Only Fools and Horses

Only Fools and Horses....is a British televisionsitcomcreated and written byJohn Sullivan.Seven series were originally broadcast onBBC Onein the United Kingdom from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until the end of the show in 2003. Set in working-classPeckhamin south-east London, it starsDavid Jasonas ambitiousmarket traderDerek "Del Boy" TrotterandNicholas Lyndhurstas his younger half-brotherRodney Trotter,alongside a supporting cast. The series follows the Trotters' highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the series received numerous awards, including recognition fromBAFTA,theNational Television Awards,and theRoyal Television Society,as well as winning individual accolades for both Sullivan and Jason. It was votedBritain's Best Sitcomin a 2004 BBC poll.

Only Fools and Horses
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	John Sullivan
Written by	John Sullivan
Directed by	Martin Shardlow (1981) Bernard Thompson(1981) Ray Butt(1982–1983, 1985–1987) Susan Belbin(1985) Mandie Fletcher(1986) Tony Dow(1988–2003)
Starring	David Jason Nicholas Lyndhurst Lennard Pearce Buster Merryfield Tessa Peake-Jones Gwyneth Strong Roger Lloyd-Pack John Challis Paul Barber Roy Heather Patrick Murray Sue Holderness Kenneth MacDonald
Theme music composer	Ronnie Hazlehurst(1981) John Sullivan (1982–2003)
Opening theme	"Only Fools and Horses Theme" (Why Do Only Fools and Horses Work?)
Ending theme	"Hooky Street"
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No.of series	7
No.of episodes	64(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Ray Butt(1981–1987) Bernard Thompson(1981) Gareth Gwenlan(1988–1993, 1996, 2001–2003) John Sullivan (1991–2003)
Production locations	BBC Television Centre,White City,London Acton,London (1981–1988) Bristol(1988–2003)
Running time	Regular episodes Series 1–5:30 minutes Series 6–7:50 minutes Christmas specials 35–95 minutes
Production company	BBC Studios Comedy Productions
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	8 September 1981(1981-09-08)– 25 December 2003(2003-12-25)

Lennard Pearceappeared in the first three series as Del and Rodney's elderly grandfather. After Pearce's death in 1984, a new character was introduced—Uncle Albert,the boys' great-uncle, played byBuster Merryfield—to replaceGrandad.From 1988, the show featured regular characters in Del Boy's and Rodney's love interests:Raquel(Tessa Peake-Jones) andCassandra(Gwyneth Strong), respectively. Other recurring characters included car dealerBoycie(John Challis), road sweeperTrigger(Roger Lloyd-Pack), lorry driverDenzil(Paul Barber),spivMickey Pearce (Patrick Murray), Boycie's wife Marlene (Sue Holderness), and pub landlordMike(Kenneth MacDonald).

The show was not an immediate hit with viewers and received little promotion early on,but later achieved consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time on Our Hands"(originally billed as the last episode) holds the record for thebiggest UK audience for a sitcom episode,attracting 24.3 million viewers.The series influenced British culture, contributing several words and phrases to the English language. It spawned an extensive range of merchandise, including books, videos, DVDs, toys and board games. Episodes are frequently repeated onUKTVcomedy channelGold.

A spin-off series,The Green Green Grass,ran for four series in the UK from 2005 to 2009. A prequel,Rock & Chips,ran for three specials in 2010 and 2011. A specialSport Relief episodeaired in March 2014, guest starringDavid Beckham.In February 2019, amusical adaptation of the show,written by John Sullivan's sonJim SullivanandPaul Whitehouse,was launched at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.

Plot

Derek "Del Boy" Trotter(David Jason), a South London "fly" trader, lives in acouncil flatin Nelson Mandela House, a high-risetower blockinPeckham,South London,with his much younger brother,Rodney(Nicholas Lyndhurst), and their elderly grandfather,Grandad(Lennard Pearce).Their mother, Joan, died when Rodney was young, and their father Reg absconded soon afterwards, so Del became Rodney's surrogate father and the family leader. Despite their differences in age, personality and outlook, the brothers share a constant bond throughout.

A Reliant Regal that was used in the series, on display at theBritish Motor Museum

The Trotters attempt to become millionaires through questionableget-rich-quick schemesand by buying and selling poor-quality and illegal goods. They have a three-wheeledReliant Regalvan and trade under the name ofTrotters Independent Traders,mainly on theblack market.

Initially, Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad were the only regulars, along with the occasional appearances of road sweeperTrigger(Roger Lloyd-Pack) and pretentious used car salesmanBoycie(John Challis). Over time, the cast expanded, mostly in the form of regulars at the local pubThe Nag's Head.These included pub landlordMike Fisher(Kenneth MacDonald), lorry driverDenzil(Paul Barber), youthfulspivMickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) and Boycie's flirtatious wife Marlene (Sue Holderness).After Grandad died following the death of actor Lennard Pearce, his younger brotherUncle Albert(Buster Merryfield) was introduced and moved in with Del and Rodney, becoming a main character.

The plots of many early episodes were primarily self-contained, with few plot-lines mentioned again, but the show developed astory arcand an ongoing episodic dimension in later series. Del and Rodney's quest for love is a recurring theme, which eventually resulted in them finding long-term love in the form ofRaquel(Tessa Peake-Jones) andCassandra(Gwyneth Strong), respectively; Del also has a son with Raquel,Damien(played by five actors, most recentlyBen Smith), while Rodney has a daughter with Cassandra, Joan (named after his and Del's mother), born in thefinal episode.The Trotters finally become millionaires, lose their fortune, and then regain some of it.

Cast and characters

Further information:List of Only Fools and Horses characters

Main cast and characters

• Derek Edward "Del Boy" Trotter(David Jason) – Del is a smooth-talkingSouth Londonmarket trader, willing to sell anything to anyone to make money. Possessing a quick wit and confidence that his younger brother mostly lacks, Del is devoted to his family, taking care of Rodney and Grandad on his own from the age of 16. Del is also known for his penchant for cultural faux pas, in particular his misuse of French phrases. Del never settled down with a woman until he met Raquel, with whom he had a son, Damien.

