 Every episode of Last of the Summer Wine was written by Roy Clarke and every episode featured Peter Sallis as Clegg . The Comedy Playhouse pilot and all episodes of the first series were produced and directed by James Gilbert . Bernard Thompson produced and directed the second series of episodes in 1975 . In 1976 , Sydney Lotterby took over as producer and director . He directed all but two episodes of the third series – Ray Butt directed " The Great Boarding House Bathroom Caper " and " Cheering up Gordon " . Lotterby directed two further series before departing the show in 1979 . In 1981 , Alan J. W. Bell took over as producer and director . Bell , in an effort to get each scene exactly right , was known for his use of more film and more takes than his predecessors and for using wider angles that feature more of the local Holmfirth landscape . 
