Are You Being Served? (pilot)

Are You Being Served? (pilot)
Captain Peacock demonstrating how to flute a pocket hankerchief.
Production Details
Written by	David Croft, Jeremy Lloyd
Director	Bernard Thompson
IMDB Ref	tt0514520
Transmission Details
Episode	S01E00
Airdate	September 8, 1972
Continuity
Previous	None
Next	Dear Sexy Knickers

Pilot is the first episode of Are You Being Served's first series which aired on September 8, 1972.

Episode summary

Mr. Grainger, head of the Men's Ready-Made Department, is not a happy camper. After 25 years, he is being forced to share his floor with women!

Immediately he and Mrs. Slocombe (head of Ladies' Intimate Apparel, their new roommates), come to blows over territory and displays. The new men's junior, Mr. Lucas is learning fluting (handkerchief) lessons from Floorwalker Captain Peacock, while Assistant Salesman Mr. Humphries provides life lessons on how to survive at Grace Brothers. Mr. Lucas also shows off his seam-straightening skills on Mrs. Slocombe, who reports to Miss Brahms (ladies' Junior) that his hands were actually rather smooth, and we learn someone's naughty little secret. The major argument of the day: will the trouser display be moved so the Ladies' Department can put up a display of their own? After a lot of moaning and groaning on both sides, Mr. Grainger finally consents to allowing the Ladies' one display, and for it Mrs. Slocombe makes a choice that pretty much illuminates how relations between the two departments are probably going to be.

Notes

This episode sets the tone for things to come in the series.

Some history: this is the only black & white episode, but you knew that already. What you probably didn't know is that "BBC Colour" appears at the end of the credits. That’s because it was originally shot and aired in color, but archived on B&W film stock. Fortunately, not all of the color information was filtered out, so they were able to restore the color later on.

This episode was a short-notice replacement in 1972, when a terrorist attack during the Munich Olympics forced many events to be cancelled. This caused several large gaps in programming that needed to be filled, the AYBS pilot was one of the programs called upon, it was aired...and the rest is history.

Episode Quotes

Exactly how well-endowed is Mrs. Slocombe?: Mr. Humphries: "If she burns her bra we'll have to call out the London Fire brigade."

The hard sale: Mr. Lucas: "What size are you, sir?" Customer: "As a matter of fact, I was looking for the Gents'." Mr. Lucas: "In that case, size doesn't really come into it, does it?"

Upon learning of Peacock's Blue Cinema Club membership: Mr. Humphries: "I wondered why he brought that brown raincoat in the sale!"

More midnight blue: Mr. Humphries: "Well, if he (Peacock) knows that you know that he goes sitting in that little cinema, where there's no room for their legs and they all have their macks over their knees..." Mr. Lucas: "How do you know what it looks like?!?" Mr. Humphries: "My doctor sent me there for therapy." Mr. Lucas: "Did it work?" Mr. Humphries: "That's none of your business."

On Young Mr. Grace's departure: Mr. Humphries: "I wonder where he's going?" Mr. Lucas: "[int.]... a toss up between the bank and the undertaker."

The first meeting in Rumbold's: Mr. Rumbold: "We are here to discuss Mrs. Slocombe displaying her underwear. and later on Mrs. Slocombe: "Look, what's me not having a baby have with him not taking his trousers down?"

Cast

• Mollie Sugden as Betty Slocombe (1972-1985)
• Frank Thornton as Stephen Peacock (1972-1985)
• John Inman as Claiborne W. Humphries (1972-1985)
• Wendy Richard as Shirley Brahms (1972-1985)
• Nicholas Smith as Cuthbert Rumbold (1972-1985)
• Trevor Bannister as James Lucas 1972-1979
• Arthur Brough as Ernest Grainger (1972-1977)

Also appearing

• Stephanie Gathercole as Mr. Rumbold's secretary
• Michael Knowles as a customer
• Robert Raglan as The 40" Waist
• Derek Smith (II) as The 28" Inside Leg

Mistakes/Goofs

Internet movie Database

Character error

1. After Mr. Lucas straightens Mrs. Slocombe's seams, Mr. Humphries tells him "Griffin wants you", incorrectly referring to Mr. Grainger.
   Mr Humphries is actually saying Crippen, which is a semi-private nickname he has for Mr Grainger.

Revealing mistake

When Mr. Lucas says, "I am about to find the 'other' pair of trousers." The tear in the trousers can already be seen, before he puts his knee into it.

Trivia

• Mr. Humphries shows Mr. Lucas how to stretch a jacket by kneeing the stitching to make it feel roomier. This is a trick writer/creator Jeremy Lloyd picked up while working as a junior at Simpson's Department Store.