Sullivan recalled that he had always been fascinated by the unlicensed traders who sold goods from suitcases in markets, and he based Del Boy on them. David Jason added other elements to the part, including Del's cheap gold jewellery and his camel coat. The inspiration was taken from a similar man he had known when working as an electrician.Jason was a relatively late candidate for the part:Jim Broadbent(who would later appear in a minor recurring role as DCIRoy Slater) andEnn Reitelwere earlier preferences. At the time, Broadbent was appearing inMike Leigh's play, "Goose-Pimples", at theHampstead Theatrein north London. The play was due to transfer to theWest End,and, consequently, Broadbent thought he would be unable to fit in with the filming schedule and turned down the part.It was only when producerRay Buttsaw a repeat ofOpen All Hoursthat Jason was considered and, despite concerns that Jason had not previously had a leading television role and that he and Lyndhurst did not look like brothers, he was cast.

• Rodney Charlton Trotter(Nicholas Lyndhurst) – Rodney is Del'sidealisticbut socially awkward younger half-brother. Despite being more academically gifted than Del Boy (although only to the extent of twoGCEs),Rodney lacks Del's charisma as well as the latter's duplicitous persona, and as such is confined to being Del'sdogsbodyand sidekick. Orphaned at a young age, Rodney was raised by Del, and much of the friction between the two comes from Rodney's annoyance about his dependency on his brother and his sometimes immoral schemes, usually resulting in unsuccessful attempts to gain greater independence through girlfriends or through setting up his own businesses; he was only partially successful after marrying Cassandra and briefly going to work for her father.In contrast to Del, the part of Rodney was cast early, with Lyndhurst settled on quickly. Sullivan partly based Rodney on his own experiences: he, too, had a much older sibling and, like Rodney, claims to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.
• Edward Kitchener "Grandad" Trotter(Lennard Pearce) – Sullivan was fascinated by the idea of having a big age gap between Del Boy and his younger brother Rodney; the elderly character of Grandad, and later, Uncle Albert, gave the situation the voice of an "old man who had seen it all".In casting the role of Grandad, Sullivan had in mind an actor similar toWilfrid Brambell,who had played Albert Steptoe inSteptoe and Son,but chose not to cast Brambell himself, thinking him too closely associated withSteptoe.After seeing Pearce's audition, Sullivan chose him immediately.Unkempt and absent-minded, although sometimes displaying a high intelligence, Grandad rarely left the flat or even moved from his armchair in front of two television sets. He was often assigned the job of cooking meals, despite his notoriously poor cooking skills, which Del describes as his "role in the family circle" to ensure he still "feels needed".Pearce died in 1984 during the filming of the fourth seriesand Sullivan wrote a new episode, "Strained Relations",to write Grandad's death into the series.
• Albert Gladstone Trotter(Buster Merryfield) – Shortly after the death of Lennard Pearce, it was decided that a new older family member should be brought in, which eventually led to "Uncle Albert", Grandad's estranged younger brother. Merryfield was an inexperienced amateur actor at the time, but was selected because he appeared to fit the description of an old sailor, especially with his distinctive white "Captain Birdseye"beard.Albert first appeared at Grandad's funeral and soon moved in with Del and Rodney.His wartime experiences with theRoyal Navybecame one of the show's running gags,usually beginning with the words "During the war...".Merryfield died in 1999 and Albert's death was written into the next episode.
• Raquel Turner(Tessa Peake-Jones) – Raquel was introduced because Sullivan wanted more female characters and for Del to start meeting more mature women. Her first appearance, in "Dates",was intended to be a one-off, but she was written in again a year later and thereafter became a permanent cast member.A trained singer and actress whose career never took off, she met Del through adating agency,but they fell out over her part-time job as astripper,before getting together again. This time, she moved in with Del, helping to calm him, and they had a son together named Damien. As the character developed, it was revealed that she was previously married to Del's nemesis,Roy Slater.
• Cassandra Trotter(née Parry) (Gwyneth Strong) – Cassandra first met Rodney in "Yuppy Love".Their relationship blossomed, and by the end of series six, the two had married. Cassandra's career-driven lifestyle caused fights with Rodney, and their marriage problems formed one of the main storylines in the seventh series.

Supporting cast and characters

• Trigger(Roger Lloyd-Pack) – A dopey and slow-witted but good friend of Del, Trigger was initially portrayed as a small-time thief, supplying Del with dubious goods.In later episodes, he came to adopt the "village idiot" role and constantly calls Rodney "Dave", much to Rodney's chagrin.Trigger, apparently so called because he looks likea horse,was the principal supporting character earlier in the show's run, although his importance lessened as the series progressed.Lloyd-Pack was cast by pure chance: Ray Butt, who hired him to portray Trigger after seeing him in a stage play, had only attended that play to observe potential Del Boy actorBilly Murray.
• Boycie(John Challis) – An untrustworthy used car salesman and a cultural elitist. Boycie, afreemason,was very selfish and prone to boasting about his wealth.Challis had played a similar character in an episode ofCitizen Smith.Sullivan liked him, and promised to cast him in a future series, which led to Boycie.Boycie later featured in a spin-off series,The Green Green Grass,starting in 2005, in which he and his wife Marlene along with their son Tyler escaped from a criminal gang.
• Denzil Tulser(Paul Barber) – An affableLiverpudlianlorry driver,Denzil was often the victim of Del's scams. His inability to say no to Del's business deals frequently led to arguments with his controlling wife, Corinne (Eva Mottley).Corinne eventually walked out on him, leaving Denzil depressed but with more time to go along with Del's antics.
• Sid (Roy Heather) – Sid made sparse appearances throughout the show's run, mainly as the proprietor of the dirty and unhygienic local cafe. In the episode "The Jolly Boys' Outing", it is revealed that Sid fought in theSecond World War.He was captured and imprisoned but escaped, only for the boat he was using to be hit and sunk by a Greek fishing trawler being steered by Uncle Albert. AfterNag's Headlandlord Mike was imprisoned, Sid took over and kept that role for the remainder of the series.
• Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) – Mickey was a young, arrogant spiv and friend of Rodney's, known for his exaggerated boasts about his success in business or with women. Despite their friendship, Mickey often took advantage of Rodney's inexperience by stealing his girlfriends or making off with all the money from their business partnership.
• Marlene Boyce (Sue Holderness) – Boycie's wife. Initially just anunseen character,Marlene was popular among the men and extremely flirtatious, having had implied sexual relations with all of Boycie's friends.She and Del have a noticeably close friendship, dating back to when Marlene worked in a betting shop in Lewisham Grove. Despite their constant arguments and insults, she and Boycie are in love and eventually have a child, Tyler, after several years of tryingalthough there are light-hearted rumours that Del may be the father.
• Mike Fisher(Kenneth MacDonald) – Thelandlordof theNag's Head,although not from the very beginning; his predecessor was never seen, with just a succession of barmaids providing service. Friendly and gormless, he was often targeted by Del as a potential customer for any goods he was selling. When Kenneth MacDonald died in 2001, a storyline involving Mike's imprisonment for attempting to embezzle the brewery was written, and cafe owner Sid took over as the interim pub landlord.
• Damien Trotter(various) – Damien was Del and Raquel's son. It was Rodney's mocking suggestion that he be named Damien. Uncle Albert raised concern that Damien's initials would read "DDT", as his full name is "Damien Derek Trotter", "DDT" being short for the chemical compound DichlorodiphenyltrichloroethaneDDT.Six actors played Damien: Patrick McManus (1991), Grant Stevens (1991), Robert Liddement (1992), Jamie Smith (1993–96),Douglas Hodge(1996, as adult) andBen Smith(2001–03).

