Kurt at 18:48, 18 March 2023

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox television
|image = Six Dates with Barker.jpg
| name = Six Dates with Barker
| caption = Six Dates With Barker
| runtime = 25 minutes
| starring = [[Ronnie Barker]] [[Christopher Timothy]] [[Valentine Dyall]] [[Lesley-Anne Down]] [[Michael Bates (actor)|Michael Bates]] [[Freddie Jones]] [[Michael Hordern]]
| country = United Kingdom
| network = ITV
| first_aired = {{start date|1971|1|8|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1971|2|12|df=y}}
| num_episodes = 6
}}
'''''Six Dates with Barker''''' is a series of six one-off, half-hour situation comedies showcasing the talents of [[Ronnie Barker]]. All were broadcast by [[London Weekend Television]] early in 1971.

Writers on the series included [[John Cleese]] and [[Spike Milligan]]. The producer was [[Humphrey Barclay]].

==Episode list==

#'''Show 1''' – '''1937: The Removals Person'''
#*Transmitted 8 January 1971
#*Barker plays Fred, a short sighted removals man who works whilst the owner of the house watches The Coronation. Also starring [[Joan Benham]], Gillian Fairchild, [[Nan Braunton]], [[Josephine Tewson]] and [[Christopher Timothy]]. Written by [[Hugh Leonard]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071115101159/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/686312 BFI.org]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502941/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 1937: The Removals Person (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref>
#'''Show 2''' – '''1899: The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town'''
#*Transmitted 15 January 1971
#*A mysterious figure who blows raspberries at people terrifies Victorian London. Also starring [[Alan Curtis (British actor)|Alan Curtis]], [[Moira Foot]], [[Larry Noble (actor)|Larry Noble]], Christine Ozanne and [[John Sharp (actor)|John Sharp]]. Written by Spike Milligan.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090129140441/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/686326 BFI.org]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502939/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 1899: The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref>
#'''Show 3''' – '''1970: The Odd Job'''
#*Transmitted 22 January 1971
#*When his wife leaves him, Barker hires a passing odd job man to kill him when he least expects it. When his wife returns he finds his previous request impossible to cancel. Also starring [[David Jason]], [[Joan Sims]], [[Derek Ware (actor)|Derek Ware]], [[Larry Martyn]] and [[George Waring (actor)|George Waring]]. Written by [[Bernard McKenna (writer)|Bernard McKenna]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090213170314/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/473375 BFI.org]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502942/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 1970: The Odd Job (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> This episode was videotaped in black and white owing to the 1971 ITV [[Colour Strike]].<ref>http://dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=674</ref> In 1978 this episode was remade as a [[The Odd Job|feature length film]] with [[Graham Chapman]] taking Barker's role and David Jason reprising his role as the odd job man.
#'''Show 4''' – '''1915: Lola'''
#*Transmitted 29 January 1971
#* A top female agent goes missing after the German Head of Espionage fails to monitor her properly. Also starring [[Graham Armitage]], [[Valentine Dyall]], [[Freddie Earlle]], [[Freddie Jones]], Dennis Ramsden, [[Peter Stephens (actor)|Peter Stephens]] and [[Hugh Walters (actor)|Hugh Walters]]. Written by Ken Hoare and Mike Sharland.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090205122827/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/686329 BFI.org]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502940/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 1915: Lola (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref>
#'''Show 5''' – '''1971: Come in and Lie Down'''
#*Transmitted 5 February 1971
#*Barker plays Dr Swanton, a psychiatrist who is visited by a patient ([[Michael Bates (actor)|Michael Bates]]), who is so terrified of being diagnosed with mental problems, he pretends to be a gasman. Written by John Cleese.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090213170254/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/685072 BFI.org]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502943/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 1971: Come in and Lie Down (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref>
#'''Show 6''' – '''2774 AD: All the World's a Stooge'''
#*Transmitted 12 February 1971
#*In the far future, comedy has become the religion of the world and there are dire consequences for those who do not join in. Also starring [[Lesley-Anne Down]], [[Joyce Grant]], Michael Hordern and [[Victor Maddern]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0502944/fullcredits|title="Six Dates with Barker" 2774 AD: All the World's a Stooge (TV Episode 1971) - IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> Based on an outline by Gerald Wiley (Barker's pseudonym) and Maurice Murphy.

==Spin-offs==
There were several spin-offs to come from this series.

* '''[[The Phantom Raspberry Blower]] of Old London Town''' was turned into a serial for the 1976 series of ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'', [[David Jason]] performed the required 'Raspberrys' blown by the Phantom (but did not appear on screen).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P-e6AwAAQBAJ&q=David+Jason+performed+the+required+%27Raspberrys%27+blown+by+the+Phantom&pg=PA232|title=David Jason: My Life|first=David|last=Jason|date=7 September 2014|publisher=Penguin Random House|isbn=9780099581161|via=Google Books}}</ref> Actor David Rowlands appeared as The Phantom in the penultimate instalment.
* '''The Odd Job Man''' became a 1978 film, retitled ''[[The Odd Job]]''. Extended from the original TV version to feature length. Though this time, original co-writer [[Graham Chapman]] took Barker's part, [[Diana Quick]] took the part of his wife, originally played by [[Joan Sims]]. [[David Jason]] as the hitman was the sole original cast member in this movie (though even his part was at first going to be played by [[Keith Moon]]).
* '''The Removals Persons''' was turned into Ronnie Barker's final TV series ''[[Clarence (British TV series)|Clarence]]'', seventeen years after the original was made. This time the series was written by Barker using the [[pseudonym]] Bob Ferris. This was the name of [[Rodney Bewes]]' character in [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[The Likely Lads]]'', and the name was in tribute to writers Clement and La Frenais. Josephine Tewson reprised her role as Barker's co-star.

==Archive status and DVD release==
Unlike many television programmes of the time, all six shows exist in the archives. They have been released by Network DVD, both as a single-disc individual release and together with ''[[Hark at Barker]]'' as ''The Ronnie Barker Collection''.<ref>[http://dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=674 Review of the Network DVD release]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/sixdateswithbark_66600290.shtml ''Six Dates With Barker''] at the [[bbc.co.uk]] Guide to Comedy
*Paul Lewis, 2008: [http://dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=674 Review of the Network DVD release of ''Six Dates With Barker'']. DVDCompare
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071115103841/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/21009 ''Six Dates With Barker''] at the [[British Film Institute]]
*{{IMDb title|id=0131185|title=Six Dates With Barker}}

[[Category:1971 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1971 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1970s British anthology television series]]
[[Category:ITV sitcoms]]
[[Category:London Weekend Television shows]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:1970s British comedy television series]]

Six Dates with Barker - Revision history

Kurt at 18:48, 18 March 2023

Kurt: 1 revision imported

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