document_title: Only Fools and Horses

question_text: who sings the only fools and horses theme

text: Only Fools and Horses

text: Plot[edit]

text: Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (played by David Jason), a fast-talking, archetypal South London 'fly' trader, lives in a council flat in a high-rise tower block, Nelson Mandela House, in Peckham, South London, with his much younger brother, Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst), and their elderly Grandad (Lennard Pearce).[1] Their mother, Joan, died when Rodney was young, and their father Reg absconded soon afterwards, so Del became Rodney's surrogate father and the family patriarch. Despite the difference in age, personality, and outlook, the brothers share a constant bond throughout.[2]

text: The situation focuses primarily on their attempts to become millionaires through questionable get rich quick schemes and by buying and selling poor-quality and illegal goods. They have a three-wheeled Reliant Regal van and trade under the name of Trotters Independent Traders, mainly on the black market.[2]

text: Initially, Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad were the only regulars, along with the occasional appearances of roadsweeper Trigger (Roger Lloyd-Pack) and pretentious used car salesman Boycie (John Challis). Over time, the cast expanded, mostly in the form of regulars at the local pub The Nag's Head. These included pub landlord Mike Fisher (Kenneth MacDonald), lorry driver Denzil (Paul Barber), youthful spiv Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) and Boycie's flirtatious wife Marlene (Sue Holderness).[2]

text: As the series progressed, the scope of the plots expanded. Many early episodes were largely self-contained, with few plot-lines mentioned again, but the show developed a story arc and an ongoing episodic dimension. After Grandad died following the death of actor Lennard Pearce, his younger brother Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) emerged and moved in with Del and Rodney.[1] After years of searching, both Del and Rodney find long-term love, in the form of Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) and Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong) respectively; Del also has a son with Raquel, Damien (played by five actors, most recently Ben Smith). Rodney and Cassandra marry, separate and then get back together again. Cassandra miscarries, but then she and Rodney eventually have a baby. Rodney finds out who his real father was. The Trotters finally become millionaires, lose their fortune, and then regain some of it.[3]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: In 1980, John Sullivan, a scriptwriter under contract at the BBC, was already well known as the writer of the successful sitcom Citizen Smith. It came to an end that year and Sullivan was searching for a new project. An initial idea for a comedy set in the world of football was rejected by the BBC, as was his alternative idea, a sitcom centring on a cockney market trader in working class, modern-day London. The latter idea persisted.[4] Through Ray Butt, a BBC producer and director whom Sullivan had met and become friends with when they were working on Citizen Smith, a draft script was shown to the Corporation's Head of Comedy, John Howard Davies. Davies commissioned Sullivan to write a full series. Sullivan believed the key factor in its being accepted was the success of ITV's new drama, Minder, a series with a similar premise and also set in modern-day London.[5]

text: Sullivan had initially given the show the working title Readies. For the actual title he intended to use, as a reference to the protagonist's tax and work-evading lifestyle, Only Fools and Horses. That name was based on a genuine, though very obscure, saying, "only fools and horses work for a living", which had its origins in 19th-century American vaudeville.[6] Only Fools and Horses had also been the title of an episode of Citizen Smith, and Sullivan liked the expression and thought it was suited to the new sitcom.[7] He also thought longer titles would attract attention.[6] He was first overruled on the grounds that the audience would not understand the title, but he eventually got his way.[8]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Filming of the first series began in May 1981, and the first episode, "Big Brother", was transmitted on BBC1 at 8.30 pm on 8 September that year. It attracted 9.2 million viewers[9] and generally received a lukewarm response from critics.[10] The viewing figures for the whole first series, which averaged at around 7 million, were considered mediocre.[1] The costumes for the first series were designed by Phoebe De Gaye. Del's attire was inspired by her going to car boot sales. The budget was limited, and she took David Jason shopping in Oxford Street, and had him try a variety of suits. De Gaye purchased some gaily coloured Gabicci shirts, which were fashionable at the time and she thought "horrible".[11] Del's rings and bracelet were made of fake gold and came from Chapel Market. Rodney's combat jacket came from the BBC's Costume Department, and De Gaye added a Yasser Arafat scarf purchased from Shepherd's Bush Market. De Gaye used Vaseline, make-up, and food to make Grandad's costume look dirty. The idea was that he never had his hat off, never dressed properly, usually had pyjamas underneath his clothes, which would be dirty.[11]

text: A second series was commissioned for 1982. The second series fared a little better. However, both the first and second series had a repeat run in June 1983 in a more low-key time slot, but attracted a high enough viewing figure for Davies to commission a third series.[12] From there, the show began to top the television ratings. Viewing figures for the fourth series were double those of the first.[13] In early December 1984,[14] during the filming of Series 4, Lennard Pearce suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital.[15] He died on 16 December, the day he was due to resume.[15] Sullivan got to work with the episode "Strained Relations" which featured their goodbye to Grandad.[16] According to Sullivan, recasting Grandad was considered disrespectful to Pearce by the team, so it was decided that another older family member was to be cast. Buster Merryfield was then cast as Grandad's brother Albert.[17] The scenes of "Hole in One" that featured Pearce were re-filmed with Merryfield.[18]

text: Midway through the filming of the fifth series, Jason told Sullivan that he wished to leave the show in order to further his career elsewhere. Sullivan thus wrote "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", which was intended to be the final episode and would see Del accepting a friend's offer to set up business in Australia, leaving Rodney and Albert behind. Plans were made for a spin-off entitled Hot-Rod, which would have followed Rodney's attempts to survive on his own with help from Mickey Pearce, but leaving open the prospect of Del's return. Jason then changed his mind, and the ending of the episode was changed to show Del rejecting the offer.[19]

text: Sullivan had a tendency to write scripts that were too long, meaning a lot of good material had to be cut. Shortly before filming of the sixth series began, he and Jason requested that the show's time slot be extended and it was agreed to extend its running time to 50 minutes.[20] This required a 40 per cent increase in the show's budget,[21] and coincided with the show becoming one of the BBC's most popular programmes, according to producer Gareth Gwenlan.[22] Robin Stubbs became the costume designer for the sixth series, and was responsible for getting Del's attire to match his new yuppy image. His new suits cost around £200 each and were purchased from Austin Reed in Regent Street. The rest came from stores such as Tie-Rack and Dickins and Jones. His jewellery was replaced each series because it was very cheap (the rings with "D" cost 50p each).[11]

text: The seventh series aired in early 1991.[3] Jason and Sullivan were involved with other projects, and it was confirmed that there were no plans for a new series.[23] Despite this, the show continued in Christmas specials until 1993.[23] Sullivan nonetheless wanted a final episode to tie up the show.[23] In late 1996, three more one-hour episodes were filmed,[23] to be broadcast over Christmas 1996.[3] All three were well received and, due to the ending, were assumed to be the last.[24] The show made a return in Christmas 2001 with the first of three new episodes which were shot together but ultimately broadcast over three consecutive Christmases from 2001 to 2003.[25][3] Despite rumours of further episodes,[26] in a 2008 interview, Sullivan was quoted as saying: "There will not be another series of Only Fools And Horses. I can say that. We had our day, it was wonderful but it is best to leave it now".[27] Though Sullivan died in 2011, it returned for a special Sport Relief episode in 2014.[28]

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main cast and characters[edit]

text: Derek Edward "Del Boy" Trotter (David Jason) — Del was an archetypal South London market trader, willing to sell anything to anyone to make money. Del was devoted to his family, taking care of Rodney and Grandad on his own from the age of 16. Del was also known for his penchant for his cultural faux pas, in particular his misuse of French phrases. Del never settled down with a woman until he met Raquel, with whom he had a son, Damien.[29][30]

tag: ul

text:
Rodney Charlton Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst) — Rodney is Del's younger brother, and is more academically gifted, although only to the extent of two GCEs.[33] Orphaned when young, Rodney was raised by Del. His principal role throughout the show was as Del's lackey and sidekick. Much of the conflict between the two came from Rodney's dislike of his reliance on Del, and his unsuccessful attempts to gain greater independence through girlfriends or by setting up his own businesses; he was only partially successful after marrying Cassandra and briefly going to work for her father.[34] In contrast to Del Boy, the part of Rodney was cast early, with Lyndhurst settled on quickly. Sullivan partly based Rodney on his own experiences; he, too, had a much older sibling and, like Rodney, claims to have been a dreamer and an idealist in his youth.[35]
Grandad (Lennard Pearce) — Del and Rodney's elderly grandad was added to the cast to balance the three distinct generations, adding the voice of experience to the situation.[35] In casting the role of Grandad, Sullivan had in mind an actor similar to Wilfrid Brambell, who had played Albert Steptoe in Steptoe and Son, but chose not to use Brambell himself, thinking him too closely associated with Steptoe.[31] After seeing Pearce's audition, Sullivan settled on casting him immediately.[5] Scruffy and daft, although sometimes displaying a razor sharp wit, Grandad rarely left the flat or even moved from his armchair in front of two television sets. Despite his age he was invariably treated as a dogsbody by Del and Rodney, often being assigned mundane jobs around the flat such as cooking meals.[36] Pearce died in 1984 whilst filming the series four episode "Hole in One" (several scenes were subsequently re-shot with Buster Merryfield)[37] and Sullivan wrote a new episode, "Strained Relations", which featured Grandad's funeral.[38]
Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) — Shortly after the death of Lennard Pearce, it was decided that a new older family member should be brought in, which eventually led to "Uncle Albert", Grandad's long-lost younger brother. Merryfield was an inexperienced amateur actor at the time, but was selected because he appeared to fit the description of an old sailor, especially with his distinctive white "Captain Birdseye" beard.[39] Albert first appeared at Grandad's funeral, and soon moved in with Del and Rodney.[40] His wartime experiences with the Royal Navy became one of the show's running gags,[40] usually begun with the words "During the war...".[41] Merryfield died in 1999 and Albert's death was written into the next episode.[42][43]

