The Good Life – 40 years on

Life was Good

British 70s sitcom �The Good Life� starring Felicity Kendal and Richard Briars has made it into the top ten of Britain�s all time favorites according to the Greatest British sitcom poll.

Forty years after its 4-season run from 1975-78, the series created by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, is still promoting off grid living, even though it stopped production years before the expression was even coined.

The series follows Tom and Barbara Good, two middle aged professionals who decide that they have had enough of the rat race and attempt to become totally self-sufficient in their Surbiton home, much to the shock and derision of neighbors Jerry Leadbetter and wife Margot, a social climber who cannot bear chickens wandering the back garden.

The pair convert their suburban London garden into a farm, get in the pigs, grow their own crops and on one memorable occasion, try to dye their own wool with nettles.

The Good Life was remarkable for the consistent characterization, and showcased the talents of Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington.

Ulrika Jonsson, who was responsible for advocating the show in the sitcom opinion poll said:

“‘The Good Life’ opened the British public’s eyes to four of our greatest acting talents and established them as linchpins of the British sitcom scene”.

“It married the writing genius of Esmond and Larbey with the producing talent of John Howard Davies who all went on to bring us some of the UK’s most popular sitcoms (‘To the Manor Born’, ‘Brush Strokes’ etc). It was ‘The Good Life’ that started the ball rolling.”

“Felicity Kendal – her face smudged with dirt – donning dungarees and wellies and launching a million sexual fantasies – she was voted Rear of the Year in 1981″.

The thirty episodes of The Good Life became household favorites, and are still enduring icons of their time.

Here are some links to excerpts on YouTube:

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