John Inman,71, the beloved actor in the British sit-com "Are You being Served?" Died Thursday after a long illness.According to his fellow actor Wendy Richards, who played Miss Brahm in the comedy, he had been suffering for a long time from Hepatitis A,a liver complaint. She spoke of his suffering, and said that now he was free of being so ill.
Over the years since the filming of "Are You Being Served?" John had gone on to take his remarkable talents to the stage, and was last year honored as man of the year in Britain. With his shining white hair and wide gaped toothed grin, John delighted an audience of millions with his impeccable timing and his delivery of his catch-Phrase, " I am free,Captain Peacock!" While prancing across the stage of the "Grace brothers department store" often times in the most improbable of outfits, and the most ridiculous of scenarios, but he always managed to make whatever he was required to do for the part totally believable, which of course, is the mark of a truly gifted actor.While the comedy was being aired fresh, John and his fellow actors, Miss Brahms, Mrs. Slocum, Captain Peacock, and the rest did an admirable job of carrying off the image of just a group of sales staff of a department store in London. They ate together, they got into trouble together,and they found themselves singing and dancing, making films, cutting records, dressing up in outfits that were very silly, or very beautiful or glamorous,they shared each others problems, and they helped each other solve them too.They had sleep-overs in the store, late night meetings and went on strike together.They had birthday parties,and mock weddings,and helped Mrs. Slocum hide her cat while it had kittens in the ladies dressing room. The women sold Ladies wear,and the men, other than Captain Peacock, were salesmen in mens wear. Capt. Peacock was the floor walker,who greeted the customers as they came down the stairs from the elevators, and would then call out to the appropriate sales person, " Are you Free, Mr. Humphreys?"
After all of that, and more, is it any wonder that tears sting my eyes when I realize, that Mr.Humphreys really is free now?
OUI?
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