Citizen Smith
Genre	Comedy
Created by	John Sullivan
Starring	Robert Lindsay Mike Grady Cheryl Hall Hilda Braid Peter Vaughan Tony Steedman Anthony Millan George Sweeney Stephen Greif David Garfield
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	29
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Original run	12 April 1977 – 4 July 1980
External links
IMDb profile

Citizen Smith is a British television sitcom. The show was written by John Sullivan, who went on later to write Only Fools and Horses. The show ran from 12 April 1977 to 4 July 1980. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... John Sullivan OBE (born December 23, 1946 in Balham, London, England) is the writer of several British sitcoms including the immensely popular Only Fools and Horses as well as Citizen Smith, Dear John, Just Good Friends, Roger Roger, and The Green Green Grass. ... Robert Lindsay Stevenson (born December 13, 1949)) is an English actor known as Robert Lindsay. ... Mike Grady (born February 6, 1946) is a British actor born at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. ... Cheryl Hall (born 23 July 1950 in London) is a British actress. ... Hilda Braid (Born 3 March 1932) in Northfleet, Kent; is a British actress known for her roles in the BBC comedy series Citizen Smith and more recently as Nana Moon in EastEnders, also on the BBC. After training at RADA, Braid appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company before breaking into... Peter Vaughan (born April 4, 1923 in Shropshire, England) is a British character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. ... Stephen Greif (born August 26, 1944) is an English actor. ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Only Fools and Horses is a British television sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan, and made and broadcast by the BBC. Seven series were originally broadcast in the UK between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

Sullivan was a scenery shifter at the BBC, and wrote a script after deciding he could do better than some of the scriptwriters whose works he was helping to produce. After approaching producer Dennis Main Wilson, a one-off episode "Roof Over My Head" was produced for Comedy Special (a showcase for new talent which had succeeded Comedy Playhouse). The pilot was a success, and four series and a Christmas special were produced between 1977 and 1980. The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Dennis Main Wilson (born 1924, died 1997) was producer of The Goons and Hancocks Half Hour for BBC radio and Till Death Us Do Part for BBC television. ... Comedy Playhouse was an occasional BBC television anthology series of the 1960s and early 1970s, consisting of one-off plays with the potential to be turned into regular sitcoms. ... A Christmas television special is typically a one_time, 30 minute animated program aired during the Christmas season. ...

Citizen Smith starred Robert Lindsay as "Wolfie" Smith, a young Marxist urban revolutionary living in Tooting, South London, who is attempting to emulate his hero Che Guevara. Wolfie is the self-proclaimed leader of the Tooting Popular Front (in reality a small bunch of his friends) the goals of which are "Power to the People" and "Freedom for Tooting". In reality, he is an unemployed dreamer and petty criminal whose plans fall through due to laziness and disorganisation. Robert Lindsay Stevenson (born December 13, 1949)) is an English actor known as Robert Lindsay. ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ... Tooting is a suburb in the London Borough of Wandsworth in south London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (June 14,[1] 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, medical doctor , political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas. ...

Plot

Series 1

From a couple of episodes into the run, Wolfie lives with his religious friend Ken (Mike Grady) in a flat in the house of his girlfriend's family - Shirley (Cheryl Hall, Lindsay's wife), her vague mother (Hilda Braid), who mistakenly calls Wolfie "Foxy" and her authoritarian and conservative father (Artro Morris (Pilot episode), Peter Vaughan (series 1-2), Tony Steedman (series 3-4)). Other regular characters in the series were fellow-revolutionaries Tucker (Anthony Millan) and Speed (George Sweeney), and local gangster Harry Fenning (Stephen Greif). After the first two series, Shirley was written out as having gone to work in Italy. Series four saw Ronnie Lynch (David Garfield) replacing Harry Fenning as the local gangster. Mike Grady (born February 6, 1946) is a British actor born at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom. ... Cheryl Hall (born 23 July 1950 in London) is a British actress. ... Hilda Braid (Born 3 March 1932) in Northfleet, Kent; is a British actress known for her roles in the BBC comedy series Citizen Smith and more recently as Nana Moon in EastEnders, also on the BBC. After training at RADA, Braid appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company before breaking into... Peter Vaughan (born April 4, 1923 in Shropshire, England) is a British character actor, known for many supporting roles in a variety of British film and television productions. ... Stephen Greif (born August 26, 1944) is an English actor. ...