Minor cast and characters

Jim Broadbent,who was originally considered to play Del Boy, made three appearances as DCIRoy Slater.

The most frequent roles for guest actors inOnly Fools and Horseswere as Del or Rodney's one-time girlfriends, barmaids at theNag's Head,or individuals the Trotters were doing business with. Del and Rodney's deceased mother, Joan, though never seen, was frequently mentioned in Del's embellished accounts of her final words or in his attempts to emotionally blackmail Rodney. Her grave, a flamboyant monument, was seen occasionally.Their absent father, Reg, appeared once in "Thicker Than Water"(played byPeter Woodthorpe), before leaving under a cloud, never to be seen again.Other members of the Trotter family were rarely sighted, the exceptions being cousins Stan (Mike Kemp) and Jean (Maureen Sweeney), who attended Grandad's funeral.In "The Second Time Around",the woman they believed to be Auntie Rose (Beryl Cooke) turned out to be no relation at all but the woman who had moved into Rose's house some years earlier. After Rodney met Cassandra, her parents Alan (Denis Lill) and Pam (Wanda Ventham) became recurring characters.Raquel's parents, James and Audrey (Michael JaystonandAnn Lynn), appeared in "Time On Our Hands",and it was James who discovered the antique watch which made the Trotters millionaires.

In some episodes, a guest character was essential to the plot. Del's ex-fiancée Pauline (Jill Baker) dominated Del's libido in "The Second Time Around",prompting Rodney and Grandad to leave. In "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire",Del's old business partner Jumbo Mills (Nick Stringer) wanted Del to return to Australia with him and restore their partnership, forcing Del to make a decision.In "Happy Returns",Del stops a young boy from running into the road and takes him home to his mother to discover she is an old flame from nineteen years ago, June Snell (Diane Langton) and the episode revolves around whether her daughter Debby (Oona Kirsch) is actually Del's child, complicated by the fact that Rodney is dating her. June also appears in "A Royal Flush",attending an opera. An attempt by Lennox (Vas Blackwood) to rob a local supermarket set up the "hostage" situation in "The Longest Night".Del and Rodney spent the whole of "Tea for Three"battling each other for the affections of Trigger's niece Lisa (Gerry Cowper), who briefly reappeared in "The Frog's Legacy".Abdul (Tony Anholt) in "To Hull and Back"and Arnie (Philip McGough) in "Chain Gang"were responsible for setting up dubious enterprises involving the Trotters in their respective episodes.Tony Angelino (Philip Pope), the "singing dustman" with aspeech impediment,was the key to the humour and the storyline of "Stage Fright"andEastEndersactorDerek Martinguest starred in "Fatal Extraction".

Del's nemesis from his school days, corrupt policemanRoy Slater(played byJim Broadbent), made three appearances, in "May The Force Be With You","To Hull and Back"and"Class of '62".Feared local villains, Danny and Tony Driscoll (Roy MarsdenandChristopher Ryan,respectively) featured once, in "Little Problems",but were mentioned in two previous episodes ("Video Nasty"and"The Frog's Legacy"),and are important in the story ofThe Green Green Grass.An adult Damien (Douglas Hodge) appeared in "Heroes and Villains".Rodney and Mickey's friends, the smooth-talking Jevon (Steven Woodcock) and then, briefly, Chris (Tony Marshall), a ladies' hairdresser, featured sporadically during the sixth and seventh series and the intervening Christmas specials.The two-part 1991 Christmas special, "Miami Twice",sawRichard BransonandBarry Gibbmake cameo appearances.Mike Readappeared as himself, hosting an episode ofTop Of The Pops,in "It's Only Rock and Roll"andJonathan Rossappeared as himself in "If They Could See Us Now".

While their characters were less significant, well-known actors who played cameos in the programme includedJoan Sims,best known for her numerous roles in theCarry Onfilms,who guest-starred in the feature-length episode "The Frog's Legacy"as Reenie Turpin, an aunt of Trigger and old friend of Del's late mother;successful film actorDavid Thewlis,who played a young wannabe musician in "It's Only Rock and Roll";John Bardon,who played the role ofJim Branningin the soap operaEastEnders,appeared as the supermarket security officer Tom Clark in "The Longest Night".Walter Sparrow,who appeared as Dirty Barry in "Danger UXD",went on to appear in several Hollywood films.

Production

Development

The originalOnly Fools and Horsesline-up of (left to right) Grandad (Lennard Pearce), Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) lasted from 1981 to 1984.

