The World of Wooster

Based on P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves stories, The World of Wooster, broadcast on BBC One from 1965 to 1967, followed the farcical adventures of young upper-class twit Bertie Wooster and his invaluable manservant Jeeves. It starred Ian Carmichael as Wooster and Dennis Price as Jeeves. Wodehouse initially felt that Carmichael would be fine as Wooster, but later believed that Carmichael overacted; however, Wodehouse was satisfied enough with to later ask Carmichael to portray Bertie or Jeeves in a musical comedy. Carmichael declined, feeling too old to play Bertie again and that public perception prevented him from playing Jeeves. Wodehouse was far more positive about Price's Jeeves, stating that Price was the best Jeeves he had ever seen. Like many other series of the time, much of the episodes were wiped, leaving all but two now lost. In 2018, it was included at #51 in a list of the top 100 most wanted missing television programmes by TV archivist organisation Kaleidoscope.

Comedy

Seasons

1. Jeeves and the Dog Macintosh

Air Date: 1965-05-30

Bobbie Wickham needs to impress a rich American named Blumenfeld, and Wooster is reluctantly drawn into her schemes.

2. Jeeves, the Aunt and the Sluggard

Air Date: 1965-06-06

Wooster's pal Biffy yearns for a quiet life in the countryside, but his aunt Isabel, upon whom he depends for money, has got it into her head that he's leading the high life among the bright young things in London. Can Jeeves help?

3. Jeeves and the Great Sermon Handicap

Air Date: 1965-06-13

4. Jeeves and the Song of Songs

Air Date: 1965-06-20

Ordered by his aunt Dahlia to break up Tuppy Glossop's romance with operatic diva Cora Bellinger, Wooster finds himself called upon to sing at a charity concert.

5. Jeeves and the Hero's Reward

Air Date: 1965-06-27

6. Jeeves and the Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy

Air Date: 1965-07-04

'Sippy' Sipperley edits a fashionable magazine for bright young things, and he has a big problem — his former headmaster keeps submitting articles, and he's still too frightened of him to turn them down.

1. Jeeves and the Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace

Air Date: 1966-01-04

Wooster's nephews, Claude and Eustace, foist themselves upon his hospitality, and cause no end of trouble.

2. Jeeves and the Change of Mind

Air Date: 1966-01-11

3. Jeeves and the Spot of Art

Air Date: 1966-01-18

To the horror of Aunt Dahlia, Wooster becomes enamored with an eccentric artist.

4. Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum

Air Date: 1966-01-25

5. Jeeves and the Purity of the Turf

Air Date: 1966-02-01

6. Jeeves and the Clustering Round Young Bingo

Air Date: 1966-02-08

7. Jeeves and the Indian Summer of an Uncle

Air Date: 1966-02-15

Wooster is fond of Uncle George, but the old boy will keep on making what Aunt Agatha calls 'unsuitable alliances'. It falls to Wooster to break up the latest of these.

1. Jeeves and the Greasy Bird

Air Date: 1967-10-05

Jas. Waterbury is definitely, as Wooster says, a 'greasy bird'. What nefarious scheme is he up to?

2. Jeeves and the Stand-In for Sippy

Air Date: 1967-10-12

3. Jeeves and the Old School Chum

Air Date: 1967-10-19

4. Jeeves and the Impending Doom

Air Date: 1967-10-26

Aunt Agatha has the idea that Wooster would make an ideal private secretary for her politician friend Mr Filmer.

5. Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg

Air Date: 1967-11-02

6. Jeeves and the Love That Purifies

Air Date: 1967-11-09

Aunt Dahlia's chef Anatole is the envy of her friends and acquaintances. However, she's entered into a wager that places her in danger of losing the lovely Anatole for a while. Obviously, she doesn't want this to happen and seeks Wooster – or more specifically Jeeves – for help.

7. Jeeves and the Fixing of Freddie

Air Date: 1967-11-16

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Rating

5.0/10

Release Date

1965-05-30

Episodes

20 (3 seasons)

Status

Ended

Cast

Ian Carmichael

Bertie Wooster

Dennis Price

Jeeves

Production Companies

BBC