Open All Hours

Synopsis

Open All Hours is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke, starring Ronnie Barker as penny-pinching corner-shopkeeper Albert Arkwright, and David Jason as his nephew and assistant Granville. The programme originated as a 1973 episode of Barker’s comedy anthology Seven of One, and later ran for 26 episodes; the first series broadcast on BBC2, the remaining three series broadcast on BBC1.

First Air Date: 1976-02-20

Last Air Date: 1985-10-06

Number of Seasons: 4

Number of Episodes: 25

Created By: Roy Clarke

Networks: BBC One

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Ronnie Barker as Albert Arkwright
David Jason as Granville
Lynda Baron as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel
Barbara Flynn as The Milk Woman
Stephanie Cole as Mrs Delphine Featherstone
Kathy Staff as Mrs Blewett
Maggie Ollerenshaw as Mavis
Frances Cox as Mrs Parslow
Tom Mennard as Cyril
Helen Cotterill as Julie

Seasons

Specials (1973) - (2 Episodes)

Series 1 (1976) - (6 Episodes)

Series 2 (1981) - (7 Episodes)

Series 3 (1982) - (6 Episodes)

Series 4 (1985) - (6 Episodes)

Specials (1973)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Open All Hours (Pilot) (1973-03-25)

Episode 1 of the Ronnie Barker anthology series of pilots, Seven of One. Stammering shopkeep Albert Arkwright runs a tight little corner shop in a Doncaster suburb. Certainly he's tight when it comes to cost-saving and his put-upon nephew Granville, whose mother apparently gave birth to him after a fling with a Hungarian, bears the brunt of Arkwright's doomed money-making schemes. The lad has to ride a delivery bike when he'd rather impress the girl at the garage with a van. Meanwhile, Arkwright lusts after district nurse Gladys Emmanuel.
Ep. 2: Open All Seasons (1982-12-27)

One of numerous short sketches from various sitcoms and sketch shows of the time, each interspersed with the repartee of host Frank Muir in this one-off special, The Funny Side of Christmas. It is Christmas morning, and we learn that Granville and Arkwright are invited to Nurse Gladys's house for dinner. Granville is looking forward to it, but Arkwright's anticipation is tempered by the knowledge that Gladys's mother will be there.