In 1980,John Sullivan,a scriptwriter under contract at the BBC, was already well known as the writer of the sitcomCitizen Smith.It came to an end that year and Sullivan was searching for a new project. An initial idea for a comedy set in the world of football was rejected by the BBC, as was his alternative idea, a sitcom centring on a cockney market trader in working class, modern-day London. The latter idea persisted.Through Ray Butt, a BBC producer and director whom Sullivan had met and become friends with when they were working onCitizen Smith,a draft script was shown to the BBC's Head of Comedy,John Howard Davies.Davies commissioned Sullivan to write a full series. Sullivan believed the key factor in its being accepted was the success of ITV's new drama,Minder,a series with a similar premise and also set in modern-day London.

Sullivan had initially given the show the working titleReadies.For the actual title he intended to use, as a reference to the protagonist's tax- and work-evading lifestyle,Only Fools and Horses.That name was based on a genuine, though very obscure, saying, "only fools and horses workfor a living ", which had its origins in 19th-century Americanvaudeville."Only Fools and Horses" had also been the title of an episode ofCitizen Smith,and Sullivan liked the expression and thought it was suited to the new sitcom.He also thought longer titles would attract attention.He was first overruled on the grounds that the audience would not understand the title, but he eventually got his way.

Filming and transmission

The secondOnly Fools and Horsesline-up of (left to right) Del Boy (David Jason), Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) lasted from 1985 to 1996. Picture taken from the show's special "Jolly Boys Outing"with the trio outside the Villa Bella inMargate.

Filming of the first series began in May 1981, and the first episode, "Big Brother",was transmitted onBBC1at 8:30 pm on 8 September that year. It attracted 9.2 million viewersand generally received a lukewarm response from critics.The viewing figures for the whole first series averaged at around 7 million viewers.According to an interview with John Challis in 2015, the viewing figure "today would be very good but in those days wasn't considered great at all, so it was sort of put on the back burner for a bit—no particular plans for a second series".The costumes for the first series were designed by Phoebe De Gaye. Del's attire was inspired by her going to car boot sales. She took Jason shopping inOxford Streetand had him try a variety of suits. De Gaye purchased some gaily coloured Gabicci shirts, which were fashionable at the time and she thought "horrible".Del's rings and bracelet were made of fake gold and came fromChapel Market.Rodney's combat jacket came from the BBC's Costume Department, and De Gaye added aYasser Arafat scarfpurchased fromShepherd's Bush Market.De Gaye usedVaseline,make-up and food to make Grandad's costume look dirty. The idea was that he never had his hat off, never dressed properly and usually wore dirty pyjamas underneath his clothes.

A second series was commissioned for 1982. This fared a bit better, and the first and second series had a collective repeat run in June 1983 in a more low-key time slot, but attracted a high enough viewing figure for Davies to commission a third series.From there, the show began to top the television ratings. Viewing figures for the fourth series were double those of the first.In early December 1984,during the filming of Series 4, Lennard Pearce suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital.He died on 15 December, the day before he was due to return.Sullivan wrote Grandad's death into the series with the episode "Strained Relations"which featured Del and Rodney's goodbye to Grandad.According to Sullivan, recasting Grandad was considered disrespectful to Pearce by the team, so it was decided that another older family member was to be cast.Buster Merryfieldwas then cast as Grandad's brotherAlbert.The scenes from "Hole in One"that featured Pearce were re-filmed with Merryfield.

Midway through the filming of the fifth series, Jason told Sullivan that he wished to leave the show in order to further his career elsewhere. Sullivan thus wrote "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?",which was intended to be the final episode and would see Del accepting a friend's offer to set up business in Australia, leaving Rodney and Albert behind. Plans were made for a spin-off entitledHot-Rod,which would have followed Rodney's attempts to survive on his own with help from Mickey Pearce but leaving open the prospect of Del's return. Jason then changed his mind, and the ending of the episode was changed to show Del rejecting the offer.

Sullivan had a tendency to write scripts that were too long, meaning a lot of good material had to be cut. Shortly before filming of the sixth series began, he and Jason requested that the show's time slot be extended and it was agreed to extend its running time to 50 minutes.This required a 40 per cent increase in the show's budget,and coincided with the show's becoming one of the BBC's most popular programmes.Robin Stubbs became the costume designer for the sixth series and was responsible for getting Del's attire to match his new yuppy image. His new suits cost around £200 each and were purchased fromAustin ReedinRegent Street.The rest came from stores such as Tie-Rack andDickins & Jones.His jewellery was replaced in each series because it was very cheap (the "D" rings cost 50p each).

The seventh series aired in early 1991.Jason and Sullivan were involved with other projects, and it was confirmed that there were no plans for a new series.Despite this, the show continued in Christmas specials until 1993.Sullivan nonetheless wanted a final episode to tie up the show.In late 1996, three more one-hour episodes were filmed,to be broadcast over Christmas 1996.All three were well received and, due to the ending, were assumed to be the last.The show made a return in Christmas 2001 with the first of three new episodes which were shot together but ultimately broadcast over three consecutive Christmases from 2001 until 2003.Despite rumours of further episodes,in a 2008 interview, Sullivan was quoted as saying: "There will not be another series ofOnly Fools And Horses.I can say that. We had our day, it was wonderful but it is best to leave it now ".Though Sullivan died in 2011, it returned for a specialSport Relief episodein 2014.

Theme music and titles

The images peeling away was conceived as a metaphor for the Trotters' lifestyle.

From the second series,Only Fools and Horseshas separate theme songs for the opening and closing credits: "Only Fools and Horses" and "Hooky Street", respectively.The series 1 theme tune was produced byRonnie Hazlehurstand recorded on 6 August 1981 atLime Grove Studios.Alf Bigden,Paul Westwood,Don Hunt, John Dean,Judd Proctor,Eddie Mordueand Rex Morris were hired to play the music. The tune was changed after the first series, and the new one was written by John Sullivan (he disliked the tune for the first series, and his new one explained the show's title), and Hazlehurst conducted it. It was recorded at Lime Grove on 11 May 1982, with musiciansJohn Horler,Dave Richmond,Bigden and Proctor. Sullivan had intendedChas & Daveto sing it because they had enjoyed success with the "Rockney" style, a mixture of rock n' roll and traditional Cockney music.Sullivan was persuaded to do it himself by Ray Butt.Despite the creation of a new theme tune, the original one remained in occasional use.Chas & Dave did later contribute to the show, performing the closing credits song for the 1989 episode "The Jolly Boys' Outing".Both songs are performed by Sullivan himself, and not—as is sometimes thought—by Nicholas Lyndhurst.

