Wow! I can't believe it's 50 years since the first broadcast of Bless This House!!
The very first episode was The Generation Gap, written by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, who of course created the series. I can remember the first day of rehearsals, our Producer/Director William G Stewart, Sid, Diana, Robin Stewart and I were all very excited, we had a great script and were all full of hope that this wonderful idea of Sid as a family man would take off. As a cast we all got along brilliantly straight away, Sid and Diana were perfect as husband and wife, and Robin and I fitted into our roles as their children with ease. Sid created an atmosphere of warmth and friendship, not only to us the regular cast, but to all the actors who joined us, particularly Patsy Rowlands and Anthony Jackson who appeared in endless episodes as our neighbours Betty and Trevor. I still have the reviews from several national newspapers after the first episode was broadcast, they were very mixed, some even saying it wouldn't last. How wrong they were, it lasted for 6 years and would have continued longer had our wonderful Sid not passed away.
This past year 2020 of course brought the world the devastating Coronovairus, so many of us confined to our homes trying our best to keep safe and well. So it was not only a surprise but also a delight to see that ITV3 and Forces TV decided to repeat the entire series of Bless This House throughout the Lockdowns. My friends and neighbours have expressed how great it has been to be reminded of Sid and the family after all these years. As for me it has been a mixture of happiness and sadness to watch various episodes, sad because all the cast except myself have now passed away, but happy because the memories of our togetherness will always be ones of joy.
I wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy 2021.
With my love and best wishes, Sally x x
I would like to send my condolences to his family and friends.
A couple of obituaries can be read by clicking the links below :
I was fortunate enough to meet Robin (along with Sally Geeson) on a couple of occasions in 2014. Robin greeted me like I was an old friend and we had a great time together talking about Bless This House. He was so pleased that the series was still fondly remembered by so many people after all these years. Robin was also extremely complimentary about my Bless This House website and it really means a lot to me that he loved it so much.
My condolences go to his wife Bertie and his family and friends.
"In this publication, Robin Stewart recalls the years in which he played the role of Sidney James’ son, Mike Abbott, in the Seventies’ Thames TV sitcom, Bless this House. As well as providing a fascinating and affectionate tribute to his days in the much-loved domestic comedy, Robin also offers an insight into other parts of his life and career. In short, Being Mike Abbott is a light-hearted read which will appeal to fans of the actor and the series that made him famous."
Sally Geeson and Robin Stewart attended the Kaleidoscope Archive Salute to Thames Television event on the 1st of March at Stourbridge
Kaleidoscopes' Tony Currie interviewed Sally and Robin for around an hour where they recalled their memories of working on Bless This House and also other aspects of their careers. Kaleidoscope filmed some parts of the interview, I hope in the near future to upload the videos to this website
Afterwards I had the pleasure of meeting Sally and Robin for a chat, they were absolutely charming and I am very grateful for their time and also the kind words they said about my Bless This House website.
Sidney Abbott is played with all the brilliant comic talent you would expect from Sid James. He is a sales representative for a local stationary company and is very successful at his job. Outside of work, he likes to relax (or try to!) at home smoking his pipe listening to his favourite classical piece of music, at weekends he would sometimes go fishing with his next-door neighbour who is also his best mate Trevor (played by Anthony Jackson). Sid's most popular activity is going to his local boozer The Hare and Hounds with Trevor to sink a few pints and discuss the burning issues of the day eg. would Chelsea win the cup this year, or the length (or lack of it) of the barmaid's skirt! The main cause of frustration in Sid's life is trying to understand his children. The generation gap seems to him to be not so much a gap as (perhaps he might say) a great big bloody hole! He holds very traditional views on many things especially sex, and while he encourages his son Mike to enjoy himself (as quoted on the show Here a bit, there a bit, everywhere a bit bit!) he is very protective about his daughter Sally whom he still thinks of as his little girl.
Jean Abbott, played by Diana Coupland, is a devoted wife and mother, she is the 'real' head of the house, but dont tell Sid! She seems to understand her children more than Sid ever could, usually seeing their side of any argument. Her best friend is next-door neighbour Betty (played by Patsy Rowlands) who is married to Trevor. Sid is not too keen on her as she always seems to be coming round to borrow things which usually is food!
Mike Abbott, played by Robin Stewart, is the oldest of the two children and the most gifted but Sid would disagree with you on that one! He is unemployed but occasionally sells pieces of art which he has made. Art is his passion and he is always working on his next masterpiece which unfortunately for Sid usually means a lot of banging and clattering from the garage which never seems to have the space for the car! Sid also struggles to hold a decent conversation with his son as he uses phrases such as Dig it and I'm gonna split which sounds very painful!
Sally Abbott, played by Sally Geeson, is the youngest member of the family but she is rapidly growing up. Her attitude to sex leaves her father in turmoil, and she seems to go through boyfriends like there is no tomorrow. Mike and her have very strong opinions and they often go on various demonstrations together in support of the latest cause, this usually ends up with them in trouble with the police which means a trip to the station for Sid!
