Frankie Howerd's First Vist To Pompeii - British Classic Comedy Up Pompeii – The BBC TV Series, 1970 Innuendos and titters a plenty as Frankie Howerd takes us back to Ancient Rome. After a pilot episode in 1969, as part of BBC’s Comedy Playhouse, a full series was commissioned. Up Pompeii began a run of two series (a total of thirty episodes) both broadcast in 1970. Set in ancient Pompeii (pre-eruption) Howerd played a slave, Lurcio . Other main characters were Lurcio’s bumbling old master, Senator Ludicrus Sextus, the Senator’s promiscuous wife Ammonia, his daughter Erotica and his virginal son Nausius, who could forget the famous Senna the Soothsayer and Plautus. Summary The characters names pretty much set the tone of the show. Often thought to be little more than a vehicle for a barrage of double entendres and risqué gags. Of course this style of comedy fitted Frankie Howerd perfectly.

Each episode would open with “The Prologue” which seldom got finished or for that matter had much to do with the plot, due to interruptions from the soothsayer. “Woe, Woe and Thrice Woe” was the call, sound familiar ? Clips BBC - Comedy - Up Pompeii! Up Pompeii! Up Pompeii! You never quite know what's going on in the heads of those godlike beings who commission comedy. Sometimes it's obvious: you commission another series of Little Britain because otherwise, well, you'd be hanged by a mob. But Up Pompeii... now it seems odd. At the time, it was seen as gold. The aim was to fuse the might of the Carry On franchise with the stories of Ancient Rome and the then-huge Frankie Howerd. Playing Lurcio, a slave in the house of Ludicrous Sextus and his variously sexed-up, or naïve family, Howerd would mock his masters and busy himself trying to get them, or himself, out of trouble.

The hands of creator Talbot Rothwell were all over the characters and dialogue, with it mostly being about cramming in as many puns and double-entendres as could be fitted in before exploding. The greatness that it achieved was mostly because of the charm of Howerd, whose character would win the audience over in the first few seconds with a completely irrelevant monologue, and talk to them throughout (a Howerd trademark, as well as a Carry On motif). Like Carry Ons, as well, there were plenty of anachronistic gags. The joy of Up Pompeii is in the fun the actors are having, the relish with which they spoke often dreadful lines, and the glee with which Howerd departed from script. The series itself, however, has dated extremely badly, feeling like a not very good Carry On in most respects. For a series of questionable comedy, though, Up Pompeii was a reasonable success at the time - intimate, stagey, it pulled audiences in. It spawned like a frog, with the series itself continuing in fits and starts until 1991 and only finally halting with Howerd's death.

It gave rise to the films Up The Chastity Belt, and Up the Front, which prefigured Blackadder, and the series Whoops Baghdad and Then Churchill Said To Me saw Howerd in virtually identical roles. And that's what it was really about: Frankie Howerd, at his inimitable best, eating up the screen, upstaging everyone, and bringing the audience in with him. TV: UP POMPEII! | Laughterlog.com TV: UP POMPEII! by Mark McKay (reprinted from LAUGH MAGAZINE #20, 1999) “Greetings good citizens! The prologue. . . “ With these words Frankie Howerd, alias Lurcio the slave, welcomed television viewers to a bawdy weekly romp set in a world of slaves, senators, pimps, gladiators and orgies. Alas, his prologue was always destined to remain unfinished, as poor Lurcio was suddenly swept up in a convoluted plot liber­ally sprinkled with music-hall jokes and honest vulgarity. Up Pompeii!

was centred around the home of Lurcio’s master and mistress — the doddery, ineffectual Roman sena­tor Ludicrus Sextus, and his sexually hungry wife, Ammonia (in her younger days known to all as ‘Madeira’ , because she was a piece of cake). Their pretty teenage daughter, Erotica was thought by her father to be pure and chaste, but Lurcio was only too aware of her voracious appetite for muscular gladiators. Their son, Nausius was something of a disappointment — an effete, lovesick young poet, unable to translate his passion into action. Even before the pilot programme was recorded in July 1969, Frankie was no stranger to Ancient Rome. In 1963 he starred in the London production of the Broadway smash hit musical A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, taking over the role Zero Mostel made famous on the other side of the Atlantic.

The book of this star-studded spec-tacle (Kenneth Connor, Jon Pertwee, Robertson Hare and “Monsewer” Eddie Gray were all supporting players) was written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart and based on the works of Plautus. Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254 – 184 BC) wrote many plays featuring conniving slaves who manage to extract their grateful masters from sticky situations, adopting various disguises and deceptions to win love or money. Adhering to this convention, Frankie appeared as the slave Pseudolus (from a Plautus play of the same name) who longs for his freedom. Frankie also introduced the show as Prologus, singing the Stephen Sondheim classic Comedy Tonight. The idea to expand the Plautus stories into a television series came from the BBC TV Head of Comedy, Michael Mills, freshly returned from a holiday in Italy. He commissioned Carry On movie scriptwriter Talbot Rothwell to come up with a sample script.

Tolly had recently written for Howerd (in the 1968 feature, Carry On Doctor) and with him specifi­cally in mind, turned out a broad, corny farce exposing the wickedness rife in the ancient city of Pompeii. Although most of the character names Rothwell chose were Asterix-type comic concoctions, Lurcio actually appears in some translations of Plautus’ Miles Gloriosus, however many scholars believe ‘Lucrio’ is more likely. Also true to the original text was the use of confidential remarks and out-of-story ap­peals directed at the audience. In turn, Howerd was to take these a step further, reproaching audiences for being slow on the uptake, directing the dirtiest of looks in their direction when his ‘innocent’ remarks are misconstrued, and even admonishing cameramen for attempting to follow his amorous activities: “Oh yes! And where do you think you’re going?” Opting for a pilot rather than launching into an entire se­ries was apparently Howerd’s wish. He was, not unnaturally, worried about the near-the-knuckle dialogue and sexy costumes, and so decided to test the water first.

