Mr. Humphries
| Mr. Humphries | |||||
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Are You Being Served? and Grace and Favour character |
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| Portrayed by |
John Inman (1972–93) Jason Watkins (2016) |
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| Duration | 1972–1993, 2016 | ||||
| First appearance | Are You Being Served? (1972) | ||||
| Created by |
Jeremy Lloyd David Croft |
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| Profile | |||||
| Occupation | Salesman- junior menswear assistant | ||||
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| Father | Mr Humphries |
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| Mother | Annie Humphries |
Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries is a fictional character from the BBC1 comedy show, Are You Being Served?. He was played by John Inman from 1972 to 1985. The character was played by actor Jason Watkins in the 2016 revival which formed part of BBC Television's Landmarks of Comedy season.
Mr. Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries, born 1938/9, is the junior menswear assistant. His sexuality is used as a catalyst for many comedic situations and one-liners. Mr. Humphries is particularly noted for his mincing walk and his high pitched voice, which he discards when answering the phone (which he answers with a booming, deep-pitched "Menswear!"). He had one of the most famous catchphrases of the era: when asked by a colleague, "Mr. Humphries, are you free? [to serve someone]", he always gives the camp response, "I'm free!" He often arrives at work in outrageous attire, ranging from punk rock clothing and hair, motorcycle leather jacket and chaps and sailor uniform, with an equally outrageous accounting of his previous night's activities and efforts to nonetheless make it to work on time. Mr. Humphries frequently speaks of a companion or companions referred to only as "my friend." The precise status of this friend is never elaborated upon.
Though Mr. Humphries exhibits many of the behaviors typical of a gay stereotype, his true sexual orientation is never explicitly confirmed in the series. The reticence was a necessity given prevailing attitudes at the time the series was produced: after the first five episodes of Are You Being Served?, a senior BBC executive ordered David Croft to "Get rid of the " from the show – Croft declined, saying: "If the poof goes, I go."
Many jokes throw Mr Humphries into heterosexual clinches. At one point he is asked to fill in for Mrs. Slocombe at the ladies' counter when a female customer approaches and complains about the stockings she is wearing, lifting up her skirt to show them to him, which caused him to remark that he is "riveted to the spot" and is considering "a whole new way of life." In "The Agent," Mr. Humphries, in an attempt to get himself fired in order to take a higher paying position elsewhere, makes a pass at a female customer, only to find out later that she calls his bluff to meet him outside at 5:30. At the end of the episode, while counting his wage packet, he remarks to Mrs. Slocombe that he's got a date at 5:30 and dashes off excitedly. In "The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocombe," Miss Brahms attempted to teach him how to seduce Mrs. Slocombe in order to shake her out of a deep depression. However the lessons work too well and in the end Mr. Humphries passionately throws himself at Miss Brahms. In "Conduct Unbecoming," Mr. Humphries is accused of stealing money from his department's till. When he is vindicated (due to the till being faulty), Mr. Rumbold's beautiful blonde secretary throws her arms around him and gives him a passionate kiss, stating: "I was always on your side." Mr. Humphries quickly replies that if the kiss had lasted any longer, he would have "gone over to your side."
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