Oh, Brother!
{{Short description|British TV sitcom (1968–1970)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Oh,_Brother!.jpg
| caption = DVD cover
| alt_name =
| genre = Sitcom
| creator =
| developer =
| writer = David Climie
Austin Steele
| director =
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = Derek Nimmo
Felix Aylmer
Derek Francis
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 3
| num_episodes = 19 + 1 short
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer =
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company =
| channel = BBC1
| first_aired = {{Start date|1968|9|13|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1970|2|27|df=y}}
| related = Oh, Father!
}}
Oh, Brother! is a British television sitcom starring Derek Nimmo, which aired on BBC1 from September 13, 1968 to February 27, 1970.
Synopsis
The series was set in the fictional Mountacres Monastery, with Nimmo cast as the well-meaning but inept novice Brother Dominic making life difficult for the Prior (Father Anselm played by Felix Aylmer) and the Master of the Novices (Father Bernard played by Derek Francis).{{cite news|newspaper=The Independent|location=London|first=Anthony|last=Hayward|date=26 February 1999|title=Obituary: Derek Nimmo|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-derek-nimmo-1073206.html}}
Nimmo was playing a very similar role in All Gas and Gaiters which ran from 1966 to 1971, the main difference being that Brother Dominic was working-class, whereas Nimmo's previous character, Rev. Mervyn Noote, had been upper-class.
Cast
Derek Nimmo — Brother Dominic
Felix Aylmer — The Prior, Father Anselm
Patrick McAllinney — Brother Patrick
Derek Francis — Sub Prior, Father Matthew
Edward Malin — Oldest Brother (Series 1-2)
Colin Gordon — Master of Novices, Father Bernard (Series 1)
Geoffrey Hibbert — Brother Francis (Series 1)
Reception
Oh, Brother! was not quite as successful or as affectionately remembered as All Gas and Gaiters, although it did last three series containing 19 episodes, only eight of which exist in the BBC archives. The comic potential in a monastery may have been rather limited, although it did benefit from a cast which included some experienced actors, particularly Nimmo himself and Felix Aylmer as Father Prior.
Archive status
Due the BBC's wiping policy at the time, 11 episodes are currently missing from the archives. The episodes that currently survive consist of the 1st series episode The Voice of the Turtle and all the episodes from the 3rd series. Domestic audio recordings have been located from several missing episodes,{{Cite web |title=Oh Brother! |url=https://www.tvbrain.info/tv-archive?showname=Oh+Brother&type=lostshow |website=TV Brain}} and in 2020 a short clip from the missing episode In the Beginning was uncovered by Kaleidoscope. The clip featured in the Belgium television show "Ziet u er wat in" (Translation: Do You Like What You See?), which regularly featured short clips from British television programmes at the time including the likes of Sherlock Holmes, The Black and White Minstrel Show, The Good Old Days and The Wednesday Play.{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Chris |date=December 27, 2020 |title=Discovery 632 |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopearchive/permalink/10164246331245198 |website=Kaleidoscope Facebook Group}}
Episodes
=Series 1 (1968)=
{{Episode table |background=#8B4513 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=46 |aux2=22 |aux2T=Archival Status |airdate=22 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = The Voice of the Turtle
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|9|13|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = The House of Merchandise
| Aux2 = Missing
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|9|20|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = My Brother's Keeper
| Aux2 = Missing
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|9|27|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = The Sins of the Father
| Aux2 = Missing
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|10|4|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = The Root of All Evil
| Aux2 = MissingAn audio recording exists, but the programme itself is missing.
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|10|11|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = Treasures on Earth
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|10|18|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
}}
=Short Insert: Christmas Night With The Stars (1968)=
Christmas Night with the Stars was a programme screened annually on Christmas night that ran annually from 1958 to 1972. The programme consisted of appearances from the BBC's top stars of that time, whom appeared in short versions of their programmes, lasting usually between five and ten minutes long. Oh Brother! appeared in a cross-over sketch with the sitcom All Gas and Gaiters{{refn|{{Cite web |title=Christmas Night with the Stars |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5d0d8515ecf947f39fe2d1d18ce9a7f0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908175317/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5d0d8515ecf947f39fe2d1d18ce9a7f0 |archive-date=2021-09-08 |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=BBC Archives |language=en-GB}}}} where Nimmo also played Rev. Mervyn Noote. In this sketch, Nimmo plays both roles as Noote and Dominic respectively.{{Cite web |title=Series 2 - Christmas Night With The Stars |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/all_gas_and_gaiters/episodes/2/7/ |website=British Comedy Guide}} This sketch no longer exists in the BBC's film and videotape archives.{{Cite web |title=Christmas Night with the Stars: 1968 Edition |url=https://www.tvbrain.info/tv-archive?showname=Christmas+Night+with+the+Stars&type=lostshow |website=TV Brain}}
{{Episode table |background=#8B4513 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=46 |aux2=22 |aux2T=Archival Status |airdate=22 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = S
| EpisodeNumber2 = S
| Title = Special
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1968|12|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
}}
=Series 2 (1969)=
{{Episode table |background=#8B4513 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=46 |aux2=22 |aux2T=Archival Status |airdate=22 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = A Goodly Inheritance
| Aux2 = Missing
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|4|11|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Thine House in Order
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|4|18|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = A Mother in Israel
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|4|25|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = Behold This Dreamer
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|5|2|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = An Uncertain Sound
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|5|9|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = In the Beginning
| Aux2 = MissingA short clip exists, along with an audio recording of the complete episode, but the programme itself is missing.
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1969|5|16|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
}}
=Series 3 (1970)=
{{Episode table |background=#8B4513 |overall=5 |series=5 |title=46 |aux2=22 |aux2T=Archival Status |airdate=22 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = A Still Small Voice
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|1|16|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = By The Fleshpots
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|1|23|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = The Laughter of a Fool
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|1|30|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = A Fool Returneth
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|2|6|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = The Hands of Esau
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|2|13|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = A Stone of Stumbling
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|2|20|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = The Fullness of His Days
| Aux2 = Exists
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1970|2|27|df=y}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = #8B4513
}}
}}
Sequel series
Oh, Brother! was followed by a sequel Oh, Father! in 1973, also starring Nimmo and with the same writers. In this series, Dominic left the monastery and became a Roman Catholic priest. It had a supporting cast of Laurence Naismith, Pearl Hackney and David Kelly. This was not a success and only lasted a single series of seven episodes.
DVD release
All the surviving episodes were released on a Region 2 DVD boxset on 8 November 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002XOZ42|title = Oh Brother!|website = Amazon UK|date = 8 November 2004}} The follow-up series Oh, Father! was released on DVD on 24 October 2005.{{Cite web |date=October 24, 2005 |title=Oh Father! |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/oh_father/shop/5556/oh_father/ |website=British Comedy Guide}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{BBC programme|id=p00vcs09|title=Oh, Brother!}}
- {{IMDb title|0062594|Oh Brother!}}
- [https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/oh_brother/ Oh Brother!] at British Comedy Guide
{{Harold Snoad}}
Category:BBC television sitcoms
Category:1968 British television series debuts
Category:1970 British television series endings
Category:1960s British sitcoms
Category:1970s British sitcoms