In the event, public and critical reaction was favourable, so the cast embarked on a series of seven episodes the following year. A toga-clad Frankie glared indignantly from the cover of the Radio Times, holding a platter of fruit. The caption summed up his attitude: “Peel your own grape, mate. A slave I may be, but I’ve still got my pride!” For the series, Willy Rushton took over as the deceased Plautus, making sporadic appearances dictating to his celes­tial secretary: “Hear now the wise words of Plautus …“ Cassandra, the wailing soothsayer became Senna (“a silly old pod”) played by Frankie’s personal friend, Jeanne Mockford. Interrupting the prologue with a cry of “Woe, woe and thrice woe!”, she set the scene for each episode. prophesying doom and gloom upon the house of Ludicrus Sextus. In the fourth programme this concerns a military uprising in Britain: “Let slip the dogs of war. Only the blessed will escape their bloody fangs.” Lurcio: “Well. it’ll he no b1oody fangs to you.

mate!” As Frankie would say, “What do you expect — wit? Hot on the heels of the first series came a follow-up. This time Max Adrian, who had pIayed Ludicrus Sextus in the first eight episodes. was rep1aced by character actor Wallas Eaton (Eaton had already been seen in Up Pompeii! in a couple of minor roles). The senator’s change of appearance was explained away as being due to a face lift. Another new name on the credits was Sid Colin, who helped his long standing partner, Tolly Rothwell with the scripts. The flippancy of Howerd’s performance is particularly refreshing. Whilst the other actors are seriously committed to the play, Frankie mischievously shows us the lurid floral boxer shorts he is wearing under the toga; or lifts up the foam cover over a bathtub, exposing his mistress’s bubble bath as a fake!

He seems put-out by his fellow artistes’ success, registering protests: “She gets all the best lines — its not right!”, or spiteful threats: “That’s right — enjoy your last appearance on this show!” But the spontaneity is merely a clever decep­tion — as the writers divulged “even the ad-libs are rehearsed for days”. The next venture was a successful film adaptation produced by Ned Sherrin. With an entirely new cast (including Michael Hordern, Patrick Cargill and Lance Percival) and the absence of a studio audience, it boasted more nudity than was permissible on the small screen. The following years brought more Up period pieces to the cinemas. For Up The Chastity Belt Frankie became Saxon serf, Lurkalot, and in Up The Front, World War I soldier, Private Lurk. Back on television, another series was planned, but regrettably Talbot Rothwell was unavailable. Also, Frankie was worried about becoming typecast as a Roman slave, so instead he embarked on a substandard middle eastern rendition — the 6-part Whoops Baghdad.

Howerd starred as the Wazir’s serv­ant, Au Oopla, with scripts by Sid Cohn, David Nobbs, Peter Vincent, Maurice Sellar and others. Characters, plots and dou­ble entendres all harked back to its Ancient Roman antecedent, but the direction was sloppy and the writing weak. Then in 1975, by public demand, Lurcio returned for a special Easter Monday edition of Up Pompeii!. There was even talk of another series in the autumn, dependent upon Rothwell’s commitments, but it did not eventuate. By 1991, Frankie Howerd had once more been ‘rediscov­ered’ . The previous year he was back in the West End with a one-man show and his acclaimed address to the Oxford Union was televised by LWT. What surer way to consolidate his success than with a revival of his most famous character? Further Up Pompeii was a return to the hoary gags and anach­ronisms of its predecessors, but with one obvious difference: “It is not now B.C. — it is not now B.B.C!”, referring to the move to London Weekend Television.

Amazingly, the special was no more permissive than the original series — even Lurcio’s pitying aside “Poor bar steward!” would not be out of place in an episode from 1970. But sadly it didn’t really come off, mainly because Frankie appears very slow-moving, plump and worn — not surprising since he was concealing his real age of 74 when the show was made. Just before the final credits, for the very last time Lurcio signed off with the familiar two-fingered salute and departing sally “Salute!” EPISODE GUIDE Comedy Playhouse: BBC1, Wednesday 17 September 1969 (35mins) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Max Adrian (Ludicrus Sextus), Elizabeth Lamer (Ammonia), Kerry Gardner (Nausius), Georgina Moon (Erotica), John Junkin (Odius) Script by Talbot Rothwell Ludicrus Sextus is trying to pass a bill through the senate which will enable slaves to buy their freedom for 500 drach­mas. Lurcio is determined to raise the money.

Whilst Captain Bilius, the slave trader, is otherwise engaged with his old flame Ammonia, Lurcio takes charge of his girl captives. One is sold to Nausius and the other three to the ‘madam’ of the Ludi Puerorum (or Playboy) Club. But still 100 drachmas short, Lurcio tricks his mistress into accompanying the girls, decked out in appropriate scrubber attire. SERIES 1 BBC1, Mondays 30 March to 11 May 1970 (7 x 35 min) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Max Adrian (Ludicrus Sextus), Elizabeth Lamer (Ammonia).

Kerry Gardner (Nausius), GeorginaMoon (Erotica)(eps 1 & 7), William Rushton (Plautus), JeanneMockford (Senna) Scripts by Talbot Rothwell 1/1 Vestal Virgins with Trisha Noble, Hugh Paddick, Geoffrey Hughes It is the occasion of the Festival of Vestal Virgins (or VV Day) and it befits the master to choose the winning girl, who must be pure in mind and body. However evil Noxius, fearing for the future of his Playboy club, plans to discredit the senator. With the help of his henchman, Pitius, he substitutes his girls for the sole two contestants. The Gods express their anger and Lurcio is ordered to find a replacement. He realises the master’s daughter, Erotica is obviously unsuitable, but his son, Nausius is a possibility — with the help of a wig, gown and some sticking plaster! 1/2 The Ides of March with Robert Gillespie. Nicholas Smith, Michael Knowles, Wendy Richard, Colin Bean Three senators secretly meet at the home of Ludicrus Sextus to arrange the assassination of Caesar, who is visiting Pompeii.

Lurcio distributes the straws to decide who will plunge the dagger, and finds himself holding the longest straw! But Caesar (another role for Frankie, as patiently explained to the audience) receives a warning visit from Ammonia which turns into an amorous encounter. Meanwhile Lurcio has been ar­rested, but when his resemblance to the great Caesar is detected, he is groomed to impersonate the Roman ruler, resulting in an exhausting series of costume changes for Frankie. 1/3 The Senator with Derek Francis, Valerie Leon, James Ottaway Ammonia informs Lurcio of the impending visit of the wicked Senator Lecherus, and orders the slave to finish him off with a poisonous Egyptian asp. At the same time Ludicrus learns that he is to entertain Caesar’s friend, Senator Primus Stovus. Needless to say, a mix-up ensues — Primus Stovus is locked in the cellar with the asp, and Ammonia returns home to find Lecherus in her bedroom with Nausius’ girlfriend.

