Hark at Barker


Hark at Barker is a 1969 British comedy series combining elements of sitcom and sketch show, which starred Ronnie Barker. It was made for the ITV network by London Weekend Television.
Each show began with a spoof news item read by Barker as a continuity announcer. He would then introduce the main part of the programme, a lecture to be given by Lord Rustless on a different topic each week from his stately home, Chrome Hall. Helped and hindered by Rustless' secretary Bates, his Butler Badger, his bad-tempered Cook, his incoherent gardener Dithers and his buxom, near-mute maid Effie, these lectures invariably degenerated into farce, and were frequently interrupted by comic sketches on film or videotape which also starred Barker in various roles.
Barker reprised the role of Lord Rustless in the BBC series His Lordship Entertains, and played very similar characters in Futtock's End and the Two Ronnies specials The Picnic and By the Sea.

Writers

The Chrome Hall sequences were written by Peter Cauldfield. Writers on the sketches included Gerald Wiley, Eric Idle, and the team of Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie.

Regular cast

Series 1 - Produced in black and white
Series 2 - Produced in colour
All episodes exist on their original 2 inch Quad b&w and PAL colour videotapes bar 'Rustless on Law' from series 2, which only exists as a 16 mm b/w telerecording. The series was released on Region 2 DVD in 2008 by Network DVD, and are also included as Discs 1 and 2 of The Ronnie Barker Collection along with Six Dates With Barker.