text: Supporting cast and characters[edit]

text:
Trigger (Roger Lloyd-Pack) — Trigger, apparently so called because he looks like a horse, was the principal supporting character earlier in the show's run, although his importance lessened as the series progressed.[44] Lloyd Pack was cast by pure chance: Ray Butt, who hired him to portray Trigger after seeing him in a stage play, had only attended that play to observe potential Del Boy actor Billy Murray.[45] A daft road sweeper most frequently seen in the Nag's Head, Trigger was initially portrayed as a small-time thief, supplying Del with dubious goods.[44] In later episodes he came to adopt the 'village idiot' role, and believes that Rodney's real name is Dave.[46]
Boycie (John Challis) — A shady used car salesman and a frightful snob. Boycie, a freemason, was very self-centred and prone to boasting about his high social status.[47][48] Challis had played a similar character in an episode of Citizen Smith. Sullivan liked him, and promised to cast him in a future series, which led to Boycie.[47] Boycie later featured in a spin-off series, The Green Green Grass, starting in 2005, in which he and his wife Marlene fled from a criminal gang.[49]
Raquel Turner (Tessa Peake-Jones) — Raquel was introduced because Sullivan wanted more female characters and for Del to start meeting more mature women. Her first appearance, in "Dates", was intended to be a one-off, but she was written in again a year later and thereafter became a permanent cast member.[50] An ambitious trained singer and actress whose career never took off, she met Del through a dating agency, but they fell out over her part-time job as a stripper, before getting together again. This time she moved in with Del, helping to mellow him, and they had a son together, named Damien. As the character unfolded, it was revealed that she was previously married to Del's nemesis, DCI Roy Slater.[51][52]
Cassandra Trotter (Gwyneth Strong) — Cassandra first met Rodney in "Yuppy Love". Their relationship blossomed, and by the end of series six the two had married. But her high career ambitions caused conflict with Rodney, and their troubled marriage was one of the main storylines later in the show's run.[53]
Marlene Boyce (Sue Holderness)  — Marlene was initially just an unseen character, occasionally mentioned by her husband, Boycie. She was a cheerful woman who desired a child. Details were occasionally revealed about Marlene's prior reputation as being popular with the local men.[54] She did finally have a son, Tyler.[55]
Denzil Tulser (Paul Barber) — An easy-going Liverpudlian lorry driver,[56] Denzil was often on the receiving end of Del's scams. His inability to say no to Del's business deals frequently led to conflict with his domineering wife, Corrine (Eva Mottley), who was only sighted once, in "Who's a Pretty Boy?".[57] Sullivan had planned to bring Corrine back for more episodes, but after Mottley's death in 1985, he opted to make her an unseen character rather than use another actress.[58]
Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray) — Mickey was a young, obnoxious spiv and friend of Rodney's, known for his exaggerated boasts about his success in business or with women. Despite their friendship, Mickey often took advantage of Rodney's gullibility by stealing his girlfriends or making off with all the money from their business partnership.[59]
Mike Fisher (Kenneth MacDonald) — The landlord of the Nag's Head, although not from the very beginning; his predecessor was never seen, with just a succession of barmaids providing service. Good natured and somewhat gullible, he was often targeted by Del as a potential customer for any goods he was selling. When Kenneth MacDonald died in 2001, a storyline involving Mike's imprisonment for attempting to embezzle the brewery was written, and cafe owner Sid took over as interim pub landlord.[60]
Damien Trotter (various) — Damien was Del and Raquel's son. It was Rodney's mocking suggestion that he be named Damien. Six actors played Damien: Patrick McManus (1991), Grant Stevens (1991), Robert Liddement (1992), Jamie Smith (1993–96), Douglas Hodge (1996, as adult), and Ben Smith (2001–03).[61]
Sid (Roy Heather) — Sid made sporadic appearances throughout the show's run, mainly as the proprietor of the run-down and unhygienic local cafe. Sid fought in the war and it is revealed in the episode "The Jolly Boys' Outing" that he was captured and imprisoned. After Nag's Head landlord Mike was imprisoned, Sid took over and kept that role for the remainder of the series.[62]

text: Minor cast and characters[edit]

text: The most frequent roles for guest actors in Only Fools and Horses were as Del or Rodney's once-seen girlfriends, barmaids at the Nag's Head, or individuals the Trotters were doing business with. Del and Rodney's deceased mother, Joan, though never seen, cropped up in Del's embellished accounts of her, or in his attempts to emotionally blackmail Rodney. Her grave – a flamboyant monument – was seen occasionally.[63] Their absent father, Reg, appeared once in "Thicker Than Water" (played by Peter Woodthorpe), before leaving under a cloud, never to be seen again.[64] Other members of the Trotter family were rarely sighted, the exceptions being the woman they believe to be Auntie Rose (Beryl Cooke) in "The Second Time Around",[65] and cousins Stan and Jean (Mike Kemp and Maureen Sweeney), who attended Grandad's funeral.[66] When Rodney met Cassandra, her father Alan Parry (Denis Lill) became a recurring character.[67] Raquel's parents, James and Audrey (Michael Jayston and Ann Lynn), appeared in "Time On Our Hands", and it was James who discovered the antique watch which made the Trotters millionaires.[68]

text: In some episodes, a guest character was essential to the plot. Del's ex-fiancee Pauline (Jill Baker) dominated Del's libido in "The Second Time Around",[69] prompting Rodney and Grandad to leave. In "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", Del's old business partner Jumbo Mills (Nick Stringer) wanted Del to return to Australia with him and restore their partnership, forcing Del to make a decision.[70] An attempt by Lennox (Vas Blackwood) to rob a local supermarket set-up the "hostage" situation in "The Longest Night".[71] Del and Rodney spent the whole of "Tea for Three" battling each other for the affections of Trigger's niece Lisa (Gerry Cowper).[72] Abdul (Tony Anholt) in "To Hull and Back" and Arnie (Philip McGough) in "Chain Gang" were responsible for setting up dubious enterprises involving the Trotters in their respective episodes.[73] Tony Angelino (Philip Pope), the singing dustman with a speech impediment, was the key to the humour and the storyline of "Stage Fright" and EastEnders actor Derek Martin guest starred in Fatal Extraction.[74]

text: Del's nemesis from his school days, corrupt policeman DCI Roy Slater (played by Jim Broadbent), made three appearances, in "May The Force Be With You", "To Hull and Back" and "Class of '62".[75] Feared local villains, the Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden and Christopher Ryan) featured once, in "Little Problems", but were mentioned in two previous episodes ("Video Nasty" and "The Frog's Legacy"),[76] and are important in the story of The Green Green Grass.[77] A grown-up Damien (Douglas Hodge) appeared in "Heroes and Villains".[78] Rodney and Mickey's friends, the smooth-talking Jevon (Steven Woodcock) and then, briefly, Chris (Tony Marshall), a ladies' hairdresser, featured sporadically during the sixth and seventh series and the intervening Christmas specials.[79] The two-part 1991 Christmas special, "Miami Twice", saw Richard Branson and Barry Gibb make cameo appearances.[80] Mike Read appeared as himself, hosting an episode of "Top Of The Pops", in "It's Only Rock and Roll" and Jonathan Ross appeared as himself in "If They Could See Us Now".[81][3]

text: While their characters were less significant, well-known actors who played cameos in the programme included Joan Sims, best known for her numerous roles in the Carry On films,[63] who guest-starred in the feature-length episode "The Frog's Legacy" as an aunt of Trigger and old friend of Del's late mother;[63] Hollywood star David Thewlis, who played a young wannabe musician in "It's Only Rock and Roll";[82] John Bardon, who played the role of Jim Branning in the soap opera "EastEnders", as the supermarket security officer in "The Longest Night".[83] Walter Sparrow, who appeared as Dirty Barry in "Danger UXD", went on to appear in several Hollywood films.[84]

