TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction
00:41 The Employment Exchange
01:22 The Public Relations Course
02:42 Jessica's First Christmas
03:16 Learning To Drive

Originally broadcast on Easter Monday 1977, 'To Be Perfectly Frank' follows the making of popular sitcom "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" starring Michael Crawford as the irrepressible, accident-prone Frank Spencer.

The 40-minute documentary features several excerpts from the first two series and Christmas Specials, including pre-filmed location sequence. These were sourced from the original 16mm film inserts still held at the BBC Film Library. As such, they have no audience laughter, are noticeably different in picture quality and occasionally feature shots and dialogue left out of the finished episodes.

Sadly, for reasons unknown, the full programme has not been repeated since November 1978 and has never been made commercially available. A heavily truncated 20-minute edit aired on BBC2 in June 1999, with a slightly shorter 30-minute version airing on BBC Four on 1st August 2023. This video examines the 2023 revised repeat, directly comparing the film inserts of the location sequences to the finished episodes.

FUN FACT: The filming of the window cleaning stunt in The Employment Exchange (Series 1 Episode 7) took place at Station House on the North Circular Road in London on 10th March 1973, just 19 days before the completed episode was transmitted on BBC1. And if you think that's tight, the studio recording took place the night before transmission, on 28th March 1973. WOW.

For more info on "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" recording dates:
https://www.dirtyfeed.org/2022/09/mmm...

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Researched and edited by Pip Madeley.
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/pipmadeley
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DISCLAIMER: The footage in this video is the copyright of the BBC and I do not claim ownership. Limited clips have been used in accordance with fair dealing as allowed by UK law for the purposes of review, research and education. Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is available to buy on DVD and currently free to watch on iPlayer.