Only When I Laugh - Season 3 ( Only When I Laugh - Season Three )

Only When I Laugh - Season 3 (DVD) (*)

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Alternate Title: Only When I Laugh - Season Three
Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
Australia ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
170 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1981 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Vernon Lawrence

Written By:
Eric Chappell

Actors:
James Bolam ..... Roy Figgis (29 episodes, 1979-1982)
Peter Bowles ..... Archie Glover (29 episodes, 1979-1982)
Christopher Strauli ..... Norman Binns (29 episodes, 1979-1982)
Richard Wilson ..... Dr. Gordon Thorpe (29 episodes, 1979-1982)
Derrick Branche ..... Gupte (24 episodes, 1979-1982)

Synopsis:

Only When I Laugh follows the haliarious exploits of three hypochondriacal hospital patients who drive the doctors and nurses nutty with their silly antics. Driven batty with boredom, Archie, Roy and Norman dish up outrageous rumors and wild speculation, throwing the rest of the ward into full scale panic. By the time the wacky trio has bickered over window views, surgical operations, and coveted collection of girlie mags, you will find youreslf in stiches!
Season 3
A Day in the Life Of S3, Ep1 2 Sep. 1981
The Right Honourable Gentleman S3, Ep2 9 Sep. 1981
Adam's Rib S3, Ep3 16 Sep. 1981
Postman's Knock S3, Ep4 23 Sep. 1981
Accident S3, Ep5 30 Sep. 1981
Dear Diary S3, Ep6 7 Oct. 1981
These You Have Loved S3, Ep7 14 Oct. 1981
Away for Christmas S3, Ep8 24 Dec. 1981

Season 3 A Day in the Life Of S3, Ep1 2 Sep. 1981
A documentary television crew come to the hospital to shadow Dr Thorpe for a day. He has primed Norman to give him a glowing report but Norman keeps fluffing his lines so Glover is only too keen to take over. However he plays to the gallery so outrageously that finally Figgis speaks to camera - using the opportunity to criticize everything about the hospital and leading to a shut-down.
The Right Honourable Gentleman S3, Ep2 9 Sep. 1981
Extreme right wing politician Sir Julian Briggs is admitted to the ward, angering socialist Figgis though Dr Thorpe is anxious to get him on side as the hospital is facing closure. Unfortunately Sir Julian is not sympathetic. However after he has received a death threat and a parcel, erroneously believed to be a bomb, is delivered, Dr Thorpe is able to capitalize on Sir Julian's cowardly response to pressure him into opposing the closure.
Adam's Rib S3, Ep3 16 Sep. 1981
When new doctor Amy Glossop starts on the ward, Dr Thorpe is initially hostile because she is a woman, though both Glover and Norman have soon fallen in love with her. Figgis decides to warn her of their amorous intentions in a somewhat cryptic manner so that when Dr Thorpe comes to offer an apology she wrongly believes that he is her secret admirer. Figgis himself, however, shows that he too is not immune to her charms.
Postman's Knock S3, Ep4 23 Sep. 1981
Believing that Glover is lonely Figgis writes an anonymous letter in character as Glover to agony aunt Clare Butterfield, who is annoyed by the writer's arrogance. However Glover has answered a want ad and is expecting a visit from free-thinking Leonora. Much confusion arises when Glover mistakes occupational therapist Mrs Roper-Jones for Leonora and is later visited by Ms. Butterfield herself. Figgis accidentally ends up having a wild time with Leonora but Glover is about to write another letter to the agony aunt to exact revenge.
Accident S3, Ep5 30 Sep. 1981
Norman witnesses an accident outside the hospital gates involving Dr Thorpe and young speed freak Ronnie though it is the doctor who would appear to be in the wrong when his breath sample taken by the attendant traffic cop proves positive for alcohol. Figgis and Glover stage a mock court trial to get Norman to divulge the truth though it is Gupta who actually sets the record straight, before Norman sees another accident - this time caused by the policeman.
Dear Diary S3, Ep6 7 Oct. 1981
Norman has been keeping a diary and Figgis and Glover are anxious to see what he has written about them. On stealing the diary from him they find that most of the entries are fantasies in which Norman is the brave patient soothing everybody else's nerves, as well as inventing a romance between himself and the notoriously icy Nurse Bradley. However when Nurse Bradley also reads the diary Norman is in for a pleasant surprise.
These You Have Loved S3, Ep7 14 Oct. 1981
Figgis takes exception to the anodyne hospital radio run by nurse Victoria Plumtree and, when she accidentally leaves her recording equipment in the ward, spices things up by taping and broadcasting one of Dr Thorpe's tirades. Having persuaded Victoria to allow him to record his own show he gets Glover and Norman to roam the hospital in search of stories - and gets one when they accidentally stumble upon Victoria's passionate meeting with Dr Thorpe and allow the whole hospital to hear their emotional outpourings.
Away for Christmas S3, Ep8 24 Dec. 1981
On Christmas Eve the ward gets a new patient, eight year old elected mute Danny, whose parents are abroad and is a known arsonist. Figgis dresses up as Santa Claus to steal presents for him from the children's ward but is rumbled and has to escape, getting the benefits of kisses from nurses who mistake him for the hospital's other Santa, Dr Thorpe. Eventually Dr Thorpe brings Danny some Christmas cheer and accidentally gets him talking again.

Only When I Laugh was a screamingly funny show from 'Rising Damp' author Eric Chappell. Three patients from differing social backgrounds - trouble making lorry driver Roy Figgis ( James Bolam ), naive Norman Binns ( Christopher Strauli ), and rich hypochondriac Archie Glover ( Peter Bowles ) - share a hospital ward. Their 'nemesis' is the pompous Dr.Gordon Thorpe ( Richard Wilson in what was his best television role before 'One Foot In The Grave' ). The Indian male nurse Gupte ( Derrick Branche ) was well-meaning but incompetent, and this led to the series being branded 'racist' in some quarters. Gupte mysteriously vanished from the later episodes. Bolam's 'Figgis' wasn't far removed from 'Terry Collier' of 'Likely Lads' fame, while Bowles' 'Glover' was a try-out for his later series 'The Bounder'.

This product was added to our catalog on Friday 11 April, 2014.