As with any successful sitcom of the 1970's there was a good chance that a spin-off feature film would be made and Bless This House was no exception. Made in 1972 by Rank, the screenplay was written by Dave Freeman who had also penned scripts for the TV series, producer was Peter Rogers and director was Gerald Thomas who of course had both worked on the immensely successful Carry On films. The film retained most of the regular cast from the TV series with the exceptions of Robin Stewart as Mike who was replaced by Robin Askwith, and Anthony Jackson as next-door neighbour Trevor who was replaced by carry on stalwart Peter Butterworth. There was a good supporting cast of many familiar faces from the British comedy scene of the time including Terry Scott and June Whitfield as the new next-door neighbours Mr & Mrs Baines, George A Cooper as the propietor of a local cafe and Bill Maynard as the owner of an antiques market.
Bless This House was constantly in the Top 10 of the UK TV ratings and many regard the series as Sid James' finest hour. The series is gaining new fans all the time via DVD releases by Network Video in the UK and various releases in Australia. The feature film is also repeated regularly on UK television.
I hope you enjoy your visit to the site and like what I have produced, please feel free to contact me about the show or the site using the email icon below, your feedback is very much appreciated.
Thank you for getting in touch regarding Bless This House.
It was such a very happy time of my life.We almost felt like a true family having worked together for so long.Sid once said to me "It's such fun and so successful,we'll still be working on Bless This House 'till one of us kick's the bucket". How right he was. Dear Sid - irreplacable!
Bill (William G) kept us all in order and besides being an excellent producer and director,he did all the comedy 'warm ups' for the show,very good too.I was delighted when he started presenting '15 to 1' because I think he secretly always wanted to be on our side of the camera.
I was chosen for Bless This House after doing one episode of Please Sir! (the only comedy I had done thus far).Luckily Bill saw it and cast me as Jean Abbott.Of course,I had a great deal to learn about comedy - timing etc. but luckily Sid was a master and a great example to learn from.
I love knowing that people are still interested in Bless This House after so many years.I also love it when strangers say "hello" and talk about how they'd enjoyed it-it's like having so many friends.
Kindest regards,
Diana Coupland
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In the 1970's I auditioned for the role of Sally Abbott in Thames Television's production of "Bless This House".I was introduced to Sid,who was quiet and charming,we got on really well and I was lucky enough to get the part.
Having recently discovered your "Bless This House" website I am now delighted to be able to view so many happy memories.You really have done an excellent job in collecting and presenting such a variety of photographs,video clips and messages.
My years at Thames working with Sid,Diana and Robin were extremely happy.Every week we started rehearsing a new episode with guest actors joining us.Being a situation comedy there was always a light hearted and fun atmosphere.Each Saturday we would have a technical rehearsal for the camera crew,they would often laugh as the episode unfolded.We as a cast would take heart from their reaction and often comment "looks as though we might have a winner this week".Sunday was the recording day and an audience of several hundred would pack into the studio seats.The director would always introduce us,but it was when Sid appeared that the applause and cheers for this great artist was simply deafening!They absolutely loved him.It was the same when we were on location filming outdoor scenes,shopkeepers and neighbours would fill the street hoping to catch a glimpse of Sid and his television family.
This letter may sound like a tribute to Sid,well why not,as Diana and Robin agreed - without Sid in the starring role it would never have been the big hit it was.Sid was irreplaceable,and after his sad death no other actor could have taken his place.
Such happy years and thanks to you Richard there is now a lovely record of it all.
With many thanks,
Sally Geeson
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I have only once had the opportunity to say thank you for all your hard work and loyalty to Bless This House and wonderful support towards us all.
Meeting you at Stourbridge was just such a great experience to finally meet the man who has kept us all in the public eye. Doing a series like Bless This House with such an amazing cast and regular guests was a highlight in my life and never will be forgotten, with William G Stewart at the helm and Sid leading the way it was just such a unique experience for Diana, Sally and myself. We laughed and cried together and for six glorious years we were the perfect television family.
Without you my dear Richard, we would be on the comedy scrap heap, you have kept the joy and the dream we all enjoyed alive and in the public eye, for this I am eternally grateful and saying thank you so very much seems such a small token of respect for all you have done and continue to do.
Bless you my friend and thank you once again.
With the greatest of respect,
Robin Stewart
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Thank you for your introduction to the Bless This House website you have set up.It is always satisfying to know that there are people who liked the series enough and remember it all these years later.
I have very happy memories of Bless This House.It began in 1970 with the late and much-missed Philip Jones,Head of Light Entertainment at Thames Television,inviting me to be the producer/director of "a new series for Sid James",and continued until Sid's untimely death in 1976.Unusually for situation comedy series in those days,I was the only producer/director on the series.
I had first come across Sid at the BBC in the early 1960s.As a stagehand I had worked in the Hancock studio when Sid was still Tony's sidekick,and we had talked a few times.From the beginning we got on well.We discussed all aspects of the series - casting,scripts and filming.
We had several script writers,including Vince Powell and Harry Driver,Dave Freeman and Carla Lane.If you watch the episodes carefully you can see their different styles.I became firm friends with Sid and his family (his wife Val and their children Susie and Steven) and visited his home in Buckinghamshire.And I remember him with affection.
Best wishes,
William G. Stewart