The opening credits see images of the three principal actors peel on and off the screen sequentially. These appear over a background of still photographs of everyday life in London. The sequence was conceived bygraphic designerPeter Clayton as a "metaphor for the vagaries of the Trotters' lifestyle", whereby money was earned and quickly lost again. Clayton had also considered using five-pound notes bearing Del's face. The action was shot manually frame by frame and took around six weeks to complete. Clayton knew that it was important to have the characters established in the titles and prepared a storyboard depicting his ideas using drawings. He photographed various locations with a photographer, and the titles were shot using arostrum cameraand not edited. Brian Stephens, a professional animator, was hired to create the labels' movement.

Clayton returned to the show when the closing credits were changed for "Christmas Crackers".He re-cut the entire sequence and added Christmas items. Another change was made necessary by Lennard Pearce's death and Buster Merryfield joining the cast, so the pictures of David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst were updated too. The sequence was shot onmotor drive.

The closing credits for the programme varied series by series. The first series used peeling labels featuring the names of the cast and crew, mirroring the opening sequence, but these had to be updated with every new episode, making the process very time-consuming; from the second series, the credits switched to a standard rolling format. The third series featured additional symbols. For the fourth series, these designs were replaced with white lettering on a black background. The fifth series had a black and white background, but the sixth series reverted to the black one. For the seventh series, the credits scrolled against a freeze frame of the final scene.

Filming locations

The original "Nelson Mandela House" in the titles was Harlech Tower, Park Road East,Acton,London. From 1988 onwards, Whitemead House, Duckmoor Road, Ashton in Bristol was used. The tower block is located behindAshton Gate,the home ground of bothBristol City Football Cluband theBristol Bears,with some scenes filmed in the stadium's car park.

Episodes

Further information:List of Only Fools and Horses episodes

Sixty-four episodes ofOnly Fools and Horses,all written by John Sullivan, were broadcast on BBC1 from 8 September 1981 until 25 December 2003.The show was aired in seven series (1981–1983, 1985–1986, 1989 and 1990–1991), and thereafter in sporadic Christmas special editions (1991–1993, 1996, 2001–2003).The episodes from the first five series (excluding Christmas specials) had a running time of 30 minutes, but from series 6 (1989), the running time of the series episodes was extended to 50 minutes.

Several mini-episodes were produced.An eight-minute episode aired on 27 December 1982 as part of a show hosted byFrank Muir,The Funny Side of Christmas,and attracted 7.2 million viewers.A five-minutespoof BBC documentarywas shown onBreakfast Timeon 24 December 1985, with Del being investigated by a BBC consumer expert.An educational episode named "Licensed to Drill",in which Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling, was recorded in 1984 but only shown in schools.A five-minute1990–91 Persian Gulf War special(dated 1 December 1990) has Del, Rodney and Albert convey a message to British troops serving in the conflict.It has never been broadcast commercially, but a copy exists at theImperial War Museum,London.AComic Relief specialshowingDel,RodneyandAlbertmaking an appeal for donations was shown on 14 March 1997, with 10.6 million viewers.ASport Relief specialwas aired on 21 March 2014 which featured retired footballerDavid Beckham.

Only Fools and Horseshad two producers:Ray Buttfrom 1981 to 1987,and Gareth Gwenlan thereafter.Seven directors were used: Martin Shardlow directed all episodes in series one,Bernard Thompson directed the 1981 Christmas special,Susan Belbin series four,and Mandie Fletcher series five.Butt directed series three and five, as well as the 1985, 1986 and 1987 Christmas specials.Tony Dow became the established director after 1988, directing all subsequent episodes, bar the first part of Miami Twice, which was directed by Gareth Gwenlan.John Sullivan was executive producer on seven of the final eight episodes.

Documentaries

A BBC documentary titled "The Story of Only Fools and Horses" aired in December 2002.A six-part documentary series also titled "The Story of Only Fools and Horses", began on 29 August 2017 onGoldand finished on 3 October 2017. The series features rare and unseen footage from the archives and specially re-created moments from Del Boy's family and friends.On 27 December 2020, a special called "We Love Only Fools and Horses" was broadcast onChannel 5in which various fans, actors and crew recalled the story of the series and why the show is still popular.

Spin-offs

Main articles:The Green Green GrassandRock & Chips

The Green Green Grass

A spin-off ofOnly Fools and HorsesentitledThe Green Green Grass,also written by John Sullivan and directed by Tony Dow, was first aired in the UK in September 2005.Sullivanhad considered writing a sitcom around the popular characters of Boycie and Marlene (John ChallisandSue Holderness) since the mid-1980s, but it was not untilOnly Fools And Horsesended that the idea came to fruition.The Green Green Grasssaw Boycie and Marlene forced to leave Peckham by one-timeOnly Fools and Horsesvillains, the Driscoll Brothers, and included guest appearances by Denzil (Paul Barber) and Sid (Roy Heather). A second series ofThe Green Green Grasswas broadcast in the UK in October 2006,a third in November 2007and a fourth in January 2009.

Rock & Chips

In 2003, it was reported that Sullivan was developing a prequel to the original series,Once Upon a Time in Peckham,which would feature Del as a youngster in the 1960s and have a prominent role for his parents.In 2009, it was again reported that the BBC were considering commissioning the show, although nothing was confirmed.On 5 April 2009, Sullivan said that he was planning a prequel toOnly Fools and Horseswhich would starNicholas LyndhurstasFreddie "The Frog" Robdal,a local criminal and Rodney's biological father; Robdal was the focus of the episode "The Frog's Legacy".

