1270 lines
52 KiB
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1270 lines
52 KiB
Plaintext
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==================================
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B R I T C O M E D Y D I G E S T
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==================================
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VOL. 2 STEPHEN FRY'S CONFUSED WEB WANDERINGS JULY 1995
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No. 1 HUGH GRANT SLUMMING IT
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A monthly electronic newsletter on British comedies.
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What's Inside
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=============
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* FINALLY: DEATH FISH II
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* TAKE THE "FISH CALLED WANDA" QUIZ!
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* "BLACK ADDER" PILOT SYNOPSIS & REVIEW
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* A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF A FRED NAMED SPIKE MILLIGAN
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* OP/ED: LETTERMAN IN LONDON
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* TOURS IN THE UK
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Regular Departments:
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===================
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||
Mailbox
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Britcomedy News
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BD Recommends NEW!
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Spotted on the Internet NEW!
|
||
Quote-o'-the-Month
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etc.
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||
Circulation/Back Issues
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||
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Staff
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=====
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Managing Editor..................Melinda 'Bob' Casino
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Contributing Editor..............Michelle Street
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Slacker..........................James Kew
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Copy Editor......................Cynthia Edwards
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Velocity girl....................Michelle Casino
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Contributing writers: Vincent Golden, Steve Phillip, Rob Putnam, Steve
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||
Roberts, Kristin C. Sabo.
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HTML logo by Nathan Gasser.
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Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) <Schopenhauer Publishing Co.>
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Copyright (c) 1995 by Melinda Casino. Reproduction for personal and
|
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non-profit use is permitted only if this copyright notice is retained. Any
|
||
other reproduction is prohibited without permission. Britcomedy Digest may
|
||
be uploaded without the editor's permission to bulletin boards.
|
||
|
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MAILBOX
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=======
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||
Spotted this in the latest Britcomedy Digest: "It's hard to name a British
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||
comedian who *hasn't* appeared in commercials or at least done
|
||
voice-overs..." ("Newsquirks," vol. 1 no. 13). One British comedian who
|
||
doesn't do commercials is Ben Elton.
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||
|
||
Pam Wells <Vacuous_Tart@bitch.demon.co.uk>
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||
Southend-on-Sea, Essex
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||
Vacuous Tarts Incorporated
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||
|
||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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||
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Just finished reading the latest edition of the Digest. I enjoyed it very
|
||
much. Well done!
|
||
|
||
That said, I did notice one omission in the digest. When you were listing
|
||
Rik Mayall's appearances, you only listed his first appearance on
|
||
"Blackadder." He also was in the fourth series, "Private Plane," again as
|
||
Lord Flashheart.
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||
|
||
Bette Llewellyn <bettelew@nando.net>
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||
Cary, North Carolina
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||
|
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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||
|
||
The series of films about the constitution ("Cleese Ad Deemed Unsuitable
|
||
for Children," News, v. 1 no. 13) had nothing whatsoever to do with
|
||
Cleese's non-smoking ad's which, at a guess, where being paid for by the
|
||
Department of Health -- who are hardly likely to want to be responsible
|
||
for a series critising the government.
|
||
|
||
D.J. Ford <exxdjf@bath.ac.uk>
|
||
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EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Thank you for the correction. Several readers wrote in
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||
about this error; it was due to an editorial mistake, not the news staff's
|
||
doing.
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||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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||
|
||
In Kingsley Amis's _Memoirs_ (Summit Books, 1991, p. 180), the author
|
||
writes:
|
||
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"[Peter Sellers] told me that the whole resurgence or whatever it was of
|
||
British humour had been started or invented by the Goons in their radio
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||
show of 1951-1960... It occurred to me too late that _essentially_ the
|
||
Goons (with Major Bloodnok) had derived from ITMA (with Colonel
|
||
Chinstrap), and so had much else besides."
|
||
|
||
Do any Britcomedy Digest readers know what "ITMA" was?
|
||
|
||
Ricky Fluke <ad110@rgfn.epcc.edu>
|
||
Roosevelt Dimes, Fort Worth, TX
|
||
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EDITOR's RESPONSE: "ITMA" stands for "It's That Man Again," a popular radio
|
||
series in the UK during the 1950's. Any readers who know more about this
|
||
show are encouraged to write to BD.
|
||
|
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
||
|
||
With regard to the remaining lost episodes of "Q5" (see "Letters," v. 1
|
||
no. 13), it now seems unlikely that the collector has the rest after
|
||
all... However, Spike Milligan fans will be pleased to know that the BBC
|
||
are producing a 90-minute documentary about his life and work, which will
|
||
feature many obscure clips. Spike was also able to view one of the
|
||
returned "Q5's" at a recent screening at the National Film Theatre.
|
||
|
||
As far as BBC Web pages go, I think you will begin to see more. Although
|
||
slow to get off the ground, the BBC is now taking the 'net very seriously,
|
||
so I think it will flourish. As with all these things, positive feedback
|
||
to their efforts so far is the best way to encourage them.
|
||
|
||
Steve Roberts <SteveR@ppr.tv.bbc.co.uk>
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||
BBC
|
||
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||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
||
|
||
Very nice job on the Digest. Regarding Spike Milligan's laudatory comments
|
||
about the Pythons, he should remember there are SIX geniuses in the
|
||
troupe, not FIVE.
|
||
|
||
My faves are Python and "Are You Being Served?". Just now getting into
|
||
"Keeping Up Appearances" ([I] never see ANYTHING written on that show
|
||
anywhere on the 'net). Question: How come no one ever writes anything
|
||
about "Dave Allen at Large"? (And NO wisecracks for answers to that
|
||
question!)
|
||
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||
Keep up the great work.
