Are You Being Served? the first series on 14 March 1973. Although the first series was aired in the same timeslot as "Coronation Street" on ITV, consequently receiving relatively little attention, the repeats shown later in the year were much more successful. The show became a ratings hit, and after a successful 13-year run, "Are You Being Served?" came to an end on 1 April 1985. Of the original cast, only Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Wendy Richard and Nicholas Smith appeared in all 69 episodes of the programme's 13-year run; these five later featured in the sequel sitcom, "Grace & Favour" (also
Are You Being Served? with his script for "Beane's of Boston". Jeremy Lloyd's "Laugh-In" partner, Alan Sues, was cast as Mr. Humphries, a decision Lloyd regretted, saying Sues had been miscast. Other cast included future "Magnum PI" star John Hillerman as Mr. Peacock, Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Slocombe, and Lorna Patterson as Miss Brahms. Ultimately, CBS passed on "Beane's of Boston" and a full series was not produced. An Australian adaptation, also called "Are You Being Served?", ran for two series and sixteen episodes from 1980 to 1981 on Network Ten. It starred John Inman as Mr Humphries, who travels to Australia on loan