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{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
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| image                = Citizen James DVD.jpg
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| alt_name            =  
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| genre                = [[w:Comedy|Comedy]]
| genre                = [[Comedy|Comedy]]
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| channel              = [[w:BBC One|BBC TV]]
| channel              = [[BBC One|BBC TV]]
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'''''Citizen James''''' is a [[w:BBC|BBC]] [[w:sitcom|sitcom]] that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 23 November 1962. The show featured comedian and actor [[Sid James]] and [[Sydney Tafler]] with [[Bill Kerr]] and [[Liz Fraser]] appearing in early episodes. It was initially written by the [[w:comedy|comedy]] writing team of [[Galton and Simpson]], who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.
'''''Citizen James''''' is a [[BBC|BBC]] [[sitcom|sitcom]] that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 23 November 1962. The show featured comedian and actor [[Sid James]] and [[Sydney Tafler]] with [[Bill Kerr]] and [[Liz Fraser]] appearing in early episodes. It was initially written by the [[comedy|comedy]] writing team of [[Galton and Simpson]], who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.
   
   
The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in [[w:Soho|Soho]], and centred on Sid's [[w:get-rich-quick scheme|get-rich-quick scheme]]s. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local [[w:bookmaker|bookmaker]] Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.
The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in [[Soho|Soho]], and centred on Sid's [[get-rich-quick scheme|get-rich-quick scheme]]s. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local [[bookmaker|bookmaker]] Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.


Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.  
Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.  
Line 64: Line 62:


==Episodes==
==Episodes==
Like many BBC series of this time, episodes were not necessarily retained (see [[w:Wiping|Wiping]]). Only eleven episodes from the three series are known to still exist.
Like many BBC series of this time, episodes were not necessarily retained (see [[Wiping|Wiping]]). Only eleven episodes from the three series are known to still exist.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Episodes
|+ Episodes
|-
|-
! Episode  
! Episode  
!style="width: 150px;"| Broadcast  
!style="width: 160px;"| Broadcast  
!style="width: 200px;"| Title  
!style="width: 200px;"| Title  
!style="width: 400px;"| Synopsis
!style="width: 390px;"| Synopsis
|-
|-
!colspan=4| Series 1  
!colspan=4 style="text-align:left; height:4em;" | Series 1
|-
|-
! scope=row | 1
|style="text-align:center"| 1
||
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br />{{Date|1960-11-24}}
|| The Race  
|| The Race  
|| Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
|| Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 2  
|style="text-align:center"| 2  
||  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-01}}
|| The Elixir
|| The Elixir
|| Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
|| Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 3  
|style="text-align:center"| 3  
||  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-08}}
|| The Raffle
|| Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 4
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-15}}
|| The Money
|| The Money
|| Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
|| Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 4
|style="text-align:center"| 5
||  
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-22}}
|| The Brand Image
|| Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Thursday}}<br /> {{Date|1960-12-29}}
|| The Rivals
|| The Rivals
|| Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
|| Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 5  
!colspan=4 style="text-align:left; height:4em;" | Series 2
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-02}}
|| The Lamp
|| Sid and Charlie find themselves in a new set of awkward circumstances. It's probably their own fault.
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 2
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-09}}
|| Crusty Bread
|| Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 3
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-16}}
|| Episode Three
||
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 4
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-23}}
|| Episode Four
||
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 5
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-10-30}}
|| Episode Five
||
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 6
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-06}}
|| Episode Six
||  
||  
|| The Raffle
|| Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 6
|style="text-align:center"| 7
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-13}}
|| Episode Seven
||  
||  
|| The Brand Image
|| Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
|-
|-
!colspan=4| Series 2
|style="text-align:center"| 8
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-20}}
|| Episode Eight
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 2
|style="text-align:center"| 9
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-11-27}}
|| Episode Nine
||  
||  
|| Crusty Bread
|| Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
|-
|-
! scope=row | 11
|style="text-align:center"| 10
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-04}}
|| Episode Ten
||  
||  
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 11
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-11}}
|| Teenagers
|| Teenagers
|| Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
|| Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
|-
|-
!colspan=4| Series 3
|style="text-align:center"| 12
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Monday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-18}}
|| Episode Twelve
||
|-
|style="text-align:center"| 13
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Sunday}}<br /> {{Date|1961-12-25}}
|| Episode Thirteen
||
|-
!colspan=4 style="text-align:left; height:4em;" | Series 3
|-
|-
! scope=row | 1
|style="text-align:center"| 1
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-08-31}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-08-31}}
|| The Hospital<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Hospital<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 2
|style="text-align:center"| 2
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-09-07}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-09-07}}
|| The Play's The Thing<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Play's The Thing<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 3
|style="text-align:center"| 3
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-09-14}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-09-14}}
|| The Tennis Ball<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Tennis Ball<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 4  
|style="text-align:center"| 4  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-09-21}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-09-21}}
|| It's Not Cricket<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| It's Not Cricket<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 5  
|style="text-align:center"| 5  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-09-28}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-09-28}}
|| The Reporter<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Reporter<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 6  
|style="text-align:center"| 6  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-10-05}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-10-05}}
|| The Day Out  
|| The Day Out  
||  
|| Sid and Charlie head to Whitsea for the day for a bit of sea air, but are soon caught out on a very busy beach.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 7  
|style="text-align:center"| 7  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-10-12}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-10-12}}
|| The Transistor<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Transistor<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 8  
|style="text-align:center"| 8  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-10-19}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-10-19}}
|| The Old People's Outing<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Old People's Outing<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 9  
|style="text-align:center"| 9  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-10-26}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-10-26}}
|| A Perfect Friendship?<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| A Perfect Friendship?<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 10  
|style="text-align:center"| 10  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-11-02}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-11-02}}
|| The Watchdog
|| The Watchdog
|| Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands.
|| Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands, so Sid buys a dog.
|-
|-
! scope=row | 11  
|style="text-align:center"| 11  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-11-09}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-11-09}}
|| The Librarian<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Librarian<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 12  
|style="text-align:center"| 12  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-11-16}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-11-16}}
|| The Tube Station<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
|| The Tube Station<br />{{Small|(missing)}}
||  
||  
|-
|-
! scope=row | 13  
|style="text-align:center"| 13  
|style=text-align:right| {{Date|1962-11-23}}
|style="text-align:right"| {{Small|Friday}}<br />{{Date|1962-11-23}}
|| The Jury
|| The Jury
|| The boys are on jury duty, Sid is hoping for major case.
|| The boys are on jury duty, Sid is hoping for major case, but gets a drink-driving case. However that doesn't stop him investigating.
|}
|}


