History Series / PleaseSir

* FoodFight: In the film.

** Series 4 has David Ffitchet-Brown, who is a much more straightforward example of this trope. He dresses flashy, has long hair, loves taking the pupils out on trips, and is generally relaxed when it comes to schoolwork and discipline.

The students of 5C are their tough and brash leader Eric Duffy (Peter Cleall), sharply dressed Peter Craven (Malcolm [=McFee=], Leon Vitali in Series 4), educationally subnormal Dennis Dunstable (Peter Denyer), overly imaginative Frankie Abbott (David Barry), religious and hot for teacher Maureen Bullock (Liz Gebhardt), and flirty Sharon Eversleigh (Penny Spencer, Creator/CarolHawkins in the film and Series 4). When 5C graduated, a new 5C transferred from Weaver Street, the main members of which were the thuggish Terry Stringer (Barry [=McCarthy=]), his right-hand man Robin "Gobber" Gibbon (Charles Bolton), terrible musician Des (Billy Hamon), pretty Indian Celia (Drina Pavlovic), and her platonic admirer Daisy Pratt (Rosemary Faith).

The students of 5C are their tough and brash leader Eric Duffy (Peter Cleall), sharply dressed Peter Craven (Malcolm [=McFee=], Leon Vitali in Series 4), educationally subnormal Dennis Dunstable (Peter Denyer), overly imaginative Frankie Abbott (David Barry), religious and hot for teacher Maureen Bullock (Liz Gebhardt), and flirty Sharon Eversleigh (Penny Spencer, Creator/CarolHawkins in the film and Series 4).

''Please Sir!'' is a London Weekend Television situation comedy created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and starring John Alderton with Deryck Guyler, Noel Howlett, Joan Sanderson, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, and Richard Warwick. The series ran for fifty-five episodes between 1968 and 1972.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street Secondary Modern School, following Bernard "Privet" Hedges (Alderton), a young teacher fresh out of training college, assigned to Form 5C, the worst in the school. The rest of the staff include ineffectual headteacher Maurice "Oliver" Cromwell (Howlett), stern deputy headmistress Doris "Rotten" Ewell (Sanderson), aged geography teacher Osborne "Smiffy" Smith (Chitty), sarcastic Welsh chemistry teacher Vaughan "Pricey" Price (Davies), officious caretaker Norman Potter (Guyler), and in Series 4, Hedges' flashy liberal replacement David Ffitchett-Brown (Warwick).

''Please Sir!'' is a London Weekend Television situation comedy created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and starring John Alderton. The series ran for fifty-five episodes between 1968 and 1972.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street Secondary Modern School, following Bernard "Privet" Hedges (Alderton), a young teacher fresh out of training college, assigned to Form 5C, the worst in the school. The rest of the staff includ ineffectual headteacher Maurice "Oliver" Cromwell (Noel Howlett), stern deputy headmistress Doris "Rotten" Ewell (Joan Sanderson), aged geography teacher Osborne "Smiffy" Smith (Erik Chitty), sarcastic Welsh chemistry teacher Vaughan "Pricey" Price (Richard Davies), and officious caretaker Norman Potter (Deryck Guyler).

A spin-off series, ''The Fenn Street Gang'', followed the adventures of theformer pupils in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them. It ran for forty-seven episodes between 1971 and 1973. ''Bowler'' (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off, following ''The Fenn Street Gang'' crime boss Stanley Bowler (George Baker); there were thirteen episodes.

** It's also implied David Ffitchet-Brown is seen as one by the students.

** Series 4 has David Ffitchet-Brown, who is a much more straightforward example of this trope.
* CorporalPunishment: Caning is often referred to, but is banned at Fenn Street.

** Miss Doris "Rotten" Ewell. Deputy Headmistress, described in-show by a student as: "fair, but hard as nails, and clever with it."

* SadistTeacher: Gregory Dix in the fourth series, one of the new teachers. The gym master, ex-commando from the Korean War, holder of the DSO, terrorises both the students and the teachers and Potter. He's particularly notable for breaking the no-caning rule in place at Fenn Street in "A Rather Nasty Outbreak". It's just a pity the kid caned was Kevin, Duffy's little brother...

* SchoolNewspaperNewsHound: In "Vive la révolution", an alternative paper (''The Fenntasy'') is set up to rival the official one put out by the teachers, with students involved who are determined to get stories more exciting than Cromwell's.

Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, David Barry, Peter Cleall and Malcolm [=McFee=].

* SchoolNewspaperNewsHound: In "Vive la révolution", an alternative paper is set up to rival the official one put out by the teachers, with students involved who are certainly examples of this.

