Never thought that would ever see the light of day....
Looks like the BBC has got round to releasing this Sid James sit-com on the 06 February 2012 at �13 if pre-ordered
Play.com - Buy Citizen James (2 Discs) online at Play.com and read reviews. Free delivery to UK and Europe!
Never thought that would ever see the light of day....
I thought this was only recently rediscovered? Or has it been doing the rounds for a while?
There's been a set of season one 'in collectors' circles' for a while. I saw an episode at the NFT a few years ago as part of a G and S event and they did comment on how it wasn't anywhere near as good as Hancock or Steptoe (it just doesn't have the same clash of personalities). I don't think it's ever been lost but we know how reluctant the Beeb are to let anything out of their archives.![]()
Indeed, you're right about the BBC archives. So it's no Hancock, then.
Indeed not - it got quite a lukewarm reception at the time. I've seen a few and have to say that I have struggled with them, despite a cast which should make them seriously viewable...
Smudge
Cheers guys, doesn't sound like I should be adding this to any shopping cart then.
I wish the surviving episodes of MEET THE WIFE would be released officially. This is one of my favourite series of all time.
Hi,
If my memory serves me correctly, it could have been perceived by audiences that HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR split in two. We continued to see Tony in HANCOCK but without Sid James. We continued to see Sid in CITIZEN JAMES which revived the Bill Kerr character from the radio version of HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR, but without Tony Hancock. I might be wrong, but I think that CITIZEN JAMES continued, eventually, with Sid Colin and Dick Hills as scriptwriters.
As far as comedy is concerned, surely it is a case of Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and one man's meat, is another man's poison? It was made in the early 1960's, and therefore may not come accross so well, to modern audiences. But it did survive more than one season. So it must have had something.
I rest my case for the day.
Alan French.
Anyone know the location in the opening credits?
Somewhere in Soho I guess, there are clues. A firm called Chandler & Co., A cantonese restaurant and a Watneys pub on the corner with some eye catching gargoyles.
I really liked this series, true, it's no Hancock's Half Hour but Sid and Sydney tafler make a good team. The Crusty Bread and The Waiter Race are my favourites. Once again it's sad that so many episodes were wiped.
citizen james 2.jpgThis is the pub where the opening credits are filmed. It's on the corner of Great Pulteney Street and Beak Street, Soho. What I thought was a chinese restaurant is actually the name of the pub.
I'll try and do a screengrab from the dvd but I seem to struggle with them.![]()
Here are a few from the opening titles. The best I could do I'm afraid.
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A still from one of the lost episodes of Citizen James.
citizen james.jpg