The Rag Trade

The Rag Trade produced 58 episodes over a span of 17 years (of course there was a period of 14½ years between Episodes 36 and 37). The original program made its debut in October 1961 and featured the likes of Reg Varney, Sheila Hancock, Peter Jones, Miriam Karlin, Wanda Ventham (was in about a dozen of the early eps), Barbara Windsor, veteran Australian film actress Esma Cannon, Judy Carne (who later in the 60's appeared in US sitcoms and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In), and Ann Beach ("it's-only-Sonia" in Fresh Fields). Of the original 36 episodes 17 are lost. In 1977 the program was revived for another 22 episodes with the original roles by Peter Jones and Miriam Karlin intact and joined by Anna Karen in her Olive role from On The Buses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rag_Trade