Sam and Janet

1 9 6 7 – 1 9 6 8 (UK)
15 x 30 minute episodes

Sam and Janet was yet another stab at the British domestic comedy.

Two established young character actors – Joan Sims (of Carry On fame) and John Junkin (everyone’s favourite straight man) – played a middle-class couple who had the usual sort of scatty squabbles already evident on Marriage Lines and Beggar My Neighbour.

The plots had an uneasy simplicity (she was a member of the local amateur dramatic company, he liked gardening and going for a walk), characters were not particularly interesting, and the jokes made it seem that writer David Cumming had rifled the Bumper Fun Book.

But the niceness of Sam and Janet Marshall was perhaps their strongest selling point. They also had a son, Peter (Lee Menzies) and an 18-year-old daughter, Patsy (Elizabeth Knight then Vanessa Howard).

Sam and Janet started life as a radio couple, with David Kossoff as the husband.

The ATV production aired Friday nights on ITV. Joan Sims did not return for the second series and was replaced by Vivienne Martin.

Sam Marshall
John Junkin
Janet Marshall
Joan Sims (1)
Vivienne Martin (2)
Peter Marshall
Lee Menzies
Patsy Marshall
Elizabeth Knight (1)
Vanessa Howard (2)