Arkwright

Arkwright

English sitcom character

Moustache type: Nailbrush


Portrayed by Ronnie Barker in the British comedy series Open All Hours (1976-85)



Albert Arkwright, always referred to by his surname, is the proprietor of a small corner shop in Yorkshire, which he runs with a tight fist and the assistance of his half-Hungarian nephew, Granville (played by David Jason, qv).

The title of the show references Arkwright’s almost-pathological miserliness as he seeks to extract more money from the various local patrons of his grocery, a skill at which he is extremely adept. The shop opens early (much to Granville’s annoyance for it is he who is expected to get up early to open it) and closes well into the night (Arkwright performs this role as the show closes, normally in conversation with God).

Running gags in the show include Arkwright’s stammer, a vicious till, Arkwright’s lecherousness over nurse Gladys Emmanuel (his fiancée) and his bullying of Granville (who delightedly claims refuge in Gladys Emmanuel's ample cleavage, much to Arkwright's irritation).

Arkwright’s inclusion in the moustache pantheon demonstrates that not all wearers are rakes, dandies and aesthetes. By shaving only four-fifths of his face just think how much the skinflint can save on razors across his adult life.