The Culture Vultures

The Culture Vultures
Genre Sitcom
Written by Colin Mares
Tim Brooke-Taylor
David Climie
Starring Leslie Phillips
Jonathan Cecil
Peter Sallis
Sally Faulkner
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 5
Production
Producer(s) Graeme Muir
Running time 30 minutes
Release
Original network BBC1
Original release 24 April – 22 May 1970

The Culture Vultures was a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 in 1970. The series starred Leslie Phillips as a university lecturer and three episodes were co-written by Tim Brooke-Taylor. The entire series was wiped and is no longer thought to exist.

Background

The Culture Vultures was originally going to be piloted in Comedy Playhouse, but it was decided it was good enough to go straight to a series.[1] After the second episode, the lead Leslie Phillips collapsed with an internal haemorrhage.[2] He recovered enough to return to the series.[1] His next sitcom lead would be Casanova '73.

Cast

Plot

Dr Michael Cunningham is a senior lecturer in anthropology at the University of Hampshire. A gambler and womaniser, his quest for an easy life is frequently interrupted by his friends and colleagues. His casual attitude leads to clashes with his seniors.[2] He enjoys the campus nightlife and is always looking for an opportunity to travel.[1]

Episodes

The series aired on Fridays at 7.55pm.[2] In line with the BBC's archival policy of the time, all five episodes were wiped and none are thought to survive.[3]

# TitleOriginal airdate
1"Episode One"24 April 1970 (1970-04-24)
Dr Cunningham is in trouble with the Vice-Chancellor after an indiscreet television interview and he fights to keep his job.
2"Rake's Progress"1 May 1970 (1970-05-01)
One of Cunningham's colleagues says he has invented a foolproof system of predicting the roulette wheel.
3"Double, Double, Toil and Trouble"8 May 1970 (1970-05-08)
An efficiency expert looks into the running of the University and threatens Cunningham's trip to the West Indies.
4"Practical Demonstrations"15 May 1970 (1970-05-15)
Dr Cunningham has to look after a visiting American professor and discovers he could get a round the world the trip investigating student unrest.
5"Spring Fever"22 May 1970 (1970-05-22)
Cunningham overlooks management selection tests and is forced to use some apparatus for a different purpose.

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 3 "The Culture Vultures". British Comedy Guide. 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Lewishohn, Mark (2003). Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy. London: BBC Worldwide. ISBN 0-563-48755-0.
  3. "LostShows.com". LostShows.com. 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
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