How many episodes are there?
Grace and Favour/Are You Being Served? Again!
The Story of "Top Hat and Tails" (1976)
Where can I find the AYBS? movie?
Where can I get DVDs of AYBS? episodes?
Where can I get related books?
Steven Peacock or Stephen Peacock?
Rumbold or Rumboldt?
Harman or Harmon?
Other Name Spellings
Mr. Humphries' Sexuality
John Inman's Sexuality
Was John Inman really a smoker?
Trevor Bannister - Substance Abuse Rumor
Trevor Bannister's Shakes
Which actors are dead?
Did Mike Berry really meet the Beatles?

How many episodes are there?

Sixty-nine, all co-written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft.

Explaining Grace and Favour and Are You Being Served? Again!

Grace and Favour was a sequel series to AYBS? which was produced and aired in the early 1990's. Are You Being Served? Again! is the name given to the show when it was imported and viewed on public television stations across the United States.

You might wonder why this site has no information/pictures/et cetera from Grace and Favour - the main reason is that I do not really recommend it. Admittedly, I've only read episode summaries, but still, it's a sequel to a show that had already been on the air for a very long time, and from what I do know about it it's basically a worn-out attempt at recapturing the past, even if it might have its funny moments here and there.

What's the deal with "Top Hat and Tails" (1976)?

Well, when people in the now-defunct Canteen (the first and best online BBS for AYBS? fans) noted that "Top Hat and Tails" was the only episode which was not shown at all by the various PBS stations of the U.S., John Crowley of the Canteen managed to find out that "Top Hat and Tails" was the only episode not offered by the BBC to PBS stations, and that "Top Hat and Tails" had been lost by the BBC. However, when one of the U.K. members of the Canteen mentioned that U.K. Gold (a subset of the BBC, oddly enough) still aired "Top Hat and Tails," John made renewed efforts to get "Top Hat and Tails" shown in America, and it is thanks to John and Laura Palmer of the BBC that this episode is now available in America as well as being a part of the seven three-episode videocassette compilations available through the BBC.

Where can I find the AYBS? movie?

Yes, there is an AYBS? movie! Like the regular episodes, the movie was written by Lloyd and Croft (it was made in 1977 to capitalize on the series' high success) and it is absolutely hilarious, though it borrows a lot of jokes from the episodes and can seem odd at times due to the absence of a laugh track. The movie is now available through any large online retailer of DVDs.

Where can I get DVDs of AYBS? episodes?

When the AYBS? episodes were released by the BBC on VHS cassettes, I didn't recommend them since they'd cut scenes from various episodes and it was easy for fans in the U.S. to just record the episodes off the TV whenever their public television stations aired them in full. Now that they're out on DVD, however, I cannot say with certainty whether or not some episodes are edited or left whole. If you are interested the DVDs should be available through any large online retailer of DVDs.

Where can I get related books?

So far, there are three books on AYBS? that are available. The first is Are You Being Served? - The Inside Story (by Rigelsford, Brown, and Tibballs; published by KQED Books). It contains character profiles, profiles of the main cast, episode listings and credits, information on the Australian version of AYBS? and on Grace and Favour, et cetera. The second book is The Are You Being Served? Stories - "Camping In" and Other Fiascos (by Jeremy Lloyd himself; published by KQED Books); this one contains various episodes of AYBS? adapted into story format by Jeremy Lloyd. The third book is Are You Being Served? - A Celebration of Twenty-Five Years (by Richard Webber with David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd; published by Welcome Rain). This last book is a must-have, as it includes lots of info on people who played very minor roles on the show, and people who guest-starred in one or a few episodes. It also has profiles on the main cast with unique information and pictures of them in their earlier years.

As with the movie and the episodes, you can find these books at online bookstores/video stores if you can't find them at bookstores in your area.

Okay, is it Steven or Stephen Peacock?

"Stephen" would fit the snooty character better, but Jeremy Lloyd spells it as both "Steven" and "Stephen" in COF (Camping in and Other Fiascoes). However, since it is spelled as "Stephen" much more frequently (I only found one instance where it was spelled as "Steven"), it is accurate to say that "Steven" was a typo. Thus, Captain Peacock's first name is Stephen.

Fine, then is it Rumbold or Rumboldt?

Rumbold. That's how Jeremy Lloyd spells it in COF.

Harman or Harmon?

David Croft has reported it as being Harman.

