Desmond’s (Humphrey Barclay Productions for Channel Four, 1989 – 1994)

Desmond’s was a sitcom, made by Humphrey Barclay Productions for Channel Four. It ran for six series, totalling seventy-one episodes.

ON THE AIR	5th January 1989 – 19th December 1994
ORIGINAL CHANNEL	Channel Four
PRODUCTION COMPANY	Humphrey Barclay Productions for Channel Four
NUMBER OF EPISODES	71
PRODUCTION LOCATIONS	The London Studios 204 Bellenden Road – Peckham SE15 4BW (Shop Exterior)
MISSING BELIEVED WIPED	n/a – all episodes survive
ARCHIVE HOLDER	Channel Four Television Corporation
THEME TUNE	Intro From the long hot nights to the ocean breeze To the damp and to the rain of London city We come from the sun to live in the cold I miss my rum, I want my coconut tree Don’t scratch my soca till the party’s over Let’s keep the music sweet Whine up your waist and feel the beat Don’t scratch my soca Outro Instrumental
HELD IN THE BRITSET ARCHIVES	Episode #1.1 – French Lessons (5 January 1989) Episode #1.2 – The Offer (12 January 1989) Episode #1.3 – Expansion Plans (19 January 1989) Episode #1.4 – Hello, Auntie Susu (26 January 1989) Episode #1.5 – A Surprise for Porkpie (22 February 1989) Episode #1.6 – Sad News (9 February 1989)

Desmond’s was a sitcom made by Humphrey Barclay Productions for Channel Four. It was created by Trix Worrell and would become the longest running sitcom on the channel in terms of the number of episodes broadcast.

The show was set in a barbers shop in Peckham, south-east London and featured the titular character – Desmond Ambrose who had come over to the UK from Guyana in the 1960s and ran a small barbers shop with his wife Shirley. Desmond had aspirations to return to Guyana, which he would do in the final episode. Desmond and Shirley had three children – Michael was a bank manager and very different to his father and very focused on making money, Gloria worked at the shop but wanted to work in fashion while youngest son Sean wanted to go to university.

Other main characters were the customers of the shop. Augustus Grant, better known as Porkpie, was best friend of Desmond and would often lead Desmond stray when it comes to drinking rum or gambling. Porkpie would get his own spin-off series when Desmond’s ended with Porkpie having come into money.

Another character often frequenting the shop was Matthew who was a student who came from Gambia, he often came to blows with Porkpie due to differing heritage with him often quoting about “There’s an old African saying”. Like Porkpie, Matthew just hangs about the barbers shop, they both refuse to get their hair cat and would often flee the shop at the prospect.

Sadly, Norman Beaton would pass away shortly before the final episode was aired in December 1994.