1/4 Brittanicus with Wallas Eaton, Robin Hunter, Peter Needham When a proclamation is decreed insisting that every able-bod­ied man must report to his nearest army depot to quash the British uprising, Ludicrus is eager to go into battle. Lurcio does not share his enthusiasm, since long ago he was forced to flee Brittanicus when he refused to marry the girl from the next cave. Against his wishes, he finds himself posted overseas and serving in a Roman encampment. Foolishly he accepts a gift of a wooden ‘Jersean Cow’ from the Britons, enabling them to gain the upper hand. Lurcio awaits the arrival of Queen Boadicea. 1/5 The Actors with Olwen Griffiths, Audrey Nicholson, Bill Maynard Lurcio is sent to the Hippodrome Theatre to deliver a note to Cuspidor from his former acquaintance, Ammonia, and another to Hermione from her former acquaintance, Ludicrus. By the time he arrives. Cuspidor has done a bunk so, much to his delight, Lurcio is given an audition for a masked play.

But he is soon interrupted by Nausius, who has come looking for his beloved Hernia, and the confusion begins. 1/6 Spartacus with Shaun Curry, Wallas Eaton, Vic Taylor, Larry Martyn Spartacus is organising a revolt and even Nausius has joined his ‘free the slaves’ campaign. Although attempting to steer clear of this rebellion, hapless Lurcio is arrested by centurions and incarcerated in a dungeon. Here he is happy to be away from the bloody battle raging outside but there seems to be no shortage of people trying to rescue him. Eventually Spartacus enters victorious and Lurcio assumes his place as master in the home of Ludicrus Sextus. 1/7 The Love Potion with Trisha Noble. Mollie Sugden, Lynda Baron, David Kernan Everyone in the household is lining up a bit of hanky-panky tonight, and Lurcio is being paid off to stay away. But when he hears the beautiful Lusha will be arriving, Lurcio decides to get in on the action by impersonating his master.

Adorned with a laurel wreath and dressed in the finest toga, our hero ensures a successful evening by emptying an apothecary’s love filter into the wine. The effect of the potion is to cause the imbiber to immediately fall in love with the first person he sees. But when the others arrive home with their partners and partake of the wine, the result is pandemonium. SPECIAL A Royal Television Gala Performance: BBC1. Sunday 24 May 1970 This 100-minute benefit show contained an Up Pompeii!

segment starring Frankie Howerd, Elizabeth Lamer, Kerry Gardner and Jeanne Mockford Script by Talbot Rothwell SERIES 2 BBC1, Mondays, 14 September to 26 October 1970 (not 5October) (6 x 30 min) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Wallas Eaton (Ludicrus Sextus), Elizabeth Lamer (Ammonia), Kerry Gardner (Nausius), GeorginaMoon (Erotica)(eps 1, 2, 4 & 6), Jeanne Mockford (Senna) Scripts by Talbot Rothwell and Sid Colin 2/1 The Legacy with Pat Coombs, Anita Richardson, Bunny May, William Corderoy Ludicrus learns that his rich uncle, ‘filthy’ Lucre has died and left his nephew 10,000 drachmas provided he has a child to be named after his benefactor. With his master and mistress both doubting each other’s capabilities, Lurcio seeks out Tarta the sorceress to provide them with a rejuvenation potion. Unfor­tunately, Ludicrus takes both his and Ammonia’s dose and reverts to his childhood.

All looks lost, until Lurcio realises they already have a son… 2/2 Roman Holiday with Kenneth J. Warren, Grazma Frame, Penelope Charteris Ludicrus arrives home unexpectedly, having just left for the weekend, only to discover two young women in the bath. When Lurcio explains that they have been rescued from a galley slave trader, the fierce Captain Felonius, Ludicrus insists that they be removed from the house. Meantime Ammonia and Erotica return home and are mistakenly carried off by the trader, leaving the two slave girls, much to the delight of Lurcio and his master. 2/3 James Bondus with George Baker, Patricia Haines, Larry Martyn The plans for a secret weapon capable of hurling coconuts 25feet have been stolen from Ludicrus, minister of defence. Sud­denly a mysterious cloaked figure from military intelligence returns the blueprints to Lurcio, but is stabbed before he can name the traitor. Soon the slave, with the documents safely tucked under his toga, is visited by spies — the charismatic Jamus Bondus and the wicked seductress Pussus Galoria.

2/4 The Peace Treaty with Alan Curtis, David Anderson The men of Pompeii are once more preparing for war. Even Lurcio has received his call-up tablets instructing him to join Capt. Bumshus’ ENSA regiment — the East Naples Suicide Army, that is. But Nausius’ story of Lysistrata gives Lurcio an idea; he decides to adopt the same method to avoid conscription. Appearing in drag as the busty Titicata, he urges the womenfolk of Pompeii to withhold their favours until the men refuse to go to war (‘No Piece Without Peace’). Ludicrus decides that this Titicata must have a woman’s weaknesses, and Bumshus is commissioned to expose them. 2/5Nymphia with Barbara Windsor, Michael Brennan, Roy Stewart Nausius has met an innocent young girl, whom he proposes to wed. The family are pleased for him, but soon change their minds when they meet his intended, Nymphia, a ‘commoner than muck’ strip club dancer. Lurcio is ordered to prevent the marriage, so he poses as a wealthy eastern potentate and attempts to lure her away from the boy.

Whilst ‘the Caliph of Khazi’ is flirting with the girl, Nausius is summoned to catch them in flagrante delicto. However, who should turn up instead, but Nymphia’s father! 2/6 Exodus with Jean Kent, Paul Whitsun-Jones, Bunny May, Larry Martyn Having lost his seat in the senate, the master is selling his house and moving to Rome. To face expenses, Lurcio is sent to be sold at the Nefarius Slave Boutique, where he waits in chains, marked down from 195 drachmas. Soon he is taken on approval for a try-out by the sex-mad Aphrodite. Luckily, Nausius and Erotica witness his plight and save up to buy him back again at the auction.

SPECIALS Further Up Pompeii!: BBC1, Monday 31 March 1975 (45 min) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Mark Dignam (Ludicrus Sextus), Elizabeth Lamer (Ammonia), Kerry Gardner (Nausius), John Cater (Pollux), Jeanne Mockford (Senna) Script by Talbot Rothwell Further Up Pompeii: LWT, Saturday 14 December 1991 (45mins) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Joanna Dickens (Colossa), Eliza­beth Anson (Petunia), John Bardon (Villainus Brutus), Russell Gold (Noxius), Ben Aris (Flatus), Peter Geeves (Ambiguous) Script by Paul Minett and Brian Leveson Lurcio is now a freeman with his own slaves, and running the Bacchus wine bar. Today two of his customers are gladiators from the Colosseum — the mighty Gluteus Maximus and the puny Umbilicus.

