The first episode of The Good Life was screened on 4 April 1975. The sitcom was about a middle class couple who abandon the rat race in order to become self-sufficient, while remaining in Surbiton. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and gave star billing to Richard Briers. However its success brought fame to the other principals.
Briers played Tom Good and Felicity Kendal was his wife Barbara. Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington played neighbours Margo and Jerry Leadbetter, alternately appalled and bemused by the Goods’ attempts to live off the land.
The Good Life was inspired by the increased interest in green issues at the time. The suburban setting allowed Esmonde and Larbey to poke gentle fun at middle class values and environmentalists and attracted a large audience of the very people they were satirising. The series ran for 30 episodes until 1978 and repeats remain popular to this day.
Esmonde and Larbey went on to create Ever Decreasing Circles, with another great part for Briers. Kendal became an enduring sex symbol and went on to great acclaim in the theatre. Keith and Eddington separately went on to create characters that became bigger than the Leadbetters, in To the Manor Born and Yes, Minister.
April anniversaries
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Radiophonic Workshop founded
1 April 1958 -
The Boat Race first televised
2 April 1927 -
The Family first episode
3 April 1974 -
The Good Life
4 April 1975 -
New radio branding
4 April 1970 -
Newsround
4 April 1972 -
The Money Programme
5 April 1966 -
American Half Hour
6 April 1935 -
PM and The World Tonight
6 April 1970 -
Pogle鈥檚 Wood
7 April 1966 -
How Does Your Garden Grow?
9 April 1947 -
First episode of The Two Ronnies
10 April 1971 -
Launch of 成人快手 Networking Club
11 April 1994 -
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
11 April 1972 -
Blue Peter Royal Safari
11 April 1971 -
Citizen Smith
12 April 1977 -
Animal Magic
13 April 1962 -
Demonstration of VERA Video Recorder on Panorama
14 April 1958 -
After Henry
17 April 1985 -
Hamlet at Elsinore
19 April 1964 -
First night of 成人快手 Two
20 April 1964 -
Play School
21 April 1964 -
First episode of Top Gear
22 April 1977 -
Children's Newsreel
23 April 1950 -
The Sky at Night
24 April 1957 -
An Age of Kings
28 April 1960 -
First Episode of Waggoners' Walk
28 April 1969 -
The FA Cup Final is first televised
30 April 1938