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Sixty-three episodes of Only Fools and Horses, all written by John Sullivan, were broadcast on BBC1 between 8 September 1981 and 25 December 2003.[85][86] The show was aired in seven series (1981–83, 1985–86, 1989 and 1990–91), and thereafter in sporadic Christmas special editions (1991–93, 1996, 2001–03).[3] All earlier episodes had a running time of 30 minutes, but this was extended after Series Six (1989), and all subsequent episodes had a running time ranging from 50 to 95 minutes.[3]

text: Several mini-episodes were produced.[87] An eight-minute episode aired on 27 December 1982 as part of a show hosted by Frank Muir, The Funny Side of Christmas, and attracted 7.2 million viewers.[87] A 5-minute spoof BBC documentary was shown on Breakfast Time on 24 December 1985, with Del being investigated by a BBC consumer expert.[87] An educational episode named "Licensed to Drill", in which Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling, was recorded in 1984 but only shown in schools.[88] A 5-minute 1990–91 Persian Gulf War special (dated 1 December 1990) has Del, Rodney, and Albert convey a message to British troops serving in the conflict.[87] It has never been broadcast commercially, but a copy exists at the Imperial War Museum, London.[89] A Comic Relief special showing Del, Rodney and Albert making an appeal for donations was shown on 14 March 1997, with 10.6 million viewers.[90] A Sport Relief special was aired on 21 March 2014.[91]

text: Only Fools and Horses had two producers: Ray Butt from 1981 to 1987,[92] and Gareth Gwenlan thereafter.[93] Seven directors were used: Martin Shardlow directed all episodes in series one,[94] Bernard Thompson directed the 1981 Christmas special,[95] Susan Belbin series four,[96] and Mandie Fletcher series five.[97] Butt directed series three and five, as well as the 1985, 1986 and 1987 Christmas specials.[92] Tony Dow became the established director after 1988, directing all subsequent episodes, bar the first part of Miami Twice, which was directed by Gareth Gwenlan.[98] John Sullivan was executive producer on seven of the final eight episodes.[99]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Only Fools and Horses is one of the UK's most popular sitcoms. It was among the ten most-watched television shows of the year in the UK in 1986,[100] 1989,[101] 1990,[102] 1991,[103] 1992,[104] 1993,[105] 1996,[106] 2001,[107] 2002[108] and 2003.[109] The 1996 Christmas trilogy of "Heroes and Villains", "Modern Men" and "Time On Our Hands" saw the show's peak. The first two attracted 21.3 million viewers,[110][111] while the third episode – at the time believed to be the final one – got 24.3 million,[112] a record audience for a British sitcom.[113] Repeat episodes also attract millions of viewers,[114] and the BBC has received criticism for repeating the show too often.[115][116]

text: Only Fools and Horses won the BAFTA award for best comedy series in 1985,[117] 1988[118] and 1996,[119] was nominated in 1983,[120] 1986,[121] 1989,[122] 1990[123] and 1991,[124] and won the audience award in 2004. David Jason received individual BAFTAs for his portrayal of Del Boy in 1990[125] and 1996.[126] The series won a National Television Award in 1997 for most popular comedy series;[127] Jason won two individual awards, in 1997 and 2002.[127] At the British Comedy Awards, the show was named best BBC sitcom for 1990,[128] and received the People's Choice award in 1997.[129] It also won the Royal Television Society best comedy award in 1997 and two Television and Radio Industries Club Awards for comedy programme of the year, in 1984 and 1997.[130] John Sullivan received the Writers' Guild of Great Britain comedy award in 1997.[131]

text: The show regularly features in polls to find the most popular comedy series, moments and characters. It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll,[132] and came 45th in the British Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes.[133] It was 3rd on a subsequent viewers' poll on the BFI website.[134] Empire magazine ranked Only Fools and Horses #42 on their list of the 50 greatest television shows of all time.[135] It was also named the funniest British sitcom of all time through a scientific formula, in a study by Gold.[136] Scenes such as Del Boy's fall through a bar flap in "Yuppy Love" and the Trotters accidentally smashing a priceless chandelier in "A Touch of Glass" have become recognisable British comedy moments, invariably topping polls of comedy viewers.[137][138][139][140] Del Boy was voted the most popular British television character of all time in a survey by Open....[141] and came fourth in a Channel 4 list of Britain's best-loved television characters.[142] A Onepoll survey found that Only Fools and Horses was the television series Britons would most like to see return.[143]

text: Theme music and titles[edit]

text: Only Fools and Horses has separate theme songs for the opening and closing credits, "Only Fools and Horses" and "Hooky Street", respectively.[144] The original theme tune was produced by Ronnie Hazlehurst and recorded on 6 August 1981 at Lime Grove Studios. Alf Bigden, Paul Westwood, Don Hunt, John Dean, Judd Proctor, Eddie Mordue, and Rex Morris were hired to play the music. The tune was changed after the first series, and the new one was written by John Sullivan (he disliked the tune for the first series, and his new one explained the show's title[145]), and Hazlehurst conducted it. It was recorded at Lime Grove on 11 May 1982, with musicians John Horler, Dave Richmond, Bigden, and Proctor. Sullivan wanted the band Chas & Dave singing, but this was not possible due to their single Ain't No Pleasing You being successful in the charts.[146] Sullivan had intended for Chas & Dave to sing it because they had enjoyed success with the "Rockney" style, a mixture of rock n' roll and traditional Cockney music.[147] Sullivan was persuaded to do it himself by Ray Butt.[146] Despite the creation of a new theme tune, the original one remained in occasional use.[145] Chas & Dave did later contribute to the show, performing the closing credits song for the 1989 episode "The Jolly Boys' Outing".[148] Both songs are performed by Sullivan himself, and not – as is sometimes thought – by Nicholas Lyndhurst.[149]

text: The opening credits see images of the three principal actors peel on and off the screen sequentially. These appear over a background of still photographs of everyday life in South London. The sequence was conceived by graphic designer, Peter Clayton, as a "metaphor for the vagaries of the Trotters' lifestyle", whereby money was earned and quickly lost again. Clayton had also considered using five-pound notes having Del's face. The action was shot manually frame by frame, and took around six weeks to complete. Clayton knew that it was important to have the characters established in the titles, and prepared a storyboard depicting his ideas using drawings. He photographed various locations with a photographer, and the titles were shot using a rostrum camera and not edited. Brian Stephens, a professional animator, was hired to create the labels' movement.[150]

text: Clayton returned to the show when the titles were changed: for "Christmas Crackers," he re-cut the entire sequence, and added Christmas items. Another change was made necessary by Lennard Pearce's death and Buster Merryfield joining the cast, so the pictures of David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst were updated too. The sequence was shot on motor drive.[150]

text: The closing credits for the programme varied series by series. The first series used peeling labels featuring the names of the cast and crew, mirroring the opening sequence, but these had to be updated with every new episode, making the process very time-consuming; from the second series the credits switched to a standard rolling format. The third series featured additional symbols. For the fourth series, these designs were replaced with white lettering on a black background. The fifth series had a black and white background, but the sixth series reverted to the black one. For the seventh series, the credits scrolled against a freeze frame of the final scene.[150]

text: Filming locations[edit]

text: The original "Nelson Mandela House" in the titles was Harlech Tower, Park Road East, Acton, London, and since 1988, was filmed at Whitemead House, Duckmoor Road, Ashton, Bristol.[151]

text: Cultural impact[edit]

text: In addition to its mainstream popularity, Only Fools and Horses has also developed a cult following. The Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society, established in 1993, has a membership of around 7,000,[152] publishes a quarterly newsletter, Hookie Street, and organises annual conventions of fans, usually attended by cast members. The Society has also organised an Only Fools and Horses museum, containing props from the series, including Del's camel-hair coat and the Trotters' Ford Capri.[153] It was named one of the top 20 cult television programmes of all-time by TV critic Jeff Evans. Evans spoke of:

text:
“
"[shows] such as Only Fools and Horses, which gets tremendous viewing figures but does inspire conventions of fans who meet in pubs called the Nag's Head and wander round dressed as their favourite characters"[154]
”

text: Only Fools and Horses – and consequently John Sullivan – is credited with the popularisation in Britain of several words and phrases used by Del Boy regularly, particularly "Plonker",[155] meaning a fool or an idiot, and two expressions of delight or approval: "Cushty"[155] and "Lovely jubbly". The latter was borrowed from an advertising slogan for a popular 1960s orange juice drink, called Jubbly, which was packaged in a pyramid shaped, waxed paper carton. Sullivan remembered it and thought it was an expression Del Boy would use; in 2003, the phrase was incorporated into the new Oxford English Dictionary.[156]

text: Owing to its exposure on Only Fools and Horses, the Reliant Regal van is now often linked with the show in the British media.[157][158][159] The one used by the Trotters has attained cult status and is currently on display at the Cars of the Stars exhibition at the National Motor Museum, alongside many other vehicles from British and American television and movies, such as the Batmobile and the DeLorean from Back to the Future.[160] Boxer Ricky Hatton, a fan of the show, purchased one of the original vans in 2004.[161] Another of the vans used in the series was sold at auction in the UK for £44,000 in February 2007.[162]

text: During the media frenzy surrounding The Independent's revelations that the new bottled water Dasani, marketed by Coca-Cola, was in fact just purified tap water from Sidcup, mocking parallels were made with the Only Fools and Horses episode, "Mother Nature's Son", in which Del sells tap water as "Peckham Spring".[163] In the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, the Trotters' yellow Reliant van appeared on stage, along with two characters dressed as Batman and Robin, a reference to the Only Fools and Horses episode "Heroes and Villains".[164]

