Mann's Best Friends. Image shows from L to R: Henry Mann (Barry Stanton), Hamish James Ordway (Fulton Mackay), Dolly Delights (Patricia Brake). Copyright: Thames Television
Mann's Best Friends

Mann's Best Friends

  • TV sitcom
  • Channel 4
  • 1985
  • 6 episodes (1 series)

Comedy about the misfit residents of a lodging house, their landlord, and the ex-water board official who moves in to try to bring some order. Stars Fulton Mackay, Barry Stanton, Bernard Bresslaw, Patricia Brake, Sara Corper and more.

Mann's Best Friends. Image shows from L to R: Henry Mann (Barry Stanton), Hamish James Ordway (Fulton Mackay). Copyright: Thames Television

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1985
Channel
Channel 4
Episodes
6 (1 series)
Stars
Fulton Mackay, Barry Stanton, Bernard Bresslaw, Patricia Brake, Sara Corper, Barbara Hicks, Liz Smith and Clive Merrison
Writer
Roy Clarke
Director
Derrick Goodwin
Producer
Derrick Goodwin
Company

Hamish James Ordway, formerly of the Water Board, is a nosey parker and fusspot of the highest order - he's also looking for somewhere to live following an early retirement. He enters, by chance, the chaotic household of the free and easy Henry Mann.

The house was, until recently, the domain of Henry's domineering mother, whose presence continues to haunt him - in his imagination, of course. Ordway considers Henry a quiet genius, but in reality he was so controlled he only just copes with looking after himself, nevermind the sprawling Edwardian villa and misfitting variety of lodgers who reside therein.

The house's numerous apartments play host to: an unknown number of Chinese waiters; a probable prostitute whom Mann believes to be the proprietress of an acting school, Dolly Delights; the largely-gentle giantesque Duncan; depressive Irvin, who believes himself to be a dwarf; and a variety of animals - notably ill-tempered Alsatian Simba. Mann is keen to introduce some order to the house's mayhem, and so offers Hamish Ordway a deal he can't refuse: free accommodation in exchange for bringing control to The Laurels...

Additional details

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 15th April 1985 at 8:30pm on Channel 4