How May I Help You? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mike Berry

Mr Bert Spooner was brought in to replace Trevor Bannister's Mr Lucas and was played by Mike Berry. He joined Grace Brothers in 1981 as the new junior menswear assistant and stayed until the show ended in 1985. Spooner took on the role of the department's resident heartthrob, trading quips with the ladies' wear staff and assisting Mr Humphries on the shop floor.

Before his acting career, Mike had worked as a singer. He had several UK top ten hits, including 'Don't You Think It's Time' and a 1980 cover of 'The Sunshine of Your Smile'. He also played Mr Peters in the children's series 'Worzel Gummidge' from 1979 to 1981. He died in 2025, aged 82.

Answer: John Inman

Mr Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries was played by John Inman. He was a sales assistant in the menswear department who later became a senior sales assistant. The catchphrase, 'I'm free!', became associated with him, said whenever he was asked if he was free (available). I had to laugh because, as there were never any customers to be seen, there was no need to ask if he was free.

John appeared in every one of the show's 69 episodes. He was also a popular pantomime performer, appearing as a pantomime dame over forty times during his career. He was openly gay and entered into a civil partnership with his long-term partner before he died in 2007.

Answer: Mollie Sugden

Who could forget Mrs Betty Slocombe, played by Mollie Sugden? She was the head of the ladies' wear department, who made frequent references to her cat (often using innuendo) and was forever changing her hair colour in nearly every episode. I used to bet on whether it would be purple, pink, blue, green or tartan!

Mollie was in every episode of the series. Before 'Are You Being Served?', she had appeared in other British sitcoms, including 'The Liver Birds'. I thought she was a fantastic comedy actress. She used to make me laugh out loud. She continued working as an actress until shortly before she died in 2009.

Answer: Nicholas Smith

Floor manager Mr Cuthbert Rumbold was played by Nicholas Smith. Nicknamed 'Jug-ears' by the staff behind his back, he was responsible for overseeing both the menswear and ladies' wear departments at Grace Brothers. Yes, his ears stuck out quite a bit! He was known for his pomposity and his tendency to misunderstand situations.

Nicholas was one of only five cast members to appear in every one of the show's 69 episodes, alongside Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden, John Inman and Wendy Richard. He also appeared in the sequel series 'Grace & Favour'.

Answer: Trevor Bannister

Trevor Bannister played Mr Dick Lucas, a young sales assistant in the menswear department. He was incompetent, frequently late and persistently pursued his colleague, Miss Brahms, despite her obvious lack of interest.

Trevor played the role from 1972 to 1979, when he left to take the lead in a touring stage production of 'Middle Age Spread', after the BBC declined to adjust the recording schedule to accommodate both commitments. Decades later, he became a regular cast member of 'Last of the Summer Wine'.

Answer: Arthur Brough

Mr Ernest Grainger, the senior sales assistant in the menswear department, was played by Arthur Brough. I can still picture him peering over the top of his half-moon-shaped glasses with his tape measure hanging round his neck. He appeared in the show from the pilot through Series five.

After Series five, his wife of 50 years died on Easter Sunday 1978. Devastated, he announced he was quitting acting. He died six weeks later, before filming for Series six could begin. Rather than recast the role, the writers replaced Mr Grainger with a new character, Mr Tebbs, played by James Hayter.

Answer: Arthur English

Arthur English played Mr Beverley Harman, the store's new maintenance man, who joined Grace Brothers in 1976, taking over from the departing Mr Mash. He always wore a brown coat and was firmly dedicated to his union rights, frequently declaring that he was on a tea break or stubbornly refusing to do anything outside of his strict job description.

Arthur was a veteran of the British music hall tradition who began his career as a stand-up comic. He adopted a flamboyant 'spiv' persona known as 'The Prince of the Wide Boys'. He portrayed Mr Harman from the show's fourth series until it ended in 1985, enjoying a long career in comedy and acting before passing away in 1995.

Answer: Harold Bennett

The elderly and increasingly frail owner of Grace Brothers, Young Mr Grace, was played by Harold Bennett. He would arrive briefly in most episodes accompanied by his nurse. Despite owning the store, he rarely became involved in its day-to-day running. He looked ancient, which made you wonder what his brother, Old Mr Grace, looked like.

Harold played the role from the show's beginning. He filmed two episodes of Series eight before declining health forced him to step back. He died in September 1981, and his final appearance in the Christmas special of that year was broadcast posthumously. Rather than recast the role directly, the writers introduced 'Old Mr Grace', Young Mr Grace's even older brother, played by Kenneth Waller.

Answer: Wendy Richard

Miss Brahms, the Cockney ladies' wear assistant at Grace Brothers, was played by Wendy Richard. She appeared in every one of the show's episodes and was one of only five cast members to do so.

She went on to play Pauline Fowler in 'EastEnders' from the soap's first episode in 1985 until 2006, appearing in over two thousand episodes. She was awarded an MBE in 2000. In a tribute to her earlier role, she named Pauline's dog Betty after her 'Are You Being Served?' co-star Mollie Sugden's character, Mrs Betty Slocombe. Wendy passed away in 2009.

Answer: Hilda Fenemore

Elsie was one of the recurring cleaners at Grace Brothers, who was played by character actress Hilda Fenemore. Though the character's name changed across episodes (she was also referred to as Ivy or Daphne), she was a familiar presence, often seen dealing with the odd behaviour and quirks of the sales staff or dealing with the store's poor facilities. She appeared from Series two to Series seven.

Hilda had a prolific career in British television and film spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s. She was cast in supporting roles as mothers, neighbours and working-class characters. Besides 'Are You Being Served?', she was known for her recurring role in 'Dixon of Dock Green' and appearances in 'The Fenn Street Gang'. She died in 2004.