Episode 71: "Beane's of Boston" (failed '79 American AYBS pilot)
That Does Suit Madame, The "Are You Being Served?" PodcastShow Notes
What would AYBS be like if it was filmed in Los Angeles instead of London??
The Unanimous loved The Unanimous Episode! And we’d still love to hear from you if you didn’t get on the podcast.
Get well soon folks who have COVID.
Blackface verses Drag: comparable or not?
Are you a drag queen? We’d love to hear your thoughts about what drag means to you.
There’s only one recording of “Beane’s of Boston” (and that’s probably for the best…).
Beanes of Boston was filmed between seasons 6 and 7 of the original AYBS in the UK.
“Healthy” Kentucky Fried Chicken?!
Beane’s was broadcast once on May 5, 1979 during the old “Good Times” time slot on CBS.
Theme songs: a pilot episode in music.
Beane’s of Boston is like an American Grace Brothers… kinda.
Frank Beane (“Old Mr. Grace”) played by Tom Poston (who guest starred on every sitcom in the 70/80s).
Mr. Brandon’s brain is AYBS and nothing else.
Old Mr. Beane is a dirty old man like Young Mr. Grace.
Harrold Bennet’s YMG was somehow sweet while being a dirty old man; Frank Beane not so much.
We love bumbling Mr. Rumbold played by Nicholas Smith.
How did “pilot season” effect the actors in Beane’s of Boston?
“Miss. Brahams” feels like an airhead from “Three’s Company”.
Remaking films/TV shows is such a tricky thing since audiences will naturally compare the new product to the classic one.
Why couldn’t American audiences watch the original UK TV series?
American censors couldn’t handle sexual jokes or overtly gay characters?
Check out Steven Capsuto’s Youtube channel about LGBT TV history at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT-uzyA8-dkyNpMBKXb8mZw
We meet Alan Sues who plays Mr. Humphries (Sues was gay but not out for his career).
John Hillerman plays MISTER Peacock and carries it off very well.
Charlotte Rae plays Mrs. Slocombe without her famous tinted hair.
Was blue hair only a UK phenomenon?
Slocombe does the “are you free?” line!
Did American audiences know about AYBS?
Repetition of classic AYBS jokes- “German Week” episode set up.
“Well there goes my ride home” = a bold gay joke for American TV in 1979.
The first black AYBS-related actor is Don Bexley who plays Mr. Johnson (like Mr. Harmond in maintenance).
The German week jokes didn’t get any laughs from the American audience.
Mrs. Garrett from “The Facts of Life”!
The Trans-Atlantic accent: the world’s completely artificial accent in 1930s Hollywood films (think Catherine Hepburn).
Drunk Mrs. Slocombe singing Marlene Dietrich!
Comparing the German Dance Slap Fight with the original just isn’t fair.
The American experiment failed but it’s a great way to compare and construct BoB with AYBS.
Generation gaps made the original UK show so funny and relatable: by 1979 in the US, that just didn't work.
Treat yourself to some That Does Suit Madame merch at our Bargain Basement podcast shop at imfree.threadless.com for t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more! Leave the show a voicemail at the Peacock Hotline: (662)-PEACOCK (662-732-2625) and find us on Twitter @DoesSuitMadame and #AYBS #AreYouBeingServed #ImFree #Britcom #comedy #MrHumphries #ThatDoesSuitMadame #GraceBros #podcast #LGBT #BlackLivesMatter #BBC
More from That Does Suit Madame, The "Are You Being Served?" Podcast
Are you FREE for a BONUS episode?! We are!
Our FINAL podcast: After 86 podcast episodes, Mr. Jeff and Mr. Brandon say goodbye to the podcast they've crafted over the past two and a half years. What started out to be a COVID-hobby became a fantastic vehicle to bring "Are You Being Served?" fans together, share some laughs, and give the space to really take a look at why we all love this silly, wonderful comedy program.