text: A character is referred to as "a bit of a Del Boy" in the Doctor Who episode "Father's Day".[165]

text: Other media[edit]

text: Four episodes ("The Long Legs of the Law", "A Losing Streak", "No Greater Love" and "The Yellow Peril") were re-edited for audio purposes and released on audio cassette on 12 October 1998. The cassette was re-released in October 2000.[166]

text: A 4-minute show named "Royal Variety Performance" was shown on 27 November 1988 (viewed by 18.14 million people) and had Del, Rodney, and Albert appear on the Royal Variety Show.[87] It was staged on 24 November 1986, and the plot saw David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Buster Merryfield appear on stage in character, thinking that they are delivering boxes of alcohol to an associate of Del's, only later realising where they actually are.[167] They also mistake the Duchess of York for Del's associate.[168]

text: An idea of an Only Fools and Horses stage show was mooted by Ray Butt, following the success of other sit-com crossovers such as Dad's Army and Are You Being Served?. Sullivan wasn't keen, owing to his work on Just Good Friends as well as Only Fools and Horses, and inexperience with the theatre, so nothing came of it.[12]

text: A six-part documentary series titled "The Story of Only Fools and Horses", began on 29 August 2017 on Gold and it will be shown over six weeks. The series features rare and unseen footage from the Trotter archives and specially re-created moments from Del Boy's family and friends.[169]

text: International remakes[edit]

text: Only Fools and Horses was sold to countries throughout the world. Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Yugoslavia are among those who purchased it.[170] In all former Yugoslav countries in which Serbo-Croatian is spoken the title was Mućke (or Мућке in Cyrillic script), which can roughly be translated as "shady deals." In Macedonia, it's Spletki (Сплетки in Cyrillic). In Slovenia, however, the show was coined Samo bedaki in konji, which is a literal Slovenian translation of the original English title. The show has enjoyed particular popularity in the former Yugoslavia, and is regarded as a cult series in Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.[171]

text: A number of overseas re-makes have also been produced. A Dutch version aired for one series in 1995, entitled Wat schuift't? (What's it worth?). The Trotters were renamed the Aarsmans and it starred Johnny Kraaykamp jnr. as Stef (Del), Sacco Van der Made as Grandad and Kasper van Kooten as Robbie (Rodney), and was shown on RTL 4.[172] A Portuguese re-make, O Fura-Vidas, a local expression for someone who lives outside the law, ran for three series from 1999 to 2001. It was a literal translation of the British version, with all episodes based on the originals. It centred on the Fintas family, who live in Sapadores, a neighbourhood in Lisbon, and starred Miguel Guilherme as Quim (Del), Canto e Castro as Grandad, and Ivo Canelas as Joca (Rodney). In this Portuguese version the Reliant's equivalent was a 1988 Suzuki Super Carry.[173] A Slovenian re-make, called Brat bratu (Brother to Brother), was broadcast from 2008 to 2009. All episodes were based on the original British storylines, and it was made in co-operation with John Sullivan. It featured brothers Brane (Brane Šturbej) and Bine (Jure Drevenšek), who moved from Maribor to Ljubljana. The series also stars Peter Ternovšek as Grandad. It was directed by Branko Đurić. The series was cancelled after thirteen episodes due to poor ratings.[174]

text: There have been several plans to produce an American version. One was to be a star vehicle for former M*A*S*H actor Harry Morgan, with Grandad rather than Del becoming the lead character.[175] The other, entitled This Time Next Year..., would have seen the Trotters renamed the Flannagans. A draft script was written for the latter,[176] but neither show materialised. In 2010 Steve Carell, star of the US version of The Office, expressed an interest in making an American version of the series, with him to star as Del Boy.[177] In January 2012 US network ABC commissioned a pilot of an Only Fools and Horses remake titled "King of Van Nuys", written by Scrubs writers Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley.[178] It was developed, rejected and then redeveloped – only to be rejected again later in the year. The pilot starred John Leguizamo as Del, Dustin Ybarra as his brother Rodney and Christopher Lloyd as Grandad.[179]

text: A parody called Only Jerks and Horses was written by David Walliams and Matt Lucas and directed by Edgar Wright in 1997.[180]

text: Spin-offs[edit]

text: The Green Green Grass[edit]

text: A spin-off of Only Fools and Horses entitled The Green Green Grass, also written by John Sullivan and directed by Tony Dow, was first aired in the UK in September 2005.[181] Sullivan had considered writing a sitcom around the popular characters of Boycie and Marlene (John Challis and Sue Holderness) since the mid-1980s, but it was not until the series finally ended that the idea came to fruition. The Green Green Grass sees Boycie and Marlene forced to leave Peckham by one-time Only Fools and Horses villains, the Driscoll Brothers, and has included guest appearances by Denzil (Paul Barber) and Sid (Roy Heather). A second series of The Green Green Grass was broadcast in the UK in October 2006,[182] a third in November 2007[183] and a fourth in January 2009.[184]

text: Rock & Chips[edit]

text: In 2003, it was reported that Sullivan was developing a prequel to the original series, Once Upon a Time in Peckham, which would feature Del as a youngster in the 1960s, and have a prominent role for his parents.[185] In 2009, it was again reported that the BBC were considering commissioning the show, although nothing was confirmed.[186] On 5 April 2009, Sullivan told The Mail on Sunday that he was planning a prequel to Only Fools and Horses which would star Nicholas Lyndhurst as Freddie "The Frog" Robdal, a local criminal and Rodney's biological father; Robdal was the focus of the episode "The Frog's Legacy".[187]

text: On 3 July 2009, the BBC revealed that the title of the spin-off would be Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Chips, and would be a 90-minute comedy drama.[188] The title was subsequently changed to Rock & Chips.[189] Filming began in August 2009, and it was shown on BBC One at 9pm on 24 January 2010.[190] In October 2009 it was confirmed that Lyndhurst would star as Robdal.[191] The Inbetweeners and Off The Hook actor James Buckley played the role of the young Del Boy.[191]

text: Merchandise[edit]

text: Only Fools and Horses spawned many merchandising spin-offs. Several books have been published, such as "The Only Fools and Horses Story" by Steve Clark[192] and "The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses" by Richard Webber,[193] both of which detail the history of the series. The scripts have been published in a three-volume compendium, "The Bible of Peckham".[194]

text: It has been released on VHS, DVD and audio CD in several guises. A DVD collection containing every episode was issued, along with various other special edition box-sets, such as a tin based on their Reliant Regal. Videos and DVDs of Only Fools and Horses continue to be among the BBC's biggest-selling items, having sold over 6 million VHS copies and 1 million DVDs in the UK.[195][196]

text: Two board games based on the show were released: a Monopoly-style game, the "Trotters Trading Game", in which participants attempt to emulate the Trotters and become millionaires,[197] and another game set in their local pub, entitled the "Nag's Head Board Game".[198]

text: In October 2015, He Who Dares..., a fictional autobiography, was released by Ebury Press. The book was written with the backing of John Sullivan's estate.[199][200][201]

text: Notes[edit]