==DVD==
==DVD==
The then-surviving episodes, comprising the complete Series One, and two episodes each from Series Two and Series Three, were released as a collection by [[w:Acorn Media UK|Acorn Media UK]] in February 2012. A further episode, the sixth episode of series three, was subsequently found in a store room of Monaco Television, by [[w:Philip Morris (archivist)|Philip Morris]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BFI announces Morecambe & Wise and Sid James recoveries |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/5086/missing_believed_wiped_2018/ |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=5 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Steve |title=Found in Sierra Leone... the lost Morecambe and Wise : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/11/05/41616/found_in_sierra_leone..._the_lost_morecambe_and_wise |website=www.chortle.co.uk |access-date=28 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=MISSING BELIEVED WIPED 25TH BIRTHDAY BONANZA FEATURING NEW DOCTOR WHO ANIMATED MINI-EPISODE  MORECAMBE AND WISE, CITIZEN JAMES, BASIL BRUSH, VINCE HILL, THE KINKS |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-press-release-missing-believed-wiped-25th-birthday-bonanza-2018-11-05-v1.pdf |publisher=[[w:BFI National Archive|BFI National Archive]] |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref>
The then-surviving episodes, comprising the complete Series One, and two episodes each from Series Two and Series Three, were released as a collection by [[Acorn Media UK|Acorn Media UK]] in February 2012. A further episode, the sixth episode of series three, was subsequently found in a store room of Monaco Television, by [[Philip Morris (archivist)|Philip Morris]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BFI announces Morecambe & Wise and Sid James recoveries |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/5086/missing_believed_wiped_2018/ |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=28 December 2020 |date=5 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Steve |title=Found in Sierra Leone... the lost Morecambe and Wise : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/11/05/41616/found_in_sierra_leone..._the_lost_morecambe_and_wise |website=www.chortle.co.uk |access-date=28 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=MISSING BELIEVED WIPED 25TH BIRTHDAY BONANZA FEATURING NEW DOCTOR WHO ANIMATED MINI-EPISODE  MORECAMBE AND WISE, CITIZEN JAMES, BASIL BRUSH, VINCE HILL, THE KINKS |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-press-release-missing-believed-wiped-25th-birthday-bonanza-2018-11-05-v1.pdf |publisher=[[BFI National Archive|BFI National Archive]] |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 193: Line 246:
==External links==
==External links==
*{{BBC programme}}
*{{BBC programme}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050407221444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/citizenjames_7771430.shtml ''Citizen James''] at the [[w:BBC Online|BBC Online]] Comedy Guide
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050407221444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/citizenjames_7771430.shtml ''Citizen James''] at the [[BBC Online|BBC Online]] Comedy Guide
*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|citizen_james}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|citizen_james}}
*{{IMDb title|0053492}}
*{{IMDb title|0053492}}

Latest revision as of 13:22, 11 March 2023

Citizen James
Citizen James DVD.jpg
GenreComedy
StarringSid James
Sydney Tafler
Alec Bregonzi
Bill Kerr
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes32 (21 missing)
Original release
NetworkBBC TV
Release24 November 1960 (1960-11-24) –
23 November 1962 (1962-11-23)

Citizen James is a BBC sitcom that ran for three series between 24 November 1960 and 23 November 1962. The show featured comedian and actor Sid James and Sydney Tafler with Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser appearing in early episodes. It was initially written by the comedy writing team of Galton and Simpson, who based the characters very much on the "Sidney Balmoral James" and "Bill Kerr, the dim-witted Australian" roles that they had played in Hancock's Half Hour.