** To London Zoo in "Norman's Conquest", where Dennis tried to take a chimp home with him

** Series 4 has David Ffitchet-Brown, who is a much more straight-forward example of this trope.

!!''Please, Sir!'' contains examples of:

* AdultsAreUseless: While not always in effect, there was sometimes this feel with the teachers for certain cases. Justified in that it is often repeated that teachers can only do so much without parental permission, and are in a very dangerous situation if they appear ''too'' close to their students.
* {{Aftershow}}: When Bernard and 5C were replaced by a new teacher and pupils for the final series, ''The Fenn Street Gang'' showed what happened to the original pupils after they left school. It ran for 47 episodes between 1971 and 1973, with John Alderton making guest appearances in three of them.
* AsleepInClass: More likely to happen with the oldest member of staff, Smithy.
* BigManOnCampus: Eric Duffy in the first three series, albeit it in an entirely British way.
* BookDumb: Many of 5C, however...
* BrilliantButLazy: ...They gave off the feel of this trope at times.
* BritishBrevity: Surprisingly averted: the show had 4 seasons, making up 55 episodes, and a film before it was finished.
* ClassTrip: To London Zoo in one episode. The movie also features one to an outdoor pursuit centre.
* ClassReunion: An episode in series 4 brought back the original 5C students on the basis of an Old Fennians Day. They hadn't changed much.
* CoolTeacher: Bernard "Privet" Hedges, at least when he wasn't trying so hard. Series 4 has David Ffitchet-Brown, who is a much more straight-forward example of this trope.
* CorporalPunishment: Mentioned as being banned at Fenn Street.
* TheGoodOldBritishComp: Fenn Street is actually a Secondary Modern (one of [[UsefulNotes/BritishEducationSystem two types of school]] which preceded the comprehensive, which was coming into being at the time when the show was made [[note]] the eleven-plus, an examination for 11 year-olds which determined what type of secondary school they went to — those who passed went to a grammar school, those who failed went to a secondary modern — was largely phased out in the late 1960s and early 1970s[[/note]]). That said, Fenn Street does have quite a few attributes of a comp — quite a few of which used to ''be'' secondary moderns. One episode in the later series deals with the prospect of the school becoming part of a comprehensive.
* {{Delinquents}}: In general the students of Fenn Street are often described as this, with 5C being the best (worst?) examples.
* FoodFight: In the movie.
* HighSchoolSweethearts: Eric and Sharon. They eventually got married in the last series of the spin-off.
* HotTeacher: The student teacher in series one. In show, Hedges has this with the female students and it's also implied David Ffitchet-Brown seems this way to the students as well.
* InnerCitySchool: Fenn Street ''is'' one of these. Though, granted, they were a lot more common at the time.

* NewTransferStudent: Played with. The transfer student, Panalal, only stays for an episode.
* SadistTeacher: Gregory Dix in the fourth series, one of the 'replacement' teachers. The gym master, ex-commando from the Korean War, holder of the DSO, terrories both the students and the teachers and Potter. He's particularly notable for breaking the 'no caning' rule in place at Fenn Street. Really, it's just a pity the kid was Eric Duffy's little brother.
* SchoolIsForLosers: Implied to be the attitude of many of the students. They still turn up though
* SchoolNewspaperNewsHound: Not entirely a straight trope, but in series 4 there is an episode with an alternative paper set up to rival the official one put out by the teachers. The students involved are certainly examples of this. Pity they were only [[OneSceneWonder in for one episode]].
* SchoolOfHardKnocks: Though it's not actually ''encouraged'', the teachers are very aware that this is the type of school Feen Street is. Or at least, the students seem to think of it this way.
* SternTeacher: Miss Doris Ewell. Deputy Headmistress, described in-show by a student as: "fair, but hard as nails, and clever with it." Hedges also has shades of this as well at times.
* StockBritishCharacters: For the majority of the show, came in the form of the offscreen wife of Mr. Potter, the Fenn Street School caretaker.
* TeacherStudentRomance: Maureen's long standing crush on Hedges. Never really goes anywhere, but pretty much everyone assumes a relationship is in place during the series 1 episode "Maureen Loves Sir".
* TwoTeacherSchool: Four actual teacher (three when Hedges leaves], an ineffectual Headmaster, and Potter, king of the Lavs.
* WritingLines: The most common form of detention.

''Please Sir!'' is a London Weekend Television situation comedy created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and featuring the actors John Alderton, Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, David Barry, Peter Cleall and Malcolm [=McFee=]. The series ran for fifty-five episodes between 1968 and 1972.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street Secondary Modern School, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by Malcolm [=McFee=] (as Peter Craven), Peter Cleall (as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer (as Dennis Dunstable), David Barry (as Frankie Abbott), Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Creator/CarolHawkins in later episodes and in the movie), and Liz Gebhardt (as Maureen Bullock). Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Barbara Mitchell as Frankie Abbott's mother, and Ann Lancaster as Mrs. Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.

