Author:Richard Waring,Richard Briers,Full Cast
All three BBC Radio series of the classic legal comedy starring Richard Briers
Inspired by Henry Cecil's 1955 comic novel of the same name, Brothers in Law first appeared on BBC One in 1962, providing Richard Briers with his first starring role on television as idealistic young barrister Roger Thursby. Adapted by Richard Waring from TV scripts by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, it took to the airwaves in 1970, running for three years until 1972.
As the series opens, the rookie lawyer is in his first year at chambers, and struggling to learn the ropes. He just wants to win a case - any case - but in these 39 episodes, he finds himself unwittingly aiding a habitual fraudster, confronting a fearsome judge, and annoying his girlfriend by defending a wife-beater. Whether he's getting into a jam parking his car, having a spot of bother with toggles and grommets, or facing double trouble in a bigamy case, the bungling barrister all too frequently finds himself courting disaster...
Newly restored and collected together for the first time, these three radio series are the only way to enjoy Roger Thursby's hilarious misadventures, as only one episode of the TV series remains in the BBC archive. With guest stars including John Le Mesurier, Jon Pertwee, Roy Kinnear, David Jason, Barbara Windsor and Joan Sims, this sparkling series is a must for all fans of vintage comedy.
Production credits
Series 1 adapted from the TV scripts by Richard Waring. Scripts by Frank Muir and Denis Norden
Series 2 and 3 written by Henry Cecil and Basil Dawson
Produced by David Hatch (Series 1, Series 2 Episodes 1-10 and 13), Simon Brett (Series 2 Episodes 11 and 12) and Trafford Whitelock (Series 3)
Cast
Roger Thursby - Richard Briers
Henry Blagrove - Richard Waring (Series 1)/Terence Alexander (Series 2)
Sally Mannering - Ann Davies (Series 1)/Julia Lockwood (Series 2)
Grimes - John Glyn-Jones
Joy - Bridget Armstrong
With Kenneth Connor, John Le Mesurier, Malcolm Hayes, Frederick Treves, John Bresslin, Robert Dorning, Richard Caldicot, Clifford Norgate, Jean Anderson, Ann Way, Aimi MacDonald, Richard Watts, John Junkin, Thorley Walters, Denise Coffey, Patricia Gallimore, Alan Barry, John Gabriel, Frances Bennett, Betty Cooper, Patrick Cargill, James Beck, Basil Dignam, Blake Butler, Liz Fraser, Frank Thornton, Peter Jones, Sam Kydd, Jo Kendall, Patsy Rowlands, Robert Dorning, Deryck Guyler, Nicholas Phipps, Sonia Fraser, John Bryning, Leslie Heritage, Jon Pertwee, Dennis Ramsden, James Hayter, Geoffrey Sumner, Ronald Forfar, Carol Marsh, Gerald Cross, Fenella Fielding, Terence Alexander, John Baker, Hector Ross, Andrew Cruickshank, Roy Kinnear, Ronald Adam, Arthur Mullard, Sean Arnold, Douglas Blackwell, Patrick Tull, Michael Kilgarriff, William Fox, David Jason, Bill Wallis, Nigel Pegram, Garard Green, Peter Tuddenham, Brian Oulton, John Barron, John Ruddock, Barbara Windsor, John Bluthal, Norman Bird, Francis de Wolff, Manning Wilson, Martin Friend, Alec Bregonzi, Olwen Griffiths, Nigel Anthony, Felix Felton, Simon Merrick, Joan Sims, Alan Curtis, Edward Kelsey, John Samson, John Rowe, Paul Whitsun-Jones, John Rutland, Noel Howlett, Harold Berens, Alexandra Dane, Eva Stuart, Michael Hordern, Amanda Reiss, Alfie Bass, Henry McGee, Robin Hunter, Arthur Mullard and Eva Haddon
Episode guide:
Series 1 (9 June-1 Sept 1970)
1 The First Brief
2 The Expert Witness
3 Breach of Contract
4 Judgement Summons
5 Counsel's Opinion
6 Special Damages
7 Separation Order
8 Reasonable Doubt
9 With Use of Bath
10 Without Due Care
11 Solicitor's Instructions
12 Special Examiner
13 Counsel for the Prosecution
Series 2 (15 July-7 Oct 1971)
14 Look It Up
15 Tell 'Em the Tale
16 Statistics
17 In and Out
18 Polite Notice
19 Circling the Square
20 In Reverse
21 But...
22 Disqualified
23 One Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy One
24 A Jewel of a Husband
25 Keeping it Warm
26 Brief Offer
Series 3 (24 Apr-17 July 1972)
27 Deaf Aid
28 One Double or Two Singles
29 Menaces
30 Obstruction
31 Assault
32 Manipulation
33 And So On
34 Good Husband and Father
35 Faults on Both Sides
36 What Do You Do?
37 Crabtree Disease
38 A Piece of Cake
39 Alibi
©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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