Lurcio’s boss, the wicked Villainus, tries to fix the fight by ordering his employee to drug Gluteus’ wine. But when Lurcio poisons Umbilicus instead, our hero is forced to fill the breach. FILM Up Pompeii! Anglo-EMI (released April 1971) Starring Frankie Howerd (Lurcio), Michael Hordern (Ludicrus Sextus), Barbara Murray (Ammonia), Patrick Cargill (Nero), Lance Percival (Bilius), Julie Ege (Voluptua), Bill Fraser (Prosperus Maximus), Rita Webb (Cassandra), Bernard Bresslaw (Gorgo), Adrienne Posta (Scrubba), Madeline Smith (Erotica), Hugh Paddick (priest), Roy Hudd (M. C.) Screenplay: Sid Colin (based on idea by Talbot Rothwell) Lurcio finds himself in possession of a damning scroll containing the names of the conspirators who plan to assassinate the Emperor Nero when he arrives in Pompeii.

Discovering it substituted for his speech to the Senate, Ludicrus sets off to denounce the ringleader, Prosperus, but is instead seduced by his wife, Voluptua. He is rescued by Lurcio disguised as a Nubian eunuch, who is captured and forced to wrestle Nero’s champion, Gorgo. To everyone’s amazement he is declared the winner and ordered to kill Prosperus. But after a wild chase in the steam baths, rumblings are heard from Vesuvius… BOOK by William Rand (from the film screenplay) Sphere paperback (1972) Up Pompeii! (TV Series 1969– ) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Talks of assassinating Caesar see Lurcio chosen as the one, Ammonia overhears the plans and rushes to warn the Emperor, and a striking resemblance gives Ponderous an idea.

9.0 Lurcio struggles to deliver the prologue, Ludicrus Sextus suggests the price of freedom should be 500 drachma, and Captain Bilius' shipment of slave girls brings an opportunity to make money. 8.4 Lurcio can't help feeling that the household are trying to get rid of him, news of a pretty visitor leads to ideas of trickery, and a bit of something in the wine results in a lot of something in the... 8.3 a list of 100 titles created 24 Jun 2012 a list of 42 titles created 27 Jun 2013 a list of 392 titles created 11 Mar 2014 a list of 15 titles created 30 Apr 2015 a list of 821 titles created 6 months ago Search for " Up Pompeii! " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Add Image Add an image Do you have any images for this title?

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See full summary » Stars: Robert Lindsay, Mike Grady, Hilda Braid The series followed the wavering relationship between two ex-lovers, Penny Warrender, a secretary for an advertising firm, and Vincent Pinner, an ex ice cream salesman turned turf ... See full summary » Stars: Paul Nicholas, Jan Francis, Sylvia Kay The cases of an easy going ex-convict turned private investigator. Stars: James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos 1 September 1969 (UK) See more » Company Credits Did You Know? Trivia As the comedian was very sensitive about his baldness, BBC hairdressers had to put Lurcio's Roman hairpiece over Frankie Howerd 's own toupee. See more » Connections See more (Spoiler Alert!) » User Reviews The satire may be more juvenile than Juvenal, but "Up, Pompeii" remains a classic bit of English gutter subversion.

(Sydney, Australia) – See all my reviews Technically: a peculiar cross between "A Funny thing happened on the Way to the Forum" & "It's That Man Again", "Up, Pompeii" is a music hall-styled satire built around the character Lurkio (Frankie Howerd). From the opening prologue - a story from classical mythology which hardly ever gets started, much less completed - to the final "Salute!", FH is hardly ever off-camera, acting, overacting &/or commenting on the plot, script, camerawork or sets... hardly anyone gets much of a lookin. About 90% of the jokes are ancient enough to have first been told in Pompeii (the rest are somewhat older); but are played with the carefully-scripted/apparently-improvised style which was FH's trademark. Warning: if the series didn't treat its menfolk even worse, one could easily describe it as misogynistic (it probably is anyway). If Howerd's peculiar genius (a word often overused; but probably useful in this case) doesn't appeal, avoid like the plague... otherwise: catch it whenever you can.... 8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes Up Pompeii - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com EDIT Welcome to the Up Pompeii guide at TV.com. In the vein of and following in the footsteps of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", this bawdy, risque, and hilarious British Comedy is rife with one liners, innuendos, and double entendres, and was the perfect comedy for Britain's mad comedian Frankie Howerd. From his attempt to begin each show with "The Prologue" to his final "Saluté", what occurs in-between is pure Frankie Howerd. The cast around him are his props and his role as the slave Lurcio was one of his finest roles, played to comedic perfection. The series takes place in Pompeii, before the eruption of Vesuvius of course, and relates the day to day trials and tribulations of our star, the slave Lurcio played by Frankie Howerd. The innuendo's begin at once with the names of the characters in the series.

Lurcio is slave to philandering Senator Ludicrus Sextus, a rather befuddled senator that is often at odds with both his wife and common sense. His sexy wife Ammonia is forever involving Lurcio in some deed that he needs to keep secret from his master or one that could result in poor Lurcio losing more than just his tunic. Their two children, Erotica and Nausius complicate our poor hapless slaves life even further. If someone needed to be the fall guy, go to jail, be caught in a compromising situation, or some other thankless job, poor Lurcio seems to have been everyone's first choice. Each episode was kept fresh by new and unusual characters showing up with such revealing and evocative names as Ambi Dextrus, Biggia, Bumshus, Felonius, Hernia, James Bondus, Pussus Galoria, Lecherous, Lusha, Mucas, Nefarius, Nymphia, Noxius, Odius, Ponderous, Procuria, Prodigius, Spurios, Tittia, Verminus, Villanus, Voluptua, and many, many more.

And, many of the actors and actresses who played these roles went on to fame on other British Comedies. In fact, a good many of the stars of the series "Are You Being Served" can be seen in the various episodes of "Up Pompeii." From Senna the Soothsayer's wild predictions to Nausius' strange poetry, every episode was hilarious from beginning to end and has lost none of it's comedic impact over the years, seeming to have aged to perfection like a fine old wine or and expensive cognac. Luckily, the series survives on video and can be purchased through many locations in both NTSC and PAL formats. The pilot episode entitled "Up Pompeii" aired in September of 1969, with the series beginning to air in March of 1970. The first season consisted of seven episodes, and the second series had six with the series ending in October 1970. In 1971, "Up Pompeii" was made into a movie.