text:
^ Jump up to: a b c d Lewisohn, Mark. "Only Fools and Horses". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
^ Jump up to: a b c Lee, Darren. "Only Fools and Horses (1981-96)". BFI Screenonline. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Clark (2011). The Official Inside Story. pp. 290–316.
Jump up ^ Clark, Steve (1998). The Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 10–11.
^ Jump up to: a b Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 15.
^ Jump up to: a b Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 12.
Jump up ^ McCann (2012). The Story of Britain's Favourite Comedy. p. 52.
Jump up ^ McCann (2012). The Story of Britain's Favourite Comedy. pp. 52–55.
Jump up ^ "Big Brother". BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 78.
^ Jump up to: a b c Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 84.
^ Jump up to: a b Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 92–93.
Jump up ^ Webber, Richard; Dr John Sullivan (2003). The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. Orion. p. 28.
Jump up ^ Clark (2011). The Official Inside Story. p. 159.
^ Jump up to: a b Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 100.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 102.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 102–104.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 104.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 116–118.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 120,121.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 121.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 101.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 136-139.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 140–143.
Jump up ^ "Only Fools And Horses to return". BBC. 6 August 2001. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
Jump up ^ "David Jason suggests Only Fools and Horses could return". British Comedy Guide. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
Jump up ^ Lemanski, Dominik (10 February 2008). "Del Boy is Dead". Daily Star Sunday. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
Jump up ^ Saul, Heather (4 January 2014). "Del Boy and Rodney to return in Only Fools and Horses sketch". The Independent. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 211,212.
Jump up ^ "Del's Lingo". BBC. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Webber (2003). "History of the sitcom". A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 96–102.
Jump up ^ Brooks, Xan (26 November 2014). "Jim Broadbent – the actor who rejected an OBE. And Only Fools and Horses". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
Jump up ^ "Rodney". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 215.
^ Jump up to: a b Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 14.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 212,213.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 52, 104–106.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 185.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 102–103.
^ Jump up to: a b Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 209,210.
Jump up ^ "Uncle Albert". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 136.
Jump up ^ Clark (2011). The Official Inside Story. p. 254.
^ Jump up to: a b Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 207,208.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 60.
Jump up ^ "Trigger". BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 39,40.
Jump up ^ "Boycie". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Clark (2011). The Official Inside Story. pp. 271,273.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 102.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 217,218.
Jump up ^ "Raquel". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 210.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 38.
Jump up ^ "Marlene". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ "Denzil". BBC. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 55,56,63,64.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 98.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 155,156.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 73,74,129–131.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 210.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 176.
^ Jump up to: a b c Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 214.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 214,215.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 169.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 110,184.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 150.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 217.
Jump up ^ BBC Comedy Greats (12 March 2010), There's No Calories in Weed Killer – Only Fools and Horses – BBC, retrieved 13 May 2016
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 235,236.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 126,127.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 192,193.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 47,202,204.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 71,182,183.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 178.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 66,67.
Jump up ^ "Sue Holderness Interview". Gold. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 103.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 50,111.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 137.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 108.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 194.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 30.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 182.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. pp. 146–158.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 5.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e McCann (2012). The Story of Britain's Favourite Comedy. p. 312.
Jump up ^ "Specials". The Nag's Head. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 95.
Jump up ^ McCann (2012). The Story of Britain's Favourite Comedy. pp. 312,313.
Jump up ^ "Sport Relief TV revealed". Sport Relief. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
^ Jump up to: a b Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 45.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 85.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 175.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 195.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 32.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 74.
Jump up ^ For the full production team, see Webber (2003), p. 161
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 187.
Jump up ^ "1986". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1989". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1990". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1991". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1992". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1993". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "1996". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "2001". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "2002". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "2003". Barb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "Heroes and Villains". BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Modern Men". BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Time On Our Hands". BBC. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
Jump up ^ Desborough, James (31 March 2017). "Only Fools gold: When Del Boy and Rodney finally became 'million-nares' at last". Mirror Online. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ "Only a fool would drop repeats of best shows, BBC is told". The Times. 29 August 2005. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ Moore, Charles (5 March 2005). "David Jason calls for less of Del Boy". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "BBC told to cut repeats". ThisIsLondon. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1985". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1988". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1996". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1983". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1986". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1989". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1990". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Comedy Series 1991". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Best Light Entertainment Performance 1990". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Best Comedy Performance 1996". Bafta.org. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ Jump up to: a b "Roll call of NTA winners". National Television Awards. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Past Winners 1990". British Comedy Awards. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
Jump up ^ "Past Winners 1997". British Comedy Awards. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 26.
Jump up ^ Hayward, Anthony (24 April 2011). "John Sullivan: Writer who created the classic sitcom 'Only Fools and Horses', as well as 'Citizen Smith' and 'Just Good Friends'". The Independent. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ "Britain's Best Sitcom". BBC. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
Jump up ^ "BFI TV100". BFI. Retrieved 14 September 2006.
Jump up ^ "Your favourite programme: poll results". BFI. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
Jump up ^ "The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time". Empire magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
Jump up ^ "Fools tops 'sitcom formula' test". BBC. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Del Boy's wine bar fall is favourite television pub scene". Ananova. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Comedy greats". BBC. 13 August 2000. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Del tops Christmas TV poll". BBC. 7 December 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Del Boy rivals moon landing for top TV". BBC. 28 August 1999. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Del Boy tops popularity poll". BBC. 19 April 2000. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "100 Greatest TV Characters". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 29 August 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2006.
Jump up ^ "Britons 'want Del Boy TV return'". BBC. 11 January 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
Jump up ^ Clark (1998). Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 2.
^ Jump up to: a b "BBC ONE celebrates 21st birthday of Only Fools and Horses". BBC. 3 September 2002. Retrieved 17 January 2007.
^ Jump up to: a b Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. pp. 193,194.
Jump up ^ "Rockney geezers: A knees-up with Chas & Dave". The Independent. London. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 112.
Jump up ^ "Trotter Trivia". UKTV Gold. Archived from the original on 27 November 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
^ Jump up to: a b c Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 202.
Jump up ^ Clark, Steve (1998). The Only Fools and Horses Story. p. 52.
Jump up ^ Webber (2003). A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. p. 148.
Jump up ^ "Del Boy museum planned". BBC. 19 July 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Doctor Who named cult favourite". BBC. 7 August 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
^ Jump up to: a b Vanessa Thorpe (29 July 2001). "Del's back: you'd be a plonker to miss it". The Observer. London. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "TV provides new dictionary entries". BBC. 20 August 2003. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ Wollaston, Sam (27 August 1999). "Reliant Robin reborn". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ Moore, Charles (21 July 2001). "'Axed' Reliant Robin is given a second wind". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "End of the road for Reliant Robin". BBC. 27 September 2000. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Cars of the Stars". carsofthestars.com. Retrieved 17 September 2006.
Jump up ^ Chris Charles (29 September 2004). "Ricky's one Del of a fighter". BBC. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
Jump up ^ "Del Boy's Reliant makes a killing". BBC. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
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Jump up ^ Johnson, Andrew (11 January 2009). "Lovely jubbly! Del Boy's back – as a teenager". The Independent. London. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
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Jump up ^ "Press Office – BBC One brings back the Trotters in Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Chips". BBC. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
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Jump up ^ Parker, Robin (3 July 2009). "Trotters to return in Only Fools and Horses prequel". Broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2009. (subscription required)
^ Jump up to: a b "Lyndhurst returns as Rodney's dad". BBC News. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
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Jump up ^ "Only Fools and Horses Trotters Trading Game (1990)". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ "The Nags Head Board Game (Only Fools and Horses) (2004)". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Rigby, Sam (28 May 2015). "Del Boy is releasing his autobiography He Who Dares in October". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Myall, Steve (12 October 2015). "'Del Boy' Trotter's autobiography released: "It’s got everything: pictures, words, birds, violence, adventure"". Mirror Online. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
Jump up ^ Trotter, Derek 'Del Boy' (8 October 2015). "He Who Dares". Ebury Press – via Amazon.

tag: ol


document_title: United States Sanitary Commission

question_text: who served as head of the us sanitary commission

root

text: United States Sanitary Commission

text: History[edit]

text: Henry Whitney Bellows, (1814-1882), a Massachusetts clergyman, planned the USSC and served as its only president.[7] According to The Wall Street Journal, "its first executive secretary was Frederick Law Olmsted, (1822-1903), the famed landscape architect who designed New York's Central Park".[8] George Templeton Strong, (1820-1875), New York lawyer and diarist, helped found the commission and served as treasurer and member of the executive committee.[9]

tag: p

text: In June 1861, the Sanitary Commission set up its central office inside the United States Treasury Building, just east of the Executive Mansion (now the White House), on Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street in central Washington, D.C. By late October 1861, the USSC Central Office and the U.S. War Department had received detailed studies and reports from the Sanitary Inspectors of more than four hundred regimental camp inspections. The rapidly crowded events of those first six months of the war displayed the sheer gravity of the situation in which the adjustment to the means and agencies were desperately needed to ensure a high health-rate in all those untrained Union Army regiments.[10]

text: Immediately following the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, the first orders and receipts submitted to the Central Office began to arrive from the military Union Army hospitals at Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., requesting water-beds, small tables for writing in bed, iron wire cradles for protecting wounded limbs, dominoes, checkerboards, Delphinium and hospital gowns for the wounded.[11]

text: The demands of the war soon required more frequent decision-making. This led to the creation of the Standing Committee, which met on a nearly daily basis in New York City where most of its members resided. The Standing Committee initially consisted of five commissioners who retained their position for the entire war: Henry W. Bellows, George Templeton Strong, William H. Van Buren, M.D., Cornelius R. Agnew, M.D., and Prof. Wolcott Gibbs., M.D.[12]

text: Also active in the association was Colonel Leavitt Hunt, (1831-1907), a New York lawyer and pionering photographer. In January 1864, he wrote to 16th President Abraham Lincoln's secretary John George Nicolay asking that Nicolay forward him any documents he might have available with the President's signature. Hunt's mother, the widow of Vermont congressman Jonathan Hunt, planned to attach Lincoln's signature to copies of several casts of the President's hand, to be sold to raise funds for the war effort.[13] Other fund raising events included the famous 50 pound sack of flour that was auctioned off by Reuel Colt Gridley. By auctioning off the same sack of flour, which was then re-donated to be sold again, Gridley eventually raised more thatn $250,000.00 for the Sanitary Commission.

text: Women in the USSC[edit]

text: Arising from a meeting in New York City of the Women's Central Relief Association of New York,[14] the organization was also inspired by the British Sanitary Commission of the Crimean War. The American volunteers raised money (estimated at $25 million), collected donations, made uniforms, worked as nurses, ran kitchens in army camps, and administered hospital ships, soldiers' homes, lodges, and rests for traveling or disabled soldiers. They organized Sanitary Fairs in numerous cities to support the Federal army with funds and supplies, and to raise funds for the work of the USSC.[15] Women who were prominent in the organization, often traveling great distances, and working in harsh conditions, included Louisa May Alcott, Almira Fales, Eliza Emily Chappell Porter, Katherine Prescott Wormeley, and many others.

