For the Love of Ada

For the Love of Ada is an ITV sitcom that ran between 1970 - 1971.

Outline

This gentle sitcom starred Irene Handl as Ada Cresswell a Cockney pensioner widow who lives with her daughter Ruth Pollitt (Barbara Mitchell) and son-in-law Leslie Pollitt (Jack Smethurst).

Ada starts a relationship with Walter Bingley (Wilfred Pickles), the gravedigger who buried her husband, after meeting him at the cemetery while laying flowers on her husband's grave. Walter is a stout Yorkshireman whose relationship with Ada slowly changes from one of companionship to one of romance. They get engaged and later marry after which they move in together at his cemetery lodge abode.

Ada is prone to using malapropisms which Irene Handl uses to good effect. In essence this show is about a burgeoning romance between elderly people and the bumps along the way.

Transmission dates

Series One
(6 x 30 mins) 20 Apr-25 May 1970 · Mon mostly 9.30pm

Series Two
(7 x 30 mins) 14 Sep-26 Oct 1970 · Mon 9.30pm

Short special
Part of the All-Star Comedy Carnival 25 Dec 1970 · Fri 6pm

Series Three
(7 x 30 mins) 15 Mar-3 May 1971 · Mon 8.30pm

Series Four
(6 x 30 mins) 26 Aug-30 Sep 1971 · Thu 9pm

Christmas special
(45 mins) 26 Dec 1971 · Sun 6.45pm

Film version

In 1972 a film version, based on the series, was released, directed by Ronnie Baxter. It featured the same actors along with an appearance by Arthur English as a colleague of Walter. The plot revolved around a surprise party that was being planned for Ada and Walter's first wedding anniversary.

American version

For The Love Of Ada spawned an American remake called A Touch of Grace that premiered on ABC in January 1973. This version starred Shirley Booth and J. Pat O'Malley as Grace Simpson and Herbert Morrison, who like their English counterparts fall in love. The American version faced very tough competition from All In The Family and drew low ratings, resulting in its cancellation in April 1973 after only thirteen episodes, although ABC ran reruns of the show in prime time until June 1973.

See also

• List of films based on British sitcoms

DVD release

All four series of For the Love of Ada were released between 2009 and 2012. A four-disc set of the complete series is planned.