There were also two specials, the first of which "Further Up Pompeii!" aired in March of 1975 and the second, also called "Further Up Pompeii" aired in December 1991. In April of 1992, Frankie Howerd entered a British hospital complaining of respiratory problems. Sadly, he passed away on Easter Sunday, 1992.moreless BFI Screenonline: Up Pompeii! (1970) Up Pompeii! (1970) 13 x 35 minutes episodes in two series, plus two specials Sid Colin Cast: Frankie Howerd (Lurcio); Max Adrian, Wallas Eaton, Mark Dignam (Ludicrus Sextus); Ruth Harrison (Cassandra); Georgina Moon, Jennifer Lonsdale (Erotica); Elizabeth Larner (Ammonia); Jeanne Mockford (Senna); Kerry Gardner (Nausius); Walter Horsbrugh, William Rushton (Plautus) (BBC, 1970) was created by Carry On , and its lineage is unmistakable.

The series, about the daily life of Roman slave Lurcio ( Frankie Howerd ), was very loosely based on the US musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, in which Howerd had starred on the London stage in 1963, but Rothwell 's jokes and characters clearly owed more to his cinema work. Each episode started with Howerd giving 'The Prologue', a rambling digression delivered to camera about some highly unlikely events taking place in Rome, complete with plenty of 'oohs' and 'aahs' in order to emphasise any particularly salacious revelations. The week's plot was then partially revealed in a spectacularly obscure prophecy by Senna the soothsayer ( Jeanne Mockford ), before she was ushered off stage by an increasingly irate Howerd It would be hard to describe Howerd 's performance as acting in the traditional sense; his portrayal of Lurcio was little more than an extension of his own media persona. The fact that he also spent a good deal of each episode directly talking to the audience further blurred the line between performer and performance.

Regular characters included Lurcio's master, the senator Ludicrous Sextus ( Max Adrian ), all of whom were obsessed by sex. Their bawdy exploits were commented on by Howerd during asides, complete with awful puns, in a pastiche of the traditional Greek chorus. Episodes ended where they started, with Howerd mugging shamelessly at the audience while urging them not to titter every time they laughed. 'Titter ye not', with the emphasis firmly on the 'tit', quickly became the programme's catchphrase. Up Pompeii! rarely aspired to subtlety, and its humour never strayed outside the bounds of tempered innuendo. The series was a huge hit, despite only managing two seasons, and transferred in 1971 to the big screen (d. Bob Kellett), in which Lurcio helps foil an attempt on the life of Emperor Nero ( Patrick Cargill ). There was also a 45-minute Easter special, Further Up Pompeii (BBC, tx. 31/3/1975) and an attempt to revive the show in 1991 by ITV , also entitled Further Up Pompeii (tx.

14/12/1991). Unfortunately, this failed to recapture the original's ribald charms and the proposed series never entered production. Anthony Clark BBC - March anniversaries - History of the BBC History of the BBC Former BBC Director-General, John Birt. BBC Producer Guidelines published 1 March 1989 In 1988 the BBC's impartiality and independence were questioned repeatedly. The play Tumbledown, the broadcast of the Nelson Mandela Birthday Concert, and the introduction of the government's ban on the direct broadcast of voices from certain organisations in Northern Ireland all proved controversial. Against this background the BBC Producer Guidelines were published for the first time on 1 March 1989. They served to provide a clear public statement of the editorial principles by which the BBC operated, although their primary purpose was to be a useful guide for programme makers. Editorial guidelines were not new for the BBC, circulated internally in memos and in documents such as the 1948 Variety Programmes Policy Guide. A glance at this document - which prohibited suggestive references to underwear such as "winter draws on" – shows how concerns over taste changed over the decades.

The 1989 Producer Guidelines provided the latest advice and subsequent editions were published in ring-binder form so they could be easily updated. Today, more than ever, the BBC has to be able to justify every editorial decision. To this end the Corporation's Editorial Values are now freely available online, set out in the Editorial Guidelines, covering everything from the depiction of sex to product placement and the handling of politically sensitive situations. Launch of new channel BBC Four 2 March 2002 The new digital television channel BBC Four began on Saturday 2 March 2002. It was launched with the slogan "everybody needs a place to think", offering a diet of arts, culture and documentaries. The new channel replaced BBC Knowledge. Controller Roly Keating explained in the Radio Times that BBC Four would have the time to examine subjects in greater depth than had been possible on BBC Two. BBC Four's first night was a simulcast with BBC Two, acknowledging the links between the two channels and the need to showcase the potential of the new digital station to the far larger terrestrial audience. The first programme was The Man Who Destroyed Everything, about artist Michael Landy.

This was followed by a documentary on Goya, a comedy drama on the Surrealists and music from Baaba Maal. BBC Four also offered a distinctive international emphasis to the news, with a bulletin presented by George Alagiah. BBC Four overcame initial reservations about the size of its audience to become a recognised home of intelligent programming, and won the award for Non-terrestrial Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh Television Festival. The channel has originated many acclaimed programmes, and made successes of others such as Wallender and The Killing, that would otherwise have struggled to find an audience. Housewives' Choice 4 March 1946 The music request programme Housewives' Choice started on 4 March 1946. It was part of a new post-war schedule for the Light Programme, and was intended for women left at home while their men were at work, although the presenters were invariably male. The first week was introduced by Robert MacDermot. Other presenters over the years included Gilbert Harding, Eamonn Andrews, Edmundo Ros, Sam Costa and George Elrick. At its height Housewives' Choice received 3000 requests a week.

The signature tune - In Party Mood - written by Jack Strachey - became synonymous with the Light Programme, not least because it was heard on six mornings a week. The presenter George Elrick was caught singing along on an open mic, a musical ad lib which proved so popular with listeners that it became a regular part of Elrick's presenting, inspiring him to add lyrics such as "I'll see you all again tomorrow morning". Housewives' Choice ended in 1967 with the Light Programme, replaced by Family Choice on the new Radio 2, a reflection of the changing audience. However, Housewives' Choice remains an iconic Light Programme show and the theme tune still signifies an old-fashioned domestic optimism. Round the Horne 7 March 1965 The first episode of Round the Horne was heard on 7 March 1965. Listeners immediately took to the characters introduced, such as Julian and Sandy, Dame Celia Molestrangler, Fiona and Charles, and Rambling Syd Rumpo. Kenneth Horne presided over the same cast that had found success in Beyond Our Ken - Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden and Bill Pertwee.