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||
Bill Siwicki <billofs@aol.com>
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||
Chicago, Illinois
|
||
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||
EDITOR'S RESONSE: I'll restrain myself from making wisecracks... There
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||
haven't been any articles about Dave Allen for the simple reason that
|
||
you're the first to ask. With so many Britcoms out there, I tend to cover
|
||
whatever the readers request. Thank you for writing -- I hope to cover
|
||
this wonderful comedian in the future.
|
||
|
||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
||
|
||
I surfed all your pages and links... where is the important message that
|
||
the opening night will be December 8 at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre for
|
||
a new "Bottom" show... This could really be (for me and my 5 devoted fans)
|
||
a great oppertunity to meet other "Bottom" fans from the 'net in real
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||
life. How about some sort of happening?
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||
|
||
Well Byeeeeee
|
||
Christopher Lxfdahl <chris1@inet.uni-c.dk>
|
||
Denmark
|
||
|
||
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: The "Big Number Two Tour" dates are included in this
|
||
issue, along with Alexei Sayle's tour dates. And I've extended an open
|
||
invitation for a get-together to those who'd like to meet fellow Internet
|
||
Bottom fans (see "etc.").
|
||
|
||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
||
|
||
Saw Britcomedy Digest on alt.tv.red-dwarf. Brilliant, the URL is now in my
|
||
bookmark.
|
||
|
||
I do have a question re: "In 1965 he made a much-publicized conversion to
|
||
Christianity." ("Cliff Richard Gets Knighted," News, v. 1 no.13) I thought
|
||
his conversion came much later -- as in circa 1980. Am I confused?
|
||
|
||
I base the above on the fact that I moved to the US (from Kenya) in 1979,
|
||
and the music I remember him producing at the time was decidedly secular.
|
||
As the article points out Cliff Richard is almost completely unknown in the
|
||
US so I did not hear about him for a while. It seems to me that the next
|
||
time I heard anything about him was the great conversion, heralded by a
|
||
song with a title like "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?" Or
|
||
something like that.
|
||
|
||
Sami Mikhail <mikhail@onramp.net>
|
||
|
||
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: Yikes. Has BD made another embarrassing mistake? Readers,
|
||
write in and enlighten both myself and Sami on this one.
|
||
|
||
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
||
|
||
MAILBOX: Send letters to <melinda@cathouse.org> with the subject heading
|
||
"Letter to the Editor." Include your full name and location.
|
||
|
||
BRITCOMEDY NEWS
|
||
---------------
|
||
HUGH GRANT FACES THE MUSIC
|
||
|
||
"What the hell were you thinking?"
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||
|
||
With that question, American chat show host Jay Leno kicked off Hugh
|
||
Grant's first television interview since "the incident." Much to his
|
||
credit, Grant didn't skirt the issue, and although he seemed uncomfortable
|
||
at times and tired, his natural charm served him well.
|
||
|
||
"I think you know in life pretty much what's a good thing to do and what's
|
||
a bad thing. I did a bad thing and there you have it," he told Leno.
|
||
|
||
For those of you who may have been on holiday in Outer Mongolia, the star
|
||
of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" was arrested in Los Angeles last month
|
||
for "lewd conduct" with a prostitute named Divine Brown. Though it looks
|
||
as if he won't be serving any jail time, the publicity surrounding the
|
||
arrest could not have come at a worse time. His girlfriend, actress/model
|
||
Elizabeth Hurley, had just signed a contract to promote Estee Lauder
|
||
products and Grant's new movie, "Nine Months," is opening in the States
|
||
this week.
|
||
|
||
However, judging from the reaction of the studio audience, Grant's troubles
|
||
will more than likely soon be forgotten. The audience greeted him with
|
||
massive cheering and applause and the buzz on "Nine Months," which also
|
||
stars Tom Arnold and Robin Williams, is exceptionally good.
|
||
|
||
Grant seemed genuinely remorseful about having hurt the people he cares
|
||
about the most. In regards to his relationship with his girlfriend his
|
||
only comment was that "we're going to try and work it out."
|
||
|
||
"MELCHETT" HAS A HOME PAGE
|
||
|
||
It's common knowledge that there are a lot of celebrities hooked up to the
|
||
net. Jodie Foster is said to lurk on alt.showbiz.gossip and some people
|
||
claim that she even posts under an assumed name. Others such as Douglas
|
||
Adams, Terry Pratchett, and Dave Barry have been known to post using their
|
||
true identities.
