No – That's Me Over Here!

No – That's Me Over Here! was a British sitcom that aired for three series from 1967 to 1970.

It was created by Barry Cryer, Graham Chapman and Eric Idle, and it featured Ronnie Corbett's first acting starring role, alongside Rosemary Leach, Henry McGee (who was at the time also playing straight man to Benny Hill in The Benny Hill Show), Ivor Dean and Jill Mai Meredith.

It was originally made by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network, with its production being continued by London Weekend Television for the third and final series.

Plot

Ronnie Corbett played Ronnie, a man short in stature but big in ideas, and a quintessential suburban commuter who works in an insurance company with his snooty neighbour Cyril (played by McGee). Ronnie and Cyril not only work in the same department, but they also go to work every morning in the same train in the same compartment, which means that both their business lives are rather linked to each other. Ronnie is aspiring and ambitious, always coming up with plans to improve his profile at work and win favour with his (and Cyril's) boss Mr. Robinson (played by Dean), and not stopping at anything to make sure his plans go to progress. The comedy hence arises from Ronnie's big plans and how they meet with Cyril's and others' secret opposition, and their constant attempts to back-stab Ronnie - Cyril being a quintessential practitioner of 'office politics'. The other main character in the series is Mr. Robinson's secretary (played by Meredith).

Episodes

Series 1 (1967)

• 1.1. Series 1, Episode 1 (14 November 1967)
• 1.2. Series 1, Episode 2 (21 November 1967)
• 1.3. Series 1, Episode 3 (28 November 1967)
• 1.4. Series 1, Episode 4 (5 December 1967)
• 1.5. Series 1, Episode 5 (12 December 1967)
• 1.6. Series 1, Episode 6 (19 December 1967)

Series 2 (1968)

• 2.1. Series 2, Episode 1 (15 May 1968)
• 2.2. Series 2, Episode 2 (22 May 1968)
• 2.3. Series 2, Episode 3 (29 May 1968)
• 2.4. Series 2, Episode 4 (5 June 1968)
• 2.5. Series 2, Episode 5 (12 June 1968)
• 2.6. Series 2, Episode 6 (19 June 1968)

Series 3 (1970)

• 3.1. Old Age (12 September 1970)
• 3.2. Registration (19 September 1970)
• 3.3. Mother (26 September 1970)
• 3.4. Social (3 October 1970)
• 3.5. Drink (10 October 1970)
• 3.6. Neighbours (17 October 1970)
• 3.7. The Girl (24 October 1970)
• 3.8. Fancy Dress (31 October 1970)
• 3.9. Brothers In Law (7 November 1970)
• 3.10. Money (14 November 1970)
• 3.11. Religion (21 November 1970)
• 3.12. Politics (28 November 1970)
• 3.13. Wedding (5 December 1970)

Trivia

The first two series were produced by Rediffusion. During his tenure as presenter and producer at Rediffusion, David Frost brought the writing team and cast together, all of them having been involved with him shortly before in The Frost Report. He also did the same process in The Ronnie Barker Playhouse, which was the first sitcom anthology series to star the other Ronnie, Ronnie Barker.

When Frost moved from Rediffusion to LWT in 1968, the future Pythons and two Ronnies followed him and continued to work for him there, as well as becoming involved in other LWT productions. Hence, in 1970, Frost had LWT revive it for another series, this time in colour (having been produced in black and white in its Rediffusion incarnation), and over which he once again duly presided.

Archival status

The entirety of the first two series (made by Rediffusion) are missing from the archives, although one 1967 episode appears to exist in private hands. However, the final series (made by LWT in colour) exists in its entirety.

DVD release

All 13 Episodes of The Entire Third Series of No – That's Me Over Here! will be released by Network DVD in the UK (Region 2) on 13 July 2015.

See also

• The Ronnie Barker Playhouse

References

• Mark Lewisohn, BBC Online Comedy Guide/Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy
• British TV Online Resources

External links

• No - That's Me Over Here! at the British TV Online Resources

External links

• No – That's Me Over Here! at the Internet Movie Database