Series 2

For the first two series, the opening credits of each episode were accompanied by a stirring rendition of the socialist anthem the Red Flag, and always featured Wolfie emerging from Tooting Broadway tube station. The opening sequence always ended with him shouting "Power to the People" in a comedic context, for example, waking a sleeping baby, or shouting it while standing on top of a statue. This was altered from Season 3 onwards. The opening was much the same, retaining the Red Flag, but the "Power to the People" line was always used the same way. In addition, the cast names were accompanied with an onscreen clip of them, rather than just the names that had been used before. Historically, and most generally, the red flag is an international symbol for the blood of angry workers. ... Tooting Broadway tube station is a London Underground station in Tooting, South London. ...

A video clip of the title sequence is available at this BBC web page: I Love 1977 The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ...

Series 3

The Glorious Day, which Wolfie had always been plotting, came at the end of the third series, in an episode of the same name, in which the Tooting Popular Front 'liberate' a Scorpion tank and use it to invade the Houses of Parliament, only to find the place empty due to the Parliamentary recess. This episode also came as a joy to all those who loathe garden gnomes. After stealing the Scorpion tank from a firing range, Smith, hides it in a friend's garage. Whilst away, one of the family, curious as the what is this vast vehicle, parked amongst the garden tools, climbs down inside and accidentally steps on the fire button. The result is that their neat garden is raked with high calibre, heavy machine gun fire, and the spectacular, slow motion, annihilation of the 30 or so garden gnomes scattered about it. The FV101 Scorpion is a modern British light tank, part of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) or, CVR(T) family. ... “Houses of Parliament” redirects here. ...

Many fans feel that this should have been the last episode, with The Glorious Day being the show's peak and a satisfying conclusion, and the final series generally being much weaker.

The series was concluded in the penultimate episode, with Wolfie fleeing Tooting to escape Ronnie Lynch, closing with a shot mirroring the opening credits, of Wolfie entering Tooting Broadway Underground Station. However, one further episode, with Wolfie and Ken on holiday abroad, was shown as the 1980 Christmas Special.

Notes

• In the last-but-one episode, Wolfie's full name was revealed as Walter Henry Smith - W H Smith.
• One third series episode was called Only Fools and Horses, which writer John Sullivan went on to use as the title of his next hit comedy.
• Wolfie is a Fulham FC supporter (the club John Sullivan supports)reflecting his own misfortune. (, He is often seen wearing a Fulham (black and white) scarf.

This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Fulham Football Club (FFC) is a football team based in Fulham, London. ...

Episodes

Pilot

• Roof Over My Head (April 12, 1977)

Series 1 is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

• Crocodile tears (November 3, 1977)
• Guess who's coming to dinner (November 10, 1977)
• Abide with me (November 17, 1977)
• The weekend (November 24, 1977)
• The hostage (December 1, 1977)
• The path of true love (December 8, 1977)
• But is it art? (December 15, 1977)
• A Christmas story (Christmas special)(December 22, 1977)

Series 2 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

• Speed's return (December 1, 1978)
• Rebel without a pause (December 8, 1978)
• The Tooting connection (December 15, 1978)
• Working class hero (December 22, 1978)
• Rock bottom (January 5, 1979)

Series 3 is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

• Spanish fly (special)(August 16, 1979)
• Don't look down (September 20, 1979)
• Only fools and horses (September 27, 1979)
• The big job (October 4, 1979)
• Tofkin's revenge (October 11, 1979)
• We shall not be moved (October 18, 1979)
• The party's over (October 25, 1979)
• The glorious day (November 1, 1979)

Series 4 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

• Bigger than Guy Fawkes (May 23, 1980)
• Changes (May 30, 1980)
• The final try (June 6, 1980)
• The letter of the law (June 13, 1980)
• Prisoners (June 20, 1980)
• Casablanca was never like this (June 27, 1980)
• Sweet sorrow (July 4, 1980)
• Buon Natale (Christmas special)(December 31, 1980)

is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

DVD release

DVD series one and two

DVD series three and four

Playback has released two DVD volumes of Citizen Smith each with two series. Series one and two were released in 2003 followed by series three and four in 2004. However due to contractual reasons some edits have been made on the episodes. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

External links

• Citizen Smith at the BBC Comedy Guide
• British Film Institute Screen Online
• Citizen Smith at the Internet Movie Database
• Citizen Smith at British TV Resources