Never the Twain: Difference between revisions

*Never the Twain*
Never the Twain
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Johnnie Mortimer
Directed by	Peter Frazer-Jones ; (series 1–3); Robert Reed (series 4–7); Douglas Argent (series 8); Nick Hurran (series 9–10); Anthony Parker (series 11)
Starring	Donald Sinden; Windsor Davies; Maria Charles; Teddy Turner; Derek Deadman
Theme music composer	Jack Trombey
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	11
No. of episodes	67 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers	Peter Frazer-Jones (1981–1988); Anthony Parker ; (1988–1991)
Production location	Hersham, Surrey
Running time	30 minutes ; (including commercials)
Production company	Thames Television
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	7 September 1981 –; 9 October 1991

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Never the Twain is a British sitcom that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991. The series starred Windsor Davies (previously known for It Ain't Half Hot, Mum) and Donald Sinden as rival antique dealers, and also co-starred Robin Kermode (later replaced by Christopher Morris), Julia Watson (later replaced by Tacy Kneale), Honor Blackman, Teddy Turner, Derek Deadman, Maria Charles and Zara Nutley.

The series was created by Johnnie Mortimer, and was the only sitcom he ever created without his usual writing partner, Brian Cooke. Mortimer wrote the entirety of the first two series, one episode of the seventh, and five out of six episodes of the eighth, with the rest mainly written by John Kane and Vince Powell (who wrote the whole of the last three series). It was made by Thames Television for the ITV network. Since its run ended, it has been repeated a few times, including on UK Gold, Forces TV, and as of July 2023 on ITV3 in their pre-9.00am comedy slot. The title is taken from the Rudyard Kipling poem The Ballad of East and West. The show's theme tune was composed by Jack Trombey, and the track was entitled Domino.

Plot

Donald Sinden and Windsor Davies during production of *Never the Twain*

Oliver Smallbridge, played by Windsor Davies, and Simon Peel, played by Donald Sinden, are antiques dealers who are also bitter enemies (after a falling-out having been business partners) and next-door neighbours, both in their homes and shops. They are engaged in a continuous game of one-upmanship, so both of them are shocked when they find out that their respective children (Smallbridge's daughter Lyn – played by Watson and later Kneale – and Peel's son David – played by Kermode and later Morris) are in love and want to marry as soon as possible. The fathers are forced to reluctantly accept the relationship and marriage, which takes place at the end of the first series.

It is the impending marriage of Lyn and David and the early days of their marriage, alongside Oliver and Simon battling over the affection of middle-class widow Veronica Barton (played by Blackman), that provides the basis for the first two series (both written entirely by Mortimer). The third series features a failed attempt by Simon and Oliver to try to renew their business partnership.

After the third series, Lyn and David move to Vancouver in Canada, leaving the daily goings-on at Simon and Oliver's shops and in their private lives as the main themes of the show. Other notable characters in the series are Simon's butler Banks (played by Turner), a replacement for a foreign au pair that Simon had requested; Ringo (played by Deadman), Oliver's idiotic assistant in his shop; and Mrs. Sadler (played by Charles), Oliver's clumsy cleaner, who has an annoying tendency to accidentally break things. Banks and Mrs. Sadler's amorous relationship provides humorous material in these series, with both of them marrying and leaving the show at the end of the seventh series. The fourth to seventh series were written by a group of writers, Powell and Me and My Girl co-creator Kane being the most prominent.

In the eighth series (mostly written again by Mortimer), Lyn and David return from Canada with their son (and Oliver's and Simon's grandson) Martin, who provides a new platform on which Simon and Oliver can develop their long-standing rivalry, fighting over who is the better grandfather. However, at the end of that series, Lyn, David, and Martin move to a new flat in Friern Barnet.

Simon and Oliver's daily personal and business lives are the primary focus of the final three series (all written in their entirety by Powell). In these series, another character (who had already made two appearances in series 4 and 7) begins to appear regularly: Simon's Aunt Eleanor (played by Nutley, who had also appeared in Vince Powell's earlier sitcom Mind Your Language), moves near Oliver and Simon.

