Andy Capp the famous Daily Mirror cartoon strip was adapted for television.James Bolam played the flat capped layabout from Hartlepool who certainly loves a drink in the pub but here like everyone seems to to come from West Yorkshire.
'Andy Capp' was the creation of Reg Smythe, a talented cartoonist who came up with the idea of the drunken, flat-capped Northerner in 1954. Appearing regularly in 'The Daily Mirror' with his trademark cap atop his head, his checked scarf around his neck and fag end hanging from his mouth, Capp became a much loved cartoon strip character, as did the other characters from the stories including Andy's rolling pin wielding wife Flo ( always sporting curlers and slippers ), their put upon neighbours Chalkie and Ruby White, Percy the rent collector and Jackie the barman.
Some comic characters were never natural fits for filming. And especially as live action characters.
I've just managed to pick up a copy of this series, and was not very hopeful as everyone who I have spoken to who remembers it told me how bad it was.Well it's not sitcom gold, I give you that.
I don't know why the negative reviews.I found this series enjoyable.
It's interesting how a fictional character can be successful in one medium yet utterly unsuccessful in another. Andy Capp was a huge success in the comic strips, spawning various merchandising deals (I fondly recall my first bottle of Andy Capp's Spring Tonic) and even a spin-off character: 'Buster, Son of Andy Capp', who had his own long-running strip yet was never once mentioned in the original.
