Both Ends Meet sitcom

Both Ends Meet / Dora

1972 - United Kingdom

Like most housewives, Dora (a widow with young son Ronnie to bring up), continually finds she has too much week left at the end of her money. 

In order to make more than she is earning in the sausage factory where she works, she turns to a catalogue company called Excelsior Trading. Not to purchase anything, but to become one of their agents. After all, with all the women working around her, she has a ready-made customer base. Or does she? It's a question of being accepted as an agent. But if she is, surely life's little luxuries will at last be winging her way. 

Both Ends Meet
Timothy Bateson and Dora Bryan

Veteran comedian Dora Bryan starred in this LWT sitcom as Dora Page, the strap-cashed Cannon's Family Sausages packer who was always at loggerheads with her boss Julian Cannon (Ivor Dean), and finding herself in desperate situations with the other female factor workers. Also starring was Wendy Richards. Both Ends Meet, by the way, is a reference to the sausages! 

Ronnie was played by David Howe in the first series, broadcast from February to April 1972, but when it returned for series two later that same year (September to November) he was replaced by Peter Vaughan Clarke. That wasn't the only change. The original title was dropped and changed to Dora.

Also see: According to Dora

Published on August 12th, 2019. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

One Foot In The Grave

The exploits of a pensioner and his long-suffering wife in their battle against the trials of modern life.

Also tagged British Sitcom

Mr Digby Darling

Mr Digby's PA is hopelessly devoted to him while he remains totally oblivious to her feelings.

Also tagged British Sitcom

Colditz

War drama about the infamous German POW camp and the prisoner's attempts to escape it.

Also released in 1972

Dad's Army

"If the quality of the writing was a major factor in Dad's Army's resounding success, then that quality was more than matched by a cast which not so much interpreted the writing, as physically embodied it."

Also tagged British Sitcom

Arthur of the Britons

This excellent children's television series was a muddy & realistic version of the King Arthur legend.

Also released in 1972

Crown Court TV series

Courtroom drama in which the jury, who were made up of members of the public, would decide the verdict.

Also released in 1972

Black Arrow

Teenage adventure series. Black Arrow was a lone figure of mystery who protected the poor against greedy warrior barons fighting for power and influence throughout the 15th century Wars of the Roses.

Also released in 1972