by becoming almost an icon of 1960's American sitcom.

Also released in 1964