text: Dorothea Dix, serving as the commission's superintendent, convinced the medical corps of the value of women working in their hospitals.[16] Over 15,000 women volunteered to work in hospitals, usually in nursing care.[17] They assisted surgeons during procedures, gave medicines, supervised the feedings and cleaned the bedding and clothes. They gave good cheer, wrote letters the men dictated, and comforted the dying.[18] A representative nurse was Helen L. Gilson (1835–68) of Chelsea, Massachusetts, who served in Sanitary Commission. She supervised supplies, dressed wounds, and cooked special foods for patients on a limited diet. She worked in hospitals after the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg. She was a successful administrator, especially at the hospital for black soldiers at City Point, Virginia.[19] The middle-class women who volunteered provided vitally needed nursing services and were rewarded with a sense of patriotism and civic duty in addition to the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and gain new ones, while receiving wages and sharing the hardships of the men.[20]

text: Mary Livermore,[21] Mary Ann Bickerdyke, and Annie Wittenmeyer played leadership roles.[22] After the war some nurses wrote memoirs of their experiences; examples include Dix, Livermore, Sarah Palmer Young, and Sarah Emma Edmonds.

text: Sanitary Fairs[edit]

text: Organizing the Sanitary Fairs offered ways for local communities to be directly part of supporting the war effort of the nation. The first Sanitary Fair during the war was held in Chicago from October 27 to November 7, 1863. Called the Northwestern Soldiers' Fair, it raised almost $100,000 for the war effort. It included a six-mile-long parade of militiamen, bands, political leaders, delegations from various local organizations, and a contingent of farmers, who presented carts full of their crops. The fairs generally involved large-scale exhibitions, including displays of art, mechanical technology, and period rooms. These sorts of displays called upon ideas of the American past, a history that local communities held in common. Often, different communities competed with each other over their donations to the national cause. People in various cities and towns across the North contributed to the same war effort because they identified as having shared fortunes in their common nation.[23]

text: The USSC leadership sometimes did not approve of the excitement and lavishness of the fairs. They wanted to encourage sacrifice as a component of membership in a nation. Although the fairs were one way to create a national identity which might motivate citizens to perform their duties, the commission leadership did not want the fairs to become the focus of USSC work.[23]

text: In addition to setting up and staffing hospitals, the USSC operated 30 soldiers' homes, lodges, or rest houses for traveling or disabled Union soldiers. Most of these closed shortly after the war.[24]

text: The government constructed the Pension Building in Washington, DC to handle all the staff to process the pension requests and administer them. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the war, the USSC volunteers continued to work with Union Army veterans to secure their bounties, back pay, and apply for pensions. It supported the "health and hygiene" of the veterans. They had a Department of General Relief which accepted donations for veterans, too.[15] The USSC organization was finally disbanded in May 1866.[25]

text: Chicago held a second sanitary fair from April 27, 1865 to June 21, 1865 and the women organizers published a newspaper entitled Voice of the Fair that was distributed at the event.[26]

text: Notable members[edit]

text:
Henry Whitney Bellows served as the President of the Commission.
Samuel Howe served as a Director of the Commission.
Frederick Law Olmsted served as the Executive Secretary of the Sanitary Commission.
George Templeton Strong was Treasurer of the Commission
Louisa May Alcott served as a nurse for the Sanitary Commission at a Union Army Hospital in Georgetown.
Mary Ann Bickerdyke served as a nurse for the Sanitary Commission and is credited with establishing 300 field hospitals during the Civil War
Mary Livermore led the Northwestern Branch of the Sanitary Commission

text: States could use their own tax money to supplement the Commission's work, as Ohio did. Under the energetic leadership of Governor David Tod, a War Democrat who won office on a coalition "Union Party" ticket with Republicans, Ohio acted vigorously. Following the unexpected carnage at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, it sent three steamboats to the scene as floating hospitals with doctors, nurses and medical supplies. The state fleet expanded to eleven hospital ships. The state also set up 12 local offices in main transportation nodes to help Ohio soldiers moving back and forth.[27]

text: Legacy[edit]

text: The U.S. Sanitary Commission is memorialized by a group of re-enactors who portray the Boston branch of the commission at various civic events, educational programs, and Civil War re-enactments. The group is based out of the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts.


document_title: NBA playoffs

question_text: how many games are in the first round playoffs of the nba

text: NBA playoffs

text: Format[edit]

text: In September 2015, the NBA announced changes to the formula used to determine the format of the 2016 NBA Playoffs. The top eight teams in each conference (East and West), ranked in order by win-loss records, qualify for the playoffs. The tie-break criteria for playoff seeding and home-court advantage have also changed; head-to-head results between the tied teams is the first tie-breaker, and whether a team won its division championship is the second tie-breaker.[1]

text: These seedings are used to create a bracket that determines the match-ups throughout the series. Once the playoffs start, the bracket is fixed; teams are never "reseeded", unlike in the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) where the strongest remaining teams face the weakest teams in subsequent rounds. The first round of the NBA playoffs, or conference quarterfinals, consists of four match-ups in each conference based on the seedings (1–8, 2–7, 3–6, and 4–5). The four winners advance to the second round, or conference semifinals, with a match-up between the 1–8 and 4–5 winners and a match-up between the 2–7 and 3–6 winners. The two winners advance to the third round, or conference finals. The winner from each conference will advance to the final round, or the NBA Finals.

text: All rounds are best-of-seven series. Series are played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while their opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6, with games 5–7 being played if needed. This format has been used since 2014, after NBA team owners unanimously voted to the change away from a 2–3–2 format on October 23, 2013.[2]

text:
First Round

Conference Semifinals

Conference Finals

NBA Finals

E1
Indiana*
4

E8
Boston
0

E1
Indiana*
4

E4
Miami
2

E4
Miami
4

E5
New Orleans
3

E1
Indiana*
2

Eastern Conference

E3
Detroit
4

E3
Detroit
4

E6
Milwaukee
1

E3
Detroit
4

E2
New Jersey*
3

E2
New Jersey*
4

E7
New York
0

E3
Detroit
4

W2
LA Lakers*
1

W1
Minnesota*
4

W8
Denver
1

W1
Minnesota*
4

W4
Sacramento
3

W4
Sacramento
4

W5
Dallas
1

W1
Minnesota*
2

Western Conference

W2
LA Lakers*
4

W3
San Antonio
4

W6
Memphis
0

W3
San Antonio
2

W2
LA Lakers*
4

W2
LA Lakers*
4

W7
Houston
1

tag: table

text:
* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

text:
view
talk
edit

text: The most common criticism of the current structure is related to parity of conferences. On numerous occasions, Eastern Conference teams with losing records qualified for the playoffs, while Western Conference teams with winning records ended up missing them, including the 2011, 2013 and the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

text: History[edit]

text: The National Basketball Association was established in 1949 by merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and National Basketball League but it recognizes the three BAA seasons as part of its own history. In all of its three years the BAA champion was finally determined in a best-of-seven series but its first two tournaments, the 1947 and 1948 BAA Playoffs, were otherwise quite different from the third, which 21st-century NBA playoffs nearly match. In 1947 and 1948, the Eastern and Western Division champions were matched in a best-of-seven series following the regular season, whose winner advanced to the championship round. Meanwhile, four runners-up played best-of-three series to determine the other finalist: the two second-place teams were matched in one short series and the two third-place teams in another; the winners of those two series played another one. In 1947 the Philadelphia Warriors won the runners-up bracket and beat the Western champion Chicago Stags four games to one, which the NBA recognizes as its first championship; in 1948 Baltimore won the runners-up and beat Eastern champion Philadelphia in the final. Both tournaments generated one finalist from the Eastern and one from the Western Division, but only by chance.[3]

text: In 1949 the third and last BAA tournament matched Eastern teams exclusively and Western teams exclusively, necessarily generating Eastern and Western playoff champions to meet in the final. At the same time, the number of playoff teams was increased from three to four from each Division; two rounds of best-of-three series were played, followed by a best-of-seven championship. The main idea was retained by the NBA. Even the 1950 tournament, following a transitional season with three divisions rather than two, initially determined one playoff champion from each division. The Central champion Minneapolis Lakers became the first league champion under the NBA name by defeating Anderson from the West in a best-of-three, with Syracuse from the East idle, and then knocking off the Syracuse Nationals in six games.[4]

text: The 1951 through 1953 playoffs changed the division finals into a best-of-five playoff. With only nine league members in 1953–54, the NBA cut its postseason tournament field from eight teams to six (from 1954 through 1966, the period of eight to nine league members). Round robins were played in 1954, uniquely in NBA history—a three-team round robin among the three playoff teams in each division. From 1955 to 1966, the first-place team in each division was idle while its two runners-up faced played a best-of-three. Division finals were expanded to best-of-seven in 1958 and division semifinals to best-of-five in 1961.

text: With ten league members again for the 1966–67 season, eight teams were again admitted to the tournament, providing a simple three-round knockout (8-team bracket). A year later, the division semifinals were changed to best-of-seven playoff. Then, in 1975 and 1977, respectively, a fifth and sixth team were added to each Division, necessitating an additional first round of best-of-three series.