|
||
|
||
Stephen Fry, however, has gone everyone else one better and created his own
|
||
homepage, which can be found at http://www.phantom.com/~stephenf. Entitled
|
||
"SJF's Confused Wanderings," it enables net surfers to download a picture
|
||
of the great man, e-mail him, and hey, he even takes the time to thank you
|
||
for stopping by. (And yes, he *does* answer his e-mail, but please be
|
||
patient as it sometimes takes him a couple of days.--ed.)
|
||
|
||
No, thank *you* Stephen, for creating such a lovely web site and giving us
|
||
the opportunity to join you in your "confused wanderings." Now tell us,
|
||
how do we get "Britcomedy Digest" added to your hotlist, huh? :) Can we
|
||
grovel enough to get you to contribute an article? You know where to reach
|
||
us. :)
|
||
|
||
STEVE COOGAN SHOOTING NEXT SERIES
|
||
|
||
Steve Coogan has teamed up with his "Knowing Me, Knowing You" colleague
|
||
Patrick Marber for a new series set in the Lancastrian town of Ottle.
|
||
Coogan's familiar Lancastrian creations "Paul Calf" and "Pauline Calf"
|
||
will be joined by new ones in his first attempt at "narrational comedy."
|
||
According to an interview in The Guardian (July 10), the as of yet unnamed
|
||
series will be strongly character-driven, and each episode will be
|
||
directed in a completely different style by Geoff Posner. Posner has
|
||
worked with Harry Enfield, French and Saunders, Victoria Wood and Josie
|
||
Lawrence. Watch for a review of this BBC 2 series in upcoming issues of
|
||
BD.
|
||
|
||
BRAVO TO BRAVO
|
||
|
||
Viewers of the Bravo network are being treated this month to classic British
|
||
comedy from the vaults of Ealing Studio. Friday nights in July have been
|
||
reserved for such memorable films as "The Lady-killers," with Alec Guinness
|
||
and Peter Sellers, "The Green Man" with Alastair Sim, "The Lavender Hill
|
||
Mob" with Alec Guinness, plus "School For Scoundrels" with Ian Carmichael
|
||
and Terry-Thomas.
|
||
|
||
Sadly, films are no longer made at Ealing but set your VCR and you'll be
|
||
able to preserve for posterity classic comedy from this once-great studio.
|
||
|
||
MORECAMBE TO BE SITE OF COMEDY MUSEUM
|
||
|
||
Continuing our series "Unsung Heroes of British Comedy," we have the story
|
||
of Jeremy Gomm, editor-in-chief of Lancaster and Morecambe newspapers. Mr.
|
||
Gomm has devised a plan for Britain's first National Museum of Comedy and
|
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Laughter.
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||
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||
A charitable trust has been established to obtain and administer funding
|
||
for this multi-million pound celebration of the British sense of humour.
|
||
Much of the money is expected to come from the Arts Council, the National
|
||
Heritage Memorial Fund, and the Millenium Commission.
|
||
|
||
"Comedy is an essential element of the British way of life," Mr. Gomm said.
|
||
"It is part of our national character and deserves a place in the nation's
|
||
heritage. Yet there is no national archive of comedy material, no centre
|
||
of comic studies, nowhere to learn about our comic heritage. The National
|
||
Museum of Comedy will change all that."
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||
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The proposed museum will be associated with Lancaster University, whose
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honorary graduates include Eric Morecambe, Thora Hird, and Victoria Wood.
|
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The plan has the support of the university officials as well as the local
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council and, if all goes well, will be located on the Morecambe sea front.
|
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|
||
DONALD SINCLAIR DIES
|
||
|
||
Donald Sinclair, the man who was the basis for the character of "Siegfried
|
||
Farnon" in James Herriot's "All Creatures Great and Small," died
|
||
Wednesday, July 5, at the age of 84. James Herriot passed away only four
|
||
months earlier.
|
||
|
||
-------> Send news items to Michelle Street <mtstreet@soltec.com>.
|
||
|
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E D I T O R I A L / O P I N I O N P A G E
|
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===========================================
|
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DAVID LETTERMAN, WHIPPING-BOY FOR REC.ARTS.TV.UK
|
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|
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by Kristin C. Sabo <sabo@rouge.phys.lsu.edu>
|
||
|
||
Letterman went continental recently. And true to the new CBS Dave, "The
|
||
Late Show" caravan rolled into London amid pomp, press, and paparazzi. By
|
||
the time Dave began broadcasting across the pond, there were few in Great
|
||
Britain who hadn't heard that a week of Letterman in London was underway.
|
||
|
||
I haven't a clue as to the exact number of Britains that actually tuned DL
|
||
in, but a reasonably large amount of regulars in the rec.arts.tv.uk forum
|
||
on USENET certainly took a gander at Diamond Dave. Apparently they did not
|
||
like what they saw for the most part -- at least those who voiced an
|
||
opinion right away definitely didn't. "Letterman in London was dire", the
|
||
subject line pronounced. Having seen a bit of the imported Dave myself, I
|
||
read the follow-up comments in hope of finding an explanation for the
|
||
judgment. Oh boy...
