Lollipop (1971–1972) User Reviews (3)

The sitcom family Robinson!

[ShadeGrenade · 8/10 · 23 July 2010]

Jimmy Perry took time off from 'Dad's Army' to pen this I.T.V. sitcom specially for Peggy Mount and Hugh Lloyd. Originally titled 'Lollipop Loves Mr.Mole', it cast them as Maggie and Reg Robinson respectively, who live in a charming cottage in Fulham, and are poles apart in terms of character - she being domineering ( as you might expect ) while he is happy to be dominated. They even have pet names for one another; she is "Lollipop" to him, while he is "Mr.Mole" to her. In the first episode, their idyllic life is shattered by the arrival of Reg's loudmouthed brother Bruce ( Rex Garner ) and his timid wife Violet ( the marvellous Pat Coombs ). They are only supposed to be there for a few days ( having recently returned from Africa ) but the stay turns out to be a permanent one. Bruce is bone idle, with Violet always on the mooch. Reg manages to find Bruce a job at the office where he works, leading to an amusing scene where Maggie breaks the news to him by banging it out on a set of bongos. It went something like this: "Bruce ( bang bang )...you are...( bang bang )...starting work first thing tomorrow morning ( bang bang )...and if you don't like it...( bang bang bang )...you know what you can do ( bang bang bang bang bang! )".

Quite a few guest stars cropped up, including some who went on to work with Perry on 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' such as Michael Bates, Michael Knowles, and John Clegg. Bill Pertwee ( a.k.a. 'A.R.P. Hodges' of 'Dad's Army' ), John Savident ( 'Fred Elliott' of 'Coronation Street' ) and Erik Chitty ( 'Mr.Smith' of 'Please Sir!' ) also appeared.

One episode had Maggie in charge of a sweet shop while the owner is away. She has recently been told by the doctor to cut down on sweets as they are bad for her health, so being surrounded by the things is nothing short of torture. She eventually stuffs her face and makes herself so ill she goes off sweets for life. Another had the Robinsons acquiring a car and taking a trip ( with Bruce and Violet ) to a safari park. In yet another, Reg tried to join a Freemasons-style secret society known as the Crows. The initiation ceremony had him blindfolded in a room full of men dressed as birds, and being made to eat something he thought was worms, but when the blindfold came off, he saw it was in fact spaghetti!

The opening titles of the first season had Peggy and Hugh singing a 'When I'm Calling You'-style romantic duet! It exists in the archives still ( but the sketch on the 1971 'All-Star Comedy Carnival' is gone ). The second had a different theme tune and the title was shortened to 'Lollipop' even though 'The T.V. Times' was quick to reassure viewers 'she still loves Mr.Mole'! Only two of the seven episodes has survived. It was produced by David Askey originally, and then Shaun O'Riordan with whom Mount had starred in 'The Larkins'. 'Lollipop' was a hit, but never enjoyed the same success as 'George & The Dragon'. Mount and Coombs reunited in 1977 for the awful 'You're Only Young Twice'.

A shame so much of it's missing. The surviving episodes are fun.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 10 June 2018]

I find it so sad that a show such as this is virtually missing from the archives. To think this was made in 1971, and not the early sixties, you'd think more then two episodes would remain, but sadly not. My review is therefore based on the only two surviving episodes. First of all I can't believe it's from 1971, it looks and feels much earlier,.it's very early sixties. The writing is good as you'd expect from Jimmy Perry, High Lloyd and Pat Coombes are of course great, but it's of course the presence of golden comedy battleaxe Peggy Mount that pleases most, she could have read the Oxford English dictionary out and made it funny. Fortunately Mount and Coombes would reunite a few years later for You're only young twice.

Let's hope when Philip Morris and co are out searching for lost episodes of Doctor Who they stumble across a few of these too.

Peggy Mount could do no wrong. 7/10

In the beginning

[grunsel · 16 April 2009]

As a comedy sitcom this had everything going for it, for a start it was written by Jimmy Perry (one half of the famous duo who wrote Dad's Army and Hi DE Hi), a super pair of leads with Peggy Mount (who could literally drag a comedy performance out of anyone in her air space) and the often hysterically funny Hugh Lloyd. So why is it not remembered today and faded away after only thirteen episodes? I think the problem lies with the first series and something that happened each week after the ATV zoom faded out. The title sequence featured Peggy and Hugh singing about their love for each other. Which might have been OK for the first episode or a special,but the same (what can be described as a) wailing dirge repeated week after week probably had many rushing for the channel change button? Shame really as those who turned over missed a good treat. In the second series the producers obviously realised the mistake and the theme tune sequence was replaced with a lively contemporary electronic number on the same lines as "George & Mildred" type theme tunes, but it came a bit too late perhaps in recovering viewers?