Another celebrity gone - Mollie Sugden of 'Are You Being Served?'

July 2, 11:49 AMTV on DVD ExaminerSteve Marinucci

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    Mollie Sugden's picture adorns
     this volume of "Are You Being
     Served?" on DVD. (BBC Video)

This one really hurts. We mean really.

Mollie Sugden, the pugnacious and ever bossy Mrs. Slocombe on the charming, if a bit naughty, British comedy series "Are You Being Served?" has died at age 86, reports the Associated Press.

"Are You Being Served?" was one of the funniest in a string of British comedy series imported to the U.S.  Running from 1972-1985, it was the daily trials and tribulations of the employees (and their superiors) in Grace Brothers department store. 

The dialogue was filled with double entendres of the "nod nod, wink wink, say no more" variety. The best of these, though, was Mrs. Slocombe's continual references to her "pussy." For those of you with dirty minds, she was referring to her cat. But, of course, much of the dialogue in the series could be interpreted in several ways.

Sugden was one of a string of wonderful characterizations. There was Frank Thornton, who played the overly authoritative Capt. Peacock, Wendy Richard who played the young and sexy Miss Brahms, Nicholas Smith who played the incompetent supervisor Mr. Rumbold and John Inman, who played the delightfully gay (though they kept the references down) Mr. Humphries.

Sequels followed. In 1980, a brief series found Mr. Humphries transplanted to a store in Australia. In 1992, a true sequel, "Are You Being Served Again?", also known as "Grace & Favour," moved the series from the city to a country farm. It only lasted 12 episodes and didn't have the full spark of the first series, but in retospect, it was funny to watch.

"Are You Being Served?" is one of our favorite shows of all time. Characters like Mrs. Slocombe made it a pleasure to watch and enjoy.

Both "Are You Being Served?"  and "Are You Being Served Again?" are on DVD and includes extras, including interviews with several characters including Mollie Sugden. If you like British comedy, AYBS is an all-time classic.

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