The following spellings are also canon, based on the actual appearances of these names in the episodes: Mr. Humphries (not Humphreys), Mrs. Slocombe (not Slocum), Miss Brahms, Mr. Grainger (not Granger), Mr. Tebbs, and Mr. Lucas.

What is Mr. Humphries' sexuality?

It shouldn't really matter, but for us completists, he is technically bi. He allows men to grab his bottom (1983, "The Sweet Smell of Success"), he lets policeMEN show him how their handcuffs work (1975, "Wedding Bells"), and he definitely seems to gravitate more toward men, but he also grapples with Miss Brahms in "The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocombe" (1981) and he warns Miss Belfridge that she may make him swing the other way for a while (1983, "Conduct Unbecoming"). Plus, in "Shedding the Load" (1978), when Mr. Lucas dryly comments that Mr. Humphries is still sitting on the fence, Mr. Humphries says (in agreement) that "that way you can see what's growing in both gardens."

However, I would like to point out that at the time Mr. Humphries' character was created, most gay men WERE stereotyped as "sitting on the fence" or being unsure of their sexuality. The stereotype that many people once had (and some still have it today) was that gay men can be cured with the right woman, and they're just gay because they either can't get a woman or because they haven't met the right one. In that sense, Mr. Humphries is a STEREOTYPICAL gay man, because he fits that inaccurate stereotype about gay men perfectly.

What is John Inman's sexuality?

John Inman finally made public his homosexuality when he entered into a civil partnership with Ron Lynch, his mate of thirty-three years, at the end of 2005. John had skirted the for decades beforehand, saying things like how he was too devoted to his work as an actor to ever be truly devoted to any one person, and at one point admitting that he himself was unsure of his sexuality. As recently as 1999, however, John insisted he was straight, as you can see by checking out the "I Have Always Had a Girlfriend" article at my Articles/Humor page. In the article John proclaimed that he was straight and in a relationship with a woman he had been seeing for a long time. Strange, but it's great that he's gotten the courage to come out - better late than never! ^_^

Was John Inman really a smoker?

Yes. In an interview (which is no longer available) at www.pa.press.net, John Inman talks about how he conquered his sixty-cigarette-a-day addiction. AYBS? fans should not dwell on the fact that he was addicted, but applaud him for the fact that he had the strength to conquer that addiction.

Was Trevor Bannister really an alcoholic/drug user?

So far, this is only an unsubstantiated rumor that was started at a really bad, self-styled AYBS? FAQ found at "www.usu.edu/kmeter/etc." or something like that. The rumor is that Trevor conquered a substance abuse problem during his time recording AYBS? - it is only a rumor, and it is one of the many reasons why that FAQ is not included in my links list. If - IF - this rumor is true, I repeat that AYBS? fans should not focus on the fact that he was addicted, but the fact that he had the inner strength to conquer that addiction.

Why does Trevor Bannister "vibrate" in the later episodes?

Looking closely at many of the episodes from the 1979 season will show you that Trevor has a case of the "shakes." It has never been formally stated that Trevor has a health problem or whatever, but it is obvious that he shakes more than most people. The best guess is that he has a mild case of whatever it is that Katharine Hepburn experiences. ^_^

Morbid question, but which actors are dead?

Thankfully, most of the main cast are still alive and kicking. The following are dead: Arthur Brough/Mr. Grainger (died of grief, 1978), James Hayter/Mr. Tebbs (died 1983), Alfie Bass/Mr. Goldberg (died 15 July 1987), Arthur English/Mr. Harman (died of emphyzema, 1995), Larry Martyn/Mr. Mash (1994), Harold Bennett/Young Mr. Grace (died of a heart attack, 15 September 1981), Milo Sperber/Mr. Grossman (1992), Benny Lee (died of post-operation complications, 1995), and Kenneth Waller/Old Mr. Grace (2000), Debbie Linden/Secretary to Both Young and Old Mr. Grace (died of an apparent heroin overdose, 1997).

Did Mike Berry really meet the Beatles?

Yes. This was at a time when Mike Berry (and his band, "Mike Berry and the Outlaws") was at his peak while the Beatles were still only known to the Cavern Club, so Mike didn't think much of them at the time when they offered to write a song for his band. Mike Berry and the Outlaws quickly declined after that, and of course the Beatles did quite the opposite.

Feel free to e-mail me to correct any info presented here if you think it's wrong, or to add more info if you have anything you consider important. :>