Last Of The Summer Wine originated as a Comedy Playhouse pilot. It is set in the town of Holmfirth Just north of the Peak District in West Yorkshire. When it was aired on January 04 1973 it was changed to The Last of the Summer Wine. When the series started going they dropped the word "The" in the title. The group comprised of Blamire, the unofficial leader and the organiser of their misadventures; Clegg, the unassuming, cautious one; and Compo, the small, rough, messy, bold, perpetual teenager, who is easily talked into chancy adventures.
The Last of the Summer Wine trio
Bill Owen played William “Compo” Simmonite as a matter-of-fact and down to earth man dressed in dishevelled trousers and wellies, Compo rarely was held down a job, preferring a leisurely life. The reason the writer Roy Clarke had behind the name of Compo was that it came from the phrase 'on the compo' living off compensation money for an industrial injury. A frequent theme throughout the series was Compo's desire for women, particularly his next-door neighbour, Nora Batty. Compo was written out the program in 2000 after his death in 2000. Although Compo was already gravely ill, it was the view of Nora Batty in her fish-net stockings that he died with a smile on his face.
Peter Sallis played a middle-class Norman Clegg who has one aim in life a peaceful and undisturbed retirement, but is reluctantly involved in the plans of Foggy and others. Although previously married, Clegg a widower apprehensive in the company of women - in particular the very bold and familiar Marina. In many ways, Clegg stands for the perspective of the viewer into the adventures. He is noted for his dry and witty thoughtful asides. In the early episodes, Clegg was much more outspoken and daring. Within a few years he became more reserved and wary, and the small group came to be dominated by Foggy and the others that succeeded him.
Michael Bates played Cyril Blamire who had aristocratic ambitions and often distanced himself from the other two. Compo called him the "poof". When Bates left the second series on health grounds in 1975, he was then written out of the series by having in the storyline that Blamire had got married. He died shortly afterward he left the series.
Brian Wilde took his place as Foggy Dewhurst, A former corporal, he would fantasise about his time in Burma during the Second World War but in reality he was nothing more than a sign writer. Foggy considered himself to be brave and a great military leader but in reality he was timid and incompetent. Any plans that he instigated proved unsound and usually end result is the unfortunate Compo falling down to earth with a thud or ended up getting very wet.
When Brian Wilde left the TV series in 1985 to work on other projects the reason that was given for his departure was that he had go to Bridlington to run his family's egg-painting business. The reason for his departure in 1985 was that Wilde was of the alleged off the set friction. When he returned to the series in 1990, it was written that Foggy came back because he was fed up of the egg-painting business. In 1997, when Wilde's ill health had meant that he had to leave the series and it was written that Foggy went away to Blackpool to be married by the local postmistress. During the time that he was temporarily away he was replaced by the actor Michael Aldridge.
Michael Aldridge played the debonair Seymour Utterthwaite, a retired head master. He was a very keen amateur inventor whose inventions were often led to disaster especially for Compo who was the one who had to test them out. Michael Aldridge left in 1990 to look after his wife who was in ill health. The last shot of Seymour was of him taking a bus to go to his next place of employment as an assistant head teacher at a private school. Brian Wilde returned to the series, making up the show's strongest line-up for the succeeding instalments.
Frank Thorton too over from Michael Alridge in 1997 as Herbert “Truly” Truelove as a retired policeman. Truly is more light-hearted and carefree than the preceding former “third man” of the trio. As a divorcee he often makes unfavourable remarks about "the former Mrs Truelove" and, because of his previous occupation in the police force he calls himself "Truly of the Yard".
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