No, Honestly

1 9 7 4 – 1 9 7 5 (UK)
13 x 30 minute episodes

No, Honestly was a comedy series about a husband and wife – struggling actor Charles and successful writer Clara Danby, the author of “Ollie the Otter” children’s stories.

Clara and Charles – affectionately known as CD (“clever drawers”) – appeared in front of an audience telling stories about their first meeting, courtship and marriage of ten years.

Framed by the couple’s light banter, each of the episodes flashbacked chronologically to their often comically confused courtship and marriage, beginning as they embarked on their honeymoon and tried to keep their newly married status a secret by pretending to be a boring, frustrated long-married couple.

Clara’s choice of husband caused a little unease for her aristocratic parents, the absent-minded Lord Burrell (James Berwick) and his wife, Lady Burrell (Fanny Rowe).

The series was based on two books by husband and wife team, Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham – One called Coronet Among the Weeds and the other Coronet Among the Grass – and starred Pauline Collins and John Alderton, who were also married to each other in real life.

The couple also appeared together in Thomas and Sarah (a spin-off to the classic period drama Upstairs, Downstairs) in 1979.

Pauline Collins (best known for her signature role as Shirley Valentine) played Clara with a mischievous twinkle that made her illogical leaps endearing – even if CD thought she dressed like “the remnant of a disbanded folk group”.

The theme song for No, Honestly was written and performed by singer and composer Lynsey De Paul who made it to #7 in the British charts with the tune. A later series starred Liza Goddard and Donal Donnelly in Yes, Honestly.

Charles (CD) Danby 
John Alderton
Clara Burrell/Danby 
Pauline Collins
Lord Burrell 
James Berwick
Lady Burrell 
Fanny Rowe
Royle (The Burrell’s Butler) 
Kenneth Benda
Victor 
Ivan Beavis
Marian 
Ruth Holden
Duffy 
Patrick McAlinney
May 
Liz Smith
Angus 
Peter Davidson
Mrs Compton-Dado 
Bridget Armstrong
Mr Compton-Dado 
Patrick Newell
Max Montifichet 
Timothy Carlton
Melissa Radstock 
Maggie Henderson
Mr Evercreech 
Gerald James
Aunt A 
Beryl Cooke
Mr Rawley 
Terence Soall
Giovanianni 
Vladek Sheybal
Arthur 
William Moore
Police Inspector 
Tony Selby

Episodes

The Facts of Life | The Object of the Game | More Royle Than Noble Really | Finding the Form | Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner | Just Cause or Impediment | Now We Are Married | Everything in the Garden | Having Them Back |  Plenty of Shoulder Not Much Wheel | Bed, Beautiful Bed | Only Make Believe | Surprise, Surprise!

Video