Don't Tell Father

Don't Tell Father is a British television sitcom written by Roy Clarke that was first broadcast on BBC1 from 26 April to 31 May 1992. The series starred Tony Britton, Susan Hampshire, Caroline Quentin, Richard Ashton and Philip Fox.

The series follows a self-regarding veteran actor, Vivian Bancroft, who dominates the lives of his fifth wife, Natasha, and four grown-up children: Kate, Garth, Spirit and Congreve. Vivian is particularly outraged by his eldest daughter, Kate's, engagement to Marvin Whipple, a driving instructor.

• Tony Britton as Vivian Bancroft
• Susan Hampshire as Natasha Bancroft
• Caroline Quentin as Kate Bancroft
• Richard Ashton as Garth Bancroft
• Philip Fox as Marvin Whipple

• Hilda Braid as Mrs Dawson (3 episodes)
• Liz Daniels as Alemka (3 episodes)
• Anna Dawson as Stella Whipple (3 episodes)
• Jack Smethurst as Ron Whipple (3 episodes)
• Jo-Anne Sale as Spirit Bancroft (2 episodes)

Of the series, in his Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy, Mark Lewisohn wrote: "Tony Britton hammed it up for all he was worth as the awful Vivian, and Caroline Quentin proved particularly adept at delivering Roy Clarke's witty dialogue, but the piece as a whole lacked the magic ingredient which made so many of the writer's ideas long-running series."

• Leafe, David (1992). British Film Institute Film and Television Handbook 1993. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780851703442.

• Don't Tell Father at IMDb