On 3 July 2009, the BBC revealed that the title of the spin-off would beSex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Chips,and would be a 90-minute comedy drama.The title was subsequently changed toRock & Chips.Filming began in August 2009, and it was shown on BBC One at 9pm on 24 January 2010.In October 2009 it was confirmed that Lyndhurst would star as Robdal.The InbetweenersandOff The HookactorJames Buckleyplayed the role of the young Del Boy.

Home media

The show has been released on VHS, DVD andaudioCD in several guises. A DVD collection containing every episode was issued, along with various other special-edition box sets, such as a tin based on their Reliant Regal. Videos and DVDs ofOnly Fools and Horsescontinue to be among the BBC's biggest-selling items, having sold over 1 million VHS copies and 6 million DVD copies in the UK.

The series made its debut onBlu-rayon 6 December 2021, with a three-disc set entitledOnly Fools and Horses: The 80s Specials.It featured the five feature-length Christmas specials broadcast from 1985 to 1989, restored and remastered inhigh-definition.For the restoration process, the original16 mm filmelements were cleaned and rescanned, while the standard-definitionvideotapeelements were "digitally reprocessed" and upscaled to HD.On the set, the episode "A Royal Flush"is featured both in its original and" writer's cut "versions;"The Jolly Boys' Outing"is fully uncut; and various photo galleries, a booklet and artcards are also included. It entered and peaked at #10 on the UK Official Blu-ray Chart the week ending 18 December 2021.

All seven series and the Christmas specials have been released on DVD in both individual and complete sets. The first three series each contained their Christmas specials from 1981, 1982 and 1983. The specials were omitted from all subsequent series sets but were instead released separately and not in chronological order. In addition, the documentaryThe Story of Only Fools and Horseswas released in 2003.

Overview

Title	Release date		Features	Ref.
	Region 2	Region 4
The Complete Series 1	20 November 2000	3 May 2004	6 episodes & 1981 Christmas special 1 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 2	29 March 2001	3 May 2004	7 episodes & 1982 Christmas special 1 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:M No special features
The Complete Series 3	4 June 2001	5 May 2005	7 episodes & 1983 Christmas special 1 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 4	1 October 2001	5 May 2005	7 episodes 1 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 5	30 September 2002	4 August 2005	6 episodes 1 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 6	22 September 2003	4 August 2005	6 episodes 2 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 7	6 September 2004	4 May 2006	6 episodes 2 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG No special features
The Complete Series 1–7	15 November 2004	—	45 episodes & 1981, 1982 and 1983 Christmas specials 9 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG No special features
The Complete Collection	16 October 2006	20 November 2019	64 episodes (including all Christmas specials) 26 discs (Region 2) 18 discs (Region 4) Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:12 ACB:M
The Complete Series 1–7(slimline reissue)	27 September 2010	—	45 episodes & 1981, 1982 and 1983 Christmas specials 9 disc Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG No special features
The Complete Collection(first reissue)	5 September 2011	—	Repackaged version of original complete collection set 64 episodes (including all Christmas specials) 26 discs Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:12
The Complete Collection(second reissue)	23 October 2017	—	Slimline version of first reissued complete collection set 64 episodes (including all Christmas specials) 19 discs Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:12
Specials
The Jolly Boys' Outing	6 November 2000	—
The Frog's Legacy	20 November 2000	—
To Hull and Back	12 November 2001	—
Dates	6 May 2002	—
If They Could See Us Now!	11 November 2002	—
Miami Twice	19 May 2003	—
Strangers on the Shore	17 November 2003	—
Heroes and Villains	9 February 2004	—
Modern Men	9 February 2004	—
Time on Our Hands	9 February 2004	—
The Christmas Trilogy	9 February 2004	3 October 2007	3 episodes: "Heroes and Villains", "Modern Men" and "Time on Our Hands" 3 discs Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG ACB:PG
Mother Nature's Son	24 May 2004	—
Fatal Extraction	12 July 2004	—
Sleepless in Peckham	4 October 2004	—
The Christmas Specials	15 November 2004	—	3 episodes: "If They Could See Us Now!", "Strangers on the Shore" and "Sleepless in Peckham" 3 discs Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:12
Rodney Come Home	14 February 2005	—
A Royal Flush	9 May 2005	—
The 80s Specials(Blu-ray)	22 November 2021	—	5 episodes: "To Hull and Back", "A Royal Flush", "The Frog's Legacy", "Dates" and "The Jolly Boys' Outing" 3 discs Subtitles: English SDH BBFC:PG Special features: collector's booklet, five exclusive art cards, behind-the-scenes photo galleries, original and writer's cut version of "A Royal Flush" and fully restored version of "The Jolly Boys' Outing

In other media

Audio releases

A number of episodes were re-edited for audio purposes and released on either audio cassette or CD.In total, there were five CDs released, with the first one being released on both CD and cassette.

An album was released in 2002.Only Fools and Horses: The Albumfeatured songs used in the show, as well as John Sullivan performing the theme tune and Hookie Street.Apart from the physical CD release, the album has never been available digitally, meaning that the theme tune has never appeared on streaming or download services as of 2023. A single was released to support the album, which sampled the show's theme tune, titledDelboy's Tune.The music video features John Challis as Boycie and Patrick Murray as Mickey Pearce.

BeforeEuro 2004,an unofficial England song was released byUndercover.The track, titledViva England!,sampled both the opening theme from Only Fools and Horses and Hookie Street—used with John Sullivan's blessing—and reached number 49 in the charts.

Theatre

A four-minute show named "Royal Variety Performance" was shown on 27 November 1988 (viewed by 18.14 million people) and had Del, Rodney, and Albert appear on theRoyal Variety Show.It was staged on 24 November 1986, and the plot saw David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Buster Merryfield appear on stage in character, thinking that they are delivering boxes of alcohol to an associate of Del's, only later realising where they actually are.They also mistake theDuchess of Yorkfor Del's associate.

An idea of anOnly Fools and Horsesstage show was mooted by Ray Butt, following the success of other sitcom crossovers such asDad's ArmyandAre You Being Served?.Sullivan was not keen, owing to his work onJust Good Friendsas well asOnly Fools and Horses,and inexperience with the theatre, so nothing came of it.

