Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
John INMAN (1935-2007)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - John Inman, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the Wimbledon Theatre, having been led to believe he was being interviewed about his pantomime appearance at the theatre for the London Scene television programme.
John, who was born in Preston, moved with his family at age 13 to Blackpool, where he took part in school drama productions. After leaving school, he joined Fox's, a gentleman's outfitter, before moving to London in 1954 to work as a display man with the retailer Austin Reed.
Having left retail at age 21, he found work with a repertory theatre in Crewe before moving to the Royalty Theatre in Chester as a stage manager. More theatre work followed, including pantomimes, until 1972, when he was cast in the BBC television sitcom Are You Being Served? as the sharp-tongued sales assistant Mr Humphries, a role which made him a household name.
"Oh, I say! How fantastic!"
programme details...
- Edition No: 449
- Subject No: 446
- Broadcast date: Wed 22 Dec 1976
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Wed 15 Dec 1976
- Venue: Euston Road Studios
- Series: 17
- Edition: 9
- Code name: Store
on the guest list...
- Arthur English
- Mike Hope
- Albie Keen
- Ken Wood
- Leonie Palatte
- Barbara Newman
- Gillian Humphries
- pupils of Claremont School, Blackpool
- Dennis McNeary
- Geoff - brother
- Mary - mother
- Pat - sister-in-law
- Debbie - niece
- Jackie - niece
- Derek Carwin
- Peter Diamond
- Tommy Devere
- David Nixon
- Jack Holden
- Eddie Whitehouse
- Roy Dyer
- Arthur Lane
- Barry Howard
- Roy Castle
- Mollie Sugden
- Wendy Richard
- Arthur Brough
- Nicholas Smith
- Harold Bennett
- David Croft
- Jeremy Lloyd
- Danny La Rue
related appearances...
- Arthur English - Jan 1978
- Jack Douglas - Apr 1985
- Ted Rogers - Mar 1986
- Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr - Nov 1986
- Barbara Windsor - Sep 1992
- Jill Summers - Feb 1994
- David Croft - Dec 1995
- Sue Nicholls - Nov 1996
- Trevor Bannister - Dec 1997
- Frank Thornton - Oct 1998
- Rick Wakeman - Nov 1998
- The Night of 1000 Lives - Jan 2000
- Linda Lusardi - Dec 2000
production team...
- Researcher: Tony Lee
- Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
- Directors: Royston Mayoh, Terry Yarwood
- Producer: Jack Crawshaw
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
the sitcom stars
a celebration of a thousand editions
Screenshots of John Inman This Is Your Life
Series 17 subjects
Frankie Howerd | Wilfred Hyde-White | John Blashford-Snell | Mervyn Davies | Pam Ayres | Ivy Benson | Jim WicksJoss Ackland | John Inman | Patrick Cargill | Sheila Hancock | Tom O'Connor | Florence Priest | Tony Britton | Molly Weir
Anthony Quayle | Alfred Pavey | Michael Denison | Mary Chipperfield | Leonard Sachs | Cyril Fletcher | Matt Monro
Tony Greig | John Frost | Brian Rix | Alberto Semprini | Louis Mountbatten