The first series was set around 'Charlie's Nosh Bar', a cafe in Soho, and centred on Sid's get-rich-quick schemes. He is helped by "Billy the Kerr" and quite often frustrated by the local bookmaker Albert Welshman (Tafler). Liz Fraser played Sid's long-suffering girlfriend who has been waiting for seven years for Sid to set the date.

Changes were made to the format after the first series. Sid James' character was changed to be something of a people's champion, campaigning for social justice. Bill Kerr and Liz Fraser departed and Sidney Tafler played a different character: Charlie Davenport. The location switched from Soho to Sid and Charlie sharing a house.

Later episodes were written by then Morecambe and Wise writers Sid Green and Dick Hills.[1]

Despite not being written by Galton and Simpson, the sets and familiar supporting cast gave these last two series a recognisable Hancock feeling to the proceedings.

Episodes

Like many BBC series of this time, episodes were not necessarily retained (see Wiping). Only eleven episodes from the three series are known to still exist.

Episodes
Episode Broadcast Title Synopsis
Series 1
1 Thursday
24 November 1960 		The Race Out of money, Sid hits on an idea to fix a "waiter's race" by use of a ringer.
2 Thursday
1 December 1960 		The Elixir Sid and Bill try their hand in the snake-oil business, selling "Dr." Sidney James's Magical Elixir.
3 Thursday
8 December 1960 		The Raffle Sid and Bill have to organise a raffle to replace the 'Nosh Bar' Christmas money which went on Sid's gambling debts.
4 Thursday
15 December 1960 		The Money Liz entrusts £300 to Sid to take to the Bank, but Sid and Bill soon find themselves parted from the money by Albert.
5 Thursday
22 December 1960 		The Brand Image Sid and Bill try their hand at selling cigarettes but need an actor to help launch their new brand.
6 Thursday
29 December 1960 		The Rivals Albert has a wager with Sid that he can get a date with Sid's fiancée. And at 10-1, Sid can't resist the odds.
Series 2
1 Monday
2 October 1961 		The Lamp Sid and Charlie find themselves in a new set of awkward circumstances. It's probably their own fault.
2 Monday
9 October 1961 		Crusty Bread Sid and Charlie set out to find why the old style crusty bread loaves have disappeared. Why aren't they baked any more if people still want them?
3 Monday
16 October 1961 		Episode Three
4 Monday
23 October 1961 		Episode Four
5 Monday
30 October 1961 		Episode Five
6 Monday
6 November 1961 		Episode Six
7 Monday
13 November 1961 		Episode Seven
8 Monday
20 November 1961 		Episode Eight
9 Monday
27 November 1961 		Episode Nine
10 Monday
4 December 1961 		Episode Ten
11 Monday
11 December 1961 		Teenagers Sid and Charlie go rushing across the country to stop a young couple on their way to Gretna Green.
12 Monday
18 December 1961 		Episode Twelve
13 Sunday
25 December 1961 		Episode Thirteen
Series 3
1 Friday
31 August 1962 		The Hospital
(missing)
2 Friday
7 September 1962 		The Play's The Thing
(missing)
3 Friday
14 September 1962 		The Tennis Ball
(missing)
4 Friday
21 September 1962 		It's Not Cricket
(missing)
5 Friday
28 September 1962 		The Reporter
(missing)
6 Friday
5 October 1962 		The Day Out Sid and Charlie head to Whitsea for the day for a bit of sea air, but are soon caught out on a very busy beach.
7 Friday
12 October 1962 		The Transistor
(missing)
8 Friday
19 October 1962 		The Old People's Outing
(missing)
9 Friday
26 October 1962 		A Perfect Friendship?
(missing)
10 Friday
2 November 1962 		The Watchdog Finding a burglar in their house the boys take security for the street into their own hands, so Sid buys a dog.
11 Friday
9 November 1962 		The Librarian
(missing)
12 Friday
16 November 1962 		The Tube Station
(missing)
13 Friday
23 November 1962 		The Jury The boys are on jury duty, Sid is hoping for major case, but gets a drink-driving case. However that doesn't stop him investigating.

DVD

The then-surviving episodes, comprising the complete Series One, and two episodes each from Series Two and Series Three, were released as a collection by Acorn Media UK in February 2012. A further episode, the sixth episode of series three, was subsequently found in a store room of Monaco Television, by Philip Morris.[2][3][4]

References

  1. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (2005). "bbc.co.uk Guide to Comedy - Citizen James". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 April 2005. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
  2. ^ "BFI announces Morecambe & Wise and Sid James recoveries". British Comedy Guide. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. ^ Bennett, Steve. "Found in Sierra Leone... the lost Morecambe and Wise : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  4. ^ "MISSING BELIEVED WIPED 25TH BIRTHDAY BONANZA FEATURING NEW DOCTOR WHO ANIMATED MINI-EPISODE MORECAMBE AND WISE, CITIZEN JAMES, BASIL BRUSH, VINCE HILL, THE KINKS" (PDF). BFI National Archive. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Citizen_James&oldid=43854"