Stage musical

Main article:Only Fools and Horses The Musical

In July 2018, John Sullivan's son,Jim Sullivan,announced that anOnly Fools and Horsesmusical was nearing completion, with a script by Jim Sullivan andPaul Whitehouse.Jim Sullivan said, "Back in 2010 my Dad had been toying with the possibility of a stage show but sadly didn't get the chance to commit to it. In 2015 we met with the producer, Phil McIntyre, and agreed to develop the idea. Soon after that, Paul Whitehouse came on board and things have been bubbling away ever since. I am very pleased and excited to say that the show will be launching early next year." The musical launched on 9 February 2019 at theTheatre Royal Haymarket,London.

Books

Only Fools and Horsesspawned many merchandising spin-offs. Several books have been published, such as"The Only Fools and Horses Story"by Steve Clarkand"The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses"by Richard Webber,both of which detail the history of the series. The scripts have been published in a three-volume compendium,"The Bible of Peckham".

In October 2015,He Who Dares...,a fictional autobiography, was published byEbury Press.The book was written by John Sullivan's son, Jim Sullivan.

In August 2017,Only Fools and Horses: The Peckham Archives,was published by Ebury Press. The book was written by Rod Green, with the help ofJim Sullivan.

In November 2018,You Know It Makes Sense, Lessons From The Derek Trotter School of Business (And Life),was published by Ebury Press. The book was written by John Sullivan's son, Jim Sullivan.

Board games

Two board games based on the show were released: aMonopoly-style game, the"Trotters Trading Game",in which participants attempt to emulate the Trotters and become millionaires,and another game set in their local pub, entitled the"Nag's Head Board Game".

Games/apps

A CD-ROM was released in August 2000 byBBC Multimedia.It featured a calendar, a calculator, a pub quiz, numerous clips from the show and a driving game.

An app was released for mobile phones in 2010.The Only Fools & Horses Plonker Testapp included a quiz, mini-games and audio clips from the show. It has since been discontinued.

Reception

See also:List of awards and nominations received by Only Fools and Horses

Del Boy's fall through an open bar-flap in "Yuppy Love"(BBC video clip) is one of the show's best-known moments.

Only Fools and Horsesis one of the UK's most popular sitcoms. It was among the ten most-watched television shows of the year in the UK in 1986,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1996,2001,2002and 2003.The 1996 Christmas trilogy of "Heroes and Villains","Modern Men"and"Time on Our Hands"saw the show's peak. Twenty-one-point-three million viewers watched the first two installmentswhile the third (said to be the show's final episode at the time of broadcast) attracted 24.3 million,arecord audience for a British sitcom.Repeat episodes also attract millions of viewers,and the BBC has received criticism for repeating the show too often.

Only Fools and Horseswon theBAFTAaward for best comedy series in 1985,1988and 1996,was nominated in 1983,1986,1989,1990and 1991,and won the audience award in 2004. David Jason received individual BAFTAs for his portrayal of Del Boy in 1990and 1996.The series won aNational Television Awardin 1997 for most popular comedy series;Jason won two individual awards, in 1997 and 2002.At theBritish Comedy Awards,the show was named best BBC sitcom for 1990,and received the People's Choice award in 1997.It also won theRoyal Television Societybest comedy award in 1997 and twoTelevision and Radio Industries ClubAwards for comedy programme of the year, in 1984 and 1997.John Sullivan received theWriters' Guild of Great Britaincomedy award in 1997.

The show regularly features in polls to find the most popular comedy series, moments and characters. It was voted Britain's best sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll,and came 45th in theBritish Film Institute's list of the100 Greatest British Television Programmes.It was third on a subsequent viewers' poll on the BFI website.Empiremagazine rankedOnly Fools and Horses#42 on their list of the 50 greatest television shows of all time.It was also named the funniest British sitcom of all time through a scientific formula, in a study byGold.Scenes such as Del Boy's fall through a bar flap in "Yuppy Love"and the Trotters accidentally smashing a priceless chandelier in"A Touch of Glass"are recognisable comedy moments, invariably topping polls of comedy viewers.Del Boy was voted the most popular British TV character of all time in a survey byOpen....and in a 2001Channel 4poll he ranked fourth on their list of the100 Greatest TV Characters.A Onepoll survey found thatOnly Fools and Horseswas the television series Britons would most like to see return.

Ratings

Series	Timeslot (UK)	Episodes	First aired		Last aired		Avg. viewers (millions)
			Date	Viewers (millions)	Date	Viewers (millions)
1	Tuesday 8:30 pm	6	8 September 1981	9.2	13 October 1981	8.8	7.7
2	Thursday 8:30 pm	7	21 October 1982	7.7	2 December 1982	10.2	8.8
3		7	10 November 1983	9.4	22 December 1983	11.9	10.5
4	Thursday 8:00 pm	7	21 February 1985	15.2	4 April 1985	14.2	14.9
5	Sunday 8:35 pm	6	31 August 1986	12.1	5 October 1986	18.8	16.0
6	Sunday 7:15 pm	6	8 January 1989	13.9	12 February 1989	18.9	16.7
7		6	30 December 1990	15.0	3 February 1991	18.9	16.8

Cultural impact

A replica of the Trotters'Reliant Regal

Graffiti in Croatia made byHNK Rijekasupporters paraphrasing Del: "This Time Next Year We'll Be Champions!"

In addition to its mainstream popularity,Only Fools and Horseshas developed a cult following. The Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society, established in 1993, has a membership of around 7,000,published 45 issues of a quarterly newsletter,Hookie Street,and organises annual conventions of fans, often attended by cast members. The Society has also organised anOnly Fools and Horsesmuseum, containing props from the series, including Del's camel coat and the Trotters'Ford Capri.It was named one of the top 20 cult television programmes of all time by TV critic Jeff Evans. Evans spoke of:

[shows] such asOnly Fools and Horses,which gets tremendous viewing figures but does inspire conventions of fans who meet in pubs called the Nag's Head and wander round dressed as their favourite characters

Only Fools and Horses—and consequently John Sullivan—is credited with the popularisation in Britain of several words and phrases used by Del Boy, particularly "Plonker",meaning a fool or an idiot, and two expressions of delight or approval: "Cushty"(from the Roma word for" good ")and "Lovely jubbly".The latter was borrowed from an advertising slogan for a popular 1960s orange juice drink, calledJubbly,which was packaged in a pyramid-shaped, waxed-paper carton. Sullivan remembered it and thought it was an expression Del Boy would use; in 2003, the phrase was incorporated into the newOxford English Dictionary.

