Mutiny on the Buses

When On the Buses was first launched as a TV series in 1969, its success was phenomenal. It rapidly climbed the popularity ratings to become a permanent fixture in the 'Top Ten'. In 1970 it was voted the best ITV series in the Sun TV Awards. The film version in 1971 (also available on cassette from THORN EMI) had even greater success. Box office records were broken and it became the second biggest money-earner in the UK for that year, even though it had only been on release a few months. In Mutiny on the Buses, bus driver Stan Butler (Reg Varney) has managed to get engaged to the luscious Suzy (Janet Mahoney), much to the anguish of his doting Mum (Doris Hare), pompous idiot of a brother-in-law Arthur (Michael Robbins) and sister Olive (Anna Karen). How ever will they cope without Stan's money coming in? A crisis occurs when Arthur is sacked ('redundant' he calls it), but Stan comes up with the idea of teaching Arthur to drive a bus. He has good reason to regret his kind offer when he finds himself in constant danger of losing life or limb - or possibly both! Meanwhile the tiny terror of the Town & District Bus Company and his mate Jack (Bob Grant) continue to find all sorts of ways of harassing the tyrannical inspector Blake (Stephen Lewis). Stan manages to blackmail the depot manager into giving him the job of driver on the new, money-making Special Tours Bus. A great idea if only Blakey hadn't taken Stan on his trial run to Windsor Safari Park. The bus is overrun by chimpanzees and 'man-eating' lions, and disaster follows disaster when Blakey, no-one's friend, is demoted to plain, ordinary conductor - on Stan's bus! Yes, Stan has his hands full and a lot to worry about, especially when he has to keep his eyes on the seductive, mini-skirted Suzy!