Editing British sitcom (section)

==Early years==
{{see also|Category:1950s British sitcoms}}
===Beginnings===

The origins of British TV sitcoms trace back to radio comedies of the 1940s and 1950s like ''Hancock's Half Hour'', which aired on BBC Radio in 1954, British TV sitcoms were initially inspired by American comedy formats, but they quickly developed their own style that highlighted dry wit, social satire, and the nuances of British life.<ref name = "RTS"/>  Early shows of the 1950s often featured archetypal British characters such as the staff and pupils in ''Whack-O!'' and the various facets portrayed in ''Hancock's Half Hour'', and set the stage for what would become the British TV sitcom genre. They were set in post [[World War II]] working-class or domestic environments, highlighting issues of class, family dynamics, and British culture, while ''The Army Game'', ITV's first sitcom, parodied the life of army conscripts during the last years of the [[Conscription_in_the_United_Kingdom#After_1945|National Service]] which ended in 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1272 |title=What was National Service? |last=Imperial War Museum |author-link=Imperial War Museum |website=archive.iwm.org.UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112133452/http://archive.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1272 |archive-date=12 January 2015 |url-status=dead |access-date=12 November 2024}}</ref>

===''Pinwright's Progress''===

Written by Rodney Hobson, ''[[Pinwright's Progress]]'' (1946–1947) was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0387750/ IMDB]: Rodney Hobson. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> Broadcast live by the BBC from [[Alexandra Palace]], it was about J. Pinwright, the proprietor of a small shop. Storylines involved his hated rival and his staff, who only added to his problems by attempting to be helpful. The series featured an ensemble cast including [[James Hayter (actor)|James Hayter]] as J. Pinwright, Clarence Wright as Aubrey,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942291/ IMDB] : Clarence Wright. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> Sara Gregory as Sally Doolittle,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1477224/ IMDB] : Sara Gregory. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> Daphne Maddox as Miss Peasbody,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534700/ IMDB] : Daphne Maddox.Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> Doris Palmer as Mrs Sigsbee,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0658206/IMDB IMDB] : Doris Palmer. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> [[Leonard Sharp (actor)|Leonard Sharp]] as Ralph, Benita Lydal as Mrs Rackstraw,<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0527960/ IMDB] : Benita Lydal. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref> [[Charles Irwin]] as a salesman, and Jill Christie as Pinwright's daughter.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0160338/ IMDB] : Jill Christie. Retrieved 9 January 2022</ref><ref name="Pinwright's Progress">[http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/pinwrights_progress/ "Pinwright's Progress"], British Comedy Guide website</ref><ref name="RTLewis"/> and produced and directed by [[John Glyn-Jones]]. The [[script editor]] was [[Ted Kavanagh]], who during the [[World War II]] years also wrote the [[BBC Radio]] comedy series ''[[It's That Man Again]]'' (''ITMA'' ), which according to Foster and Furst was "entirely new, breaking away from the conventions of both radio and music hall comedy".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Foster |first1=Andy |last2=Furst |first2=Steve |author-link2=Steve Furst |title=Radio Comedy, 1938–1968: A Guide to 30 Years of Wonderful Wireless |year=1999 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-86369-960-3 }}</ref>

===''Hancock's Half Hour''===
Transferred to television in 1956 after 48 episodes on BBC radio which began in 1954, ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]'' (1956–1961) by [[#Galton and Simpson|Galton and Simpson]] was the first modern TV sitcom. Whilst moving away from audio variety towards character development, the radio series had been influential in the development of TV situation comedy. The radio series continued to be produced alongside the TV version.<ref name="BFIhank">{{cite web
|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/482549/index.html
|title=Hancock's Half Hour (1956-60)
|last=Clark
|first=Anthony
|work=BFI Screenonline
|access-date=3 January 2022}}</ref> [[Tony Hancock]] played a fictionalised version of himself, a loser whose plans and aspirations are continually ruined by bad luck.<ref name="BCGHHH">{{cite web
|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/hancocks_half_hour/
|title=Hancock's Half Hour
|work=British Comedy Guide
|access-date=4 January 2022}}</ref> Its only other regular cast member was the more worldly [[sidekick]] played by [[Sid James]], later of ''[[Carry On (franchise)|Carry On]]'' fame and [[Bless This House (British TV series)|''Bless This House'']] . Other occasional participants included [[John Le Mesurier]] (''[[Dad's Army]]''), [[Kenneth Williams]],<ref name="BCGHHH" /> and [[Patricia Hayes]].<ref name="dnb">Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/70907 available online]. Retrieved 18 June 2020.</ref> Hancock's biographer John Fisher dates the first use of the term 'situation comedy' in British broadcasting to a BBC memo dated 31 March 1953 from radio comedy producer [[Peter Eton]], suggesting the format as the ideal vehicle for Hancock's comedic style.<ref>John Fisher ''Tony Hancock. The Definitive Biography'', London: HarperCollins, 2008, p. 138</ref> "Hancock's persona of the pompous loser out of his depth in an uncomprehending society still informs many programmes today", according to Phil Wickham.<ref>Phil Wickham [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/445368/ "Sitcom"], BFI screenonline</ref> The final BBC series of this show was broadcast under the shorter title ''Hancock''.<ref name="BCGHHH" /> In 1963, Hancock changed his writers and moved to ITV for a further 13-episode series also named ''Hancock''.<ref name="BCGHHH" /> The series, though relatively well received, has been described as "clearly not up to the standard of [Hancock's] BBC work".<ref name="BFIHHH">{{cite web
|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/482549/index.html
|title=Hancock's Half Hour (1956-60)
|last=Clark
|first=Anthony
|work=BFI Screenonline
|publisher=BFI Screenonline (courtesy of BBC)
|access-date=4 January 2022}}</ref>

