Keith Waterhouse created the character of Billy Fisher in 1959 when he wrote the novel 'Billy Liar'. In the early '60's it was adapted both into a stage play and then a film before in 1973 becoming a television sitcom which Keith Waterhouse himself wrote in collaboration with Willis Hall, screened by LWT.
I could not take to the character at all unfortunately, which is a shame as I really did for many years want to. Billy is a Walter Mitty style fantasist whose life is far from what he wishes it to be. He is stuck in a dead end job in a funeral parlour ( no pun intended by the way ) where is boss is the glum Mr. Shadrack ( Colin Jeavons ), still lives at home with his overbearing parents ( Pamela Vazey and George A. Cooper ) and his senile grandmother ( May Warden ) and is in a rocky relationship with his over-emotional girlfriend Barbara ( the lovely Sally Watts ), who always seemed to stick by him even when it was evident he was cheating on her! Because of all this, he lives in a world of pure fantasy which causes him to dig himself out of self-dug holes.
It was a one joke show, and one that was tedious and annoying. In my personal opinion, Jeff Rawie had better scripts to work off when he became George Dent in 'Drop The Dead Donkey'. May Warden got on my nerves as the grandmother. Sally Watts ( sister of the late Gwendolyn Watts, who appeared in the 'Billy Liar' movie ) did her best with a role that gave her nothing to do but be a doormat.
'Billy Liar' is fondly remembered, sadly just not by me.
Note to user Yonilikka-22, I do not wish to engage in an IMDb war with you and I apologise if you did not like my review but please bear in mind these reviews are based on my personal opinions. Please also bear in mind before disparaging others that not everyone shares the same views.
I could not take to the character at all unfortunately, which is a shame as I really did for many years want to. Billy is a Walter Mitty style fantasist whose life is far from what he wishes it to be. He is stuck in a dead end job in a funeral parlour ( no pun intended by the way ) where is boss is the glum Mr. Shadrack ( Colin Jeavons ), still lives at home with his overbearing parents ( Pamela Vazey and George A. Cooper ) and his senile grandmother ( May Warden ) and is in a rocky relationship with his over-emotional girlfriend Barbara ( the lovely Sally Watts ), who always seemed to stick by him even when it was evident he was cheating on her! Because of all this, he lives in a world of pure fantasy which causes him to dig himself out of self-dug holes.
It was a one joke show, and one that was tedious and annoying. In my personal opinion, Jeff Rawie had better scripts to work off when he became George Dent in 'Drop The Dead Donkey'. May Warden got on my nerves as the grandmother. Sally Watts ( sister of the late Gwendolyn Watts, who appeared in the 'Billy Liar' movie ) did her best with a role that gave her nothing to do but be a doormat.
'Billy Liar' is fondly remembered, sadly just not by me.
Note to user Yonilikka-22, I do not wish to engage in an IMDb war with you and I apologise if you did not like my review but please bear in mind these reviews are based on my personal opinions. Please also bear in mind before disparaging others that not everyone shares the same views.