Last of the Summer Wine

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Last of the Summer Wine ranks 2,140 out of the 18,228 shows on TV.com.

The 72 users who count themselves as Last of the Summer Wine fans have written a total of 13 reviews.

Status

Premiered

Genre

The longest running comedy series in the world started out, as many British comedy successes did, with a 1973 episode of the BBC series "Comedy Playhouse". The basis was simple but complex at the same time, telling the stories of three old men, who in all essence couldn't be more young at heart.

The... more »

The longest running comedy series in the world started out, as many British comedy successes did, with a 1973 episode of the BBC series "Comedy Playhouse". The basis was simple but complex at the same time, telling the stories of three old men, who in all essence couldn't be more young at heart.

The original trio consisted of Bill Owen, as Compo Simmonite, the scruffiest man in Yorkshire, with only two passions in life: his ferrets and Nora Batty (Kathy Staff).

The second man of the group, Norman Clegg, played by Peter Sallis, was from the beginning shown as the most timid of the group, and also the one who gets carried away by the crazy ideas and schemes of his companions, which always seem to get him in trouble.

Initially the third man of the group was Blamire, played by Michael Bates, but he was soon replaced by Foggy Dewhurst (Brian Wilde) who always seems to have a scheme or a story that somehow leads to his old days as a war hero... or so he says.
In 1986 Brian Wilde left the series, to start filming his new sitcom, which proved to be a wrong move, as the show hadn't the success needed to sustain even a second series. during his 4 year absence from last of the summer wine Michael Aldridge played Seymour, the new third man of the trio, until 1990. Brian Wilde returned to do the next seven years of the show.
When Brian Wilde left the series for the second time in 1997 Frank Thornton replaced him as the new third man on the trio as Truly Truelove of the Yard, an ex-police officer who's always remembering his past, both in the police force and in his former marriage to the former Mrs Truelove.

When Bill Owen passed away, his son Tom joined the series, replacing him for the rest of the season as Compo's long lost son, Tom. Compo's permanent replacement would come the next year when Keith Clifford joined the cast as Billy Hardcastle, a man who fancies himself the descendant of Robin Hood.

In 2003, the traditional trio became a quartet with the addition of Brian Murphy as Alvin Smedley, Nora Batty's new next door neigbour. With the addition of Alvin, an element of physical humour missing since Compo's death returned to the series. The quartet once again became a trio when Keith Clifford left the series in 2006.

In 2009, the series was once again redesigned to allow Sallis and Thornton a reduced role on the series. A new third man was introduced in the form of Hobbo Hobdyke (Russ Abbott), a former milkman who fancies himself a former MI-5 agent. By combining Hobbo with Alvin and the electrical repairman, Entwistle (Burt Kwouk), a new trio was formed, proving once again the ability of the show to redesign itself over time.

The main cast has always been surrounded by some amazing supporting cast throughout the run of the series, who helped to mantain the series as fresh today as it was when it premiered on the BBC.less «

• who is keeping records

  the site is not keeping account of LOTSW; things have changed and things have mistakes; can we not get this information correct updated fixed... i would be glad to do so... give me permissions... lewomac@yahoo.com

  the site is not keeping account of LOTSW; things have changed and things have mistakes; can we not get this information correct updated fixed... i would be glad to do so... give me permissions... lewomac@yahoo.com less «

  lewomac Last online May 7, 2009
  1 comments, last one May 7, 2009 + Add Comment

• Compo's box

  What's in Compo's matcgbox?

  What's in Compo's matcgbox? less «

  clineburg1 Last online 12 days ago
  3 comments, last one Aug 20, 2008 + Add Comment

• Compo's Chippy

  I have been to Compo's Chippy in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire many times the fish and chips are very nice I advise you check it out.