Also, appearing in some episodes of the series were Donald Sinden's sons Marc and Jeremy, while his wife Diana appeared in the last-ever episode.^[1]

Cast

Main cast

Windsor Davies as Oliver Smallbridge
Donald Sinden as Simon Peel
Derek Deadman as Ringo (all series; 40 episodes)
Honor Blackman as Veronica Barton (series 1 and 2; 5 episodes)
Julia Watson (series 1 to 3; 18 episodes) and Tacy Kneale (series 8; 6 episodes) as Lyn Peel, née Smallbridge
Robin Kermode (series 1 to 3; 18 episodes) and Christopher Morris (series 8; 6 episodes) as David Peel
Teddy Turner as Banks (series 1 to 7; 36 episodes)
Maria Charles as Mrs Sadler (series 2 to 7; 28 episodes)
Zara Nutley as Aunt Eleanor (series 4, series 7, series 9 to 11; 19 episodes)

Recurring cast

Cass Allen as Mrs Grieves (series 1 and 2; 2 episodes)
Ted Valentine as Biffin (series 3 and 4; 3 episodes)
Charles Morgan as Claggit (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
Sydney Arnold as Derwent (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
Donald Eccles as Wilkins (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
Margaret Courtenay as Lady Deveraux (series 3, series 5 and 6; 3 episodes)
Gabrielle Drake as Caroline Montague (series 4; 2 episodes)
John Barrard as Arkroyd (series 5 and 6; 2 episodes)
Christopher Ellison as Bernie Miller (series 5 and 6; 2 episodes)
Gordon Peters as Doctor Brown (series 8 and 9; 4 episodes)
Jasper Jacob as the Vicar (series 9 to 11; 3 episodes)

Episodes

Series	Episodes	Originally released
Series	Episodes	First released	Last released
1	6	7 September 1981 (1981-09-07)	19 October 1981 (1981-10-19)
2	6	7 September 1982 (1982-09-07)	12 October 1982 (1982-10-12)
3	6	10 October 1983 (1983-10-10)	14 November 1983 (1983-11-14)
4	6	8 November 1984 (1984-11-08)	13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)
5	6	8 January 1986 (1986-01-08)	12 February 1986 (1986-02-12)
6	6	15 January 1987 (1987-01-15)	19 February 1987 (1987-02-19)
7	6	27 January 1988 (1988-01-27)	2 March 1988 (1988-03-02)
8	6	24 October 1988 (1988-10-24)	28 November 1988 (1988-11-28)
9	6	6 September 1989 (1989-09-06)	11 October 1989 (1989-10-11)
Christmas Special		28 December 1989 (1989-12-28)
10	6	5 September 1990 (1990-09-05)	10 October 1990 (1990-10-10)
11	6	4 September 1991 (1991-09-04)	9 October 1991 (1991-10-09)

Home releases

The complete first series was released on DVD in June 2001 by Clear Vision, and no other series were released. It was announced that a different company would release a DVD featuring the first two series, which was eventually released in September 2010.

An 11-disc complete series set, through Network, was released on 21 October 2019.

In Australia (Region 4), Via Vision Entertainment released The Complete Series in an 11-disc box set on 6 January 2021.^[2]

Locations

The outside filming location for the two antique shops in the early series was a double-fronted restaurant on The Green in the village of Claygate in Surrey, just six miles to the south of Thames Television’s Teddington Studios. They then used some shops at 10-12 Queen's Road, Hersham, Surrey. The churches used for the weddings were St Andrew's Church, Ham, Surrey and St Andrew's Church, Cobham, Surrey. The houses used in the early series were on Burtenshaw Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey. One of these has since been demolished and another house built on the plot. Later houses on Brook Farm Road and Oak Road, Cobham were used.

