Episode Guide (Series 2)
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1: Cliffhanger (22 Nov 73)
Frank is looking after his neighbour's chickens. He manages to demolish the hen coop. When he goes for an interview for a job with an agricultural supply firm, he manages to impress the manager with his new-found knowledge of chickens. He gets the job, which comes with a company car.
Frank takes Betty out in the car for a seaside picnic. The car ends up hanging over the edge of a cliff with Frank dangling from the rear bumpers. He's rescued by a group of rugby players from a passing coach.
Also appearing:
Vernon Dobtcheff (Henry), Hazel Bainbridge (Miss Partridge), Elissa Derwent (Joan),
Peter Leabourne (Rugby Player)
2: The RAF Reunion (29 Nov 73)
It's almost time for Frank's annual RAF reunion. Although he attends every year, nobody else at the reunion is too sure what Frank actually did in the RAF. Much of the programme consists of a flashback to the few days Frank spent being assessed for RAF entry before being classed as 'unsuitable'.
On his first night in the RAF, Frank is in the middle of getting undressed when a dormitory inspection takes place. He hides in a metal locker which ends up falling down the stairs along with Frank.
Next day, Frank goes for an aircrew medical, demolishes the equipment in the guymnasium and manages to make a complete mess of the intelligence and personality tests.
Back in the 'present', Frank comes home from the reunion roaring drunk, puts out a non-existent cat and falls asleep wearing one of Betty's nightdresses.
Also appearing:
Fulton Mackay (Fowler), Desmond Llewelyn (Air Commodore Drew), Norman Shelley (Group Captain Firth),
David Quilter (Pilot Officer Baker), Blain Fairman (Flight Sergeant),
Michael Gwynn (Wing Commander Day), Roger Dene (Roberts), John Pollendine (Harris),
Leonard Gregory (Horace), Robert Samson (Carter), Ben Aris (Brown), Richard Blomfield (Hayward)
3: The Public Relations Course (6 Dec 73)
Frank is attending a residential course in public relations. He has problems with the automated food dispenser in the canteen, starts a fight in the dormitory and turns a role playing exercise into a total shambles. The other students become convinced that the instructor is a "quack" and walk out. Frank is chased out of the course venue by the instructor.
Also appearing:
Christopher Biggins (Student),James Cossins (Watson), Jill Damas (Student),
Zulema Dene (Miss Gibbons), Mark Griffith (Lang), Robin Halstead (Roberts)
4: Frank And Marvin (13 Dec 73)
Betty reveals that she's pregnant. Frank goes off to a holiday camp for an interview as a "bluecoat".
Frank runs through his act as a ventriloquist, using a dummy called Marvin the Monkey. Unfortunately, Marvin's head got damaged so Frank replaced it with a doll's head.
The manager wants a singer, so Frank gives him an awful rendition of "Early One Morning". He finishes his act (and his chance of getting the job) by accidentally setting off a firewaorks display from the back of his coat.
Also appearing:
Anthony Woodruff (Dr Smedley), Sydney Tafler (Lockwood), Christopher Timothy (Roy),
Pamela Binns (Mrs Jones), Julia Breck (Mrs Ford), Christopher Holmes (Boatman),
Charles Lamb (Skipper)
5: Fathers' Clinic (20 Dec 73)
Betty is looking after two young girls while their mother is in hospital. Frank agrees to take Betty and the children out for the afternoon.
That lunchtime, Frank attends a prenatal class, reducing it to chaos. Then he goes to see a bank manager about a loan application, which is turned down because of his lack of regular employment and his inability to provide security.
That afternoon, Frank takes Betty and the girls off to the zoo. Frank ends up in the chimpanzee's cage. Later, they go roller skating and Frank ends up skating through the town, completely out of control.
Also appearing:
Taiwo Ajai (Sally), Geoffrey Chater (Bank Manager), Seymour Green (Charles),
Tony Hazel (Hamilton), David King (Dr Powell), Cynthia Lund (Judy), Lajla Lund (Alison),
Brian Osborne (Jordan), Richard Pescud (White), Cynthia Powell (Lucy)
6: The Baby Arrives (27 Dec 73)
Frank keeps taking Betty to hospital, thinking the baby is about to be born. It's one false alarm after another until the hospital staff are sick of the sight of Frank.
On one of his visits to the hospital, Frank has parked his car in the space reserved for Sir John Gifford, the obstetrician. Frank tries to remedy the situation, but makes Sir John crash his car.
Dr Smedley isn't too happy when he learns that Frank wants to be present at the birth. Father O'Hara isn't exactly overjoyed when Frank turns up for confession for the fifth time that week.
That night, Betty goes into labour and Frank rushes her off to the hospital. A baby girl is born, with Frank looking on. Leaving the hospital, Frank crashes his car.
Also appearing:
Anthony Woodruff (Dr Smedley), John D Collins (Dr Boyde), Cyril Luckham (Father O'Hara),
Richard Caldicot (Sir John Gifford), Alison Coleridge (Nurse Moore),
Diane Holland (Receptionist), Eric Francis (Hospital Porter)
Special
Jessica's First Christmas
(25 Dec 74)
Frank's baby daughter Jessica is a year old. She's having problems sleeping, so Frank and Betty are up most of the night. Their new neighbour, Mr Jackson, complains about the noise. Next morning, Frank starts a new job at a warehouse and finds that Mr Jackson is the foreman.
Father O'Hara is organising a Christmas nativity play. He finds it difficult to tell Frank that his help won't be needed. He finally decides that Frank can help with the scenery.
Frank causes chaos at the warehouse when he thinks that there's a rat under Mr Jackson's coat.
Later, back at the church, Frank demonstrates his understage lift, which is designed to enable the Angel of the Lord to appear from heaven. Frank ends up in the rafters, then falls back to the stage and demolishes the scenery.
Back at work next day, Frank smashes up the warehouse with a forklift truck and unwittingly exposes Mr Jackson's pilfering activities. He and Mr jackson both get the sack.
The actor playing the Angel of the Lord in the Nativity play is taken ill, so Frank has to take over the part. He ends up being catapulted up through the roof of the church by his understage lift and has to be rescued by a helicopter.
Also appearing:
Cyril Luckham (Father O'Hara), Bryan Pringle (Mr Jackson), Emma Ware (Jessica Spencer),
Brian Hayes (Hudson), Marjorie Hogan (Miss Murphy), Bartlett Mullins (King Herod),
Alan Bowerman (First Shepherd), Ian Milton (Second Shepherd), Tony Bateman (First Wise Man),
Peter Mackriel (Second Wise Man), Bruce Callender (Third Wise Man)
Special
Learning To Drive
(25 Dec 75)
Frank has a temporary job as a Christmas pixie in a department store. After upsetting the children and causing total chaos, he gets the sack.
Frank is taking his last driving lesson before his latest driving test. He ends up driving down the middle of an airport runway. Later, he gets out of the car for a minute, forgets to put the handbrake on and has to give chase as the car runs away out of control. He manages to clamber on to the roof of the car, which crashes into a horse-box.
Frank has been chosen to appear in a television programme about do-it-yourself. The film crew comes to his home and Frank demonstrates his odd attempts at DIY. The filming ends in chaos.
Frank takes the driving test. He ends up driving into the sea.
Also appearing:
George Sewell (Wheeler), Campbell Singer (Finney), David Jacobs (TV Interviewer),
Michael Angrave (Cameraman), Hazel Bainbridge (Mrs Perkins), Wendy Gilmore (Linda),
Peter Jeffrey (Hayes), Richard Latham (Neville), David Woodcock (Clapper Boy)