  I have been to Compo's Chippy in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire many times the fish and chips are very nice I advise you check it out.less «

  Chuck_Fan Last online Aug 3, 2008
  1 comments, last one Jul 19, 2008 + Add Comment

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  8 Great

  Classic British Character Comedy. hide « show »

  At it's best (see the feature length episode 'Getting Sam Home' from 1983 as an example) this is a classic British sitcom along the lines of Dad's Army & Steptoe and Son. Watch the 'Foggy' years for the best episodes. Brian Wilde as Foggy was the perfect leader of this wayward trio. The glorious English landscapes and music just add to the charm of this BBC classic. It may be a bit long in the tooth these days, with most of the original cast now departed, but there are enough classic episodes out there of the hundreds that have been made to savour ....

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  ianb27 Added Nov 19, 2008 All my reviews
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  8.5 Great

  Last of the Summer Wine has been over time the adventure of an ever changing trio of elderly chaps and their adventures in and around the village of Holmfirth. The scenery is probably the best and never changing parts of the programme. hide « show »

  As a person getting on in years I can identify with the chaps in Last of the Summer Wine. Most often a combination of Clegg and Compo ... grin ... The storylines may be a little simplistic and repititious at times but the characters, including the oh so wonderful scenery more than make up for it. I equate Last of the Summer in Wine with comfprt food and when ill would rather curl up in bed and watch episode after episode over doing anything else. I know Last of the Summer Wine won't be around forever but thank goodness for the ever so many reruns.

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  PeterA800 Added Nov 13, 2008 All my reviews
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  9.5 Superb

  Simple comedy that we love to watch! hide « show »

  I started watching the show a few years ago, although I don't know how it came about. I discovered a love for the show, it is a simple comedy about the lives of old people. I know, I know it sounds boring, but it shows the part of their lives that we dont see. If you compare our lives to seasons, you would generally say that the best part of you life is the summer of your life, and for these oldies they are experiencing the summer of their lives, running around like they were still young. For example Howard is married, but is terrified of his wife. He also sneaks around having an affair with his girlfriend, Marina. He thinks he is getting away with it, but his acts are not done very subtle as it is known by everyone EVEN his wife. I love watching their random acts and strange ideas which make me want to come back for more. I just think its a shame it is not appreciated more by others.

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  crazygirl184 Added Jun 20, 2008 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  The Best Comedy programme 'on the box', so to speak! hide « show »

  Last of the Summer Wine is 'The' comedy programme. If every comedy programme was like it, this world would be perfect. The first few series, mainly the ones with Cyril Blamire, weren't that funny. The next few series, which saw Foggy Dewhurst apper, were a lot funnier. My favourite episode, Here we go again into the Wiuld Blue Yonder, is contained in it. Then there were the series with Seymour Utterthwaite in them. I don't think these were as funny, but still rather funny. Then, there was the return of Foggy dewhirst. The next few series were, in my eyes, the best. Then, Foggy left and Truly arrived. I think that the series has declined form hilarity since then. Having not seen the episodes leading to and after Compo died, I haven't much to say about them. The 2007 series wasn't bad. Norman Clegg looks like he ought to retire as he looks very aged, thogh it wolud be a shame to lose the only original character from the trio. Over all, a very funny show, reaching it's peak between 1990 & 1997 when Brian Wilde returned to the series.

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  bigny50 Added Jan 27, 2008 All my reviews
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  8 Great

  Three retired old guys try to find things to fill their day. hide « show »

  The best three main characters were Compo, Clegg, and Foggy. This is when the writing was best, too. Foggy thought himself the best-trained killing machine of the Army, but he always proved himself wrong. Don't miss "Wheelies" and "Come in Sunray Major", these episodes are the kind that stand out for this period. The early version with Bates was too talky, but the pilot episode had promise and if they had followed the first episode with more of the same, things might have been different. Episodes with Seymore Utterthwaite were often unfunny, he was simply a blowhard professor, and the Truly episodes were just a tired attempt at bringing back the Foggy mystique. I am glad they still find an audience 30-something years later, but it can't be the same show without Compo and Foggy, Clegg's character was strongest in the early episodes and later was mostly an adjunct for Compo and Foggy/Seymour/Truly.

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  skylubber Added Dec 11, 2007 All my reviews