Customer Reviews

Last of the Summer Wine: The Finest Vintage

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With over 200 episodes in nearly 30 years, Last of the Summer Wine is Britain's longest-running situational comedy. Authors Morris Bright and Robert Ross have created a delightful (albeit poignant) look back at this enjoyable series and at the characters that have made it so memorable.

Chapters include a 28-year history of the show (how it came about, changes that occurred over the years, etc.); a behind-the-scenes look at the series, which takes us through the stages involved in getting from script to screen; a listing (together with brief quarter-page bios) of every guest star since 1973 (most of whom will be unfamiliar to North American audiences); and a complete episode guide (a brief summary of every episode from 1973 to 2000).

My favourite chapters are the three ("the Winos," "the Stronger Sex," and "the Henpecked") dedicated to those memorable main characters and the actors who have portrayed them. Ranging from one to six pages per actor, brief bios are given (mostly career summaries, really, as there isn't a lot of personal information provided); further, each actor (if still alive, obviously) discusses his or her respective character, what it's been like portraying that character over the years, and so on.

Physically, this 221-page hardcover is as lovely to look at as it is to read. Printed on heavy, glossy, high-quality paper, there are an abundance of photographs (all colour) throughout. There are lovely photos of the actors posing in full Summer Wine attire, shots of the filming of the series, and scenes from the series itself. (Unfortunately, there is only one photo of the cast out of costume--a shot taken at an awards' ceremony).

Perhaps the nicest thing about this book is the participation the authors received from everyone involved--from writer Roy Clarke and producer Alan J.W. Bell to the actors themselves--and the book is rife with their many anecdotes. The authors spent a lot of time on location with the cast and crew, and the book is very well researched. Sadly, their research for the book engulfed the period of Bill Owen's (Compo's) illness and subsequent death in July 1999 from pancreatic cancer. He was 85. Nevertheless, Owen worked right up till the very end; poignantly, "The Finest Vintage" seems as much a tribute to him as it is to the series.

In conclusion, this lovely book, dedicated to the memory of the irreplaceable Bill Owen, is a wonderful keepsake that will certainly be cherished by anyone who has enjoyed this sweet series. Highly recommended. (This review refers to the edition published in 2000. I mention this because I think there may have been an earlier edition, though I am not certain.)

A "must have" for fans of LOTSW! Beautiful hardbound book with glossy pages, several photos, lots of trivia, several bios and interviews. Made the more valuable since the recent death of Kathy Staff.

This book tells everything you want to know about the show, the characters, and the people behind them. I am still enjoying finding out things I didn't know.