Announcements were by Douglas Smith, and each week a musical interlude was provided by The Fraser Hayes Four. The programme was transmitted on a Sunday afternoon for a family audience, but writers Barry Took and Marty Feldman took advantage of the permissive air of mid Sixties Britain to insert lots of saucy humour. The most popular characters, Julian and Sandy, spoke in Polari - the underground slang used before the decriminalisation of homosexuality - and produced several catchphrases that passed into common use. The show ran for four series but ended after Horne's untimely death. Feldman left for the final season to concentrate on his flourishing performing career. Round the Horne continues to delight new audiences today, through repeats and release on CD. The influence of the programme can be traced in shows like The Fast Show. The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy 8 March 1978 The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy began life as a radio series, with the first episode airing on 8 March 1978.

The science fiction comedy was described in the Radio Times as "an epic adventure in time and space including some helpful advice on how to see the Universe for less than 30 Altairian dollars a day". Written by Douglas Adams, and produced by Simon Brett, it started a franchise that included books, television and a feature film, and even outlasted the author's untimely death. Radio was the perfect medium on which to debut Adam's vision of the universe, as visual effects were at that time incapable of matching his imagination. However the BBC Radiophonic Workshop rose to the challenge, using the full potential of stereo - previously only used in radio dramas - to bring The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to life. Peter Jones was cast as the voice of the book, and his calm tones punctuated the action with extracts from the Guide. The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy was adapted for television in 1981, after the second radio series. Radio has always proved to be fertile ground for comedy, being cheaper to produce and more able to take risks than television, and many television classics started on radio. However for many, the original radio series of HHGTTG will never be surpassed.

French and Saunders 9 March 1987 Audio slideshow featuring the best of BBC comedy. For a list of those featured, go to this page. The first series of French and Saunders started on 9 March 1987. Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders promised a fresh female take on the comedy duo; coming from the flourishing alternative comedy scene, but in the tradition of double acts like "Morecambe and Wise and George and Mildred". As their popularity grew over 6 series they became mainstream stars and their Christmas Specials big events. The first episode was a deliberately shambolic affair, with amateurish support from house band Raw Sex - Roland Rivron and Simon Brint - and The Hot Hoofers dance troupe. Guest star Alison Moyet was on to sing a song - but first had to witness French do her own version. There were 2 sketches - Classroom and Sports Desk - but the majority of the programme had more in common with French and Saunders' roots in theatre. Later shows became known for the increasingly elaborate sketches, with spoofs of films proving very popular. Both Saunders and French went on to become individual stars in the comedy firmament.

Saunders created Absolutely Fabulous - itself a spin off from a French and Saunders sketch. French had success with The Vicar of Dibley. The two comedians reunited for a Christmas Special in 2005, and both continue to write and perform. The Frost Report 10 March 1966 The satirical comedy show The Frost Report made its first appearance on 10 March 1966. Each week David Frost took a different subject and examined it with the help of illustrative sketches. The supporting cast for the first episode was Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, John Cleese, Nicky Henson and Nicholas Smith. In addition Julie Felix and Tom Lehrer provided music. Barker was already well known but it was Cleese, Corbett and Henson’s first break on television. The theme of the first week was Authority. Subsequent weeks looked at Holidays, Sin and Elections. The fifth week - on Class - featured the series’ most enduring sketch, with Cleese, Barker and Corbett cast as upper, middle and lower class. It was written by Marty Feldman and John Law.

Other writers on The Frost Report included future Pythons Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, alongside Tim Brooke-Taylor and established names such as Frank Muir and Dennis Nordern. The Frost Report helped establish satire as a staple of television comedy, inspiring programmes such as Not the Nine O’clock News. The on screen and backstage talent involved with making the show went on to contribute to the some of the most loved programmes on television. Frost himself continued his ascent and became known for his with searching political interviews. He was knighted in 1993 and died in 2013. World Service Television News 11 March 1991 BBC World Service Television News began at 7pm GMT on 11 March 1991. It was launched to complement World Service radio, at a time when demand for impartial 24 hour global news television was growing. It started in Europe but by the end of the year had expanded into Asia and the Middle East. BBC Chairman Marmaduke Hussey introduced the service; "The BBC brand is a world leader.

The more widely it is known, the more credit it brings to our country." The service was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC, funded by subscriptions and advertising. It proved its value in times of conflict, such as the Kosovo crisis of 1999, when viewers and contributors - including US government officials and the Albanian Prime Minister - praised its coverage. World Service Television News changed its name as its reputation grew, first to BBC World and then - in 1998 - to BBC World News. Today BBC World News is available around the clock in over 200 countries with an estimated weekly audience of 76 million. It is available in homes and can be seen in three million hotel rooms, on cruise ships, airliners and mobile phones. First broadcast by the BBC Dance Orchestra 12 March 1928 Henry Hall and the BBC Dance Orchestra at the London Palladium, August 1934. The BBC Dance Orchestra, led by Jack Payne, made its first official broadcast on 12 March 1928. The band had proved its popularity as The Cecilians, occasionally broadcasting from the Hotel Cecil.

Given the title Director of the BBC Dance Orchestra, Payne moved his 10-piece band to the studio at Savoy Hill. His regular radio performances ensured his success, and made his signature tune, "Say it with Music",a hit. The BBC Handbook of 1929 acknowledged the importance of dance music on the radio and called it "the voice of something very typical of ourselves and of this post-war age". Radio dancing lessons were all the rage, and the listeners' appetite for dance music was huge. The BBC Dance Orchestra was soon receiving 10 thousand letters a week. Payne left the BBC in 1932 and was replaced by Henry Hall, who continued the success with another line-up of the BBC Dance Orchestra. Hall was followed by Billy Ternent and then Stanley Black, until 1952. The orchestra provided the music for many hit programmes, including The Goons, Ray's a Laugh and Much Binding in the Marsh. Launch of the Latin American Service 14 March 1938 Director-General Lord Reith introduced the first programme on the BBC Latin American Service. The English announcement is followed by a direct translation in Spanish.

The BBC launched the Latin American Service on 14 March 1938. It was the second foreign language radio service, following the Arabic Service launched in January. Both were initiated in the tense pre-war period, to counter propaganda, coming from other countries, that was seen to be damaging Britain's interests in the regions. The Latin American Service was broadcast in Spanish and Portuguese, reaching a potential audience of 70 million people in Central and South America, and a further 40 million in Brazil. The Latin American Service set out to provide straightforward news and information, starting with 15 minute news bulletins broadcast in Spanish and Portuguese in succession. Letters from the region thanked the BBC for providing impartial news. The foreign language services proved their effectiveness during the Second World War, and by 1945 the BBC was broadcasting in 45 separate languages. The Latin American Service was renamed BBC Mundo in 2005 to include Spanish speakers in the US. At the same time BBC Brazil was created for Portuguese speakers. BBC Mundo ended radio transmissions in 2011, but today maintains a strong presence online.

