John Sullivan OBE
Along with John Sullivan’s OBE from only fools and horses…
…were Rock star Roger Daltrey, comedian Eric Sykes are some of those recognised in the New Years Honours.
Only Fools and Horses creator John Sullivan was awarded an OBE today for his services to drama.
The adventures of Del Boy and Rodney Trotter have kept viewers entertained for more than 20 years.
And it is not the only hit show Sullivan has written for the BBC.
John Sullivan's OBE from only fools and horses
He also came up with the classics Citizen Smith, Dear John and Just Good Friends.
Sullivan, born in Balham, south London, left school at 15 with no qualifications. He worked as a messenger, carpet-fitter and second-hand car dealer, the latter providing his inspiration for wheeler dealer Del Boy.
While working at a brewery he began writing TV scripts but they were repeatedly rejected.
In desperation he begged the BBC for any job to get a foot in the door and was taken on as a scenery shifter.
Spotting a producer in the BBC bar, he showed him a script for Citizen Smith.
The producer was so impressed he snapped it up and the programme, starring Robert Lindsay as the Tooting revolutionary, was a hit when it aired in 1977.
Only Fools and Horses began in 1981 and made stars of David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.
Sullivan used his own experiences as inspiration, the episode in which Rodney is too ashamed to show new girlfriend Cassandra where he lives was based on the writer`s first dates with his wife, and the famous scene with the falling chandeliers came from a story told by his dad.
The last episode went out over Christmas 2003 and pulled in more than 15 million viewers.
Sullivan, 48, also had success with Eighties shows Just Good Friends, starring Paul Nicholas and Jan Francis, and Dear John, with the late Ralph Bates.
The writer is currently working on ideas for two Only Fools and Horses spin-offs.
Daltrey, who is a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust, was given a CBE for his services to music and charity.
The 60-year-old star of The Who said: “It is really great to be honoured by my country.”
Sykes, best known for his TV comedy Sykes, which ran between 1960 and 1979, was also made a CBE. The 81-year-old was made OBE in 1986 and has recently appeared opposite Nicole Kidman in The Others.
Actress Anna Massey, a screen and stage favourite since the 1950s, was also made a CBE. Her films have included 1960′s Peeping Tom, The Tall Guy in 1989 and 2002′s The Importance of Being Earnest.
“I am absolutely thrilled to receive this,” she said. “It was a lovely surprise to have my name put forward.
Broadcaster Alan Whicker and playwright Alan Plater were both made CBEs while John Sullivan, the creator of Only Fools and Horses, and author Leslie Thomas were made OBEs.
Quentin Blake, the artist best know for his illustrations in Roald Dahl books, was made a CBE, as was classical pianist John Lill.
In the world of music, Pete Waterman was given an OBE for his work on more than 200 hit singles, including those for Kylie, during the last 25 years.
could plz plz someone tell me where i can get the theme tune, on cd? im an avid fan of only fools & have been since it started i have all the episodes on dvd, but im not being morbid but i would really like it played at my funeral!, what better way to go i say!!
someone plz help thx
It’s probably too late for more Fools And Horses but please continue the Rock And Chips saga, its Brill !!!!
please please make more only fools.you will make a lot of peopl happy
Has anyone else noticed that in the episode From Prussia With Love, that Del boy says to Marlene and Boycey, when they arrive to pick up their SON that Del Boy has promised them (I KNOW I PROMISED YOU A ‘GIRL ‘BUT IT AIN’T. Look again!
I cannot believe how good this was, every detail that was referred to in the series through the years, was included as part of the story, so you felt as if you were going back in time and seeing it all happen 1st hand. if only we could do that in real life with our own family stories, although it did feel like my family story because it’s been part of our lives for so long.
Nicholas Lyndhurst was brilliant playing a serious gangster type is so different for him, but you forgot it was Rodney.
The music and costumes added brilliantly to the atmosphere.
most of these spin off type shows are so dissapointing because your left feeling as if you’ve just watched a cheap second rate version, where they have run out of any more good ideas, but not this one, brilliant I have watched it several times
YEP – from the 2 biggest OFAH fans in cumbria – we LOVED rock & chips so please please please lets have some more of it. Theres more tales to be told in the history of the trotters, cant wait. Dougie & Brendan :-)
I was never too keen on the extended Only Fools episodes towards the end of the run and they didn’t have the humour which made the earlier programmes unmissable. One wondered whether John Sullivan could do better with this different drama format to fill in some gaps in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rock & Chips last night and it must surely be the first of a series. Pitched just right without a studio audience or canned laughter. The cast were superb particularly Nicholas Lyndhurst and Kellie Bright in the lead roles.
Yes the jokes were, as some critics said ‘hackneyed,’ but that was precisely why it was an endearing trip down memory lane for those of us who are the same age as Del.
Some of the criticisms from Fleet Street’s finest were completely over the top and unwarranted. I did wonder whether they had been watching the same programme.
JS is on a winner and perhaps in the next episode we could find out exactly what Uncle Albert did following his discharge after the 1939 – 1945 conflict with Germany. Congrats.
Regards
Malc
Had faith in John Sullivan pulling this off and he did with some first class drama and lots of laughs. Enjoyed the show being based around Del Boys mum who was often referred to in Only fools and this puts a face to the name.
Loved the young Del Boy and the seeds growing in his young market trader head. Trigger, Denzil and Boycie were fantastic.
This show has a future and reminds me of the early episodes of Only fools when it left you wanting a lot more and to know how these characters move and shake in the sixties and seventies.
I (the Del Boy age) sat down to watch Rock & Chips last night, with the younger set…children /grandachildren.
All had trepadation. Could you possibly replicate the success of Only Fools & Horses !
Hearty congratulations !
It was wonderful…par excellence!
I cannot fault the detail of that iconic period. We all knew chaps like that, women like that & as for the cinema manager..crikey…we had one of those in our local flicks.
The music..I could remember each boyfriend I jived with to the best music of all time.
Thank you so much, for restoring my faith in the Beeb, &…don’t let it stop there, with a play like this, you have alot more joy to spread.
Kind regards
Di Shearn