Hark at Barker - Revision history

Kurt: /* Archive status and DVD release */

2023-02-15T17:07:14Z

Archive status and DVD release

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:07, 15 February 2023
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	==Archive status and DVD release==		==Archive status and DVD release==
	All episodes exist on their original 2 inch [[Quadruplex videotape\|Quad]] b&w and [[PAL]] colour videotapes bar "Rustless on Law" from series 2, which only exists as a 16 mm b/w [[telerecording]]. The series was released on Region 2 [[DVD]] in 2008 by Network DVD, and are also included in ''The Ronnie Barker Collection'' along with ''[[Six Dates ~~With~~ Barker]]'' .		All episodes exist on their original 2 inch [[Quadruplex videotape\|Quad]] b&w and [[PAL]] colour videotapes bar "Rustless on Law" from series 2, which only exists as a 16 mm b/w [[telerecording]]. The series was released on Region 2 [[DVD]] in 2008 by Network DVD, and are also included in ''The Ronnie Barker Collection'' along with ''[[Six Dates with Barker]]'' .

	==External links==		==External links==

Kurt: /* Writers */

2023-02-15T17:06:16Z

Writers

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:06, 15 February 2023
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	==Writers==		==Writers==
	The Chrome Hall sequences were written by Peter Cauldfield (a [[pseudonym]] of [[Alan Ayckbourn]]). Writers on the sketches included Gerald Wiley (Barker), [[Eric Idle]], and the team of [[Graeme Garden]] and [[Bill Oddie]] (some of their sketches reprised material from ''[[I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again]]'', and another was a forerunner of ''[[The Goodies]]'' episode "Bunfight at the OK Tea Room").		The Chrome Hall sequences were written by Peter Cauldfield (a [[pseudonym]] of [[Alan Ayckbourn]]). Writers on the sketches included Gerald Wiley (Barker), [[Eric Idle]], and the team of [[Graeme Garden]] and [[Bill Oddie]] (some of their sketches reprised material from ''[[I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again]]'', and another was a forerunner of ''[[The Goodies]]'' episode "Bunfight at the OK Tea Room").

	==Regular cast==		==Regular cast==

Kurt at 17:04, 15 February 2023

2023-02-15T17:04:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:04, 15 February 2023
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	Each show began with a spoof news item read by Barker as the announcer. He would then introduce the main part of the programme, a lecture to be given by Lord Rustless (also Barker) on a different topic each week from his [[stately home]], Chrome Hall. Helped and hindered by Rustless' secretary (Mildred) Bates, his Butler Badger, his bad-tempered Cook, his incoherent gardener Dithers and (in Series 2) his buxom, near-mute maid Effie, these lectures invariably degenerated into farce, and were frequently interrupted by comic sketches on location or in the studio which also starred Barker in differing roles.		Each show began with a spoof news item read by Barker as the announcer. He would then introduce the main part of the programme, a lecture to be given by Lord Rustless (also Barker) on a different topic each week from his [[stately home]], Chrome Hall. Helped and hindered by Rustless' secretary (Mildred) Bates, his Butler Badger, his bad-tempered Cook, his incoherent gardener Dithers and (in Series 2) his buxom, near-mute maid Effie, these lectures invariably degenerated into farce, and were frequently interrupted by comic sketches on location or in the studio which also starred Barker in differing roles.

	Barker reprised the role of Lord Rustless in the [[BBC]] series ''[[His Lordship Entertains]]'', and played very similar characters in ''[[~~Futtock's~~ End]]'' and the ''[[The Two Ronnies\|Two Ronnies]]'' specials ''The Picnic'' and ''By the Sea''.		Barker reprised the role of Lord Rustless in the [[BBC]] series ''[[His Lordship Entertains]]'', and played very similar characters in ''[[Futtocks End]]'' and the ''[[The Two Ronnies\|Two Ronnies]]'' specials ''The Picnic'' and ''By the Sea''.

	==Writers==		==Writers==

Kurt at 17:03, 15 February 2023

2023-02-15T17:03:46Z

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	~~{{Short description\|British comedy television series}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2014}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=May 2014}}~~
	{{Infobox television		{{Infobox television
	\| image = Hark at Barker.jpg		\| image = Hark at Barker.jpg

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-10-24T15:39:36Z

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← Older revision	Revision as of 10:39, 24 October 2022
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en>PrimeBOT: /* top */Task 30: removal of infobox parameter following a discussion