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Did I just say "comments"? Comments would have been appropriate. After all,
|
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USENET is an open forum, fielding opinions and fostering communication and
|
||
discussion among a wide range of international computer users. Consensus
|
||
is not necessarily the goal of a dialogue on USENET. Understanding reason
|
||
and motivation certainly is, and as the majority of USENET participants
|
||
are college educated, one expects for the most part a certain rationality
|
||
in a post. This at least in theory, and one is usually rewarded in
|
||
practice.
|
||
|
||
Such were my expectations regarding the UK rec.arts.tv.uk analysis of
|
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Dave-Across-The-Pond.
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||
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||
What I actually saw there completely shocked me. Initial reaction slammed
|
||
old Dave big-time. Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion... but I
|
||
wasn't prepared for such severe negativity, often levelled without
|
||
explanation or rationale.
|
||
|
||
Then it got nasty.
|
||
|
||
"What a waste of the [tv] license fee", and "I cannot believe Americans
|
||
watch this crap."
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||
|
||
Nasty became ugly. One British gentleman stated that if Letterman was
|
||
America's idea of humor, then it was best that we Americans keep stabbing
|
||
and killing one another in the streets. Another writer claimed that DL was
|
||
incredibly racist -- she couldn't see how we could tolerate such a bigot.
|
||
A yet different thread preached the arguable "fact" that Americans have
|
||
taken the British version of irony and crudely shoved it well over the
|
||
top, and in fact we do this with *everything* we get our American hands
|
||
upon...
|
||
|
||
The tirade was at best snobbish and hostile, at worst hypocritical. And
|
||
amazingly popular, based on the number of those who jumped on the
|
||
bandwagon. Oh no, we've never seen the British make racist jokes about the
|
||
French, Italians, Americans, Germans, and even the Welsh, have we? Nor do
|
||
the British have anything even approaching the 'in-jokiness' of "The Late
|
||
Show"... right? In fact, UK television has had its own "Late Show," a
|
||
horrid little thing called "Noel's House Party." You want your continental
|
||
Letterman, insipid in-jokes and all? Check out Mr. Noel Edmonds sometime.
|
||
Yes, America has its share of garbage television, but we aren't the only
|
||
ones, mate.
|
||
|
||
Other USENET posts asserted that all of America tunes into "The Late Show".
|
||
In reality, Dave typically garners a 4.5 share -- about 4 million viewers,
|
||
you can do the math to determine what percent of US televisions are
|
||
actually watching our national in-joke. Meanwhile, Noel had one of five UK
|
||
sets tuned in. That's 20% of all UK televisions. Bad as so many of the
|
||
'netters claimed the House Party was, a substantial fraction of the UK
|
||
viewing public watched it. Now, I find the attraction of "Noel's House
|
||
Party" completely incomprehensible, but I would never extrapolate about
|
||
the British television industry based solely upon "Noel's House Party".
|
||
And wishing the deaths of Britains based upon a perceived impaired
|
||
national sense of humor? (much less wishing anyone's expiration, period)
|
||
Uh huh... one might as well slap a big, neon sign reading "egotistical
|
||
paranoid lunatic" on one's forehead.
|
||
|
||
To witness rec.arts.tv.uk use David Letterman as an excuse to air their
|
||
anti-American sentiments was frustrating. There were actually a few posts
|
||
that contained discussion and analysis- some actually admitted they liked
|
||
Letterman- but for the most part, nobody pointed out that a shark-feeding
|
||
thread, with Americans as bait, had begun. So on it went.
|
||
|
||
I realize DL will have limited appeal to a foreign audience. Heck, it's not
|
||
exactly hurting me if no one likes DL a bit. Yet I fail to realize why one
|
||
show caused such an unfounded outburst of hostility towards Americans.
|
||
It's fairly clear that the King of Late Night's appearance in London
|
||
certainly wasn't the direct cause of the tirade, just appeared to be a
|
||
good excuse to unleash it. And I wonder why... why all this anger from
|
||
people who share far more with us than they care to admit at times? I have
|
||
quite a few friends on the other side of the pond; I admire many an aspect
|
||
of British culture as do others over here. Witness the popularity of UK
|
||
television and the pledges it generates month after month on PBS. Then
|
||
there is the American preoccupation with the Royals, the popularity an
|
||
actor with 'the accent' often achieves in American media... and on and on.
|
||
America likes Great Britain -- a lot. For some reason I believed the
|
||
sentiment to be mutual. The wildly- escalating USENET attack upon 'the
|
||
Americans' hurt, confused, and disappointed me. And I do not understand
|
||
it; I expect I never will.
|
||
|
||
And so one has to wonder, what might cause this monster to rear its head
|
||
again?
|
||
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
Britcomedy Digest welcomes contrasting views. Mail rebuttals and editorials
|
||
to <melinda@cathouse.org> with the subject "EDITORIAL".
|
||
|
||
|
||
Finally: Death Fish II ;-)
|
||
By Rob Putnam
|
||
<rputnam@midway.uchicago.edu>
|
||
|
||
The long awaited follow-up film to John Cleese's 1990 hit "A Fish Called
|
||
Wanda" is finally underway. Cleese, along with Wanda stars Jamie Lee
|
||
Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin, began filming "Fierce Creatures,"
|
||
this spring. The script has been over two years in the writing.