Repeats

Beginning in early 2006, ITV3 began showing repeats beginning with series one in a late afternoon timeslot with other classic ITV comedy series such as Rising Damp and On the Buses. From late January 2019, coincidentally a short time after the announcement of Windsor Davies's death, Forces TV started broadcasting the show as double bills from the very start. As of July 2023 the show has started being repeated again on ITV3 in their pre 9.00am comedy slot.

Interviews

The Bill Podcast: Jon Iles (2017)

References

^ ""Never the Twain" A Car by Any Other Name (TV Episode 1990)". IMDb.
^ "Never The Twain - The Complete Series". Via Vision Entertainment. Retrieved 18 January 2021.

External links

Never the Twain at IMDb
Never the Twain at British Comedy Guide
Never the Twain at epguides.com

[1] ""Never the Twain" A Car by Any Other Name (TV Episode 1990)". IMDb.

[2] "Never The Twain - The Complete Series". Via Vision Entertainment. Retrieved 18 January 2021.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|British television series}}
+{{Short description|British TV sitcom (1981–1991)}}
 {{about|the TV sitcom|the original poem containing this phrase|The Ballad of East and West|the film|Never the Twain (film)}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
 {{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
 {{Infobox television
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 | genre                = [[Sitcom]]
 | creator              = [[Johnnie Mortimer]]
-| starring             = [[Donald Sinden]]<br />[[Windsor Davies]]<br />[[Maria Charles]]<br />[[Teddy Turner (actor)]]<br />[[Derek Deadman]]
+| starring             = [[Donald Sinden]]<br />[[Windsor Davies]]<br />[[Maria Charles]]<br />[[Teddy Turner (actor)|Teddy Turner]]<br />[[Derek Deadman]]
 | location             = [[Hersham, Surrey]]
 | theme_music_composer = Jack Trombey
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 | director             = Peter Frazer-Jones <br />(series 1–3)<br />Robert Reed (series 4–7)<br />Douglas Argent (series 8)<br />Nick Hurran (series 9–10)<br />Anthony Parker (series 11)
 | company              = [[Thames Television]]
-| picture_format       = [[4:3]]
 | network              = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
 | first_aired          = {{Start date|1981|09|07|df=yes}}
 | last_aired           = {{End date|1991|10|09|df=yes}}
-| distributor          = [[Fremantle (company)|Fremantle]]
 }}
-'''''Never the Twain''''' is a British [[sitcom]] that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991.
+'''''Never the Twain''''' is a British [[sitcom]] that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991. The series starred [[Windsor Davies]] (previously known for ''[[It Ain't Half Hot, Mum]]'') and [[Donald Sinden]] as rival antique dealers, and also co-starred [[Robin Kermode]] (later replaced by Christopher Morris), [[Julia Watson]] (later replaced by Tacy Kneale), [[Honor Blackman]], [[Teddy Turner (actor)|Teddy Turner]], [[Derek Deadman]], [[Maria Charles]] and [[Zara Nutley]].
-It was created by [[Johnnie Mortimer]], and was the only sitcom he ever created without his usual writing partner, [[Brian Cooke]]. Mortimer wrote the entirety of the first two series, one episode of the seventh, and five out of six episodes of the eighth, with the rest being mainly written by [[John Kane (writer)|John Kane]] and [[Vince Powell]] (who wrote the whole of the last three series).
+The series was created by [[Johnnie Mortimer]], and was the only sitcom he ever created without his usual writing partner, [[Brian Cooke]]. Mortimer wrote the entirety of the first two series, one episode of the seventh, and five out of six episodes of the eighth, with the rest mainly written by [[John Kane (writer)|John Kane]] and [[Vince Powell]] (who wrote the whole of the last three series). It was made by [[Thames Television]] for the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. Since its run ended, it has been repeated a few times, including on [[Gold (British TV channel)|UK Gold]], [[British Forces Broadcasting Service|Forces TV]], and as of July 2023 on [[ITV3]] in their pre-9.00am comedy slot. The title is taken from the [[Rudyard Kipling]] poem ''[[The Ballad of East and West]]''. The show's theme tune was composed by [[Jack Trombey]], and the track was entitled ''Domino''.
