| Series: | Last of the Summer Wine |
| Episode: | 1 |
| Director: | James Gilbert |
| Producer: | James Gilbert |
| Music: | Ronnie Hazlehurst |
| Length: | 30 minutes |
| Next: | Short Back and Palais Glide |
| Season Article: | Last of the Summer Wine (series 1) |
| Episode List: | List of Last of the Summer Wine episodes |
"Of Funerals and Fish" is the pilot episode of the world's longest-running television sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine (1973–2010), written by Roy Clarke.[1] It was first broadcast on 4 January 1973 and became the first of 295 episodes.[2] [3] It was aired as the first episode of the thirteenth series of Comedy Playhouse, a comedy anthology series running from 1961–1975. The plot involved the trio going around discussing life and death.
It starred Bill Owen, Peter Sallis and Michael Bates. This also was the first appearance of Kathy Staff, although her character is at this point only known as Mrs Batty rather than Nora. Her husband, unseen in this first episode, is referred to as Harold; when the character went on to appear in the series, he would be called Wally.