Up Pompeii 23 March 1970 23 March 1970 was the start of the first series of Up Pompeii, a repeat of the pilot shown as a Comedy Playhouse the previous year. The Radio Times said it was loosely based on the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum and the works of Roman playwright Plautus. However it was written by Talbot Rothwell, in a broad style that owed a greater debt to the Carry On films he had scripted. Frankie Howerd was the star of the show, and expert at extracting every innuendo from the punning script. He played Lurcio, household slave to Senator Ludicrus Sextus and his wife Ammonia, and to their children Erotica and Nausia. Every episode began with Lurcio attempting to declaim The Prologue in the manner of a Greek chorus. He never got very far as he was always interrupted by Senna the soothsayer, predicting doom. Howerd played to the studio audience, reacting to their laughter with the range of looks and saucy remarks that were his trademark, peppering his speech with anachronistic remarks.

Up Pompeii ran for two very successful series and became a feature film. Howerd died in 1992 but his place as an icon of British comedy was recently celebrated in a Radio 2 documentary. Letter From America 24 March 1946 The world's longest running speech radio programme, Letter From America, presented by the inimitable Alistair Cooke, began on 24 March 1946. The initial agreement was for a 13 week series, but Cooke's natural style proved such a success that it ran for 58 years and only ended with his death in 2004. Letter From America was commissioned by Lindsay Wellington, the Controller of the Home Service, as a return to Cooke's pre-war work on American Half Hour. Wellington knew what Cooke could bring to a broadcast. "I had to offer", wrote Cooke in the Radio Times, "a direct impression of anything of America that took my fancy. Not a diatribe, not a composed essay, but the first impression of an accident, a person, a landscape on the nervous emulsion of A. Cooke".

In this fashion Letter From America covered 11 Presidencies and events such as the death of Bobby Kennedy and the September 11 attacks. In 1972 Cooke made the critically acclaimed television series America, which was an international success. Cooke remained popular on both sides of the Atlantic and it was said on his death that with Letter From America he did more than any other individual to maintain the "special relationship" between the US and Britain. Grand National televised 26 March 1960 BBC Sport celebrates The Grand National 1960-2012. The first Grand National to be televised was run on 26 March 1960. The race - which was won by favourite Merryman II, ridden by Gerry Scott - was broadcast live from Aintree as part of Grandstand. At the end presenter David Coleman assured viewers that they had witnessed a piece of television history. To capture every inch of the four mile 856 yard steeplechase the BBC deployed 16 cameras, including Television's Roving Eye. This outside broadcast van, with a camera mounted on the roof, was able to drive alongside the runners and riders for over half of the course.

Thus viewers at home got a far better view of the race than any spectator at the racecourse. Commentary was provided by Peter O'Sullevan and Peter Bromley. Today the Grand National continues to be a popular draw on BBC Sport, and is one of the few sporting events judged to be of national importance, and so preserved by the government on free-to-air television. In addition to the domestic audience of 10 million, it is watched by an estimated worldwide audience of 500 million. Troubleshooter 27 March 1990 In Troubleshooter, Sir John Harvey-Jones, the flamboyant former chairman of ICI, went to look at ailing companies and offer his expertise as to how they could be turned around. The first episode - on 27 March 1990 - featured the venerable toy manufacturer Tri-ang. Sir John showed that the business world could provide popular television, mixing personality in with the analysis, and Troubleshooter ran for 5 series. Tri-ang did not survive in the long term, but many companies featured on Troubleshooter took Sir John’s advice and thrived. These included Churchill China, Velden Engineering and Copella.

Classic car company Morgan was a slightly different success story. They ignored Sir John’s advice to increase capacity - preferring to maintain their exclusivity - but credited a boost in sales to their appearance on the show, which highlighted their traditional manufacturing methods. Troubleshooter showed there was an appetite for entertaining programmes about industry and led to others such as Back to the Floor. Harvey-Jones died in 2008, but his show was revived in 2014 as Digby Jones: The New Troubleshooter. The brutal honesty that Sir John pioneered can be seen in personality driven business programmes such as Mary Queen of Shops, The Apprentice and Dragon’s Den. Opening of new Crystal Palace transmitter 28 March 1956 The slideshow contains many images of the iconic Crystal Palace transmitting station, with thanks to Derek Brice, Mike Jordan, Tony Stamp, and Robert Whittaker. The music used in the slideshow was heard before the regular transmitter 'Service Information' programme broadcast on BBC Two from 1967, Monday to Friday at 10am, 11.30am, and 2.30pm.

The track is called 'Walk and Talk' by Syd Dale, and was used until 1978, when it was replaced. 'Service Information' helped television engineers with information about transmitters going on and off the air, and other relevant information for the radio and television trade. 'Service Information' was finally dropped from the BBC Two schedule when daytime TV programming started. 28 March 1956 saw the official opening of the new Crystal Palace television station, designed to provide increased coverage to a large swathe of London and the south-east. Since the opening of the BBC Television Service, twenty years before, programmes had been broadcast across London from a transmitter on the iconic tower at Alexandra Palace. Now the station at 'Ally Pally' was to be switched off, not to operate again as a regular transmitting station until 1982. For many years, live programme production from Alexandra Palace had suffered from interference because of the close proximity of the transmitter to the studios. Now there was a solution. Stable and more reliable pictures could be sent from state-of-the-art transmitters, located some twenty 20 kilometres away. The site was also a safe distance from the BBC studios at Lime Grove.

By 21 December 1957 the formal commissioning (opening) of the Crystal Palace television aerial, meant the BBC was well placed to face commercial competition from ITV which had opened nearly two years earlier. Nearly 215 metres high, the tower, confined to a small area of Crystal Palace Park, was erected by British Insulated Callendars Construction. Soon after opening, its transmitters were equipped to broadcast test programmes in colour late at night, after regular programming was over for the day. It was also adapted to 625 line operation in time for the launch of BBC Two in 1964, and colour in 1967. Today the transmitter continues to serve London and the Home counties, reaching over 12 million people. In April 2012 the analogue signal from Crystal Palace will be switched off, and the station will become an entirely digital operation, fit for service into the twenty first century. Going for a Song 31 March 1965 Going for a Song was first seen in the BBC West Region on 31 March 1965.

