Citizen James: Difference between revisions

From The Goon Show Depository
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! Episode  
! Episode  
!style="width: 150px;"| Broadcast  
!style="width: 160px;"| Broadcast  
!style="width: 200px;"| Title  
!style="width: 200px;"| Title  
!style="width: 400px;"| Synopsis
!style="width: 390px;"| Synopsis
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!colspan=4 style="text-align:left" | Series 1  
!colspan=4 style="text-align:left" | Series 1  
|-
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|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 24th November 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br />{{Date|1960-11-24}}
|| The Race  
|| The Race  
|| Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
|| Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 2  
|style="text-align:center"| 2  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 1st December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-01}}
|| The Elixir
|| The Elixir
|| Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
|| Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 3  
|style="text-align:center"| 3  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 8th December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-08}}
|| The Raffle
|| The Raffle
|| Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
|| Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 4  
|style="text-align:center"| 4  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 15th December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-15}}
|| The Money
|| The Money
|| Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
|| Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 22nd December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-22}}
|| The Brand Image
|| The Brand Image
|| Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
|| Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 6  
|style="text-align:center"| 6  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> 29th December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-29}}
|| The Rivals
|| The Rivals
|| Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
|| Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
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|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 2nd October 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-02}}
|| The Lamp
|| The Lamp
|| Sid and Charlie find themselves in a new set of awkward circumstances. It's probably their own fault.
|| Sid and Charlie find themselves in a new set of awkward circumstances. It's probably their own fault.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 2
|style="text-align:center"| 2
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 9th October 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-09}}
|| Crusty Bread
|| Crusty Bread
|| Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
|| Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 3
|style="text-align:center"| 3
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 16th October 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-16}}
|| Episode Three
|| Episode Three
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 4
|style="text-align:center"| 4
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 23rd October 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-23}}
|| Episode Four  
|| Episode Four  
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 30th October 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-30}}
|| Episode Five
|| Episode Five
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 6th November 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-06}}
|| Episode Six
|| Episode Six
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 7
|style="text-align:center"| 7
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 13th November 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-13}}
|| Episode Seven
|| Episode Seven
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 8
|style="text-align:center"| 8
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 20th November 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-20}}
|| Episode Eight
|| Episode Eight
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 9
|style="text-align:center"| 9
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 27th November 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-27}}
|| Episode Nine
|| Episode Nine
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 10
|style="text-align:center"| 10
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 4th December 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-04}}
|| Episode Ten
|| Episode Ten
||  
||  
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 11
|style="text-align:center"| 11
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 11th December 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-11}}
|| Teenagers
|| Teenagers
|| Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
|| Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 12
|style="text-align:center"| 12
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> 18th December 1961
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-18}}
|| Episode Twelve
|| Episode Twelve
||
||
|-
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 13
|style="text-align:center"| 13
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Sunday}}<br /> 25th December 1960
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Sunday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-25}}
|| Episode Thirteen
|| Episode Thirteen
||  
||  

Revision as of 17:48, 2 January 2023

Citizen James
Citizen James DVD.jpg
GenreComedy
StarringSid James
Sydney Tafler
Alec Bregonzi
Bill Kerr
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes32 (21 missing)
Release
Original networkBBC TV
Original release24 November 1960 (1960-11-24) –
23 November 1962 (1962-11-23)

Citizen James is a BBC sitcom that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 23 November 1962. The show featured comedian and actor Sid James and Sydney Tafler with Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser appearing in early episodes. It was initially written by the comedy writing team of Galton and Simpson, who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in Hancock's Half Hour.

The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in Soho, and centred on Sid's get-rich-quick schemes. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local bookmaker Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.

Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.

Later episodes were written by then Morecambe and Wise writers Sid Green and Dick Hills.[1]

Despite not being written by Galton and Simpson, the sets and familiar supporting cast gave these last two series a recognisable Hancock feeling to the proceedings.

Episodes

Like many BBC series of this time, episodes were not necessarily retained (see Wiping). Only eleven episodes from the three series are known to still exist.

Episodes
Episode Broadcast Title Synopsis
Series 1
1 Thursday
24 November 1960 		The Race Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
2 Thursday
1 December 1960 		The Elixir Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
3 Thursday
8 December 1960 		The Raffle Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
4 Thursday
15 December 1960 		The Money Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
5 Thursday
22 December 1960 		The Brand Image Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
6 Thursday
29 December 1960 		The Rivals Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
Series 2
1 Monday
2 October 1961 		The Lamp Sid and Charlie find themselves in a new set of awkward circumstances. It's probably their own fault.
2 Monday
9 October 1961 		Crusty Bread Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
3 Monday
16 October 1961 		Episode Three
4 Monday
23 October 1961 		Episode Four
5 Monday
30 October 1961 		Episode Five
6 Monday
6 November 1961 		Episode Six
7 Monday
13 November 1961 		Episode Seven
8 Monday
20 November 1961 		Episode Eight
9 Monday
27 November 1961 		Episode Nine
10 Monday
4 December 1961 		Episode Ten
11 Monday
11 December 1961 		Teenagers Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
12 Monday
18 December 1961 		Episode Twelve
13 Sunday
25 December 1961 		Episode Thirteen
Series 3
1 Friday
31 August 1962 		The Hospital
(missing)
2 Friday
7 September 1962 		The Play's The Thing
(missing)
3 Friday
14 September 1962 		The Tennis Ball
(missing)
4 Friday
21 September 1962 		It's Not Cricket
(missing)
5 Friday
28 September 1962 		The Reporter
(missing)
6 Friday
5 October 1962 		The Day Out Sid and Charlie head to Whitsea for the day for a bit of sea air, but are soon caught out on a very busy beach.
7 Friday
12 October 1962 		The Transistor
(missing)
8 Friday
19 October 1962 		The Old People's Outing
(missing)
9 Friday
26 October 1962 		A Perfect Friendship?
(missing)
10 Friday
2 November 1962 		The Watchdog Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands, so Sid buys a dog.
11 Friday
9 November 1962 		The Librarian
(missing)
12 Friday
16 November 1962 		The Tube Station
(missing)
13 Friday
23 November 1962 		The Jury The boys are on jury duty, Sid is hoping for major case, but gets a drink-driving case. However that doesn't stop him investigating.

DVD

The then-surviving episodes, comprising the complete Series One, and two episodes each from Series Two and Series Three, were released as a collection by Acorn Media UK in February 2012. A further episode, the sixth episode of series three, was subsequently found in a store room of Monaco Television, by Philip Morris.[2][3][4]

References

  1. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (2005). "bbc.co.uk Guide to Comedy - Citizen James". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 April 2005. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  2. ^ "BFI announces Morecambe & Wise and Sid James recoveries". British Comedy Guide. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Found in Sierra Leone... the lost Morecambe and Wise : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ "MISSING BELIEVED WIPED 25TH BIRTHDAY BONANZA FEATURING NEW DOCTOR WHO ANIMATED MINI-EPISODE MORECAMBE AND WISE, CITIZEN JAMES, BASIL BRUSH, VINCE HILL, THE KINKS" (PDF). BFI National Archive. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Citizen_James&oldid=29632"