TV SERIES

Open All Hours

7.9/10
TMDB61 votes
Original: 4 seasons

Open All Hours is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke, starring Ronnie Barker as penny-pinching corner-shopkeeper Albert Arkwright, and David Jason as his nephew and assistant Granville. The programme originated as a 1973 episode of Barker’s comedy anthology Seven of One, and later ran for 26 episodes; the first series broadcast on BBC2, the remaining three series broadcast on BBC1.

Genres:
Cast: , ,

More like this

THE STORY & THE PEOPLE

About Open All Hours

Open All Hours (1976) is a TV series in the comedy genres. The cast includes Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron.

Released
Original language
Seasons
4
Episodes
25
Status
Ended
Production countries
United Kingdom
Production companies
BBC
Creators
Roy Clarke

Open All Hours cast & characters

Audience reviews

7.9/10 from 61 TMDB votes. Ratings and reviews are supplied by TMDB. Reviews are attributed to their original authors.

CinemaSerf

TMDB member review

It took the BBC a couple of years after the end of "Porridge" to find another suitable sitcom for the considerable talents of Ronnie Barker, and so in 1976 they reunited him with producer Sydney Lotterby and "Last of the Summer Wine" creator Roy Clarke to portray "Arkwright", the stammering Yorkshire store keeper whose miserliness could give "Scrooge" a run for his money. He is enamoured of the well-endowed local…

Read moreShow less
It took the BBC a couple of years after the end of "Porridge" to find another suitable sitcom for the considerable talents of Ronnie Barker, and so in 1976 they reunited him with producer Sydney Lotterby and "Last of the Summer Wine" creator Roy Clarke to portray "Arkwright", the stammering Yorkshire store keeper whose miserliness could give "Scrooge" a run for his money. He is enamoured of the well-endowed local nurse "Gladys" (Lynda Baron) whilst trying to keep his live-in nephew/dogsbody "Granville" (a wonderfully skilful series of performances from David Jason) from succumbing to the evil - and extravagant - ways of the world. With a few additional contributions from Barbara Flynn as the lady who delivers the milk - and sends "Granville" into spasms of sexual apoplexy at the same time; the equally frugal Stephanie Cole ("Mrs. Feathestone") and Kathy Staff ("Mrs. Blewett") the tightly cast team play well off each other, with strong, amiable, characterisations that thrive off the back of the Northern (English) stereotypes upon which the stories are based. Nowadays, the humour falls a little bit foul of changed attitudes, but Clarke never wrote from any perspective other than one that ridicules sexism, racism and agism in a thought-provoking fashion, whist still allowing both Barker and Jason to do what they do best - elicit a laugh. This was must watch television for almost ten years, and is still great today.

Questions about Open All Hours

What is Open All Hours about?

Open All Hours is a British television sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke, starring Ronnie Barker as penny-pinching corner-shopkeeper Albert Arkwright, and David Jason as his nephew and assistant Granville. The programme originated as a 1973 episode of Barker’s comedy anthology Seven of One, and later ran for 26 episodes; the first series broadcast on BBC2, the remaining three series broadcast on BBC1.

Who stars in Open All Hours?

Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron. See the cast cards above for character names.

How can I watch Open All Hours online?

Use Watch series to open the external player, or expand Other ways to watch for alternative viewing information. Playback availability is controlled by the provider and can change. A catalogue listing does not confirm a playable stream.

Does Open All Hours have subtitles or dubbed audio?

Check the audio and subtitle controls inside the loaded player. Original language and production details describe the title; they do not confirm which tracks a provider offers.

Is Open All Hours free to watch?

Browsing title information on Movies New Online is free. External players may show advertisements. Check the player provider for its current availability and terms.