Seven of One

Series of one-off comedies highlighting the inimitable talent of Ronnie Barker, and the ease in which he could slip in and out of such diverse characters as the hard edged prison lag Fletcher, to the ageing northern shopkeeper Arkwright.

The idea of the series (originally intended to be called Six Of One...thereby the follow up series could be called Half A Dozen Of The Other), was a tried and trusted format on British Television under the 'Playhouse' format, whether it be drama or comedy. Many long running shows had begun life in this way and in Barker's case it led to two of the most enduring of television comedies, Open All Hours (the first in the series), and Porridge (the second). The other, now forgotten, five shows were My Old Man about a pensioner forced to move from his terraced house into a block of high-rise flats (later made as a starring vehicle for Clive Dunn), Spanner's Eleven which told the tale of a football team, One Man's Meat, which saw Barker playing a man forced to go on a crash diet, Another Fine Mess teamed the star with Roy Castle as two Laurel and Hardy impersonators, and finally I'll Fly You For A Quid, a story about a Welsh family who bet on absolutely everything and anything.

Seven of One was the third series in which Ronnie Barker had appeared as a different character each week, the previous two being The Ronnie Barker Playhouse in 1968 and Six Dates With Barker in 1971

Lucky Feller

Also starring David Jason

Shorty Mepstead, a South-East Londoner who lives at home with his mum, is in love with his brother's girlfriend...

Record Breakers

Also starring Roy Castle

The Guinness Book of Records on television.

The Great British Sitcom

Articles

Also starring Ronnie Barker

Remembering some of Britain's favourite sitcoms over the last 70 years

Porridge: Inside and Out

Articles

Also starring Ronnie Barker

The story of how one of Britain's all-time favourite sitcoms came to our screens

Open All Hours

Also released in 1973

Miserly shopkeeper and his hapless nephew run a small business.

Richard Beckinsale

Biographies

Also starring Ronnie Barker

His sheepish good looks and natural charm made him a hit with female audiences, while the male viewers could identify with his cheeky chappie approach to life

The Baker Street Boys

Also released in 1973

Based on a group of street urchins whom Conan Doyle recruited on behalf of Holmes to perform various missions, take messages, search London following clues and going to places where the detective himself could not.

Ronnie Corbett

Biographies

Also starring Ronnie Barker

Ronnie Corbett achieved such fame as one of the Two Ronnies that his solo career was often eclipsed. But his status as a national treasure and a much-loved household name was as much down to his own talent as that of his comedy partner. Brian Slade looks back on a remarkable career.