2022-06-18T15:59:15Z

top: Task 30: removal of infobox parameter following a discussion

New page

{{Short description|British comedy television series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Hark at Barker.jpg
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = [[Comedy]]
| creator = [[Alun Owen]]
| developer =
| writer = {{plainlist|
* Gerald Wiley (Ronnie Barker)
* Peter Cauldfield ([[Alan Ayckbourn]])
* [[Eric Idle]]
* [[Graeme Garden]] and [[Bill Oddie]]
}}
| director =
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = [[Ronnie Barker]]<br />[[Josephine Tewson]]<br />[[David Jason]]<br />[[Frank Gatliff]]
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer = John Gregory
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 15
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer = [[Humphrey Barclay]]
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 25 minutes
| company = [[London Weekend Television]]
| distributor =
| channel = [[ITV Network|ITV]]
| picture_format =
| audio_format =
| first_aired = {{start date|1969|4|11|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1970|8|21|df=y}}
| related = ''[[Six Dates with Barker]]''
}}
'''''Hark at Barker''''' is a 1969 British comedy series combining elements of [[sitcom]] and [[Sketch comedy|sketch show]], which starred [[Ronnie Barker]]. It was made for the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network by [[London Weekend Television]].

Each show began with a spoof news item read by Barker as the announcer. He would then introduce the main part of the programme, a lecture to be given by Lord Rustless (also Barker) on a different topic each week from his [[stately home]], Chrome Hall. Helped and hindered by Rustless' secretary (Mildred) Bates, his Butler Badger, his bad-tempered Cook, his incoherent gardener Dithers and (in Series 2) his buxom, near-mute maid Effie, these lectures invariably degenerated into farce, and were frequently interrupted by comic sketches on location or in the studio which also starred Barker in differing roles.

Barker reprised the role of Lord Rustless in the [[BBC]] series ''[[His Lordship Entertains]]'', and played very similar characters in ''[[Futtock's End]]'' and the ''[[The Two Ronnies|Two Ronnies]]'' specials ''The Picnic'' and ''By the Sea''.

==Writers==
The Chrome Hall sequences were written by Peter Cauldfield (a [[pseudonym]] of [[Alan Ayckbourn]]). Writers on the sketches included Gerald Wiley (Barker), [[Eric Idle]], and the team of [[Graeme Garden]] and [[Bill Oddie]] (some of their sketches reprised material from ''[[I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again]]'', and another was a forerunner of ''[[The Goodies]]'' episode "Bunfight at the OK Tea Room").

==Regular cast==
* Ronnie Barker - Announcer / Lord Rustless / Various sketch characters
* [[David Jason]] - Dithers / Various sketch characters
* [[Frank Gatliff]] - Badger
* [[Josephine Tewson]] - Mildred Bates
* Mary Baxter - Cook
* [[Moira Foot]] - Effie the maid (series 2 only)
* Other sketch performers included [[Pauline Yates]], [[Michael Palin]], [[Jo Kendall]] and [[Ronnie Corbett]].

==Episode guide==
Series 1 (11 April 1969 – 30 May 1969) - ''Produced in black and white''

*1. "Meet Lord Rustless" 11 April 1969
*2. "Rustless And Women" 18 April 1969
*3. "Rustless In Pigtails" 25 April 1969
*4. "Rustless And A Banquet" 2 May 1969
*5. "Rustless And Murder" 9 May 1969
*6. "Rustless And Foreigners" 16 May 1969
*7. "Rustless And The Solar System" 23 May 1969
*8. "Rustless And Relics" 30 May 1969

Series 2 (10 July 1970 – 21 August 1970) - ''Produced in colour''

*1. "Rustless On Music" 10 July 1970
*2. "Rustless On Law" 17 July 1970
*3. "Rustless On Communications" 24 July 1970
*4. "Rustless On Cooking" 31 July 1970
*5. "Rustless On Medicine" 7 August 1970
*6. "Rustless On Do-It-Yourself" 14 August 1970
*7. "Rustless On Sport" 21 August 1970

''All Star Comedy Carnival Christmas Special'' (25 December 1970) - ''Produced in black and white'' due to the [[Colour Strike|ITV Colour Strike]]

==Archive status and DVD release==
All episodes exist on their original 2 inch [[Quadruplex videotape|Quad]] b&w and [[PAL]] colour videotapes bar "Rustless on Law" from series 2, which only exists as a 16 mm b/w [[telerecording]]. The series was released on Region 2 [[DVD]] in 2008 by Network DVD, and are also included in ''The Ronnie Barker Collection'' along with ''[[Six Dates With Barker]]'' .

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0131168|title=Hark at Barker}}
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/h/harkatbarker_66600280.shtml Comedy Guide - ''Hark At Barker''] at [[bbc.co.uk]]
*[http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/hark/list.html Hark at Barker episode guide]
*[http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=2a92ef69-2976-42c8-9251-5830de62ada0 Lost Shows on Hark at Barker]
*Paul Lewis, 2008: [http://dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=674 Review of the Network DVD release of ''Hark at Barker'']. DVDCompare

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hark At Barker}}
[[Category:ITV sitcoms]]
[[Category:1969 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1970 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1960s British television sketch shows]]
[[Category:1970s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:Television series by ITV Studios]]
[[Category:London Weekend Television shows]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]