IMPRESSIVE RONNIE B. cavalcade bankrolled by suitably luminous writing team (GRAEME GARDEN, ALUN OWEN, BILL ODDIE, ALAN AYCKBOURN, JOHN JUNKIN and, naturally, “GERALD WILEY”) centred on horseplay antics of Lord Rustless, squire of crumbling Chrome Hall. Predictable but top-notch innuendo/cross-dressing business underscored Barker’s usual multi-personnage behaviour (eight or so characters per episode), but Lord was best creation, with raging libido tempered only by obsession with growing cress and mustard. DAVID JASON was mumbling alcoholic gardener Dithers, MARY BAXTER gurning old Cook, RONNIE CORBETT and MICHAEL PALIN also showed up. Spin-off from 1968 Rediffusion Frost-produced Ronnie Barker Playhouse effort “Ah, There You Are”.
