Are You Being Served Actor John Inman Dies
 

Just saw this earlier this morning. John Inman who played Mr.Humphries on Are You being Served And Are you Being Served again passed away March 8th. Sad news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6429425.stm

Too sad. 71? I had no idea he was that old.

I've heard speculation that his character on the show, Mr. Humphries, may have been gay.

He definetely appeared to be gay on Are you Being Served. When Are you Being Served Again came out it appeared he was bi or straight as he had a thing for t Mavis.

Very sad news. I started watching AYBS in the 90's, on PBS, and I've been hooked ever since. Great show, and a wonderful actor, who will be missed.

Rob

RIP Wilberforce Claiborne Humphries.

The Late Great John Inman ranks along Basil Fawlty/John Cleese and Ricky Gervais/David Brent as the greatest British Sitcom actors/characters of all time.

Are you free, Mr. Humphries. Yes, I'm free!

Fixed.

I was sad to hear this,
i was never a huge fan of are you being served? but i loved the sequel are you being served? AGAIN! (also known as 'Grace & Favor') which only ran for 12 episodes. I bought the DVD and i could watch it over & over again.

R.I.P.- John Inman

And people though that idiot Jack on Will and Grace was "new and inventive."

30 years before, Mr Humphries was doing his thing.

I find the "gay" jokes on AYBS much funnier than those of Will and Grace, which are in your face. Much like how, on average, bleeped South Park is funnier than unbleeped South Park.

Plus, it takes much wittier writing to be funny and ribald while being constrained. I don't know what a sitcom writer could or could not get away with in 70's Britain but something tells me a fine line may have been walked at times.

Too bad about John Inman. Is he the first to go of the regulars? (first Mr Grace not counting.)

Cpt Peacock is still alive?

Actually, Arthur Brough (Mr. Grainger) was the first one; he died between the 5th and 6th seasons. Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock) and Mollie Sugden (Mrs. Slocombe) are both still alive, and both in their 80's.

Rob

RIP John :(

Mr. Humphries is now in that great department store in the sky taking an inside leg.

I think this thread is in need of a pic:
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/2007...nman08x200.jpg
RIP

Very sad to hear, and I've always felt he was ahead of his time, or at least ahead of Will and Grace to say the least.

Are you free?-
I am to always watch a britcom classic, and AYBS is a favorite.
RIP John you will be missed :(

Captain Peacock, Mrs Slocolm, Ms. Brahms, Mr Lucas, Mr. Spooner, and Mr. Rumpole are all still alive. All of the other main and side characters have passed away. A few of the secretaries/nurses are still alive though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1773

Comedy stars gather to bid farewell to John Inman
Last updated at 20:51pm on 23rd March 2007

Comments Comments
Stars of the small screen were among scores of mourners who gathered today to say a final farewell to camp comic and TV star John Inman.

The actor, much loved for his role as Mr Humphries, the sharp-tongued salesman with the catchphrase 'I'm Free' in the 1970s and 80s TV sitcom Are You Being Served?, died earlier this month at the age of 71 after a long illness.
Today at a funeral at Golders Green crematorium, north London, actresses Barbara Windsor and Wendy Richard and Danny La Rue were among those who joined Inman's long-term partner Ron Lynch to pay their final respects.

Barbara Windsor said: "It's a sad day but we'll all give him a good send off.

"John Inman was without a doubt - and you'll see from the turnout - one of the loveliest, sweetest men in our business.

"I was very fortunate to have worked with him, and I knew him for over 30 years."

She added: "Everybody wanted to work with John Inman. He was the best.

"If you had him in a show then you were OK."

Inman was the senior sales assistant in the menswear department of Grace Brothers department store for the entire run of Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985.

At its height, it had an audience of 22 million.

Seven years after the final episode, Inman returned for a sequel, this time called Grace and Favour. There were two series ending in 1993.

Today Inman's Are You Being Served? co-star Wendy Richard, who went on to play Pauline Fowler in EastEnders said: "He's going to be greatly missed."

As he arrived for the short service at the crematorium, Danny La Rue said he was "very sad but fine".

"There are many happy memories for us, 44 years we've known each other. This is for John."

A long-term partner? You mean John Inman was gay?? ;)

My local PBS station is airing this tonight:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301324/