YOU RANG, M'LORD ?

You Rang, M'Lord ? has proved a firm favourite with Perry & Croft fans over the years, and it's popularity remains undimmed some 21 years after the pilot episode in 1988 which saw failed music hall act Alf Stokes (Paul Shane) arrive at the house of Lord George Meldrum (Donald Hewlett) in London looking for work as a butler. He meets up with his old adversary James Twelvetrees (Jeffrey Holland) who is footman, and also the Honourable Teddy Meldrum (Michael Knowles) whose life they both saved during World War I. Alf's daughter Ivy (Su Pollard) arrives to take up a position as maid to the house and the scene is set for 26 episodes of mayhem, intrigue and scandal both above and below stairs at 12 Palmerston Grove.

Added to the mayhem are his Lordship's daughters, tom boy and budding socialist Cissy (Catherine Rabett) and spoilt saucy flapper Poppy (Susie Brann). Parrot loving Lady Lavender (Mavis Pugh) completes the roster of residents upstairs, whilst downstairs hot tempered cook Mrs. Lipton (Brenda Cowling), sarcastic bootboy Henry (Perry Benson) and impoverished char Mabel (Barbara New) handle the domestic chores. Scrounging local bobby Constable Wilson (Bill Pertwee) is also to be seen regularly in the kitchen, hoping for a bit of "Mrs. Lipton's most excellent cherry cake".

Other faces visiting Palmerston Grove from time to time include Charles the Bishop (Frank Williams), bullish Sir Ralph Shawcross (John Horsley) and his wayward wife Lady Agatha (Angela Scoular). Mr. Teddy frequently has to fight off the advances of his fiance Madge Cartwright (Yvonne Marsh), whilst secretly courting her maid Rose (Amanda Bellamy) with her "shiny scrubbed face and smelling of carbolic soap."

The show has proved popular around the world and on this page you can hear the original closing theme as written by Jimmy Perry and Roy Moore, and performed by the late Bob Monkhouse with Paul Shane.

Whilst Hi-de-Hi! might be it's flashier cousin, You Rang, M'Lord ? remains for many the finest example of Perry and Croft's work, with it's emphasis on class struggle and reflection on life as it would have been lived for many in 1927. Authentically researched, and beautifully performed, this programme is without doubt the last and greatest of the Perry and Croft catalogue of comedies.

A full account of the making of the series can be found in The Hi-de-Hi Companion available from the Web Store.

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