Andy Capp TV series finally arrives on DVD

By John Freeman on May 26, 2012

Network has announced the DVD release of the complete six-episode series of the 1988 sitcom Andy Capp on 11th June 2012.

Starring James Bolam, this comedy series was an attempt to transform the flat-capped cartoon strip legend from the Daily Mirror into a television star with a cast that included Paula Tilbrook – now best known for her role as Betty Eagleton on Emmerdale – as Andy’s long-suffering wife, Flo.

Written by award-wining Leeds-born novelist, playwright and journalist Keith Waterhouse (Budgie, Billy Liar), this unique series was produced by BAFTA winner John Howard Davies (Fawlty Towers, Mr. Bean).

Despite some stellar casting and creator credits, when the Thames Television produced series was first aired in 1988, it proved a disapointment. Although the cartoon was already Internationally known, syndicated in newspapers worldwide, the episodes were filmed without a studio audience and lacked the spontaneous applause which would have benefited the show.

A short online biography of Andy Capp creator Reg Smythe notes that during rehearsals the camera men and production staff all laughed out loud, but without the studio audience the atmosphere at the time of filming was described as being “frankly dull”.

The series consisted of six episodes that were shown once and have never been repeated, so it’s good to see this oft-forgotten gem of British TV comedy finally released on DVD, so we can make up our own minds about the ill-treated show.

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.