Maggie and Her

Lore & Background

Maggie and Her centers on Maggie Brooks, a 35-year-old divorced school teacher living in a London block of flats. Her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Perry (known as Mrs P.), is an eccentric, malapropism-prone elderly woman who frequently interferes in Maggie's life, creating a mother-daughter-like relationship. Other residents of the building occasionally appeared, played by Anna Wing and Sylvia Coleridge. Maggie's professional life as a teacher in an inner-city London comprehensive school was also depicted, with Carol Gillies as the Headmistress and Maggie Foot as the P.E. Teacher. In series two, Carmen Silvera took over as the new Headmistress.

Reader's Guide

Maggie and Her represents a modest but notable entry in British sitcom history, showcasing the talents of Julia McKenzie and Irene Handl. The series ran for two series from 1978 to 1979, following a pilot episode titled Poppy and Her in 1976, which featured the same cast and premise but with McKenzie's character named Poppy. The show's theme tune was performed by McKenzie and composed by Laurie Holloway. Both series were released on Region 2 DVD by Network in 2011 and 2012, with the first series including the original pilot as a bonus feature. While not a major cultural phenomenon, the series is remembered for its character-driven comedy and the performances of its leads.

Did You Know?

• An earlier pilot episode titled Poppy and Her was made and shown in 1976, with the same cast but McKenzie's character named Poppy instead of Maggie.
• Julia McKenzie performed the series theme tune, which was composed by Laurie Holloway.
• The first series DVD includes the original Poppy and Her pilot episode as a bonus feature.