-The series starred [[Windsor Davies]] (previously known for ''[[It Ain't Half Hot, Mum]]'') and [[Donald Sinden]] as rival antique dealers, and also co-starred [[Robin Kermode]] (later replaced by Christopher Morris), [[Julia Watson]] (later replaced by Tacy Kneale), [[Honor Blackman]], [[Teddy Turner (actor)|Teddy Turner]], [[Derek Deadman]], [[Maria Charles]] and [[Zara Nutley]].
-It was made by [[Thames Television]] for the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. Since its run ended, it has been repeated a few times, including on [[Gold (UK TV channel)|UK Gold]], later on [[ITV3]], and more recently on [[British Forces Broadcasting Service|Forces TV]].
-The title is taken from the [[Rudyard Kipling]] poem ''[[The Ballad of East and West]]''. The show's theme tune was composed by [[Jack Trombey]] and the track was entitled ''Domino''.
 ==Plot==
 [[Image:silvey-never-the-twain.jpg|thumb|left|[[Donald Sinden]] and [[Windsor Davies]] during production of ''Never the Twain'']]
 Oliver Smallbridge, played by Windsor Davies, and Simon Peel, played by Donald Sinden, are antiques dealers who are also bitter enemies (after a falling-out having been business partners) and next-door neighbours, both in their homes and shops. They are engaged in a continuous game of one-upmanship, so both of them are shocked when they find out that their respective children (Smallbridge's daughter Lyn – played by Watson and later Kneale – and Peel's son David – played by Kermode and later Morris) are in love and want to marry as soon as possible. The fathers are forced to reluctantly accept the relationship and marriage, which takes place at the end of the first series.
 It is the impending marriage of Lyn and David and the early days of their marriage, alongside Oliver and Simon battling over the affection of middle-class widow Veronica Barton (played by Blackman), that provides the basis for the first two series (both written entirely by Mortimer). The third series features a failed attempt by Simon and Oliver to try to renew their business partnership.
-After the third series, Lyn and David move to [[Vancouver]] in Canada, leaving the daily goings on at Simon and Oliver's shops and in their private lives as the main themes of the show. Other notable characters in the series are Simon's butler Banks (played by Turner), a replacement for a foreign [[au pair]] that Simon had requested; Ringo (played by Deadman), Oliver's idiotic assistant in his shop; and Mrs. Sadler (played by Charles), Oliver's clumsy cleaner, who has an annoying tendency to accidentally break things. Banks and Mrs. Sadler's amorous relationship provides humorous material in these series, with both of them marrying and leaving the show at the end of the seventh series. The fourth to seventh series were written by a group of writers, Powell and ''[[Me and My Girl (TV series)|Me and My Girl]]'' co-creator Kane being the most prominent.
+After the third series, Lyn and David move to [[Vancouver]] in Canada, leaving the daily goings-on at Simon and Oliver's shops and in their private lives as the main themes of the show. Other notable characters in the series are Simon's butler Banks (played by Turner), a replacement for a foreign [[au pair]] that Simon had requested; Ringo (played by Deadman), Oliver's idiotic assistant in his shop; and Mrs. Sadler (played by Charles), Oliver's clumsy cleaner, who has an annoying tendency to accidentally break things. Banks and Mrs. Sadler's amorous relationship provides humorous material in these series, with both of them marrying and leaving the show at the end of the seventh series. The fourth to seventh series were written by a group of writers, Powell and ''[[Me and My Girl (TV series)|Me and My Girl]]'' co-creator Kane being the most prominent.
