The Last of the Baskets

The Last of the Baskets was a British television situation comedy produced by Granada and starring Arthur Lowe that ran for two series in the early 1970s.[1] It was written by John Stevenson, with one episode (Series 2, Episode 5, "The Hound of the Baskets"[2]) written by Andy Mayer.

The Last of the Baskets
Genre	Situation Comedy
Created by	John Stevenson
Written by	John Stevenson (12 episodes), Andy Mayer (1 episode)
Directed by	Bill Podmore
Starring	Arthur Lowe
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	13
Production
Producer(s)	Bill Podmore
Running time	25 minutes
Production company(s)	Granada Television
Release
Original network	ITV
Original release	10 May 1971 – 14 February 1972

Created by John Stevenson, the programme was about a factory worker Clifford Basket (played by Ken Jones) who inherited a title of the Earl of Clogborough, the remaining estate of which is a rundown mansion at Little Clogborough-in-the-Marsh and a faithful servant Bodkin played by Arthur Lowe.[3]

Cast

• Redvers Bodkin - Arthur Lowe
• Clifford Basket - Ken Jones
• Mrs Alfreda Basket - Patricia Hayes

Episodes

Series 1 (1971)

#	Episode Title	Written by	Directed by	First broadcast
1	"End of the Peer"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	10 May 1971
2	"Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	17 May 1971
3	"I Gotta Horse"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	24 May 1971
4	"For I'm to Be Queen of the May"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	7 June 1971
5	"For Richer, for Poorer"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	14 June 1971
6	"Do Unto Others..."	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	21 June 1971

Series 2 (1972)

#	Episode Title	Written by	Directed by	First broadcast
7	"It's a Living"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	3 January 1972
8	"Since Then I Have Used No Other"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	10 January 1972
9	"Good Queen Bess Slept Here"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	17 January 1972
10	"A Chip Off the Old Block"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	24 January 1972
11	"The Hound of the Baskets"	Andy Mayer	Bill Podmore	31 January 1972
12	"Nice Work If You Can Get It"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	7 February 1972
13	"A Tisket, a Tasket"	John Stevenson	Bill Podmore	14 February 1972

References

1. Evans 2001, pp.345-346
2. https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/last_of_the_baskets/episodes/2/5/
3. Evans 2001, pp.345-346

• Evans, Jeff (2001). The Penguin TV Companion. Harmondsorth, England: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-051467-8.