text: Finally in 1984, the tournament expanded to its present 16-team, four-round knockout, and the now-complete set of first-round series were expanded to a best-of-five. In 2003 the first round was changed to also be best-of-seven. (Thus all playoff teams from 2003 to present, same as the two Division champions in 1947 and 1948, continue to play at the close of the regular season without idle team ("bye") and may be certain of four playoff games including two at home.)

text: Beginning with the 2004 season, with the addition of the thirtieth NBA franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, the NBA realigned its divisions. The result was that each conference would have three divisions of five teams each, and the winner of each division was guaranteed a top-three playoff seed. This would change slightly after the 2005–06 season; while division winners still receive automatic playoff berths, they are guaranteed a top-four seed, as described above.

text: 2006 NBA playoffs controversy[edit]

text: The previous playoff format, in place for the 2004–05 and 2005–06 NBA playoffs, after the NBA was re-aligned into six divisions, created controversy during the 2005–06 season and playoffs, and would be changed prior to the 2006–07 NBA season.[5]

text: Prior to 2005, NBA division champions were seeded higher than the other teams in their conference, regardless of their record. Prior to 2004, when the NBA was aligned into two conferences with two divisions each, the division champions were guaranteed the top two seeds. This meant that top two teams in a conference (by record) would be seeded either first and second (if they were in opposite divisions) or first and third (if they were in the same division). Because of the NBA playoffs' preset matchups in the second round, this meant that the top two teams in a conference could never meet until the conference finals, assuming they both made it to that round.

text: After the NBA realigned its two conferences into three divisions each, the seeding rules remained largely unchanged. The top three seeds would now be reserved for division champions. However, this meant that if the top two teams (by record) in a conference were in the same division, they would be seeded first and fourth. Assuming no first-round upsets, this raised the prospect that the top two teams in the conference would face each other in the conference semifinals, instead of the conference finals.

text: In the second year of this format, the 2005–06 NBA season, the two teams with the best records in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks of the Southwest Division, did just that. The Mavericks had the second-best record in the Western Conference and the third-best record in the entire league, behind the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio. However, they were seeded fourth because they finished second in the Southwest behind the Spurs. This turn of events led to the playoff format being criticized by many. Besides the prospect of a team losing earlier in the playoffs than its regular-season record or seeding would suggest, critics claimed that it also created an unfair advantage for teams in the 2-7/3-6 half of the Western Conference playoff bracket, who could advance to the conference finals without playing either of the two best teams in the conference in an earlier round.

text: The Phoenix Suns, winners of the Pacific Division and possessors of the third best record, were seeded second, while the Denver Nuggets, winners of the Northwest Division and tied for only the seventh-best record in the conference, were seeded third.

text: The Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers met in the second-to-last game of the regular season, after the top four seeds had been clinched. The two teams were already determined to be the fifth and sixth seeds, and had only to determine which rank higher. The fifth seed would likely need to defeat the best two teams in the conference without home-court advantage to advance to the conference finals, as it would face fourth-seeded Dallas in the first round and likely face first-seeded San Antonio if it managed to defeat Dallas. The sixth seed would play third-seeded Denver in the first round, but would have home-court advantage (since the Grizzlies had the fourth-best record in the conference and the Clippers had the fifth-best), and would not have to face either San Antonio or Dallas until the conference finals at the earliest.

text: This led to speculation about whether the Grizzlies or the Clippers would have much commitment to winning their match-up in the second-to-last game of the season, since it was clearly most advantageous to lose the game in order to obtain the 6th seed. The Clippers eventually lost to Memphis without much evidence to support the speculation that the Clippers had lost intentionally.[6] In the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers defeated the Nuggets in five games, while Memphis was swept by Dallas. Ultimately, Dallas and San Antonio did meet in the second round, with Dallas winning in seven games and advancing all the way to the NBA finals.

text: Timeline[edit]

text: 1947: The playoffs were instituted with a three-stage tournament, similar to the Stanley Cup playoffs of the 1930s; the two first-place teams qualified directly to one semifinal where they played each other in a best-of-7 series. Teams finishing second & third qualified for the best-of-3 quarterfinals, where the two second-placed teams were paired in one quarterfinal, as were the two third-placed teams, and the two quarterfinal winners played each other in a best-of-three semifinal. The two semifinal winners played each other in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) best-of-7 final series.

text:
Quarterfinals
Best-of-3

Semifinals
Best-of-3 (one series)
Best-of-7 (one series)

BAA finals
Best-of-7

E3

W3

E3

E2

W2

E2

E2

W1

W1

E1

text: There were no byes, or idle time, for the division champions – as there would be for higher-seeded playoff teams 1955–66 and 1975–83. All six 1947 participants played their first tournament games on Wednesday, April 2; in 1948 the two Eastern runners-up (E2, E3 in the figure) were idle for a few days only because there was a three-way Western tie to break. Both winners of the runners-up bracket, Philadelphia in 1947 and Baltimore in 1948, reached the final series having played fewer tournament games than their final opponents, Chicago in 1947 and Philadelphia in 1948, had played in the best-of-7 pairings of division champions. And both winners of the runners-up bracket won the final series. The "postseason" actually comprised 11 games played in a span of 21 days for the 1947 Chicago Stags and 13 games in 30 days for 1948 Philadelphia Warriors, the finalists who emerged from the pairing of division champions.[3]

text: 1949: The playoffs were reorganized to match Eastern Division teams exclusively, and Western Division teams exclusively – in two halves of the bracket, so to speak. Thus the BAA tournament generated a playoff champion in each Division. (So did the NBA in each of three 1950 divisions, and so it has done in each half of the league since then.) The top four teams from each of the two divisions qualified. The quarterfinals and semifinals were renamed division semifinals and division finals, respectively, and both rounds were best-of-3. Thus any playoff team might be eliminated in two games, one home game. The best-of-7 final was unchanged.

text:
Division semifinals
Best-of-3

Division finals
Best-of-3

BAA finals
Best-of-7

E1

E4

E1

Eastern Division

E2

E2

E3

E1

W2

W1

W4

W1

Western Division

W2

W2

W3

text:
1950: The BAA was renamed as the National Basketball Association (NBA). With a three-division setup, 12 teams now qualified for the playoffs, with the top four teams from each division meeting in the best-of-3 division semifinals. The winners met in the best-of-3 division finals. With three teams remaining, the surviving team with the best regular season record qualified directly for the finals while the other two teams met in a best-of-3 NBA semifinals.
1951: With the NBA reverting to a two-division setup; the division semifinals reverted to its original 1949 format with only eight teams qualifying. The division finals was extended to a best-of-5 format.

text:
Division semifinals
Best-of-3

Division finals
Best-of-5

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1

E4

E4

Eastern Division

E2

E2

E3

E2

W3

W1

W4

W1

Western Division

W3

W2

W3

text:
1954: With only nine league members (soon to be eight), the number of playoff teams was cut down to six. The division semifinals was changed to a double round-robin format within the division, with the top three teams from each division qualifying (each team played four games). Following the round-robin games, the top two teams qualified for the best-of-three division finals, followed by the best-of-seven finals.
1955: The number of playoff teams remained at six, but the initial round-robin was dropped after one year in favor of giving the first-place team in each division a bye to the best-of-five division finals. Teams which placed second and third played a best-of-three division semifinal. In 1955 the byes provided five and six extra days idle for the first-place teams.[7]
1958: The division finals was extended to a best-of-seven format.
1961: The division semifinals were extended to a best-of-five format.

text:
Division semifinals
Best-of-3 (1955–1960),
Best-of-5 (1961–1966)

Division finals
Best-of-5 (1955–1957),
Best-of-7 (1958–1966)

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1

Eastern Division

E3

E2

E3

E3

W1

W1

Western Division

W2

W2

W3

text: The 1961 to 1966 tournaments alone combined initial byes for seeded teams with best-of-five initial series for unseeded teams. The 1961 byes provided five and seven extra days idle for the first-place teams. By 1966 the schedule provided more rest for the first-round participants with byes of 11 and eight extra days idle.[8]

text:
1967: The number of playoff teams was expanded to eight once more. The division semifinals now included the fourth-best team in each conference. The first-placed teams no longer received a bye. They were matched against the fourth-placed teams in the best-of-5 division semifinals.
1968: The division semifinals was extended to a best-of-seven format.

text:
Division semifinals
Best-of-5 (1967),
Best-of-7 (1968–1970)

Division finals
Best-of-7 (1968–1970)

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1

E4

Eastern Division

E2

E3

W1

W4

Western Division

W2

W3

text: 1970: With an increased number of teams, the divisions were upgraded into conferences, which were then split into two divisions. Eight teams still qualified, four from each conference. The two division winners were guaranteed at least a #2 seed, and the two best non-division winners from each conference qualified as third and fourth seeds. Hence, the division semifinals and division finals came to be known as conference semifinals and conference finals, respectively.

text:
Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E4

Eastern Conference

E2*

E3

W1*

W4

Western Conference

W2*

W3

text: 1975: The number of playoff teams was expanded from eight to ten. A first round was introduced which matched the fourth and fifth seeds in each conference in a best-of-3 first round series, while the top three seeds received a bye. This is similar to the system used in the NFL from 1978 to 1989.