|
||
|
||
Although this is referred to by many as a sequel to "Wanda" (read "Death
|
||
Fish II"), it is, in Kline's words, "an equal, not a sequel." I don't mind
|
||
saying I'm glad that Cleese, in his wisdom, saw fit to leave "Wanda" well
|
||
enough alone. I count it among my favorite films, and I wouldn't like to
|
||
see its memory detracted from by trying to enhance an already perfect
|
||
story. But I digress.
|
||
|
||
Perhaps in a conscious effort to disassociate "Fierce Creatures" from
|
||
"Wanda," Cleese has taken pains to cast the actors in an altogether
|
||
different light than they appeared in "Wanda." Cleese plays an ex-Hong
|
||
Kong police officer, who, in his words, "has got a lot more balls than old
|
||
Archie had in 'Wanda,' but isn't really very romantic in his attitudes"
|
||
(Willman, 1994). Palin, in an about-face, is cast as a person who seems to
|
||
never stop chattering; Curtis is cast as a hot-shot executive, and Kline
|
||
has dual roles of rich guy and his marketing professional nephew. Beyond
|
||
this, I will reveal nothing of the plot (largely because that's all I know
|
||
of it). In fact, I will actively avoid learning more of it, as I love
|
||
surprises. I've come to expect some wonderful surprises from him, and so
|
||
far, I haven't been let down.
|
||
|
||
Some of you may recall that "Wanda" operated at a budget of $7.5 million.
|
||
In view of it's $190 million international earnings, I'd call that money
|
||
well spent.
|
||
|
||
"Fierce Creatures" is written by John Cleese and Iain Johnstone, and
|
||
co-produced by Michael Shamberg (who past works include "Wanda" and "Pulp
|
||
Fiction"). Interestingly, "Fierce Creatures" is directed by Robert Young,
|
||
who has directed Cleese in over 50 television commercials. "Wanda"
|
||
director Charles Crichton, now aged 85, is helping with the script.
|
||
"Fierce Creatures" is being produced by MGM/Universal.
|
||
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
Rob Putnam's chief claim to fame is that his sig is in this issue.
|
||
|
||
Test your Wanda smarts: Take the Wanda Trivia Quiz!
|
||
===================================================
|
||
1. Who was Ilene Cody, and where did she live?
|
||
|
||
2. What was the name of Portia's horse?
|
||
|
||
3. What was the pseudonym that Otto assumed upon meeting Wendy Leech?
|
||
|
||
4. Where did George move the stolen diamonds to?
|
||
|
||
5. How much were the diamonds worth (in pounds)?
|
||
|
||
6. Who does George quote during the robbery planning scene?
|
||
|
||
7. Where did George live?
|
||
|
||
8. What were the names of the people that interrupted Archie and Wanda
|
||
in the flat at 2B honest?
|
||
|
||
9. What were Otto's three misconceptions that Wanda corrected him on?
|
||
|
||
10. What actor/comedian does Otto knock over the head after distracting
|
||
with the line "Look--the Queen!"?
|
||
|
||
11. What happens to Otto after Archie and Wanda leave for South America?
|
||
|
||
12. What language, besides Italian, turns Wanda on?
|
||
|
||
======================
|
||
Answers in back of BD.
|
||
======================
|
||
|
||
References: Chris Willman, "Los Angeles TImes," November 25, 1994, Section
|
||
F, Page 1, Column 2.
|
||
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
BD RECOMMENDS
|
||
=============
|
||
Capsule reviews on radio programs, television, and stage.
|
||
|
||
THUMB SIDEWAYS
|
||
Feature Review: The Other Side of Chris Barrie
|
||
June 20-29, 1995
|
||
|
||
I caught Chris Barrie's one-man show at the Reading Hexagon -- a night he'd
|
||
probably like to forget. Amongst microphone problems and faulty
|
||
pre-recorded music, Barrie ("Red Dwarf," "The Brittas Empire") managed to
|
||
plod through 2 hours of skits, song, and stand-up. Supported by an
|
||
excellent cast of three women (one of whom is his girlfriend) and one man,
|
||
the troupe managed to entertain even when the gags were predictable and
|
||
fell flat.
|
||
|
||
There were three songs, the most audience-pleasing being the finale when
|
||
Barrie came out dressed as "Gordon Brittas" and sang (and danced!) about
|
||
the benefits of exercise. The cast even tried, in vain, to get the
|
||
audience out of their seats to participate in the aerobics.
|
||
|
||
Another highlight came during one of the three stand-up bits. I say
|
||
"stand-up" but it was really much more rough than that; Barrie talked to
|
||
the audience in an intimate way that didn't feel like the pat spiel of a
|
||
stand-up comedian. Barrie opened, "A lot of people have been coming up to
|
||
me after the show and asking why there hasn't been any Red Dwarf in the
|
||
show." (Huge audience applause.) "Well, it's a little difficult to
|
||
transport an entire set and cast onto the stage of the Reading Hexagon
|
||
..." But he responded to audience cheers by doing a hilarious routine
|
||
(which seemed off-the-cuff) where he performed a typical plot, poking fun
|
||
at the predictability of each character's lines.
