John Inman | UKTV SotY Reminder

One of the things that has made Are You Being Served such a beloved program among brit-com fans is the strength of it's ensemble cast. And while no single actor dominates the series it's fair to say that John Inman, as the flamboyant Mr. Humphries, is the series most memorable character, despised by some, but loved by most, he is the actor perhaps most closely identified with the series.

Inman, an actor since his youth now approaching his 65th birthday, may be best known to North American audiences for his work in Are You Being Served, and the short lived but oft repeated take a Letter Mr. Jones, but at home in England and throughout much of the world is as nearly as well known for his extensive work on the stage. Inman has distinguished himself both in the legitimate theatre and in that singular British tradition the Pantomime. In fact as we speak he is finishing up a stint in a "Panto" of Jack and the Beanstalk (Mr. Inman's complete schedule of appearances can be found at his official website) No matter what venue Inman appears in a large part of his considerable success stems from his effervescent personality and studied comic timing. the fact is John Inman is the type of performer you can't help but like, assuming you like the sort of thing he does. There are some folk who, over the years, have not found his mincing pixie routine to be all that amusing at all.

Throughout Are You Being Served's long run a few vocal critics have despaired of Inman's broad and rather stereotypical portrayal of the, obviously though unofficially, gay Mr. Humphries. What these same critics must have thought about Kenneth William's Bona sketches ("my names Julian and this is my friend Sandy) heaven only knows. While I admit Inman's performance did little to advance the cause of gay rights his depiction was never mean-spirited, though the treatment he received from other characters occasionally was. Even worse than the limp wristed Humphries was Inman's role in the nearly forgotten Odd Man Out which I've never actually seen an episode of and, from what I've heard from those who have i should count myself lucky. Inman's next series was Take a Letter Mr. Jones, where he played Rula Lenska's male secretary. While not quite as camp as his previous roles Mr. Jones was far from a He-man himself. The series is probably most memorable for the astonish bad and jaw-droppingly over the top performance of Miriam Margolyes who's turn as a maid here makes her Blackadder "Spanish Infanta" performance seem subtly nuanced. 

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