A spin-off series, ''The Fenn Street Gang'', followed the adventures of a group of former pupils in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them. It ran for forty-seven episodes between 1971 and 1973. ''Bowler'' (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off, following ''The Fenn Street Gang'' crime boss Stanley Bowler played by George Baker; there were thirteen episodes.

Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version was released in 1971 which, unlike most films based on sitcoms of that era, was actually rather good. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre which 5C were visiting, but starred most of the TV cast.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street school, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by Malcolm [=McFee=] (as Peter Craven), Peter Cleall (as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer (as Dennis Dunstable), David Barry (as Frankie Abbott), Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Creator/CarolHawkins in later episodes and in the movie), and Liz Gebhardt (as Maureen Bullock). Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Barbara Mitchell as Frankie Abbott's mother, and Ann Lancaster as Mrs. Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.

A spin-off series, ''The Fenn Street Gang'', followed the adventures of a group of former pupils in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them. It ran for forty-seven episodes between 1971 and 1973. ''Bowler'' (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off - following ''The Fenn Street Gang'' crime boss Stanley Bowler played by George Baker; there were thirteen episodes.

Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version was released in 1971 which, unlike most films based on sitcoms of that era, was actually rather good. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre, but starred most of the TV cast.

* BookDumb: Many of 5C however...
* BrilliantButLazy: ... They also gave off the feel of this trope at times.

* SchoolNewspaperNewsHound: Not entirely a straight trope, but in series 4 there is an episode with an alternative paper set up to rival the official one put out by the teachers. The students involved are certainly examples of this. Pity they were only [[OneSceneWonder in for one episode]]

* TeacherStudentRomance: Maureen's long standing crush on Hedges. Never really goes anywhere, but pretty much everyone assumes a relationship is in place during the series 1 episode ''Maureen Loves Sir''.

* UsefulNotes/BritishEducationSystem: Fenn Street School is a great example of the old Secondary Moderns. One episode in the later series deals with the prospect of the school eventually becoming part of a comprehensive.

* TheGoodOldBritishComp: Fenn Street is actually a secondary modern (one of two types of school which preceded the comprehensive, which was coming into being at the time when the show was made [[note]] the eleven-plus, an examination for 11 year-olds which determined what type of secondary school they went to — those who passed went to a grammar school, those who failed went to a secondary modern — was largely phased out in the late 1960s and early 1970s[[/note]]). That said, it does have quite a few attributes of a comp — quite a few of which used to ''be'' secondary moderns.

* HighSchoolSweethearts: Eric and Sharon. Eventually got married in the last series of the spin-off

* TheMovie: Like many of the shows from the '70's, ''Please, Sir!'' had its own movie.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street school, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by Malcolm [=McFee=] (as Peter Craven), Peter Cleall (as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer (as Dennis Dunstable), David Barry (as Frankie Abbott), Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Carol Hawkins in later episodes and in the movie), and Liz Gebhardt (as Maureen Bullock). Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Barbara Mitchell as Frankie Abbott's mother, and Ann Lancaster as Mrs. Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.

A spin-off series, ''The Fenn Street Gang'', followed the adventures of a group of former pupils in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them. It ran for forty-seven episodes between 1971 and 1973. ''Bowler'' (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off - following the ''The Fenn Street Gang'' crime boss Stanley Bowler played by George Baker; there were thirteen episodes.

* AdultsAreUseless: While not always in effect, there was sometimes this feel with the teachers for certain cases. Justified in that it is often repeated that teachers can only do so much without parental permission, and are iin a very dangerous situation if they appear ''too'' close to their students.

* TheGoodOldBritishComp

* SchoolNewspaperNewsHound: Not entirely a straight trope, but in series 4 there is an episoe with an alternative paper set up to rival the official one put out by the teachers. The students involved are certainly examples of this. Pity they were only [[OneSceneWonder in for one episode]]

''Please Sir!'' is a London Weekend Television situation comedy created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and featuring the actors John Alderton, Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, David Barry, Peter Cleall and Malcolm [=McFee=]. The series ran for 55 episodes between 1968 and 1972.

A spin-off series, The Fenn Street Gang, followed the adventures of a group of former pupils in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them. It ran for 47 episodes between 1971 and 1973. Bowler (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off - following the The Fenn Street Gang crime boss Stanley Bowler played by George Baker; there were 13 episodes.

Please Sir! is a London Weekend Television situation comedy created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and featuring the actors John Alderton, Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, David Barry, Peter Cleall and Malcolm [=McFee=]. The series ran for 55 episodes between 1968 and 1972.

* DawsonCasting: The youngest of the 'student' actors was Malcolm [=McFee=], at 19, when the show first started. Part of the humour of the show came from the students looking, in some cases, older than their teachers.

* BritishEducationSystem: Fenn Street School is a great example of the old Secondary Moderns. One episode in the later series deals with the prospect of the school eventually becoming part of a comprehensive.

Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version was released in 1971. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre, but starred most of the TV cast.