Director: Michael Mills

Writer: Raymond Allen

Starring: Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice

Production Company: BBC

Kent Locations used: Herne Bay

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em is a BBC sitcom following the accident-prone Frank Spencer (Michele Dotrice) and his ill-fated attempts to hold down a job and look after his family.

There were three series and four Christmas Specials which ran between 1973 and 1978. The show was created and written by Raymond Allen and starred Michael Crawford (The Phantom of the Opera, Hello Dolly!) as Frank Spencer and Michele Dotrice (Death in Paradise, Inside No.9) as his long-suffering wife, Betty.

Herne Bay was used as a location for two episodes of the programme’s first series. The High Street and William Street featured in the very first episode, The Job Interview, where Frank (Michael Crawford) arrives at a shop for a job interview.

The Railway Station and the Carlton Hotel feature in the episode four, Have a Break, Take a Husband ,for scenes on Frank (Michael Crawford) and Betty’s (Michele Dotrice) ill-fated second honeymoon.

Herne Bay is located on the Kent coast and boasts a delightful beach with a bandstand and seafront gardens as well as many shops and eateries, amusement arcades and a windmill. Other productions which have filmed in Herne Bay include Boomers (2014), Little Britain, Series One (2003) and Only Fools and Horses, the Jolly Boys’ Outing (1989).

The first series was originally broadcast between 15th February – 29^th March 1973, and is now available to purchase on DVD.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.