|
||
|
||
It went *roughly* like this:
|
||
|
||
KRYTEN: "Sir," (audience cheers/laughs) "Sir, there is an extra-terrestrial
|
||
being approaching the ship. What should we do?"
|
||
|
||
RIMMER: "KRYTEN!" [Chris breaks in with a smile, "That's me."] "KRYTEN!
|
||
We've got to destroy it before it destroys us!"
|
||
|
||
CAT: "OOOOOOOOWWWW!" [twirling around] "A new life form? Let's see if I can
|
||
have SEX with it! Yeah, I'm so excited, all SIX of my nipples are
|
||
*tingling*..."
|
||
|
||
LISTER: "Hol, can you give us a reading on it?"
|
||
|
||
HOLLY: "Oh... wot? Uh..."
|
||
|
||
KRYTEN: "Holly, I thought you'd left after season 2 ..." [Barrie: "Probably
|
||
the biggest mistake of his career." Audience laughs, then realizes how
|
||
mean that is, and Barrie winces along with them.]
|
||
|
||
All in all, I'm not sure the night was worth it; if you're not a "Red
|
||
Dwarf"/"Brittas Empire" fan (and this is not an either/or stipulation --
|
||
you must be wildly into *both*), save your tenner and rent a movie
|
||
instead. Watching "the other side of Barrie" with anything less than a
|
||
oh-my-god-I'm-seeing-him-live-in-the-flesh mind-set is just not worth it.
|
||
|
||
NOTE: Britcomedy Digest is offering a free color 6"x8" flyer promoting "The
|
||
Other Side of Chris Barrie." Contact the editor <melinda@cathouse.org> for
|
||
details. Offer good for those outside the UK only. While supplies last.
|
||
|
||
THUMBS UP
|
||
Men Behaving Badly
|
||
9:30 PM Thursdays BBC 1
|
||
|
||
The first series this show ran, everyone said it was crap. Now it's the
|
||
darling of the comedy line-up Thursday nights. The show takes a tired
|
||
format -- two loser bachelor boys and their misguided attempts at running
|
||
their lives -- and actually makes it feel new, partly due to the writing
|
||
and partly due to the wonderful actors. Tune in for an instant self-esteem
|
||
boost.
|
||
|
||
THUMBS UP
|
||
Terry Pratchett's "The Wyrd Sisters"
|
||
11 PM Thursdays Radio 4
|
||
|
||
With Sheila Hancock, Lynda Baron, and Deborah Berlin. This is the first
|
||
radio-adaptation of a Terry Pratchett novel; so far, this series is doing
|
||
the disc-world novel justice. Don't miss it and turn the lights off for a
|
||
creepy experience.
|
||
|
||
THUMBS UP
|
||
The All-New Alexei Sayle Show 2
|
||
9:30 PM Fridays BBC2
|
||
|
||
Alexei Sayle is actually funny in this series, as he relies more on an
|
||
adept supporting cast and writers than on dominating the show with his
|
||
walking/talking to the camera format that he's relied on in the past. One
|
||
episode spoofs comic-book hero Superman by plunking him down in a coal
|
||
mining town (Superman gets out of a phone booth and promptly spits on the
|
||
ground.) Other highlights include "Drunk in Time," a paparazzi skit, and
|
||
"Menstral Cycles" (a bicycle program for lesbians).
|
||
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
BLACK ADDER: THE PILOT -- a summary and review
|
||
----------------------------------------------
|
||
by Steve Roberts <SteveR@ppr.tv.bbc.co.uk>, Steve Phillips
|
||
<eec@portia.umds.ac.uk>, and Michelle Street <mtstreet@soltec.com>.
|
||
|
||
Incredible as it may seem, the pilot of "Blackadder" was actually recorded
|
||
thirteen years ago. Though not rip-roaringly funny, it is nevertheless a
|
||
fascinating television document in its own right and definitely worthy of
|
||
a television showing or video release.
|
||
|
||
The script, credited to Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, begins with the
|
||
following narration:
|
||
|
||
"It is Europe, 400 years ago. In Spain, war rages, as Christians from every
|
||
land fight off the threatening terror of Turkish invasion.
|
||
|
||
The French... are in uneasy peace. But in England, under the tutelage of a
|
||
powerful king, the Ship of State ploughs a steady course as the court
|
||
awaits the Queen's birthday and the return of a Scottish hero from the
|
||
war... "
|
||
|
||
The show then opens with Prince Henry, the King, and the Queen discussing
|
||
the war with the Spanish. They hope it will soon be over so they can get
|
||
on with fighting the French. The Queen is in high spirits, as it is her
|
||
birthday and she has been given the county of Shropshire as a present.
|
||
|
||
Prince Edmund is in his chambers with his servants Percy and Baldrick. He
|
||
is clearly unhappy about the task he has been given, which is to arrange
|
||
the festivities for both the Queen's birthday and the return of the
|
||
Scottish hero McAngus to the court. He refers to his brother Henry as
|
||
"the bastard." Baldrick points out that if Henry actually was a bastard,
|
||
Edmund would one day be King. When he finds out that the eunuchs scheduled
|
||
to appear have cancelled, Edmund decides to have them executed. ("This is
|
||
a Royal command performance -- there are only two options. Either you do
|
||
it, or you don't do it. If you do it, you don't get paid. If you don't do
|
||
it, you get beheaded.")
