Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1970s Television
    1970s Television Comedy Shows H 3 Mins Read

    Happy Ever After

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 8 (UK)
    42 x 30 minute episodes

    Terry Scott and June Whitfield began their TV partnership in 1968 in Scott On, but it was this BBC1 series – and the subsequent Terry and June – that branded them as a husband-and-wife team in the minds of millions of viewers, some of whom took the image so far as to believe that they were married in real life.

    They weren’t, but such was their rapport that it was sometimes difficult to think of them as otherwise.

    Happy Ever After began as an episode of Comedy Playhouse which established the basic premise: Terry and June Fletcher are a middle-aged, middle-class, middle-England couple suddenly alone following the departure of their two grown-up daughters, Debbie and Susan.

    But their contemplation of this newfound freedom is short-lived when an aged relative – dotty Aunt Lucy – moves in, bringing along her chatty mynah bird, Gunga-Din. Although their two daughters Debbie and Susan dropped in from time to time, the remaining episodes focused on this ill-fitting trio.

    The original mynah bird was dumb, and it was June’s voice that viewers heard. Later they hired a new one which jabbered away as soon as the studio lights went on so that the actors could barely be heard.

    At all times, Terry was like a spoiled child – headstrong, foolhardy, incompetent and obsessive. When he hit upon an idea he followed it through to its illogical conclusion regardless of the consequences.

    As a result, June had to mother Terry as much as be his wife, keeping her feet on the ground and staying keen, patient and tolerant up to the point where he had to be stopped. Aunt Lucy, for her part, was never much more than a thorn in their sides, particularly Terry’s.

    After many farcical exploits, one of the original writers, John Chapman, declared that they had exhausted the idea and that Happy Ever After should end, but the BBC comedy department, loath to lose a hit show, persevered using other people to turn in the scripts.

    This led to legal complications over rights and so, eventually, the BBC decided to change the name and setting to avoid further difficulties – Hence Terry and June.

    In Terry and June, the couple became the Medford’s, and moved to Purley, south-east of London.

    Terry Fletcher 
    Terry Scott 
    June Fletcher 

    June Whitfield 
    Aunt Lucy 

    Beryl Cooke
    Susan Fletcher 

    Lena Clemo (pilot)
    Pippa Page (series)
    Debbie Fletcher 

    Caroline Whitaker

    Video

    Related Posts

    • I've Married a Bachelor
      I've Married a Bachelor
      1 9 6 8 - 1 9 6 9 (Australia) 14 x 30 minute episodes Peter Prentiss (Peter Whitford) is…
    • Call It What You Like
      Call It What You Like
      1 9 6 5 (UK) 6 x 25 minute episodes Debuting on Wednesday 5 May 1965, this BBC2 revue show starred…
    • Joanie Loves Chachi
      Joanie Loves Chachi
      1 9 8 2 (USA) 17 x 30 minute episodes The third Happy Days spin-off (following in the footsteps of Laverne and Shirley and Mork and…
    • Comedy Playhouse
      Comedy Playhouse
      1 9 6 1 - 1 9 7 5 (UK) 127 x 30 minute episodes This BBC series of one-off plays…
    • Best Things in Life, The
      Best Things in Life, The
      1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 0 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes Cockney wide-boy Alfred Wilcox (Harry H.…
    • Room at the Bottom
      Room at the Bottom
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 7 (UK) 7 x 30 minute episodes This short-lived BBC comedy series began…
    • Mr Big
      Mr Big
      1 9 7 7 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes Starting off as a 1974 Comedy Playhouse episode called 'The…
    • Fresh Fields/French Fields
      Fresh Fields/French Fields
      1 9 8 4 - 1 9 8 6 (UK) 26 x 25 minute episodes 1 x Christmas special 1 9…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleNot Necessarily The News
    Next Article Up The Workers

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small. 

    Thank you so much.
    Enjoy your trip in the time machine!

    You may also like

    • Terry and June
      Terry and June
      1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 7 (UK) 65 x 30 minute episodes This quintessential suburban sitcom set in…
    • Scott On . . .
      Scott On . . .
      1 9 6 4 -  1 9 7 4 (UK) 30 x 45 minute episodes Comedian Terry Scott starred in this…
    • Great Scott, It's Maynard!
      Great Scott, It's Maynard!
      1 9 5 5 - 1 9 5 6 (UK) 17 x 30 minute episodes Comedian Bill Maynard had worked as…
    • Beggar My Neighbour
      Beggar My Neighbour
      1 9 6 7 - 1 9 6 8 (UK) 23 x 30 minute episodes 1 x short special Beggar My…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.