Question and Answer with John Inman!

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courtesy of KRMA-TV Denver - http://www.krma.org/six/

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     Before a gathering of 350 mesmerized fans at the KRMA-PBS CHANNEL 6 studios in
Denver, Colorado on the evening of August 23, John Inman patiently (and sometimes
hilariously) answered questions for a 60 minute-period.  "Mr. Humphries" of the popular
British comedy, "ARE YOU BEING SERVED?", delighted the audience with a variety of stories,
off-the-cuff remarks, and inpromptu jokes related to the show and his career.
     Mr. Inman let his audience know that KRMA had 69 ("my favorite number") of 74 episodes
of the show.  He also reviewed the list of AYBS? cast members who "had gone to that great
department store in the sky" included both Mr. Graces (Harold Bennett/Kenneth Waller), Mr.
Grainger (Arthur Brough), Mr. Mash (Larry Martyn), Mr. Harmon (Arthur English), Mr Goldberg
(Alfie Bass), and Mr. Tebbs (James Hayter).
     Mr. Inman sees Wendy Richard (Ms. Brahams) quite often, as they are neighbors.  Trevor
Bannister (Mr. Lucas) is another friend whom he sees from time to time.  In fact, he
indicated that "the show was to originally center around Mr. Lucas, but the idea didn't
work out.  I worked hard to build the character of Mr. Humphries and began to be featured
as the first season wore on."
     "Remember, Humphries only had four or so lines the first episode ('Dear Sexy
Knickers').  I began to be featured the 2nd season along with Mrs. Slocombe.  If you notice
those episodes, our names would appear first during the ending credits."
     He also said that Candy Davis (Mrs. Belfridge) was happily married to a biker and
believes she has a ton of kids.  "He used to pick Candy up at the studios and whisk her
off."  After getting married, Ms. Davis quit the business.
     Mr. Inman included an interesting quip about Frank Thornton ('Captain Peacock').  "His
real name is Frank Thornton Ball.  At school, he was known as 'F.T. Balls'.  After
finishing school and getting into the business, he went with just Frank Thornton, for
obvious reasons."
     The opening bit on many shows with Mr. Humphries and Mr. Lucas was labeled "What did
you do last night?"  Trevor Bannister and Mr. Inman personally developed many of these bits
working with creator David Croft.  Mr. Spooner (Mike Berry) was Mr. Inman's "best audience
because he laughed at whatever I did or said."
     Molly Sugden (Mrs. Slocombe) is busy at work with her new BBC series, "The Liver
Birds", which is really a remake of an old British comedy.
     Mr. Inman said the cast was "very friendly" and had many "last night" and season-
ending parties.  "David Croft would tell us, 'Well, the end is near.  That's it.'  We would
always throw a closing party at my house because it was closest to the BBC studios.  Then
we would get a call from our agents every March.  BBC would want to tape another season of
shows."
     After the first season, the cast would complete an episode in a morning, "when we were
sober", Mr. Inman joked.  His favorite AYBS? episodes are "The Hero" and "Heir Apparent".
     He indicated that "The Hero" was not as fun to make as it looked.  "The wrestler who
appeared in the show was an actual famous wrestler in England.  We rehearsed the wrestling
holds for several days, but he forgot all that when we filmed.  As soon as he walked on the
set, the audience applauded loudly and he really went at me.  I was sore for a week,
especially when producer David Croft decided to shoot those scenes twice!"
     "In fact, my real mother called me as soon as the show was televised on BBC and told
me quite emphatically, 'Don't ever do that again!'"
     "It was always a real challenge to play my mother, particularly in 'Heir Apparent'.
In fact, the entire idea of me calling my mother all the time originated with me.  I still
call my real mother every week back home in Blackpool."
     He also included a funny story about calling his mother from Dubai (pronounced
"doo-by") on the Persian Gulf, where AYBS? is shown (also in places like Holland, Jordan,
and Thailand).  "She is hard of hearing and asked me where I was calling from.  When I told
her 'Dubai', she said 'Goodbye' and hung up!"
     "Imagine if I had told her I was in Iman.  She would have fainted!"
     Mr. Inman also admitted that David Croft agonized for a week trying to decide what
should occupy the infamous box in the episode, "50 YEARS ON".  In actuality, it was decided
to leave the box empty.  "It was also the first time I looked directly in the camera lens,"
he said.  "That was something I would repeat several times."
     In 1976, when the show was at it's popularity zenith in England, a stage show of AYBS?
was presented in Blackpool (Inman's hometown) with the original cast.
     "It played twice nightly", Mr. Inman recalled.  "It was a huge success.  They even
sent the box office workers on holiday because the show sold out in three days."
     EMI decided to make a movie based on the play in 1977, and the AYBS? movie was born.
Almost all the dialogue from the play was used word-for-word in the movie.
     Mr. Inman is particularly fond of "ARE YOU BEING SERVED AGAIN?".  He felt the show was
"just taking off" when BBC pulled the plug.  "Alan Yent, head of BBC, never liked the show
and took it off the air," he said.  "One script was written for the next season which had
Mavis Moulterd (Fleur Bennet) and I walking down the aisle.  Mother was to have shown up
and interrupted the proceedings.  That would have been fun."
     AYBSA? was shot at Manor House in Tucsbury, Glouchestershire, which is next to
Highgrove, one of the homes of Prince Charles.  The cast could never understand what
happened to Mrs. Rumboldt and Mrs. Peacock.  "They were glad to get rid of their husbands,"
Mr. Inman said, "but their absense was probably due to bad writing."
     He continues to work, mostly in the theater.  Although "I don't mind a bit of pathos,"
he is particularly fond of comedy.  He has done some stand-up comedy, a mime act, and is
doing a variety tour in Newcastle this fall.
    	Mr. Inman used to receive cardboard boxes full of Paddington Bears in the mail from
fans, but has sent all but one to Children's Hospitals in England.  "I keep one that a fan
sent me from America.  It's my favorite."
     When a fan asked what color Mr. Humphries preferred Mrs. Slocombe's hair, John Inman
came up with the best quote of the evening:
     "I didn't mind what color Mrs. Slocombe's hair was, as long as it matched her pussy."

Charles Gadinis