Citizen Smith

'Citizen Smith' was a British sitcom which really made the names of its lead actor, Robert Lindsay, and its writer, John Sullivan. Coming out of a one-off comedy play Sullivan wrote for 'Comedy Special' - 'Roof Over My Head', 'Citizen Smith' ran for four series, from 1977 to 1980.

Lindsay played 'Wolfie' Smith, the rather laughable, but lovable, leader of the Tooting Popular Front. A supposed Marxist group, it was the fact that the group, and its members, were so unthreatening that was the core of the show's humour. Smith was a dreamer, with ideals built on slogans such as 'Power to the People' and 'Freedom for Tooting'. His 'followers' were really three people. Friend Ken (Mike Grady), nervous Tucker (Anthony Millan), and the thuggish Speed (George Sweeney). Wolfie's great plans were often undermined by small-time gangster Harry Fenning (Stephen Greif).

Wolfie lived with girlfriend Shirley's (Cheryl Hall) parents, sharing a flat with Ken. Shirley's mum (Hilda Braid) was kind, if not on the ball, but Shirley's dad (Peter Vaughan/Tony Steedman) derided Wolfie at every opportunity.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.