Last of the Summer Wine

***Last of the Summer Wine*** is a British sitcom. It ran longer than any other comedy show in the UK and longer than any other sitcom in the world. It airs on the television channel BBC One. Roy Clarke writes the show and Alan J. W. Bell produces and directs it. It started as an episode of the television show _Comedy Playhouse_ and originally aired on 4 January 1973. The first series of episodes started airing on 12 November 1973. The show had broadcast its 30th series in 2009  and the 31st and final series was shown in 2010.

_Last of the Summer Wine_ was filmed in and around Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England. It features three older men who never get old and act like they are children. The three originally were Norman Clegg (Peter Sallis), Cyril Blamire (Michael Bates), and Compo Simmonite (Bill Owen). After two years, Blamire left the show. In his place, Brian Wilde joined as Foggy Dewhurst. The current cast is Russ Abbot as Hobbo Hobdyke, Burt Kwouk as Entwistle, and Brian Murphy as Alvin Smedley.

Some think the show is not as good as it used to be. Many people continue watching it, though, and praise it for portraying older people well and for its family-friendly humour. Members of the British Royal Family enjoy the show. The show has been nominated for some awards and won the National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Programme in 1999. There have been many holiday specials, two television movies, and a documentary movie about the series. _Last of the Summer Wine_ has inspired other adaptations, including a television prequel, several novelisations, and a stage adaptation.

## Other websites

- _Last of the Summer Wine_ at BBC Comedy
- _Last of the Summer Wine_  at UKTV Drama.
- _Last of the Summer Wine_ at phill.co.uk
- _Last of the Summer Wine_ at Nostalgia Central.
- _Last of the Summer Wine_ tourism

## Infobox (television)

- **alt name**: The Last of the Summer Wine <small>(Pilot episode)</small>
- **genre**: Situation comedy, Sitcom
- **runtime**: 30 minutes <small>(approx.)</small>
- **creator**: Roy Clarke
- **writer**: Roy Clarke
- **director**: James Gilbert <small>(1973)</small>
Bernard Thompson (director), Bernard Thompson <small>(1975)</small>
Sydney Lotterby <small>(1976–1979, 1982–1983)</small>
Ray Butt <small>(1976)</small>
Alan J. W. Bell <small>(1981–1982, 1983–2010)</small>
- **producer**: James Gilbert <small>(1973)</small>
Bernard Thompson <small>(1975)</small>
Sydney Lotterby <small>(1976–1979, 1982–1983)</small>
Alan J. W. Bell <small>(1981–1982, 1983–2010)</small>
- **theme music composer**: Ronnie Hazlehurst
- **opentheme**: "The Last of the Summer Wine"
- **composer**: Ronnie Hazlehurst
Jim Parker (composer), Jim Parker
- **location**: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England
- **starring**: _Last cast:_
Russ Abbot
Burt Kwouk
Brian Murphy (actor), Brian Murphy
Peter Sallis
Frank Thornton
June Whitfield
Robert Fyfe
Mike Grady (actor), Mike Grady
Jean Alexander
Jane Freeman
Josephine Tewson
Kathy Staff
- **network**: BBC One
- **cinematography**: Pat O'Shea
- **company**: BBC
- **num episodes**: 295 <small>as of 29 August 2010</small>
- **num series**: 31 <small> as of 2010</small>
- **list episodes**: List of Last of the Summer Wine episodes
- **language**: English language, English
- **related**: _Comedy Playhouse_
_First of the Summer Wine_