===''Whack-O!''===
Starring [[Jimmy Edwards]] in the lead role as Professor James Edwards, ''[[Whack-O!]]'' written by [[Frank Muir]] and [[Denis Norden]], is about the drunken, gambling, devious, cane-swishing headmaster who tyrannised staff and children at the fictitious Chiselbury [[Independent school (United Kingdom)|public school]] "for the sons of Gentlefolk". From 1956 to 1960 and 1971–1972, it ran for 60 episodes over 8 series. The first six episodes were subtitled "Six of the Best", alluding to the frequent and traditional [[School corporal punishment|caning]] of disobedient pupils in the UK at the time. The series was revived in colour with updated scripts in 1971–72, slightly retitled ''Whacko!''. Other members of the cast included [[Arthur Howard]] (series 1–7),
[[Julian Orchard]] (series 8),
[[Kenneth Cope]],
[[Norman Bird]],
John Stirling,
[[Peter Glaze]],
[[Edwin Apps]] (series 1–7),
[[Peter Greene]] (series 8),
David Langford,
[[Keith Smith (actor)|Keith Smith]],
[[Brian Rawlinson]],
Gordon Phillot, Harold Bennett (series 8),
Frank Raymond,
[[Gary Warren (actor)|Gary Warren]] (series 8), and
Greg Smith (series 8). A feature film, ''[[Bottoms Up (1960 film)|Bottoms Up]]'', was made in 1960.

===''The Army Game''===
[[Peter Eton]]'s series of ''[[The Army Game]]'' (1957–1961) was probably British television's most successful sitcom of this period and ran for 154 episodes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2020 |title=ITV's First Sitcom - The Army Game |url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/thearmygame |access-date=29 March 2022 |website=British Classic Comedy |language=en-GB}}</ref> Many of its stars went on to become household names.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/thearmygame|title=ITV's First Sitcom - The Army Game|date=31 March 2020}}</ref> The original cast consisted of [[William Hartnell]], [[Michael Medwin]], [[Geoffrey Sumner]], [[Alfie Bass]], [[Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)|Charles Hawtrey]], [[Bernard Bresslaw]] and [[Norman Rossington]]. The cast of ''The Army Game'' would change over the years with actors such as [[Geoffrey Palmer (actor)|Geoffrey Palmer]], [[Bill Fraser]], [[Ted Lune]], [[Frank Williams (actor)|Frank Williams]], [[Harry Fowler]] and [[Dick Emery]] appearing in subsequent series. ''The Army Game'' follows the exploits of Hut 29, a fictional dysfunctional group of conscripted [[National service#United Kingdom|National Service]] soldiers during the post-war years.<ref>[http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/armygame.htm "The Army Game"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092240/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/armygame.htm |date=9 July 2009 }}, Television Heaven website</ref> Writers included creator [[Sid Colin]], [[Larry Stephens]], Maurice Wiltshire, Lew Schwarz, John Jowett, [[John Antrobus]], [[John Foley (author)|John Foley]], [[Marty Feldman]], [[Barry Took]], David Climie, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, Brad Ashton, [[John Junkin]], [[Talbot Rothwell]], Sidney Nelson, Stan Mars, Bob Perkins and Alan MacKinnon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ctva.biz/UK/Granada/ArmyGame.htm|title=CTVA UK - "The Army Game" (Granda/ITV)(1957-61)|website=ctva.biz}}</ref> At least three episodes are uncredited. In June 1959, a short ''The Army Game'' scene was performed by [[Michael Medwin]], Alfie Bass, Norman Rossington, Bill Fraser and Ted Lune at the [[Royal Variety Performance]] in front of [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/1959-manchester-palace|title=Performances :: 1959, Manchester Palace &#124; Royal Variety Charity|first=Royal Variety|last=Charity|website=www.royalvarietycharity.org}}</ref> This was the last Royal Variety Performance that was not televised. This successful series inspired a film spin-off, ''[[I Only Arsked!]]'' (1958), and in 1958, just a year after the series debuted, the first ''[[Carry On (franchise)|Carry On]]'' film, the very similar ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'', was released, also featuring Hawtrey, Rossington and Hartnell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/466460/index.html|title=Carry On Sergeant (1958)|work=BFI Screenonline}}</ref>