Andrew T. Smith
andrewtsmith.bsky.social
Andrew T. Smith
@andrewtsmith.bsky.social
Writer, filmmaker – Nebula-75, Century 21 Films, Mulgrave Audio, Summer Winos
The 11th of November is one of those rare days without a corresponding Roy Clarke broadcast from history, so here is a Radio Times photo of Roy at home with PC Penrose and Rosie star Paul Greenwood just because. #ClarkeADay
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Roy Clarke's 'Spark' premiered on 10/11/97 and starred James Fleet as computer wiz facing up to life without his recently departed mother. The black yet cosy comedy eith a great cast ran for six episodes and was Roy's final original sitcom commission. #ClarkeADay
November 11, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The 'Last of the Summer Wine' episode "Ferret Come Home" first proposed a tantalising exploration of the Batty household on 9/11/77 – #ClarkeADay
November 10, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Before he established himself as a sitcom writer, Roy Clarke was carving out a career in television drama. On 7/11/68 his episode of the series 'Mr Rose' premiered. In this instalment William Mervyn's retired Chief Inspector investigated "The Less-Than-Iron Duke". #ClarkeADay
November 7, 2025 at 4:38 PM
This day in Roy Clarke history, on 6/11/88 viewers were introduced to the legend that was Clem "Smiler" Hemingway for first time in "“That Certain Smile”. Altogether now... "meeeeeeeeuuurrrh..."
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
5/11/95 presented television viewers with another Roy Clarke double, with both 'Last of the Summer Wine' and 'Keeping Up Appearances' offering new episodes on BBC1 – “Brushes at Dawn” and “The Hostess”. #ClarkeADay
November 5, 2025 at 1:43 PM
For today's #ClarkeADay, 4/11/18 saw the premiere of the 'Still Open All Hours' episode “Call in the Admirers”
November 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
On this day – 3/11/91 – the second series of 'Keeping Up Appearances' came to an end with "A Picnic For Daddy" and this steamy bedroom ensemble. #ClarkeADay
November 3, 2025 at 9:54 AM
On 2/11/94, the eighth of thirteen episodes of Roy Clarke's 'The Wanderer' (!) was screened in the UK. Here are the series' villains looking like they're lost on the way to a mid-afternoon Rocky Horror screening in “Everybody Must Get Stoned”.
November 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The first #ClarkeADay of November takes us back to the Cafe. Brian Wilde is just perfect in this typical Foggy Dewhurst flight of fancy from "Errol Flynn Used To Have a Pair Like That". First shown on 1/11/93.
November 1, 2025 at 7:05 PM
October's #ClarkeADay goes out with a bang thanks to "Where There's Smoke, There's Barbecue", a Summer Wine episode first screened on 31/10/93
October 31, 2025 at 3:20 PM
On 30/10/81, Paul Greenwood's 'Rosie' was "Caught in the Act". I find this series such an enigma – lots of episodes, relatively popular, and now almost totally removed from the public consciousness.
October 31, 2025 at 12:05 PM
The first episode of 'Keeping Up Appearances', "Daddy's Accident", premiered on BBC1 36 years ago today on 29/10/1989. A lot is very economically established in these opening moments. #ClarkeADay
October 29, 2025 at 7:43 PM
"An Errand Boy by the Footprint", the fourth episode of the fifth series of 'Still Open All Hours' was first screened on 28/10/18 #ClarkeADay
October 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Roy Clarke has an endearing fondness for overly involved titles. On the 27/10/70, the BBC broadcast "The Millicent Sisters, Edward de Bruno and Ruth – Where Are  They Now?”, an episode of the much more conservatively named anthology series 'Menace' #clarkeaday
October 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Catching up on #ClarkeADay, 26/10/94 saw the broadcast of the seventh episode of 'The Wanderer'. This Polish VHS cover is the only sign I have seen of the series enjoying any sort of afterlife.
October 29, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Blink & you'll miss me, but you'll see plenty of @bobfischer.bsky.social and @mulgraveaudio.bsky.social as part of BBC Breakfast's Haunted Generation feature from this morning. Patchwuff makes an appearance alongside friend Sandra Kerr & he wants you to know that his play is still available to buy!
October 28, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Granville feeds the masses with a like-new communist toaster in "Catering", an episode of the sixth series of Roy Clarke's 'Still Open All Hours' first screened on 25/10/2019 #ClarkeADay
October 25, 2025 at 8:25 AM
In the 'Last of the Summer Wine' episode "How To Clear Your Pipes", Foggy attempts to lift Compo and Clegg to the official British standards of fitness. Broadcast on 24/10/92 #ClarkeADay
October 24, 2025 at 11:24 AM
For series five of 'Last of the Summer Wine', Roy decided to experiment with the format. On 23/10/79, the first episode of two two-part stories was shown, "Here We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder". Some of Sydney Lotterby's best direction is found in the opening scene #ClarkeADay
October 23, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Roy Clarke's 'Flickers' ended its run with a sixth episode on 22/10/80. There was vague talk of a second run in the press, but although Roy would return to the world of moviemaking in spiritual sequel 'Pictures', we would never see Bob Hoskins' Arnie Cole again #clarkeaday (US Promo Art pictured)
October 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Catching up with #clarkeaday, 21/10/90 saw the transmission of "The Last Surviving Maurice Chevalier Impression", a Summer Wine episode featuring a truly insane climax. The early to mid-90s were probably the peak of the series' whimsical excesses and this was the era that hooked me as a kid.
October 22, 2025 at 3:18 PM
One of the wonderful things about British sitcoms is how they act as time capsules. In "The Toy Store", an episode of Keeping Up Appearances first shown on 20/10/91, the Buckets pay a visit to Debenhams department store with a wandering Daddy. George Webb plays the space-suited nuisance #clarkeaday
October 20, 2025 at 9:41 AM
In both past and present sections of The Wanderer, Adam's love interest Clare was played by Deborah Moore, seen here in "Clare" which was first screened on Sky 1 on 19/10/94 #clarkeaday
October 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Some criticised the "Summerwineification" of 'Still Open All Hours' as the series progressed & by the sixth series this process was largely complete. One can't deny, however, the charms of Stephanie Cole in this scene from "The Art of Romance", first shown on 18/10/19 #clarkeaday
October 18, 2025 at 7:44 AM