CAST

• Desmond Ambrose – Norman Beaton
• Shirley Ambrose – Carmen Munroe
• Augustus ‘Porkpie’ Grant – Ram John Holder
• Matthew – Gyearbuor Asante (69 episodes)
• Gloria Ambrose – Kim Walker (60 episodes)
• Michael Ambrose – Geff Francis (55 episodes)
• Lee Stanley – Robbie Gee (52 episoddes)
• Sean Ambrose – Justin Pickett (50 episodes)
• Tony – Dominic Keating (36 episodes)
• Mandy Mosgrove – Matilda Thorpe (27 episodes)
• Louise Dixon – Lisa Geoghan (20 episodes)
• Vince – Count Prince Miller (19 episodes)
• Beverley McIntosh – Joan Ann Maynard (14 episodes)
• Ricky Flaxman – Dean Gatiss (12 episodes)
• Bert – Sol Raye (10 episodes)
• Alex Reynolds – Chris Tummings (7 episodes)
• Spider Webb – Robert McKewley (6 episodes)
• Patricia Robeson – Alphonsia Emmanuel (4 episodes)
• Aunty Susu – Mona Hammond (4 episodes)
• Bernie – Rhashan Stone (3 episodes)
• Roni – Teohna Williams (3 episodes)
• Neville James – Treva Etienne (3 episodes)
• Man on the Phone – Lewis St. Juste (2 episodes)
• Florence – Sheila Hyde (2 episodes)
• Vicar – Richard Clifford (2 episodes)
• Leroy Smart – Roger Griffiths (2 episodes)
• James – Steve Anderson (2 episodes)
• Daisy – Nadia Williams (2 episodes)
• Charlotte Pigott-Smith – Sally Cookson (2 episodes)
• Collette – Jayne Alfred (2 episodes)
• Nigel Clarke – Harry Burton (2 episodes)
• Doe – Leanne Hong (2 episodes)
• Robert – Steve Sweeney (2 episodes)
• Lloyd – Terry Sue Patt (2 episodes)
• Police Inspector – John Bardon (2 episodes)
• John – Sam Stockman (1 episode)
• Sam – Sam Stockman (1 episode)
• Youth – Mark De Couteau (1 episode)
• Youth 1 – Mark De Couteau (1 episode)
• Marcia – Keely Marshall (1 episode)
• Willy’s Mother – Keely Marshall (1 episode)
• Calypso – Kenneth Gardnier (1 episode)
• Denise – Porkpie’s Daughter – Dona Croll (1 episode)
• Carol Braithwaite – Suzette Llewelyn (1 episode)
• Aida Ramsay – Isabelle Lucas (1 episode)
• Baldwin Martin – Oscar James (1 episode)
• Rochelle Jackson – Sheila Ferguson (1 episode)
• Sola – Joy Elias-Rilwan (1 episode)
• Mrs. Martin – Pauline Melville (1 episode)
• Pearl – Valerie Murray (1 episode)
• Cedric – Bruce Callender (1 episode)
• Dominique – Nimmy March (1 episode)
• Veronica – Amma Asante (1 episode)
• Samantha Martin – Indra Ové (1 episode)
• Wayne – Leon Parris (1 episode)
• Helen – Adrienne O’Sullivan (1 episode)
• Vanessa – Ione Sinclair (1 episode)
• Customer – Paul Henry (1 episode)
• Melissa – Tassia Messimeris (1 episode)
• Cuthbert McIntosh – Eddie Nestor (1 episode)
• Hyacinth Green – Claudette Williams (1 episode)
• St. Claire – William Vanderpuye (1 episode)
• Darryl Montifiore – Carlton Dixon (1 episode)
• Reginald – Herbie Cox (1 episode)
• Willy – Dhobi Oparei (1 episode)
• Baby – Lucy Collins (1 episode)
• Mr. Simmons – Victor J.T. Appiah (1 episode)
• Derrick – Jimmi Harkishin (1 episode)
• Telephone Engineer – Pamela Jikiemi (1 episode)
• Policeman – Tim Stone (1 episode)
• Danny – Bea Julakasiun (1 episode)
• Mr. Hollingworth – Sugar Dean (1 episode)
• Gerard – Don Gilét (1 episode)
• Debbie – Pui Fan Lee (1 episode)
• Fred – Norman Roberts (1 episode)
• Customer – Denzil Williamson (1 episode)
• Reverend Marvin Jones – Al Matthews (1 episode)
• Pamela Peterson – Gabrielle Lloyd (1 episode)
• Della – Colette Brown (1 episode)
• Irving Poole – Stefan Kalifa (1 episode)
• WPC – Billie Claire Wright (1 episode)
• Mobile Phone Man – Robert Jordan (1 episode)
• Rose Man – David Rhule (1 episode)
• Matthew McFarlane – Joseph Marcel (1 episode)
• Bag Lady – Vivian Pickles (1 episode)
• Mr. Wu – Eddie Yeoh (1 episode)
• Young Girl – Deborah Harper (1 episode)
• Young Customer – Nicholas Pinnock (1 episode)
• Policeman – Mark Benton (1 episode)
• Young Michael – Leon Black (1 episode)
• Leon Black – Andrew Bullock (1 episode)
• Simone – Joanne Akoto (1 episode)
• Fiona – Cathryn Harrison (1 episode)
• Jenny – Sheila Whitfield (1 episode)
• Pamela – Gillian Hanna (1 episode)
• Milkman – Mark Long (1 episode)
• Newsreader – Jacqui Harper (1 episode)
• Customer – Richard De Cordova (1 episode)
• Mr. Naylor – Prince Albert Morgan (1 episode)
• Little Girl – Antoinette Mattison (1 episode)
• Jwoinika – Sara Powell (1 episode)
• Patsy – Helena McCarthy (1 episode)
• Precocious Boy – Claude Hobbs (1 episode)
• Mother – Marsha Millar (1 episode)
• Registrar – Jill Spurrier (1 episode)
• Uncle Wu – Kwong Chee Leong (1 episode)
• Policeman – Martin Marquez (1 episode)
• Ball Kid – Daniel Smith (1 episode)
• Young Customer – Gavin McKenzie (1 episode)
• Chantelle – Chantelle La Rose (1 episode)
• Janet – Michelle Woodland (1 episode)
• Harassed Mum – Leila Bertrand (1 episode)
• Simon Greenhill – Matthew Byam Shaw (1 episode)
• Customer – Eddie Osei (1 episode)
• Erica – Race Davies (1 episode)
• Pianist – Ivan Hunte (1 episode)
• Gardener – Treva Sealy (1 episode)
• Boy – Curt Clement-Fletcher (1 episode)
• The Brute – Frank Harper (1 episode)
• Jackie – Daniela Denby-Ashe (1 episode)
• Omani – Michael White (1 episode)
• Young Customer – Clinton Nembhard (1 episode)
• Receptionist – Paula Thomas (1 episode)
• Self – Curtis Walker (1 episode)
• Policeman – Kevin Dignam (1 episode)
• Sean’s Girl – Stephanie Charles (1 episode)
• Tom – Glyn Grimstead (1 episode)
• Cleveland Davis – Sylvester Williams (1 episode)
• Pianist – Chester Harriott (1 episode)
• Chester Box – Marcus Jeffrey (1 episode)
• Caroline – Naoko Mori (1 episode)
• Photographer – Femi Taylor (1 episode)
• Little Brother – Reggie Yates (1 episode)
• Youth 2 – Felix Davis (1 episode)
• John – Peter McNamara (1 episode)
• Olivia Mosgrove – Jennifer Piercey (1 episode)
• Big Brother – Adrian Irvine (1 episode)
• Sergeant Wilson – Ian Dunn (1 episode)
• Aunt Bumble – Kitty Fitzgerald (1 episode)
• Sheila – Rebecca Wright (1 episode)
• Boy on Crossing – Luke Strain (1 episode)
• Ms Julien – Yvonne Gidden (1 episode)
• Sheila’s Man – Christopher Miles (1 episode)
• Angry Mum – Jo Martin (1 episode)
• 11 Yr Old Boy – Charlie Crockett (1 episode)
• Robert Mosgrove – John Warner (1 episode)
• Lambada Dancer – Priscilla Samuels (1 episode – uncredited)
• Lewis – Lewis St. Juste (1 episode – uncredited)

DESMOND’S [INTRO]

VIDEO CLIPS

DESMOND’S [OUTRO]

VIDEO CLIPS

EXTERNAL LINKS

These links are to external website – we are not responsible for the content on these sites, the links are added to provide additional, background information.

Desmond’s – British Comedy Guide

COPYRIGHT DETAILS

Desmond’s © Channel Four Television Corporation