Owing to its exposure onOnly Fools and Horses,theReliant Regalvan is often linked with the show in the British media.The one used by the Trotters has attained cult status and is currently on display at theCars of the Starsexhibition at theNational Motor Museum,alongside many other vehicles from British and American television and movies, such as theBatmobileand theDeLoreanfromBack to the Future.BoxerRicky Hatton,a fan of the show, purchased one of the original vans in 2004.Another of the vans used in the series was sold at auction in the UK for £44,000 in February 2007.

During the media frenzy surroundingThe Independent's revelations that the new bottled waterDasani,marketed byCoca-Cola,was in fact just purified tap water fromSidcup,mocking parallels were made with theOnly Fools and Horsesepisode, "Mother Nature's Son",in which Del sells tap water as" Peckham Spring ".

Rose Tyler's father Pete Tyler is referred to as "a bit of aDel Boy"in the 2005Doctor Whoepisode "Father's Day".

In the closing ceremony of the2012 London Olympics,the Trotters' yellow Reliant van appeared on stage, along with Del Boy and Rodney body doubles dressed as Batman and Robin, a reference to theOnly Fools and Horsesepisode "Heroes and Villains".

International remakes

Only Fools and Horseswas sold to countries throughout the world. Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Spain andYugoslaviaare among those who purchased it.In all former Yugoslav countries in which Serbian or Croatian is spoken the title wasMućke(or Мућке inCyrillic script), which can roughly be translated as "shady deals". This translation was also used in Macedonia, where the show was titledSpletki(Сплетки inCyrillic). In Slovenia, however, the show was titledSamo bedaki in konji,which is a literal Slovenian translation of the original English title. The show has enjoyed particular popularity in Serbia where it has achieved cult status.In Hungary, the first three series were on air on Danube TV channel with title: Csak kötözött bolondoknak.

A number of overseas re-makes have also been produced. A Dutch version aired for one series in 1995, entitledWat schuift 't?( "What's it good for?" ). The Trotters were renamed the Aarsmans and it starred Johnny Kraaykamp jnr. as Stef (Del), Sacco Van der Made as Grandad and Kasper van Kooten as Robbie (Rodney), and was shown onRTL 4.A Portuguese re-make,O Fura-Vidas,a local expression for someone who lives outside the law, ran for three series from 1999 to 2001. It was a literal translation of the British version, with all episodes based on the originals. It centred on the Fintas family, who live in Sapadores, a neighbourhood inLisbon,and starredMiguel Guilhermeas Quim (Del), Canto e Castro as Grandad, andIvo Canelasas Joca (Rodney). In this Portuguese version the Reliant's equivalent was a 1988Suzuki Super Carry.A Slovenian re-make, calledBrat bratu(Brother to Brother), was broadcast from 2008 to 2009. All episodes were based on the original British storylines, and it was made in co-operation withJohn Sullivan.It featured brothers Brane (Brane Šturbej) and Bine (Jure Drevenšek), who moved fromMaribortoLjubljana.The series also stars Peter Ternovšek as Grandad. It was directed byBranko Đurić.The series was cancelled after thirteen episodes due to poor ratings.

There have been several plans to produce an American version. One was to be astar vehiclefor formerM*A*S*HactorHarry Morgan,with Grandad rather than Del becoming the lead character.The other, entitledThis Time Next Year...,would have seen the Trotters renamed the Flannagans. A draft script was written for the latter,but neither show materialised. In 2010,Steve Carell,star of the American version ofThe Office,expressed an interest in making an American version of the series, with him to star as Del Boy.In January 2012 US networkABCcommissioned a pilot of anOnly Fools and Horsesremake titled "King of Van Nuys", written byScrubswriters Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley.It was developed, rejected and then redeveloped, only to be rejected again later in the year. The pilot starredJohn Leguizamoas Del,Dustin Ybarraas his brother Rodney andChristopher Lloydas Grandad.The unreleased pilot was released onto YouTube in August 2023.

A parody of American adaptations of British shows calledOnly Jerks and Horseswas written byDavid WalliamsandMatt Lucasand directed byEdgar Wrightin 1997.

References

• Clark, Steve (1998).The Only Fools and Horses Story.London:BBC Worldwide.ISBN978-0563-384-458.
• Webber, Richard; Sullivan, John (2000).Only Fools and Horses: Bible of Peckham Vol 1.London:BBC Worldwide.ISBN978-0563-538-189.
• Sullivan, John; Clark, Steve (2000).Only Fools and Horses: Bible of Peckham Vol 2.London:BBC Worldwide.ISBN978-0563-551-775.
• Sullivan, John (2001).Only Fools and Horses: Bible of Peckham Vol 3.London:BBC Worldwide.ISBN978-0563-537-458.
• Webber, Richard; Sullivan, John, Dr (2003).The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses.London:Orion books.ISBN978-0752-860-251.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Clark, Steve (2011).Only Fools and Horses: The Official Inside Story.Droxford: Splendid Books Limited.ISBN978-0955-891-694.
• McCann, Graham (2012).Only Fools and Horses: The Story of Britain's Favourite Comedy(Paperback ed.). Edinburgh:Canongate Books.ISBN978-0857-860-569.

External links

• Only Fools and HorsesatBBC Online
• Only Fools and HorsesatBritish Comedy Guide
• Only Fools and Horsesat Facebook
• Only Fools and Horsesat UKTV Gold
• Only Fools and Horsesat theBFI'sScreenonline
• Only Fools and HorsesatIMDb
• Only Fools and Horsesatepguides.com
• Only Fools and Horsesat British TV Comedy Guide
• Only Fools and HorsesAppreciation Society
• Audio interviews with the cast, and photos from an Only Fools and Horses Day in Swindon in 2004at ***BBC Wiltshire
• Filming locations fromOnly Fools and Horses