text:
First Round
Best-of-3

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E4

E4

E5

Eastern Conference

E2*

E3

W1*

W4

W4

W5

Western Conference

W2*

W3

text: 1977: The number of playoff teams was expanded from 10 to 12. The first round now included the sixth best team in each conference, which was matched against the third seed. Only the division winners received byes to the next round. This is similar to the format currently used by the NFL.

text:
First Round
Best-of-3

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E4

E5

Eastern Conference

E3

E6

E2*

W1*

W4

W5

Western Conference

W3

W6

W2*

text: The 1983 tournament is the latest to incorporate first-round byes for seeded teams. The first-round best-of-three series tapped off on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20; the second-round best-of-sevens on Sunday to the following Wednesday, April 27. Counting from Tuesday the byes provided five to eight extra days idle.[9]

text: 1984: The playoffs were expanded from 12 teams to 16 teams. All teams now participated in the first round, which was extended to a best-of-five series.

text:
Conference quarterfinals
Best-of-5

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E8

E4

E5

Eastern Conference

E3

E6

E2*

E7

W1*

W8

W4

W5

Western Conference

W3

W6

W2*

W7

text: 2003: The first round was extended to a best-of-seven series. This change arguably benefitted the higher seeds as it reduced the likelihood of an upset by a lower seed. It also meant that a team that swept their series 4–0 might have to wait up to two weeks to play their next series against a team that had won 4–3.

text:
Conference quarterfinals
Best-of-7

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E8

E4

E5

Eastern Conference

E3

E6

E2*

E7

W1*

W8

W4

W5

Western Conference

W3

W6

W2*

W7

text: 2005: Each conference was realigned into three divisions with each division winner qualifying for a top-three seed regardless of record. The next best five teams from each conference also qualify for the playoffs.

text:
Conference quarterfinals
Best-of-7

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E8

E4

E5

Eastern Conference

E3*

E6

E2*

E7

W1*

W8

W4

W5

Western Conference

W3*

W6

W2*

W7

text:
2007: To address the criticisms of having each division champion guaranteed a top-three seed, regardless of record, the rules were changed such that the division winners are now only guaranteed a top-four seed. The team with the second-best record in the conference is now guaranteed the second seed, even if it finishes second in its own division. This ensures that the two best teams in the conference cannot meet until the conference finals at the earliest. The previous system raised the prospect of the two best teams in the conference being seeded 1 and 4 if they play in the same division, thus forcing them to play each other in the second round (given no upsets).

Note: In the example below, the East's #2 seed is not a division champion.

text:
Conference quarterfinals
Best-of-7

Conference semifinals
Best-of-7

Conference finals
Best-of-7

NBA finals
Best-of-7

E1*

E8

E5

E4*

Eastern Conference

E3*

E6

E2

E7

W1*

W8

W5

W4

Western Conference

W3*

W6

W2*

W7

text: 2016: While the playoff bracketing did not change, qualification criteria were changed. The teams with the eight best records in each conference receive playoff berths, with no automatic berths nor guaranteed top-four seed placement for division champions.

text: Team roster[edit]

text: Playoff teams must identify their postseason roster before the playoffs begin. They are allowed up to 15 players and can designate two as inactive for each game.[10] Players are eligible to be on a team's playoff roster provided they were on the team for at least one regular season game, and were not on another NBA team's roster after March 1.[11] Previously, playoff rosters were limited to 12 players who were named before the playoffs began.[10]

text: Records and statistics[edit]

text:
Only five 8th seeded teams have managed to win a series versus the number 1 seeded team: The Denver Nuggets eliminated the Seattle SuperSonics 3–2 in 1994. The New York Knicks eliminated the Miami Heat 3–2 in 1999. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4–2 in the 2007 Western Conference First Round (becoming the first 8 seed to beat a 1 seed in the best of 7 format). In 2011, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs, 4–2 and in 2012, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 4–2.
The 1999 Knicks are the only 8th seeded team ever to reach the NBA finals. No 8th seeded team has won the NBA finals yet.
The 1956–57 St. Louis Hawks, 1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers and the 1980–81 Houston Rockets are the only teams with losing records (34-38, 33–39 and 40–42, respectively) to make it to the NBA finals. In 1981 the Houston Rockets' opponent in the Western Conference Finals, the Kansas City Kings, also had a losing record (40–42).
The 1994–95 Houston Rockets, a sixth seed with a record of 47–35, were the lowest seeded team to win the NBA finals. In the NBA finals, the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic (57–25) in four games. In doing so, the Rockets defeated four teams that had won 50 or more games during the regular season (Utah Jazz at 60–22, Phoenix Suns at 59–23, San Antonio Spurs at 62–20 and Orlando at 57–25), which had never been done before. They are also the only team to have won an NBA title without having home-court advantage at all.
The Golden State Warriors own the longest NBA playoff winning streak for a single postseason with 15 straight wins in the 2017 playoffs.
Of all the teams with multiple NBA finals appearances, the Chicago Bulls are the only team to have never lost in the finals, winning 6.
The Boston Celtics possess the most overall NBA finals series wins with an overall record of 17–4. The Los Angeles/Minneapolis Lakers have played in the most NBA finals series (31) with an overall record of 16–15.
The longest playoff appearance streak currently belongs to the San Antonio Spurs with 20 consecutive appearances in the playoffs, beginning in the 1997–98 NBA season.The longest ever streak of playoffs appearances in a row belongs to the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, who made the playoffs 22 straight years from the 1949–50 season to the 1970–71 season, while the longest playoff appearance streak in one city belonged to the Portland Trail Blazers, who made it for 21 straight years, from the 1982–83 to the 2002–03 seasons.
In 1999, under the best of 5-7-7-7 system, the team with the best postseason record to win the NBA Championship was San Antonio Spurs with a record of 14-2, having only lost one game each in round 1 and the Finals. It was surpassed by Los Angeles Lakers in 2001, having only lost in Game 1 of the Finals against Philadelphia 76ers.
In 2017, under the best of 7-7-7-7 system, the Golden State Warriors attained the best record of 16-1, losing only once to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
In 2017, under the best of 7-7-7-7 system, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers came into the NBA Finals with a combined record of 24-1, with the Cavaliers losing only once to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

text: Playoff appearances[edit]

text: Current as of 2017 NBA Playoffs

text: Appearances by active teams[edit]

text:
Team
Appearances[12]

Los Angeles Lakers
60 [A]

Boston Celtics
54

Philadelphia 76ers
47 [B]

Atlanta Hawks
46 [C]

Detroit Pistons
41 [D]

New York Knicks
41

San Antonio Spurs
37 [E]

Chicago Bulls
35

Golden State Warriors
33 [F]

Portland Trail Blazers
33

Houston Rockets
31 [G]

Milwaukee Bucks
29

Oklahoma City Thunder
29 [H]

Phoenix Suns
29

Sacramento Kings
29 [I]

Washington Wizards
28 [J]

Utah Jazz
26 [K]

Denver Nuggets
24 [E]

Indiana Pacers
24 [E]

Cleveland Cavaliers
21

Dallas Mavericks
21

Brooklyn Nets
19 [E][L]

Miami Heat
19

Orlando Magic
14

Los Angeles Clippers
13 [M]

Charlotte Hornets
10 [N]

Memphis Grizzlies
10 [O]

Toronto Raptors
9

Minnesota Timberwolves
8

New Orleans Pelicans
6 [N]

text:
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Minneapolis Lakers (1947–1960).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Syracuse Nationals (1946–1963).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1946–1951), the Milwaukee Hawks (1951–1955), and the St. Louis Hawks (1955–1968).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Fort Wayne Pistons (1949–1957).
^ Jump up to: a b c d Does not include appearances in the American Basketball Association (ABA) playoffs. Per the conditions of the ABA–NBA merger, the NBA does not officially recognize the ABA history, playoffs and records.
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Philadelphia Warriors (1946–1962) and the San Francisco Warriors (1962–1971).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the San Diego Rockets (1967–1971).
Jump up ^ As part of the 2008 relocation settlement with the City of Seattle, the Thunder officially shares its history with that of the Seattle SuperSonics (1967–2008).[13]
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Rochester Royals (1948–1957), the Cincinnati Royals (1957–1972), the Kansas City-Omaha Kings (1972–1975), and the Kansas City Kings (1975–1985).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Chicago Packers (1961–1962), the Chicago Zephyrs (1962–1963), the Baltimore Bullets (1963–1973), the Capital Bullets (1973–1974), and the Washington Bullets (1974–1997).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the New Orleans Jazz (1974–1979).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the New Jersey Nets (1977–2012).
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Buffalo Braves (1970–1978) and the San Diego Clippers (1978–1984).
^ Jump up to: a b The New Orleans Pelicans were originally named the Charlotte Hornets, and moved to New Orleans in 2002. A new team, the Charlotte Bobcats, was then established in 2004. When the Charlotte team reclaimed the Hornets name in a 2014 agreement, the Charlotte team also reclaimed the history of the original Hornets; as such, the New Orleans Pelicans were established in 2002, and the Bobcats/Hornets rejoined the NBA in 2004.[14]
Jump up ^ Includes appearances as the Vancouver Grizzlies (1995–2001).