Our House (1960 TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | Norman Hudis |
| Defunct | 1962 |
| Headquarters | Teddington , United Kingdom |
| Products | Television sitcom |
Our House is a British television sitcom broadcast on ITV between 1960 and 1962. The series was developed and predominantly penned by Norman Hudis, who is also recognized for writing the initial six Carry On movies (1958–1962). The cast includes several performers linked to the Carry On series. The narrative revolves around nine characters from varied backgrounds cohabiting in a shared residence.
Production
Norman Hudis served as the creator and principal writer of Our House, with additional scripts contributed by Brad Ashton and Bob Block. Ernest Maxin took on production responsibilities. Filming took place in front of a live studio audience at ABC's Teddington Studios. The opening theme, composed by Maxin, was performed by Johnny Gregory.
Cast
- Hattie Jacques portraying Georgina Ruddy
- Charles Hawtrey as Simon Willow
- Frederick Peisley in the role of Herbert Keene
- Leigh Madison as Marcia Hatton
- Trader Faulkner playing Stephen Hatton (series 1)
- Joan Sims as Daisy Burke (series 1)
- Norman Rossington portraying Gordon Brent (series 1)
- Frank Pettingell as Captain Illiffe (series 1)
- Ina De La Haye in the role of Mrs Illiffe (series 1)
- Bernard Bresslaw playing William Singer (series 2)
- Hylda Baker as Henrietta (series 2)
- Eugenie Cavanagh portraying Marina (series 2)
Eugenie Cavanagh, the final surviving member of the cast, passed away in March 2024.
Plot
The story follows nine tenants—comprising two couples and five single individuals—who face difficulties securing accommodation and decide to jointly purchase a large house. Georgina works as a librarian; she is reserved professionally but outspoken at home. Simon is employed at the local council's rates office, Daisy frequently changes occupations, Gordon is studying law, and Herbert is a timid bank clerk. Captain Illiffe is a retired naval officer; his wife is a violinist. Stephen and Marcia Hatton are newly married.
Episodes
The debut series of Our House was broadcast on ITV in late 1960, consisting of 13 episodes each lasting approximately 55 minutes. The second series aired from 1961 to 1962 with 26 episodes running about 45 minutes each. For the initial seven episodes of series two, broadcasts were fortnightly across ITV, while subsequent episodes were shown weekly but excluded from London transmissions.
Out of the total 39 episodes produced, only three from the first series—"Simply Simon," "A Thin Time," and "Love to Georgina"—remain archived and have not been rebroadcast since their original airing in 1962.
Series One
| # | Episode Title | Original Broadcast Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Moving In" | 11 September 1960 |
| 2 | "Simply Simon" | 18 September 1960 |
| 3 | "A Thin Time" | 25 September 1960 |
| 4 | "The Man Who Knew Nothing" | 2 October 1960 |
| 5 | "Annie Does Live Here" | 9 October 1960 |
| 6 | "Surprise for Stephen" | 16 October 1960 |
| 7 | "All in a Good Cause" | 23 October 1960 |
| 8 | "To Please Louise" | 31 October 1960 |
| 9 | "Speechless" | 6 November 1960 |
| 10 | "Day-Time" | 13 November 1960 |
| 11 | "Love to Georgina" | 20 November 1960 |
| 12 | "Things of the Past" | 27 November 1960 |
| 13 | "And Then There Was One" | 4 December 1960 |
Series Two
| # | Episode Title | Original Broadcast Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Not for Sale" | 16 September 1961 |
| 2 | "Vote for Georgina" | 30 September 1961 |
| 3 | "A Quiet Time" | 14 October 1961 |
| 4 | "Revolution in Walthamstow" | 28 October 1961 |
| 5 | "Best Man" | 11 November 1961 |
| 6 | "Battle of the Borough" | 25 November 1961 |
| 7 | "Knocko" | 9 December 1961 |
| 8 | "Willow the Winger" | 16 December 1961 |
| 9 | "Complications of the Season" | 23 December 1961 |
| 10 | "Treble Mischance" | 30 December 1961 |
| 11 | "Where is Everybody?" | 6 January 1962 |
| 12 | "Riviera Incident" | 13 January 1962 |
| 13 | "Georgina Goes to Press" | 20 January 1962 |
| 14 | "Simon Comes to Stay" | 27 January 1962 |
| 15 | "Hobbies Galore" | 3 February 1962 |
| 16 | "There's No Business Like..." | 10 February 1962 |
| 17 | "Off the Rails" | 17 February 1962 |
| 18 | "The Tooth Will Out!" | 24 February 1962 |
| 19 | "Economy Wave" | 3 March 1962 |
| 20 | "Horse Power" | 10 March 1962 |
| 21 | "Uncle Silas" | 17 March 1962 |
| 22 | "The Den of Vice" | 24 March 1962 |
DVD releases
On 16 July 2012, the three remaining episodes of Our House were made available on DVD.
External links
- 1960s British sitcoms
- 1960 British television series debuts
- 1962 British television series conclusions
- Black-and-white British television programs
- British English-language television series
- ITV sitcoms
- Lost television programs
- Television productions by ABC Weekend TV
- Television series filmed at Teddington Studios
- Television shows produced by ABC Weekend TV