-In the eighth series (mostly written again by Mortimer), Lyn and David return from Canada with their son (and Oliver's and Simon's grandson) Martin, who provides a new platform on which Simon and Oliver can develop their long-standing rivalry, fighting over who is the better grandfather. However, at the end of that series, Lyn, David and Martin move to a new flat in [[Friern Barnet]].
+In the eighth series (mostly written again by Mortimer), Lyn and David return from Canada with their son (and Oliver's and Simon's grandson) Martin, who provides a new platform on which Simon and Oliver can develop their long-standing rivalry, fighting over who is the better grandfather. However, at the end of that series, Lyn, David, and Martin move to a new flat in [[Friern Barnet]].
 Simon and Oliver's daily personal and business lives are the primary focus of the final three series (all written in their entirety by Powell). In these series, another character (who had already made two appearances in series 4 and 7) begins to appear regularly: Simon's Aunt Eleanor (played by Nutley, who had also appeared in Vince Powell's earlier sitcom ''[[Mind Your Language]]''), moves near Oliver and Simon.
-Also, appearing in some episodes of the series were Donald Sinden's sons [[Marc Sinden|Marc]] and [[Jeremy Sinden|Jeremy]], while his wife Diana appeared in the last ever episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0802052/|title="Never the Twain" A Car by Any Other Name (TV Episode 1990)|work=IMDb}}</ref>
+Also, appearing in some episodes of the series were Donald Sinden's sons [[Marc Sinden|Marc]] and [[Jeremy Sinden|Jeremy]], while his wife Diana appeared in the last-ever episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0802052/|title="Never the Twain" A Car by Any Other Name (TV Episode 1990)|work=IMDb}}</ref>
+==Cast==
+===Main cast===
+* [[Windsor Davies]] as Oliver Smallbridge
+* [[Donald Sinden]] as Simon Peel
+* [[Derek Deadman]] as Ringo (all series; 40 episodes)
+* [[Honor Blackman]] as Veronica Barton (series 1 and 2; 5 episodes)
+* [[Julia Watson]] (series 1 to 3; 18 episodes) and Tacy Kneale (series 8; 6 episodes) as Lyn Peel, née Smallbridge
+* [[Robin Kermode]] (series 1 to 3; 18 episodes) and Christopher Morris (series 8; 6 episodes) as David Peel
+* [[Teddy Turner (actor)|Teddy Turner]] as Banks (series 1 to 7; 36 episodes)
+* [[Maria Charles]] as Mrs Sadler (series 2 to 7; 28 episodes)
+* [[Zara Nutley]] as Aunt Eleanor (series 4, series 7, series 9 to 11; 19 episodes)
+===Recurring cast===
+* Cass Allen as Mrs Grieves (series 1 and 2; 2 episodes)
+* Ted Valentine as Biffin (series 3 and 4; 3 episodes)
+* [[Charles Morgan (actor)|Charles Morgan]] as Claggit (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
+* [[Sydney Arnold]] as Derwent (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
+* [[Donald Eccles]] as Wilkins (series 3, series 5; 2 episodes)
+* [[Margaret Courtenay (actress)|Margaret Courtenay]] as Lady Deveraux (series 3, series 5 and 6; 3 episodes)
+* [[Gabrielle Drake]] as Caroline Montague (series 4; 2 episodes)
+* [[John Barrard]] as Arkroyd (series 5 and 6; 2 episodes)
+* [[Christopher Ellison]] as Bernie Miller (series 5 and 6; 2 episodes)
+* [[Gordon Peters]] as Doctor Brown (series 8 and 9; 4 episodes)
+* Jasper Jacob as the Vicar (series 9 to 11; 3 episodes)
 ==Episodes==
@@ Line 55: / Line 73: @@
 ==Home releases==
-The complete first series was released on DVD in June 2001 by Clear Vision and no other series were released. It was announced that a different company would release a DVD featuring the first two series, it was released in September 2010.
+The complete first series was released on DVD in June 2001 by Clear Vision, and no other series were released. It was announced that a different company would release a DVD featuring the first two series, which was eventually released in September 2010.
 An 11-disc complete series set, through Network, was released on 21 October 2019.
-In Australia (Region 4), Via Vision Entertainment release The Complete Series in a 11-Disc box set on January 6, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Never The Twain - The Complete Series|url=https://viavision.com.au/shop/never-the-twain-the-complete-series/|access-date=2021-01-18|website=Via Vision Entertainment|language=en-AU}}</ref>
