Writing

Vince Powell

Born August 6, 1928 · Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Died July 13, 2009 · aged 80

Vincent Powell (6 August 1928 — 13 July 2009) was an English comedy writer, best known for creating and writing sitcoms including Mind Your Language (1977–86), Slinger's Day (1986–87), Young at Heart (1977–82), Give Us a Clue (1979–82), and Love Thy Neighbour (1972–76).

Known For

Superfrank!Superfrank! · 1987
Superfrank!
8.01987
MovieComedy
Veteran funnyman Frankie Howerd entertains an enthralled audience at the Playhouse Theatre in Weston-super-Mare, England.
Cilla Black's Christmas EveCilla Black's Christmas Eve · 1983
Cilla Black's Christmas Eve
1983
MovieMusicTV Movie
Special featuring Cilla Black and her guests Frankie Howerd, Graham Fletcher, the Bee Gees, Julio Iglesias and George Benson.
Love Thy NeighbourLove Thy Neighbour · 1973
Love Thy Neighbour
6.31973
MovieComedy
Two men who are nextdoor neighbors constantly battle it out over seemingly trivial offenses. Their wives, on the other hand, are best of friends. The two couples attempt to win a 'love-thy-neighbor' competition by lying...
Nearest and DearestNearest and Dearest · 1972
Nearest and Dearest
7.11972
MovieComedy
When Eli and Nellie Pledge's father dies, the duo are left in charge of his pickle empire. The two siblings are complete opposites and Eli wants out, but since he can't leave until Nellie is married, he sets about finding a husband for his old-fashioned sister.
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the WidthNever Mind the Quality, Feel the Width · 1973
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width
5.71973
MovieComedy
Two London tailors horse around, wind up robbed, go to Rome and disrupt the Vatican.
For the Love of AdaFor the Love of Ada · 1972
For the Love of Ada
7.31972
MovieComedyRomance
Walter and Ada Bingley celebrate their first wedding anniversary, unaware that that friends and family are planning a surprise party. Based on the 1970-71 sitcom of the same name.
Mind Your LanguageMind Your Language · 1977
Mind Your Language
8.21977
SeriesComedy
Jeremy Brown, a language teacher, tries to make a living by teaching English to immigrants. With pupils from India, France, China, and many other countries, his lessons do not always go as planned.
Never the TwainNever the Twain · 1981
Never the Twain
7.01981
SeriesComedy
Never the Twain is a British sitcom that ran for eleven series from 7 September 1981 to 9 October 1991. It was created by Johnnie Mortimer, and was the only sitcom he ever created without his usual writing partner, Brian Cooke. Mortimer wrote the entirety of the first two series and four episodes out of six of the eighth, with the rest being mainly written by Vince Powell and John Kane. It starred Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden as rival antique dealers, and also starred Derek Deadman, Zara Nutley, Robin Kermode, Tacy Kneale, Julia Watson, Honor Blackman, Teddy Turner and Maria Charles. The title is taken from the Rudyard Kipling poem; The Ballad of East and West.

Filmography

Sort
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the WidthNever Mind the Quality, Feel the Width · 1967
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width
4.41967
SeriesComedy
Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width is a British sitcom first broadcast in 1967 as a single play in the Armchair Theatre anthology series, later becoming a series of half-hour episodes, which ran until 1971. A total of 40 episodes were produced, all but one being believed to have aired. It was originally made by ABC Television for the ITV network, with its production being continued by Thames Television. The plot revolves around two tailors in business together: Jewish Manny Cohen and Irish Catholic Patrick Kelly. Above their shop works Lewtas, who is also Jewish and imports cloth. Two further prominent characters in the first three series are Rabbi Levy from the local synagogue, and Father Ryan from the local Catholic church.

Creator

Slinger's DaySlinger's Day · 1986
Slinger's Day
5.81986
SeriesComedy
Slinger's Day is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and produced by Thames Television for ITV. A continuation of Tripper's Day, which had come to a natural end due to a combination of star Leonard Rossiter's death and an overwhelmingly negative response, Bruce Forsyth plays a different character to Norman Tripper but fulfilling the same role, that of the manager of a Supafare supermarket with a team of incompetent eccentrics. Several cast members from Tripper's Day reprised their roles in the first series but departed in the second, allowing for new characters. Broadcast for two six-episode runs from 1986–87, Slinger's Day represented Forsyth's sole situation comedy acting role, and he remained more associated with stand-up and game shows.

Writer