|
||
|
||
Later -- the main hall. The Scottish hero, McAngus, appears. It is clear
|
||
that Edmund treats him with contempt, feeling that slaughtering a few
|
||
Turks is not very heroic. He is stunned when the King gives all Edmund's
|
||
lands in Scotland to McAngus.
|
||
|
||
Edmund's Chambers -- Edmund is furious. He, Percy and Baldrick plot to kill
|
||
McAngus. Percy warns that the King will cut Edmund off if he thinks he has
|
||
deliberately killed McAngus, so they agree to make it look like an
|
||
accident. Baldrick suggests putting McAngus's head in the mouth of a
|
||
cannon and firing it, but Edmund dismisses this as feeble.
|
||
|
||
McAngus's Room -- Edmund enters looking for McAngus, but the room is empty.
|
||
He finds a spiked Turkish helmet on the table and tries it on, but it gets
|
||
stuck. Hearing someone approaching, he hides behind the door. McAngus
|
||
enters, followed by the Queen. McAngus tells the Queen that his father
|
||
sends her his regards -- they used to know each other very well! The Queen
|
||
leaves, and McAngus discovers Edmund. They manage to get the helmet off,
|
||
and Edmund invites McAngus to act as the Scotsman in the play "The Death
|
||
of the Scotsman," to be performed for the Queens birthday.
|
||
|
||
The main hall, later that evening -- They are about to start the play, when
|
||
they discover that McAngus is drunk. Percy and Baldrick begin the play,
|
||
and are later joined by Edmund and McAngus. In the play, McAngus insults
|
||
the Queen, then stabs Edmund with a fake telescopic sword. He is sentenced
|
||
to be hung from the gallows. Leaving the stage, Edmund instructs Percy and
|
||
Baldrick to remove the safety hook from the gallows, and warns them that
|
||
whatever happens, if the Scotsman lives, they will die.
|
||
|
||
Off-stage, McAngus tells Edmund about hidden love letters from the Queen to
|
||
McAngus's father, casting doubts on the lineage of Prince Henry. McAngus
|
||
is back on stage about to be hanged before Edmund realises he needs him
|
||
alive to show him the letters. He tries to stop the hanging from off-stage
|
||
by cutting the noose with a spear, but it fails, so in a last-ditch
|
||
attempt, he throws a sheet over his head, and enters the stage as the
|
||
ghost of the Prince. He pleads mercy for the Scotsman, but Percy and
|
||
Baldrick, mindful of his previous threat, are determined to carry out the
|
||
execution. A comic fight sequence ensues, which ends with Edmund
|
||
inadvertently hanging McAngus himself, but then holding him up to stop him
|
||
choking.
|
||
|
||
Later, in McAngus's room -- A gleeful Edmund is shown the love letters that
|
||
his mother wrote. He instructs Baldrick to have the court assembled in the
|
||
morning.
|
||
|
||
The main hall, the following morning -- Edmund tells everyone about the
|
||
letters, which are dated November and December 1526. He begins to falter
|
||
as he realises that this was nine months AFTER Henry's birth, but nine
|
||
months BEFORE his own -- it is he who is the bastard, not Henry! McAngus
|
||
is as surprised at this revelation as Edmund is. Edmund tries to pretend
|
||
that McAngus has forged the letters, and challenges him to a duel -- to
|
||
the death. Edmund instructs Baldrick to get the fake telescopic sword, but
|
||
Percy gives Edmund the fake instead. There is a big fight, which
|
||
culminates in Edmund stabbing McAngus with the fake sword. On finding out
|
||
that Edmund tried to set him up with the fake sword, McAngus is furious
|
||
and is about to kill Edmund, when the King begs him for clemency. McAngus
|
||
agrees, but only if Edmund begs for mercy, which he does.
|
||
|
||
Later, in the King's chambers -- The King, Queen and Henry are discussing
|
||
the letters, which apparently turned out to be French forgeries. Edmund
|
||
and McAngus are now supposed to be the best of friends. However, up on the
|
||
tower, McAngus is peering down the barrel of a large cannon, at Edmund's
|
||
request. Back in the King's chambers, a loud bang is heard. Edmund comes
|
||
rushing in to announce that there has been a terrible accident -- as
|
||
everyone else leaves the room, he turns to the camera, and waves both fists
|
||
in triumph...
