'On The Buses'

I was born in 1965 so grew up with 70's comedy shows like 'On The Buses'. The show was a massive success and I still own the spin off boxed game I was given one year for Christmas as a kid. Stephen Lewis was brilliant as Inspector Blake and the duo of Reg Varney as Stan and Bob Grant  as Jack were also perfect as his tormentors. The comedy was all pretty obvious and slapstick but it was gentle and the type of thing you could laugh at just because it was so silly. This 'Christmas special' dates from the days of Black & White television so its really going back to my earliest days! According to Wikkipedia, seventy four twenty five minute episodes were filmed. I know how many spin off films there were because I have all three on DVD. 'On The Buses' was the first (1971) followed by 'Mutiny On The Buses' (1972) and the last film was 'Holiday On The Buses' (1973).

I don't recall hearing very much of most of the other stars of the series after the show ended. Anna Karen (Olive) and her husband (Arthur) found work hard to come by I think as they were both so well-known for their roles. Tragically, Bob Grant, who played Stans lecherous clippie mate eventually committed suicide in 2003 aged 71 but Reg Varney did all right I think and lived to the ripe old age of 92!

Like other 70's comedies of the time, however, the show was not exactly P.C. but in my opinion what can be MORE P.C. than thoroughly taking the mickey out of all and sundry no matter who they were, where they came from, what colour they are, what affliction in life they have or what shortcomings they have? Hey! Its comedy, its meant to be a joke not to be taken as a mortally wounding comment! Some people LIKE being offended its what brits used to call 'banter' and as long as you give as good as you get and everybody knows its all in fun where's the harm?

Oh well, I don't expect many of you will agree with me on this one but this blog is all about my life and my memories of Christmas's past so as Stan might say 'If you don't like it you'll have to lump it mate!'