| A Sharp Intake of Breath | |
|---|---|
A Sharp Intake of Breath opening titles by Mel Calman |
|
| Genre | Situation Comedy |
| Created by | Ronnie Taylor |
| Written by | Ronnie Taylor (1977–80) Vince Powell (1981) |
| Directed by | Les Chatfield (1977–79) Stuart Allen (1980–81) |
| Starring | David Jason Jacqueline Clarke Richard Wilson (series 1–3) Alun Armstrong (series 1–2) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Les Chatfield (1977–79) Stuart Allen (1980–81) |
| Running time | 30 Minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ITV |
| Original run | 28 July 1977 (pilot) 20 February 1978 – 15 February 1981 |
A Sharp Intake of Breath was a British sitcom starring David Jason, Jacqueline Clarke, Richard Wilson and Alun Armstrong which ran from 1977 to 1981. It was made for the ITV network by ATV. The opening titles featured cartoons by Mel Calman.
Jason played an everyman character called Peter Barnes and Jacqueline Clarke played his wife Sheila. Wilson and Armstrong played a range of petty officials and bureaucrats whose actions frustrated Barnes' attempts to deal with the necessities of everyday life. The title A Sharp Intake of Breath refers to the reactions of various characters to seemingly simple requests by Peter, generally followed by a denial.
Pilot:
| # | Title | Written by | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | "A Sharp Intake of Breath" | Ronnie Taylor | 28 July 1977 |
| The pilot was part of ITV's The Sounds of Laughter series of six one-off comedies. Sheila Barnes was played by Patricia Brake in this episode. | |||
Series 1:
| # | Title | Written by | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Your Life in Their Hands" | Ronnie Taylor | 20 February 1978 |
| Peter goes to the doctor at Sheila's insistence and spends a long time in the waiting room. Richard Wilson plays Dr. Macburney and Alun Armstrong plays another patient, Arthur Clegg. | |||
| 2 | "Happy Motoring" | Ronnie Taylor | 27 February 1978 |
| Peter's car is taken in for repair and he has a hard time getting it back. When it's finally fixed, Sheila has an accident while he's teaching her to drive. Alun Armstrong plays Terry, a mechanic, and Richard Wilson plays Mr. Myers at the garage. | |||
| 3 | "Somewhere in the Sun" | Ronnie Taylor | 6 March 1978 |
| Peter asks his boss for time off in June to go to Majorca and ends up having to go right away. Richard Wilson plays his boss, Mr. Fitch, and Alun Armstrong plays Jackson, another tourist. | |||
| 4 | "See You in Court" | Kenneth Cope | 13 March 1978 |
| Peter's wife wants a divorce after his drunken boss comes into her room while she's sleeping. Richard Wilson plays his solicitor, Mr. Fraser, and Alun Armstrong plays his friend Brian. | |||
| 5 | "The Gasman Cometh" | Leslie Duxbury | 20 March 1978 |
| After Sheila makes an inquiry about converting to gas heat, the Barneses find themselves besieged by gas company representatives. Alun Armstrong plays a salesman and Richard Wilson plays a man from the gas board. | |||
| 6 | "The Seven Year Hitch" | Ronnie Taylor | 27 March 1978 |
| For their seventh anniversary, Peter and Sheila return to the hotel where they honeymooned but find they are too late for dinner. Richard Wilson plays Mr. Kerr, the concierge, and Alun Armstrong plays Albert, a room service waiter. | |||
Series 2:
| # | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Your Move" | 19 February 1979 |
| Problems arise when Sheila discovers the house of her dreams. | ||
| 2 | "Your Very Good Health" | 26 February 1979 |
| An accident leaves Peter at the mercy of the National Health Service, but a weekend in the hospital is no rest cure, especially for the hospital staff. | ||
| 3 | "Where There's a Will" | 5 March 1979 |
| A bereavement plunges the Barnes household into mourning and Sheila receives a legacy with strings attached. | ||
| 4 | "Another Little Drink" | 12 March 1979 |
| 5 | "The Square on the Hypotenuse" | 19 March 1979 |
| 6 | "What about the Workers?" | 26 March 1979 |
Series 3:
| # | Title | Written by | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Spare Part" | Ronnie Taylor | 4 January 1980 |
| Peter tries to get a spare part for his washing machine. Richard Wilson plays Henshaw from the parcels office. | |||
| 2 | "Just Cause or Impediment" | Ronnie Taylor | 11 January 1980 |
| When Peter agrees to be best man at a wedding, he has trouble getting a morning suit at short notice, ends up at the wrong church, and loses the ring. Richard Wilson plays Basil Dawson, a tailor. | |||
| 3 | "Look Who's Coming For Ever" | Ronnie Taylor | 18 January 1980 |
| Peter's father-in-law comes to stay while his brother-in-law goes on holiday. Richard Wilson plays the father-in-law. | |||
Series 4:
| # | Title | Written by | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Wheels" | Vince Powell | 11 January 1981 |
| Peter is supposed to deliver the company chairman's new Mercedes, but he takes it out for a drive and ends up detained by the police. | |||
| 2 | "Match of the Day" | Vince Powell | 18 January 1981 |
| Peter loses his ticket to an England vs. Germany match at Wembley and tries to get in another way. | |||
| 3 | "The Train Now Standing" | Vince Powell | 25 January 1981 |
| Peter goes to London to lodge a complaint with British Rail when a train no longer stops at his station. | |||
| 4 | "While the Cat's Away" | 1 February 1981 | |
| 5 | "The Weekend" | 8 February 1981 | |
| 6 | "Rear Window" | 15 February 1981 | |
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