The show, in which "connoisseurs and customers explore the world of antiques", was an instant success and made its network debut in October. The first presenter, Tony Ross, was replaced by Max Robertson, who remained in the chair until 1977. However the undoubted star was Arthur Negus, whose knowledge and enthusiasm made him a hit with viewers. Each programme began with a mechanical bird singing in an ornamental cage, competing against the theme tune. The three guests of the early shows were soon reduced to two, who had to examine antiques and guess their value. The item was then passed across to the experts - invariably Negus and another - who gave it a professional evaluation. The guest with the closest estimate was the winner. Negus believed the programme was best when the objects examined were relatively ordinary ones that might also be tucked away, unappreciated, in the viewers' homes. Going for a Song ended in 1977, but returned, presented at different times by Michael Parkinson, Anne Robinson and Michael Aspel. Arthur Negus inspired interest in 'collectables', and went on to The Antiques Roadshow, a programme which is still thriving today.

Teletubbies begins 31 March 1997 Teletubbies said "Eh-Oh" for the first time on 31 March 1997. The programme was created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport, and starred, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-La and Po, brightly coloured creatures with aerials on their heads. It was an immediate hit with its pre-school audience. It went on to become a phenomenal international success, and even produced a number One single. Some people were concerned over the Teletubbies language, which was based on the first words children say. But by encouraging the viewers to join in and play, Teletubbies successfully stimulated children of all abilities to communicate with confidence. The show was deliberately repetitive, which drove some parents to distraction, but was loved by toddlers, who invariably wanted to see the films screened on the Teletubbies tummy screens "again again". Tellytubbyland was created on a farm in Warwickshire, and the set was populated with giant Flemish rabbits. The actors playing the Teletubbies were Dave Thompson, John Simmit, Nicky Smedley and Pui Fan Lee.

Teletubbies finished after 365 episodes were made, and then led to Teletubbies Everywhere, which debuted on Cbeebies. The BBC has continued to lead the way in pre-school programming, creating colourful popular shows for young children, including Tweenies, Fimbles and In the Night Garden. Up Pompeii! Up Pompeii! 1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 0 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes Ooo-er, missus! Despite his many successes as a stand-up comic, both in his own series and as a guest in variety shows, it is with this relatively short-running comedy that Frankie Howerd made his greatest impact upon the British public, a sitcom in which he was cast as a Roman slave serving in Pompeii. The series owed a huge debt to the Burt Shevelove/Larry Gelbart and Stephen Sondheim musical A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, in which Frankie Howerd had played two roles (Prologus and Pseudolus) during its highly successful London stage run from October 1963. Up Pompeii!

- very loosely based on the 2000-year-old writings of Plautus, and featuring jokes far older - was written by Talbot Rothwell, a veteran of the industry who had scripted for Norman Wisdom, Terry-Thomas (How Do You View?), Arthur Askey and Ted Ray, but who, more tellingly, was one of the major writers of the Carry On film series. Radio Times, indeed, correctly labelled the Up Pompeii! pilot as 'A sort of “Carry On Up The Forum.”' Lurcio was the slave for Ludicrus Sextus, a government senator, and his busty wife Ammonia, and every episode embroiled him as the innocent pawn in a complex plot that threatened his easy-going lifestyle, his job or even his life, although all would be happily resolved at the end of each story, with Lurcio usually escaping his fate by the skin of his teeth. Unlike virtually every other sitcom ever made, however, the storylines were never the essence of this series - Up Pompeii!

was a purpose-built vehicle for Frankie Howerd's distinctive stage-honed comedic style, giving him every opportunity to share confidences with the audience (both in the studio and at home) via constant asides, usually commenting on the improbability of the plot and the standard of the acting or writing. In so doing, Howerd constantly stepped in and out of both his character and the time-frame - this, of course, made a mockery of the premise, but viewers did not care a jot, since this was what they wanted and expected from him. Similarly, there was no elaborate location filming - the architectural glories of Pompeii were reproduced as a single polystyrene set in the BBC's studio in Shepherd's Bush, a fact that Lurcio was more than happy to point out! The scripts were laden down with Carry On-style double entendres, awful puns and generally broad humour. In addition to the regulars, Up Pompeii!

gloried in a visiting cast that changed with every episode, and these character names reveal all about the series' level and focus of wit - Ambi Dextrus, Bilius, Bumshus, Caushus, Daili, Felonius, Filfia, Hernia, Hidius, James Bondus, Pussus Galoria, Lecherous, Preshus, Lititia, Lusha, Mucas, Nefarius, Nubian, Nymphia, Odius, Oilus, Pitius, Ponderous, Scrophulus, Soppia, Spurios, Stovus Primus, Tarta, Tittia, Twiggia, Verminus and Virginia. Despite or perhaps because of this 'subtlety', and Howerd's unique style, the series worked a treat and became a huge hit, once again demonstrating Britons' unending love for sexual innuendo and smut.

Following the 1969 pilot episode, both the resulting TV series were made in 1970 (the second was written by Rothwell with his regular collaborator Sid Colin, another Carry On alumni), and a feature film version, Up Pompeii (written by Sid Colin, directed by Bob Kellett), was released in 1971 with Michael Hordern in the role of Ludicrus and Barbara Murray as Ammonia. Two further movies starring Howerd were inspired by the series but took the format into different periods of history (a similar style was employed years later with the Blackadder TV series): Up The Chastity Belt (director Bob Kellett, 1971, written by Sid Colin/Ray Galton/Alan Simpson), set during the crusades, with Howerd as the gormless serf Lurkalot; and Up The Front (Bob Kellett, 1972, written by Sid Colin/Eddie Braben), based in the First World War, with Howerd as gormless under-footman Lurk.

In 1973, back on the BBC, Howerd appeared in Whoops Baghdad , an Arabian Nights-style variation on Up Pompeii!, and - following a one-off Further Up Pompeii! special aired in 1975 - he tried to revive the formula again with the ITV programme A Touch Of The Casanovas. The following year a four-part Australian TV series Up The Convicts (written by Hugh Stuckey) featured Howerd as ex-convict Jeremiah Shirk, who becomes the household help to Sir Montague and Lady Fitzgibbon in yet another twist on the original theme, and he also starred in a Canadian series, Oh Canada. EPISODES Vestal Virgins | The Ides of March | The Senator and the Asp | Britaniccus | The Actors | Spartacus | The Love Potion | The Legacy | Roman Holiday | James Bondus | The Peace Treaty | Nymphia | Exodus Lurcio

Question: Senna and Ammonia were minor characters in which BBC TV comedy series?
Answer: Up Pompeii