12 British Sitcom Monsters Played by the Nicest People

British sitcoms gave us some of the most unpleasant people ever put on television: the bellowing sergeant major, the snob with the candlelight suppers, the grumpy pensioner who didn't believe it, the foul-mouthed spin doctor, the shopkeeper who counted every penny. They were monsters, and we loved them. In this video, we look at 12 actors who played those monsters and were described by their co-stars, their families, interviewers and obituaries as kind, generous and gentle. The tributes, the charity work and the letters are all on the record. Featuring Bill Pertwee, Kathy Staff, Frank Kelly, Windsor Davies, Richard Briers, Peter Capaldi, Penelope Keith, Joanna Lumley, Ronnie Barker, Prunella Scales, Richard Wilson and Patricia Routledge. If you love the golden age of British comedy, subscribe to Before the Watershed for more.