"Hugh And I" DVD

[Mark]

There's a cover up on amazon of this Simply release, due September 7th, and twenty episodes listed on the BBFC, from series 1 and 2.

So, for some reason we are not getting the other three remaining episodes or the "Hugh And I Spy" episode, which is a shame.

Still, looking forward to it, great to see more classic comedy being released.

[Ian Wegg]

My first reaction was why would Amazon cover it up, but I see what you mean now...



Amazon - Hugh & I

I haven't seen any of it since first broadcast.

~iw

[Richard A]

I was saying on another forum that one of my earliest TV memories is of Hugh Lloyd sliding up the bannister and walking down the stairs in the titles (this was from one of the latter series).

This was meant to indicate his contrariness but as a young child I thought it meant he had some kind of magical powers so I was always a bit disappointed when he didn't.

[ian b]

Silly point to mention I know, but slapping "Remaing Episodes" on the cover makes it seem as if there are few survivors - when I fact the only absentee is the final episode of the first series, the second run being complete.

[JWG]

"All that's left of the best of..." would trip off the tongue much more easily.

[stanbutler]

I emailed Simply on Friday about the odd decision to only release the 20 surviving episodes of Series ! & 2, 8 of nine episodes of Series 1 and all 12 of Series 2) as there were only three other episodes of the 6 series left; (3.7 Escort Duty, 5.3 It Never Rains, & 6.6 Chinese Crackers), plus the one recently recovered episode of Hugh & I Spy and the short Christmas Night with the Stars 1964 sketch (which I wasn't expecting to be included anyway).

They've just got back with the following odd reply;

Hi Karl,
Our Editorial Team have come back to us and said the following:

We have recently secured the license to release the remaining episodes from the BBC, and upon negotiation of the copyright and license arrangements the BBC confirmed that they only had a total of 19 remaining episodes of Hugh & I and this is all that we have been licensed to release in this instance. Therefore our release will include the 19 remaining episodes as provided by the BBC for release by Simply Media on 8th September 2015.

We will however raise your query with the BBC and ask them to respond to the anomalies that you appear to raise.

Not sure why the BBC would think they only have 19 episodes available in the archive? And the runtime is stated as 540 minutes which would at least tally with 20 episodes made up of 8 half hour episodes from Series 1 an 12 25 minute episodes from Series 2, so not sure what's going on but it sadly doesn't look like we'll be getting a complete surviving set of this series!

[Mark]

As I mentioned earlier, there are 20 episodes listed on BBFC, so that's an odd statement for a start.

"Escort Duty" is a TR from a live transmission and has a globe at the start, "It Never Rains" is a "Comedy Choice" repeat ( from Aug 23rd 1969) and is introduced by Scott and Lloyd, but apart from that, there's nothing else unusual about the episodes.

As Simply asked the Beeb for "Hugh And I", that's largely what they got, no mention of "Hugh And I Spy", a separate series, perhaps they should have asked for it, do the BBC have the episode, or is it at the BFI.?

It's happened before, of course, with a couple of episodes of "The Rag Trade", missing form the two volumes, and even the BBC managed to miss out an episode of "The Likely Lads" from the original DVD release ( until it was mentioned and included on the box set).

[stanbutler]

Yes, I fear another Rag Trade situation where we'll never get those last 3/4 episodes if they're missed off, although with that series wasn't it that they thought the episodes left off were of insufficient picture quality? Which isn't the case with Hugh & I, at least Escort Duty is perfectly fine.

[Mark]

If those "Rag Trade" episodes were of 'insufficient quality', then I suppose it's understandable, if they don't have a budget for any restoration.

If Simply get around to releasing the "Scott on" series, they could include the outstanding "Hugh And I" episodes as extras, although I suppose that's unlikely, it is frustrating though, when all the surviving episodes are not presented.

[JWG]

The 'review' on Amazon could be more helpful,though it does describe developments at the end of series 5...

[Mark]

Yes, the show was supposed to have ended with the last one of series 5, with the writer having exhausted ideas for the format, but the Beeb wanted another run.

Interestingly, there was also a Radio episode on Jun 13th 1963, written by David Croft, in the "Star Parade" series, don't know if it survives or not, though.

[ian b]

Wondering about the missing final episode of the first series, I've had a look through the Radio Times to see if there were any clues as to its plot - only to find that it's the sixth show of the run that is missing, not the last. No episode titles are given for this series, but the casts match, (as does any snippet of info given for the plots), so if you are keeping notes they need to be updated to this...


1/1; 17-07-62 Fully Incomprehensive
1/2; 24-07-62 Brace of Peasants
1/3; 31-07-62 Here Comes the Bride
1/4; 07-08-62 A Royal Visit
1/5; 14-08-62 A Fete Worse Than Death
1/6; 21-08-62 wiped
1/7; 28-08-62 It’s A Dog’s Life
1/8; 04-09-62 Putting on the Ritz
1/9; 11-09-62 Love Thy Neighbour


Unfortunately, while there is a half-page feature on Terry Scott for the missing episode, there's nothing at all as to what the episode was about. But it did guest star Joan Sims and Cardew Robinson, plus Angela Bracewell with appearances from regulars Cyril Smith, Wallas Eaton, Vi Stevens, Patricia Hayes, Mollie Sugden and Jill Curzon.

The eight I've watched so far aren't bad entertainment actually, though I'll qualify that by adding that the opening one is very much the lesser so stick with it. Feed Emney is good value in the second episode, enough to be brought back in the eighth.

[brigham]

Ordered! I was in two minds, but if Fred Emney's in it...

[ian b]

You'll be pleased to know that Emney makes four appearances during the course of this set, which I'd recommend anyone to pick up - much better than I was expecting, and I'm disappointed that can't really be a follow-up collection.

[Brian F]

I've got my copy, now to find time to watch it.
My life is too busy.............

[Mark]

I haven't even picked this one up yet, be nice to see it again after all these years.

Interesting about the different series 1 missing episode, odd!, wonder what the story is behind that?

[Mark]

I was watching episode three, "Here Comes The Bride", tonight, and apart from the fact it's a laugh out loud one, (love it when Terry keeps putting on glasses every time Norma's Dad threatens to put one on him), I noticed during the scene when the neighbours came round to watch TV, the picture quality nosedived for a few moments.

I'm guessing it was another example of a stored-field recording with a damaged section replaced from a suppressed one, spliced back in (as with the end of the "Who" episode, "The Brink of Disaster").

Also noticed Hugh Lloyd bobbing down in the garden through the window, when his split screen shot for the titles was over, nice to spot these things.

In the first episode of the Clitheroe series "That's My Boy", at the end of the scene with the boss finishing his dinner, you can just see Jimmy's sister nipping out through the French windows, so she can enter the back door at the start of the next scene, a few seconds later.

[Mark]

Just been announced on M.E., another episode has been returned.

"The Girl On The Poster" from 17/4/64, series 3 episode 9.

Perhaps the two recovered episodes and the "Hugh And I Spy" episode could make it to DVD.

[Spiny Norman]

There are some surviving clips too.

[Mark]

There are some surviving clips too.

Unlikely from Simply, though.

I would just be grateful for the three episodes, it's a very funny series.