RIP to one of Britain's best TV comics

by Kaitlin | March 23, 2007 at 01:56 pm

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John Inman, British television comedian and star of Are You Being Served?, has died.

Like many good Canadian kids, I was raised on a steady diet of CBC and BBC productions (the latter of which were broadcast on the former, or on PBS, before satellite became prevalent). The high standard set by British television comedies--now I well-known fact due to The Office--has almost certainly had a great effect on the Canadian consciousness.

Though my mom (or should I say mum) was more partial to the dramas, I could often be found hunkering down for a long night of comedies that went a little something like this: Mr. Bean. Monty Python. Absolutely Fabulous. Black Adder. White Dwarf. And then, of course, Are You Being Served?.

The great talent of the Brits is to make fantastic comedy out of seemingly banal scenarios or places. Eventually North America picked up on this (I'd say Taxi and Cheers were at the forefront) but no one can hold a candle to the UK in this department. Or, for that matter, the department store portrayed lovingly on Are You Being Served?. And at the helm of Grace Brothers department store was the wonderfully warm John Inman. His funeral was held today in London.

If you need a quick education in the ways of Inman, YouTube "Are You Being Served John Inman Kung-Fu kick." You won't be sorry.

British actress Barbara Windsor had this to say:

"John Inman was without a doubt - and you'll see from the turnout - one of the loveliest, sweetest men in our business.

She added: "Everybody wanted to work with John Inman. He was the best. If you had him in a show then you were OK."

Inman was the senior sales assistant in the menswear department of Grace Brothers department store for the entire run of Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985.