+In Australia (Region 4), Via Vision Entertainment released The Complete Series in an 11-disc box set on 6 January 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Never The Twain - The Complete Series|url=https://viavision.com.au/shop/never-the-twain-the-complete-series/|access-date=18 January 2021|website=Via Vision Entertainment|language=en-AU}}</ref>
 ==Locations==
-The outside filming location for the two antique shops in the early series was a double-fronted restaurant on The Green in the village of [[Claygate]] in Surrey, just six miles to the south of Thames Television’s [[Teddington Studios]]. They then used some shops at 10-12 Queen's Road, Hersham, Surrey. The churches used for the weddings were St Andrew's Church, Ham, Surrey and St Andrew's Church, Cobham, Surrey. The houses used in the early series were on Burtenshaw Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey. One of these has since been demolished and another house built on the plot. Later houses on Brook Farm Road and Oak Road, Cobham were used.
+The outside filming location for the two antique shops in the early series was a double-fronted restaurant on The Green in the village of [[Claygate]] in Surrey, just six miles to the south of Thames Television’s [[Teddington Studios]]. They then used some shops at 10-12 Queen's Road, [[Hersham]], Surrey. The churches used for the weddings were St Andrew's Church, Ham, Surrey and St Andrew's Church, [[Cobham, Surrey]]. The houses used in the early series were on Burtenshaw Road, [[Thames Ditton]], Surrey. One of these has since been demolished and another house built on the plot. Later houses on Brook Farm Road and Oak Road, Cobham were used.
 ==Repeats==
-Beginning in early 2006, [[ITV3]] began showing repeats beginning with series one in a late afternoon timeslot with other classic ITV comedy series such as ''[[Rising Damp]]'' and ''[[On the Buses]]''. From late January 2019, coincidentally a short time after the announcement of Windsor Davies's death, [[Forces TV]] started broadcasting the show as double bills from the very start.
+Beginning in early 2006, [[ITV3]] began showing repeats beginning with series one in a late afternoon timeslot with other classic ITV comedy series such as ''[[Rising Damp]]'' and ''[[On the Buses]]''. From late January 2019, coincidentally a short time after the announcement of Windsor Davies's death, [[Forces TV]] started broadcasting the show as double bills from the very start. As of July 2023 the show has started being repeated again on ITV3 in their pre 9.00am comedy slot.
 ==Interviews==
@@ Line 85: / Line 103: @@
 [[Category:1981 British television series debuts]]
 [[Category:1991 British television series endings]]
-[[Category:English-language television shows]]
+[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
 [[Category:ITV sitcoms]]
 [[Category:Television series by Fremantle (company)]]
 [[Category:Television shows produced by Thames Television]]
 [[Category:Television shows set in Surrey]]
-[[Category:Fictional rivalries]]
+[[Category:Fiction about rivalry]]
 [[Category:Television shows shot at Teddington Studios]]

v t e Situation comedies by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer
Series entries	The Men from the Ministry (Radio) Round the Horne (Radio, 1968) Father, Dear Father (1968–1973) Stop Messing About (Radio, 1969–1970) Kindly Leave the Kerb (1971) Alcock and Gander (1972) Man About the House (1973–1976) George and Mildred (1976–1979) Robin's Nest (1977–1981) Three's Company (1977) The Ropers (1979) The Incredible Mr Tanner (1981) Let There Be Love (1982–1983) Tom, Dick and Harriet (1982–1983) Full House (1985–1986)
Film adaptations	Father, Dear Father (1973) No Sex Please, We're British (1973)
Cooke without Mortimer	Keep It in the Family (1980–1983) Too Close for Comfort (1980–1981) Tripper's Day (1984) Check It Out! (1985) Slinger's Day (1986–1987) Close to Home (1989–1990)
Mortimer without Cooke	Never the Twain (1981–1991)