The Bed-Sit Girl
Encyclopedia
The Bed-Sit Girl was a British
sitcom
that aired on BBC1
from 1965 to 1966. Created by Chesney and Wolfe
for Sheila Hancock
, The Bed-Sit Girl aired for two series.
Hancock played Sheila Ross, a typist who lives in a bedsit
and wishes for more in life. In the first series, Dilys Laye
played her air hostess neighbour Dilys, and in the second Hy Hazell
played Sheila's friend Liz. Derek Nimmo
also appeared as her neighbour and boyfriend David in Series Two. All twelve episodes are missing from the archives and are thought to have been destroyed
.
for Sheila Hancock
, who had starred in their 1961-63 sitcom The Rag Trade
. The producer
for the first series was Duncan Wood
while for the second series it was Graeme Muir. The Bed-Sit Girl was made in black-and-white
.
who lives in a bedsit
in London
. Not entirely happy with her life, Sheila dreams of more and would like a more glamorous job like her neighbour, Dilys, who is an air hostess
. In the second series, Dilys has moved on, and Sheila's friend Liz appears. The second series also features David, who lives in the bedsit next to Sheila's and becomes her boyfriend.
policy of the era.
with three women.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired on BBC1
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
from 1965 to 1966. Created by Chesney and Wolfe
Chesney and Wolfe
Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe are British TV comedy screenwriters, best known for their popular 1960s / 1970s sitcoms The Rag Trade and On The Buses.-Early years:...
for Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
, The Bed-Sit Girl aired for two series.
Hancock played Sheila Ross, a typist who lives in a bedsit
Bedsit
A bedsit, also known as a bed-sitting room, is a form of rented accommodation common in Great Britain and Ireland consisting of a single room and shared bathroom; they are part of a legal category of dwellings referred to as Houses in multiple occupation....
and wishes for more in life. In the first series, Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye
Dilys Laye was an English actress and screenwriter, best known for comedy roles. She died of cancer aged 74.- Early life :...
played her air hostess neighbour Dilys, and in the second Hy Hazell
Hy Hazell
Hy Hazell was a British film actress. She was born as Hyacinth Hazel O'Higgins.-Selected filmography:* Meet Me at Dawn * Paper Orchid * The Lady Craved Excitement...
played Sheila's friend Liz. Derek Nimmo
Derek Nimmo
Derek Robert Nimmo was an English character actor. He was particularly associated with upper-class "silly-ass" roles, and clerical roles.-Career:...
also appeared as her neighbour and boyfriend David in Series Two. All twelve episodes are missing from the archives and are thought to have been destroyed
Wiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
.
Production
The Bed-Sit Girl was created by writing duo Ronald Chesney and Ronald WolfeChesney and Wolfe
Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe are British TV comedy screenwriters, best known for their popular 1960s / 1970s sitcoms The Rag Trade and On The Buses.-Early years:...
for Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
, who had starred in their 1961-63 sitcom The Rag Trade
The Rag Trade
The Rag Trade was a British television sitcom broadcast by the BBC between 1961 and 1963 and by LWT between 1977 and 1978.The scripts were by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, who later wrote Wild, Wild Women, a period variation of The Rag Trade....
. The producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
for the first series was Duncan Wood
Duncan Wood
Duncan Wood was a British comedy producer, director and writer. His best known achievements were to produce all of Tony Hancock's Half Hours for BBC TV during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and later, also with Hancock's former writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the classic British sitcom...
while for the second series it was Graeme Muir. The Bed-Sit Girl was made in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
.
Cast
- Sheila HancockSheila HancockSheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
- Sheila Ross - Dilys LayeDilys LayeDilys Laye was an English actress and screenwriter, best known for comedy roles. She died of cancer aged 74.- Early life :...
- Dilys (series 1) - Hy HazellHy HazellHy Hazell was a British film actress. She was born as Hyacinth Hazel O'Higgins.-Selected filmography:* Meet Me at Dawn * Paper Orchid * The Lady Craved Excitement...
- Liz (series 2) - Derek NimmoDerek NimmoDerek Robert Nimmo was an English character actor. He was particularly associated with upper-class "silly-ass" roles, and clerical roles.-Career:...
- David (series 2)
Plot
Sheila Ross is a young typistData entry clerk
A data entry clerk, sometimes called a typist, is a member of staff employed to type data into a database using a keyboard. The keyboards used can often have specialist keys and multiple colours to help them in the task and speed up the work.-Examples:...
who lives in a bedsit
Bedsit
A bedsit, also known as a bed-sitting room, is a form of rented accommodation common in Great Britain and Ireland consisting of a single room and shared bathroom; they are part of a legal category of dwellings referred to as Houses in multiple occupation....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Not entirely happy with her life, Sheila dreams of more and would like a more glamorous job like her neighbour, Dilys, who is an air hostess
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
. In the second series, Dilys has moved on, and Sheila's friend Liz appears. The second series also features David, who lives in the bedsit next to Sheila's and becomes her boyfriend.
Episodes
The first series, of six 25-minute episodes, aired from 13 April to 18 May 1965 on Tuesday evenings at 8.00pm. The second series, of six 30-minute episodes, aired from 18 April to 23 May 1966 on Monday evenings at 7.30pm. All twelve episodes are missing from the archives, and are thought to have been destroyed during the wipingWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
policy of the era.
Series One (1965)
- "The Italian Pilot" (13 April 1965)
- "The Dress" (20 April 1965)
- "The Medical Stud" (27 April 1965)
- "The Last Half Inch" (4 May 1965)
- "The Air Hostess" (11 May 1965)
- "The Breakfast" (18 May 1965)
Series Two (1966)
- "The List" (18 April 1966)
- Episode Two (25 April 1966)
- Episode Three (2 May 1966)
- Episode Four (9 May 1966)
- Episode Five (16 May 1966)
- Episode Six (23 May 1966)
Sorry I'm Single
Derek Nimmo's character David was revived by Chesney and Wolfe in their 1967 sitcom Sorry I'm Single. In Sorry I'm Single Nimmo played David, a mature student who shares digs in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
with three women.