In this podcast episode, we review the very final original content from the AYBS Universe. :( Your two podcast hosts had a lovely chat with Brian Slade, author “Simon Cadell: The Authorised Biography”, the beloved Hi-De-Hi actor. We received a delightful voicemail from the “Keeping Up Appearances: The Luxury Podcast” with chums of the pod William Hanson (from the “I Sexted My Boss” podcast) and Jonathan Vernon-Smith from the BBC “The JVS Show” programme. The staff has finally turned on Mr. Rumbold’s managerial role. “Fanny Adams” is a phrase that translates to “fuck all” but points to a very tragic news event which was popularized by the English Navy regarding an 8 year old girl in 1867. What if there -was- a 3rd season of Grace & Favour/AYBS? We learn about the fate of Mrs. Rumbold. Mr. Molturd randomly announces that the lads from the pub have challenged the staff with a darts match! We try to explain how darts is played (visualize a pizza). Find old episodes of “Bullseye” on YouTube, the Darts Game Show from 1980s’ UK! Sheep are being sold to the estate next-door. Mr. Humphries is proud of his Australian hat (sent from his penpal). Capt. Peacock’s mysterious bite marks that Miss. Lovelock somehow is privy to. Enter the 1928 Daimler sedan. What is a “tax disc”? Percy the local police officer and Molturd's bribe. And the super cute freeze-frame of Billy Burden in this scene with a great big smile. The Vine Tree Pub was where the exterior shots of the episode were filmed in Norton, England. It’s still open today and is a 14 minute drive away from Chavenage House (“Millstone Manor”). Apple orchards in the West Country of England generates excess apples which are then crafted into “scrumpy”- a high-octane alcohol. A quick history of why we call the graphite in pencils “lead”. Mavis can handle her scrumpy and “is just getting started”! Paul Humpoletz player Henry Heathcliff, Malcom’s father. Mr. Brandon finally stumps Mr. Jeff: Paul Humpoletz also played one of the thieves in the “The Hold Up” from the original series 10: episode 3! And her past catches up with her again from Tiverton.
We’re supporting Gladys in the Bell Ringers Association Union local #DING and their strike. Beryl, our switchboard operator, let a very confused voicemail get through to the podcast. Americans: don’t forget to vote in the Mid-term elections! A fabulous scene of Miss. Lovelock driving the carriage with Humphries in his red riding gear. “Walkies” jogs our memory to a classic AYBS episode. Peacock tries to encourage Lovelock’s fascination with his history… without luck. “It’s not quite the same thing, is it?” We learn “punka wallas”. Slocombe and Brahams can still pull the guys! We meet Malcom-Heathcliff again in the path and threatens Humphries again. Who won 3rd place in the Miss. Lovely Legs contest in Tiverton? One guess… “Of you’ll find some rough lads waiting for you”. Humphries looks right into the camera to contemplate. Mongolians booked a tour at the Manor but the currency has fallen drastically! Cheap, weird jokes made about Mongolians. The staff have to create a “cultural event” for their guests (Just like in the “Mr. Slocombe” episode!). Slocombe once served Vanessa Redgrave! Ferrets in trousers? Humphries shows off some childhood photos. We get a great “jug ears” thanks to Wendy Richard. A weird hierarchy joke against Molturd from Brahams. Molturd will arrange for local villagers to audition for the talent show. Kiri Te Kanawa is the famous New Zealand opera singer that Slocombe wouldn’t remember. Mavis is encouraging Humphries to have a scrap with Malcom-Healthcliff. Mrs Cleghampton (again) tries out for employment and fails (with her adapted cello). Her g-string broke! Tiddles cries; glass breaks. But she played at the Proms! Mr. Jeff explains the cultural mistakes during the Mongolians’ concert. The Mongolian language is not a tonal language yet the actors mostly speak Mandarin Chinese. The gong is played. Mongolians stand and bow, over and over. The “sooo…” joke from “The Hand of Fate” episode is recycled but the asian character gets a zing in the end. Molturd battles a donkey and loses. Sir Gay Humphries! Joanne Heywood knows how to dance ballet on point! A suspicious red codpiece. And a patriotic “Britannia” makes an appearance. We think this episode missed several points b/c of sloppy jokes about Mongolians but this shows its age (yet we still love it!). Treat yourself to some That Does Suit Madame merch at our Bargain Basement podcast shop at imfree.threadless.com for t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more! Leave the show a voicemail at the Peacock Hotline: (662)-PEACOCK (662-732-2625) and find us on Twitter @DoesSuitMadame and #AYBS #AreYouBeingServed #ImFree #Britcom #comedy #ThatDoesSuitMadame #GraceBros #podcast #LGBT #BlackLivesMatter #BBC #AreYouBeingServedAgain #GraceAndFavour #GraceAndFavor
It’s Halloween season!