Rumpole of the Bailey

Horace Rumpole

Henry (37 episodes, 1978-1992)

Claude Erskine-Brown

Hilda Rumpole

Uncle Tom

Dianne / ... (23 episodes, 1978-1991)

Samuel Ballard Q.C.

Originally, author John Mortimer had Alastair Sim in mind to play Rumpole - until he found out Sim was dead.

Rumpole has a penchant for giving literary or historical nicknames to friends and foes. His wife Hilda's moniker, "She Who Must Be Obeyed," was originally applied to the title character of H. Rider Haggard's novel "She," while Phyllida Trant Erskine-Brown's nickname, "Portia," is from William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." Samuel Ballard is dubbed "Soapy Sam" after 'Bishop Samuel Wilberforce' (1805-73), now best remembered for debating Thomas Huxley over Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, but regarded in his own time as rather a slick operator. And he refers to Judge Graves as the "whited sepulchre" - a Biblical allusion (Matthew 27).

Although it may seem like dubious practice to replace Samantha Bond with Leo's daughter, Abigail McKern in the part of Miss Liz Probert, she only appears in three episodes in her first series; Series 5. She then becomes a regular. (Note also that Rumpole may have had a thing for Probert...)

"Soapy" Sam Ballard: Rumpole as a client! God give me strength!

Horace Rumpole: She who must be obeyed!

Horace Rumpole: An Englishman's gin bottle is his castle!