Mollie Sugden: An Appreciation

Mollie Sugden: An Appreciation

I wanted to take a moment and pay tribute to one of the funniest women I ever saw on television. Anyone who has an appreciation for British comedy recognizes the Name Betty Elizabeth Slocombe, of the classic series, "Are You Being Served?" which ran on BBC Television in the 1970's and 80's. I first learned of her comedic genius when I discovered the show on one of the Local PBS Stations here in Los Angeles.

If you're not familiar with the show, I'll give you the Cliff Notes version. The series was set in a traditional British Department Store, Grace Brothers, and focused on the antics of the staff of the Ladies' and Gentlemen's departments, which were placed on the same floor at the beginning of the series. Mollie Sudgen played Mrs. Slocombe, the ehad of the Ladies' department and was the irascible fussbudget a "senior associate" was expected to be, according to the traditional views of the working classes in Engaland at the time.

The show was a delight, since it was the first time I started to get the subtlety of British Comedy. Before that, my exposure was mostly late-night showings of the Benny Hill Show, which did more for certain other, uhhh, "aspects" of my adolescence. I'd rather not go into detail, but suffice it to say, the show gave me an appreciation for stockings and garters, and leave it at that.

Anyway, the characters on the show, the late John Inman's iconic Mr. Humphreys, who was both MRs. Slocombe's foil and confidant, the late Wendy Richard's Miss Brahms, her junior associate and resident Eliza Doolitte sound-alike, Frank Thornton's Snooty Captain Steve Peacock, war veteran and Floor walker extraordinaire, and Trevor Bannister's Mr. Lucas, the young and impetuous youth who played off Richard's Shirley Brahms flritations, and was a constant thonr in Mrs. Slocombe's side int he early years of the show, all had a dynamic chemistry that you rarely saw on American sitcoms.

Since the British TV series are done differently in terms of the length of each season, as well as when they are broadcast, the show ran over the course of 13 years, but it became a favorite out there in the States thanks to Public Television. So if you were a fan of the show and want to honor the memory of some great television, why not make a donation to your local PBS Station in Mollie, John or Wendy's memories. If they show british comedies, so much the better.