Life with the Lyons - First British Sitcom Movie?

[Timmy_Lea]

Is Life with the Lyons the first big screen spin off of a British sitcom?

[Bernardo]

Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch did a 'com' 1938 -1940 and the 'sit' was a hut on the roof of Broadcasting House. They made a film---Just off to find the name....back! Radio sitcom 1938 -1940 and film was 1940 with same title Bandwagon. There may be an earlier one but that is the earliest I can think of. I would guess PC 49 with their radio show and two films pre-dates Ben and Bebe Daniels Lyon (my Sunday lunchtime radio in the 1950's so for me, quite recent!). Radio drama is very under rated you know better than TV as one can fidget and keep the thread of the programme.

[penfold]

Not quite....the film version preceded the TV version of Life With The Lyons. I would think it's The Grove Family spin off It's A Great Day(1955) would be the one....but if you're including Radio sitcoms, I agree, Bandwagon is a good shout....

[CaptainWaggett]

name='penfold' date='13 July 2010 - 08:54 PM' timestamp='1279050860' post='451535']

Not quite....the film version preceded the TV version. I would think it's The Grove Family spin off It's A Great Day(1955) would be the one....

I don't think that was regarded as a comedy in its day though, more of a drama? And surely Life with the Lyons was a spin-off of a sitcom, but not a tv one. (I quite agree with Bernardo about the superiority of radio comedy ) I suppose it depends on your definition of a sitcom though - ITMA had sits and com and it was filmed. Crook's Tour was billed as a 'comedy thriller' but then the term sitcom hadn't been invented...



Bandwagon has to be first though - it always gets credited as the first British sitcom. In fact it was the first radio comedy to be on at the same time each week (were the schedulers all drunk in the 30s? )

[TvBox]

I think the earliest TV sitcom to be transferred directly to the large screen might be The Army Game which started on ITV in 1957 and inspired the Hammer Films produced feature film I Only Arsked, in 1958.



Whack-O! starring Jimmy Edwards first appeared on our screens in 1956 but the feature film version, Bottoms Up! wasn't produced by Associated British until 1960.



1958's The Larkins also transferred (as Inn For Trouble) in 1960. I'm certain these three were the first.

[orpheum]

There are also many 30s films that trade on radio personalities eg "Radio Parade of 1935" and "Music Hath Charms".

[Bernardo]

Frightening thing is that I am familiar with all the titles above yet I could not remember today what I gave my grand daughter for her lunch.

[Timmy_Lea]

name='Bernardo' date='14 July 2010 - 08:56 PM' timestamp='1279137408' post='451960']

Frightening thing is that I am familiar with all the titles above yet I could not remember today what I gave my grand daughter for her lunch.

Thanks all for your contributions, interesting reading. . .

[Windthrop]

There was film spin-off of the Amos & Andy sitcom in the mid thirties, USA though

[will.15]

name='Windthrop' date='14 July 2010 - 10:18 PM' timestamp='1279142334' post='452004']

There was film spin-off of the Amos & Andy sitcom in the mid thirties. USA but still counts

Does it count? The thread says British sitcom. I was trying to figure out what was the first American television sitcom that became a movie, but the problem is what came first, the chicken or the egg, as several movies came from sitcoms that were on television, but they were on the radio also. The Ozzie and Harriet movie came out shortly before the TV series (it was also on the radio) and there was a Goldbergs movie, but was it before or after the TV series started? Our Miss Brooks the movie was on radio and television, but the movie came out shortly after both versions were off the air. I think McHale's Navy was the first American sitcom movie that hadn't been on radio.

[Windthrop]

name='will.15' date='14 July 2010 - 10:32 PM' timestamp='1279143144' post='452010']

Does it count? The thread says British sitcom. I was trying to figure out what was the first American television sitcom that became a movie, but the problem is what came first, the chicken or the egg, as several movies came from sitcoms that were on television, but they were on the radio also. The Ozzie and Harriet movie came out shortly before the TV series (it was also on the radio) and there was a Goldbergs movie, but was it before or after the TV series started? Our Miss Brooks the movie was on radio and television, but the movie came out shortly after both versions were off the air. I think McHale's Navy was the first American sitcom movie that hadn't been on radio.

I did alter the statement.