On the Buses What is it?

On The Buses TV Series

Jack-the-lad bus driver and conductor Stan and Jack enjoy the female employees more than their work and Inspector Blake is relentless in his attempts to make their lives a misery.

On the Buses is a British sitcom created and written by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney (although stars Stephen Lewis and Bob Grant also wrote several episodes) broadcast from 1969 to 1973. It spawned three spin-off feature films and a stage version. Despite the writers' previous successes with The Rag Trade and Meet the Wife with the BBC, the corporation rejected On the Buses, not seeing much comedy potential in a bus depot as a setting. The comedy partnership turned to a friend, Frank Muir, Head of Entertainment at London Weekend Television, who loved the idea; the show was accepted and despite a poor critical reception became a hit with viewers.

In my book On The Buses is the greatest sit-com of all time.It has all the ingredients to make superb viewing such as:- wonderful cast,great acting,superb scripts,memorable moments,one-liners and double entendres.If you are a member of the politically correct society then this classic is not for you.This series ran for 74 episodes and three spin-off films and quite superbly hits all the right notes.Written by the great comedy writing duo Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe it stars Reg Varney (bus driver Stan),the late Bob Grant (bus conductor Jack Harper),Stephen Lewis (Inspector Blake),the late Doris Hare (Stan's mum),Anna Karen (Stan's sister) and Michael Robbins (Stan's brother-in-law) all of whom excel.

Reg Varney as Stanley "Stan" Butler – a bus driver who works for the Luxton and District Traction Company along with Jack and Blake. He lives with his mother Mabel, sister Olive and brother-in-law Arthur. Stan often chats up the sexy clippies at the bus depot.

Cicely Courtneidge (series 1) and Doris Hare (series 2-7) as Mabel Butler, Stan's mother. She is a maiden in distress when it comes to money. The Butler household is forever losing money and regularly getting the electricity cut off. Mabel is frequently caught up in arguments between Arthur, Olive and Stan.

Anna Karen as Olive Rudge, Stan's sister. Olive is always being criticised by her husband Arthur, even though she helps her mum with household jobs and frequently helps Stan with the decorating. Olive has twice been a clippie at the bus depot, both times being unsuccessful. She is always wanting "an early night" with Arthur, much to his displeasure.

Michael Robbins as Arthur Rudge, Stan's brother in law. He is somewhat snooty and stuck up, and frequently resists Olive's intimate advances. His hospital operation is a frequent source of ridicule from Stan. Arthur is always tampering with his motorbike, which usually falls apart.

Bob Grant as Jack Harper, Stan's conductor, best friend and next-door neighbour. He and Stan are always getting into trouble and getting reprimanded by Inspector Blake. Whether it is tampering with radio controls, changing[clarification needed] and putting "DIVERSION" road signs in the wrong places or going on dates with the buxom clippies, they are always getting into scrapes.

Stephen Lewis as Cyril "Blakey" Blake – the inspector at the bus depot. Whenever there is a "brilliant idea" at the bus depot, it is usually Blakey's. These are usually elaborate schemes to temper Stan and Jack's frequent insubordination, or to entrap them in their misadventures in a bid to get them fired. However Blakey's schemes typically backfire with hilarious consequences, and land him either in trouble with the General Manager or in hospital.

 

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