Comedy Playhouse

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This BBC series of one-off plays served as a showcase for potential comedy series'. Programs between December 1961 and January 1964 were in black & white, moving to colour for the shows aired between May 1965 and July 1974.

Amongst the successful programs broadcast on Comedy Playhouse were The Offer (1962) which was the pilot episode of Steptoe & Son; The Bishop Rides Again (1966) which became the series All Gas & Gaiters; The Last Of The Summer Wine (1973) which developed into the long-running series; and Happy Ever After (1974) which led to a following five series' starring Terry Scott and June Whitfield.

Writers included Galton and Simpson, Harry Driver, Jack Rosenthal, Ronald Chesney, Ronald Wolfe, Gerry Jones, Derek Collyer, George Evans, Marty Feldman, John Wraith, Michael Pertwee, Peter Robinson, Alan Melville, John Junkin, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Roy Clarke, Eric Davidson, John Chapman,