6.2 /10 1 Votes
Country of origin United Kingdom No. of episodes 47 (list of episodes) First episode date 17 September 1971 Number of episodes 47 | 6.3/10 IMDb No. of series 3 Running time 30 minutes Final episode date 15 July 1973 Program creator Esmonde and Larbey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Created by John EsmondeBob Larbey Starring Peter CleallCarol HawkinsDavid BarryPeter DenyerLiz GebhardtMalcolm McFeeLeon Vitali Cast Similar Please Sir!, Get Some In!, Ever Decreasing Circles, Z‑Cars, Dixon of Dock Green | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Fenn Street Gang is a British television sitcom which ran for three seasons between 1971 and 1973. The series was created by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, it was a spin off from their popular Please Sir! series.
Contents
Synopsis
The series followed the lives of many of the pupils from Fenn Street School as they entered the world of work. Some episodes were written by Geoff Rowley and Andy Baker, as well as David Barry and Tony Bilbow. Stars of the series were Peter Cleall, Carol Hawkins (who also replaced Penny Spencer as Sharon in the 1971 Please Sir! film), David Barry, Peter Denyer and Liz Gebhardt.
Leon Vitali replaced Malcolm McFee as Peter Craven during the first series, although Malcolm took this role back for the second and third series. Peter Denyer (Dennis Dunstable) and Liz Gebhardt (Maureen Bullock) were absent from the third (and final) series. John Alderton (Mr Hedges, their form-master when they starred in Please Sir!) guest-appeared in 3 episodes of the first series of The Fenn Street Gang and the first two episodes from the final series of Please Sir!, which ran alongside The Fenn Street Gang in transmission dates. Richard Davies who played science teacher Mr Price in 'Please Sir!' also appeared again As Mr Price in one episode of Series One.
Although the series ran for two years and 47 episodes, it was not as popular as its progenitor and the series was later axed.
Production
The first series, consisting of twenty-one episodes, was produced by London Weekend Television at Wembley Studios in North-West London. Series Two and Three, consisting of eighteen and eight episodes respectively, were recorded at LWT's newly constructed London Studios (aka Kent House).
Sequel
Bowler (1973) was a 13 episode spin-off series following The Fenn Street Gang crime boss Stanley Bowler played by George Baker.
DVD releases
All three series of The Fenn Street Gang have been released on DVD.