|
||
|
||
Closing Credits:
|
||
|
||
"The Black Adder" by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson
|
||
|
||
Prince Edmund............Rowan Atkinson
|
||
The King.................John Savident
|
||
The Queen................Elspet Gray
|
||
Prince Henry.............Robert Bathurst
|
||
Percy....................Tim McInnery
|
||
Baldrick.................Philip Fox
|
||
McAngus..................Alex Norton
|
||
Rudkin...................Simon Gipps Kent
|
||
Jesuit...................Oengus Macnamara
|
||
Music....................Howard Goodall
|
||
Fight Arranger...........Malcolm Ranson
|
||
Senior Cameraman.........Pete Ware
|
||
Vision Mixer.............Angela Wilson
|
||
Properties Buyer.........Tricia Ruddell
|
||
Visual Effects...........John Brace, Simon Taylor
|
||
V.T. Editor..............Graham Hutchings
|
||
Technical Manager........Dave Hare
|
||
Graphic Designer.........Marc Ortmans
|
||
Costume Designer.........Richard Croft
|
||
Make-up Artist...........Jill Sharlow
|
||
Production Team..........Camilla Howard, Hilary Bevan Jones
|
||
Lighting.................Peter Winn
|
||
Sound....................Richard Chamberlain
|
||
Production Manager.......Michael Leggo
|
||
Designers................Roger Cann, Philip Lindley
|
||
Producer.................Geoff Posner
|
||
|
||
The final shot is of the family coat of arms, inscribed with the motto:
|
||
|
||
"Veni Vidi Castratavi Illegitimos."
|
||
|
||
This very roughly translates as:
|
||
|
||
"I came, I saw, I castrated the bastards!"
|
||
|
||
No Director credit is given, presumably this was also Posner.
|
||
|
||
This episode was re-made as "Born to be King," which is fairly similar to
|
||
the pilot. However, in the transmitted version, McAngus clearly realises
|
||
that the letters cast doubt over Edmund rather than Henry (Harry) and is
|
||
deliberately setting him up, whereas in the pilot it comes as a complete
|
||
surprise to him.
|
||
|
||
Atkinson's performance as Edmund is somewhere between the portrayal in
|
||
series one and that of the latter series, although the strong sarcasm is
|
||
missing. If you realise that what makes the series 2-4 character work *is*
|
||
the sarcastic/sardonic attitude, you'll see that the character here is
|
||
rather thinly drawn and ambiguous. In fitting with the harsher, brasher
|
||
image -- gone is the pudding-basin haircut, to be replaced by tight curls.
|
||
Such is the change in the character that the idiocy of the
|
||
head-stuck-in-the-helmet slapstick, whilst fine for the re-make, is out of
|
||
place here.
|
||
|
||
The biggest let-down by far in this pilot is the actor playing Baldrick.
|
||
Tony Robinson is not exactly Olivier but having somebody else play the
|
||
part reveals just how missed he is. The blonde-haired Philip Fox fails
|
||
miserably on every level but the character is only weakly sketched in the
|
||
script so he cannot be blamed for all the shortcomings.
|
||
|
||
The other major casting change is the King's part. Instead of Brian
|
||
Blessed, John Savalent turns in a more reserved and thoughtful performance
|
||
(I was never a fan of Blessed's stock-in-trade "shouting kings" anyhow).
|
||
|
||
A criticism, which can also be levelled at most of the first series proper,
|
||
is that the plot is over-complicated. Indeed, during the performance of
|
||
"The Death Of A Scotsman" play, it's quite difficult to work out what is
|
||
going on. The production team must have realised this, hence the
|
||
re-working and simplifying of this scene prior to the re-make.
|
||
|
||
The pilot also suffers from not having the dramatic theme music of the
|
||
first series, although the opening silhouetted castle graphics are quite
|
||
effective.
|
||
|
||
Despite these criticisms, people who like the approach of the latter three
|
||
series will feel much more at home with the character of Blackadder here
|
||
than a random dip into any of the series one episodes.
|
||
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
||
A Bibliography of a Fred named Spike Milligan. 1.0
|
||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
||
by Vincent Golden <golden@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>
|
||
|
||
The following is an excerpt from the new "Spike Milligan Bibliography of
|
||
Printed Works." The full document can be found at:
|
||
|
||
http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/SpikeMilligan/Milligan_Bibliography.txt
|
||
|
||
____________
|
||
INTRODUCTION
|
||
|
||
Spike Milligan is best known for writing and starring in the 1950's radio
|
||
show, "The Goon Show," with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. This show
|
||
influenced later comics such as Peter Cook, the members of Monty Python,
|
||
and "The Goodies." After the end of "The Goon Show," Spike created the "Q"
|
||
series for the BBC and wrote a play, "The Bed-Sitting Room." He has also
|
||
appeared in other stage plays and movies.
|
||
|
||
He started writing books in the 1960s and has accumulated more than 84
|
||
books to his writing resume. These include children's books, parodies,
|
||
autobiography, letters, novels, scripts, and poetry.
|
||
|
||
_______________
|
||
ABOUT THIS LIST
|
||
|
||
The following is a list of books authored or edited by Spike Milligan
|
||
through the first part of 1995. This bibliography was compiled by combing
|
||
through some on-line databases; the British Library printed catalogue
|
||
through 1987; and Whitaker's British Books in Print for the past 35 years.
|
||
This list does not contain recordings or publications where Spike Milligan
|
||
was a contributor.
|
||
|
||
Those editions marked with an * are listed as still in print in the 1995
|
||
edition of Whitaker's British Books in Print.
|
||
|
||
____________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
Adolf Hitler : my part in his downfall. (War autobiography, vol. 1)
|
||
London: Michael Joseph, 1971.
|
||
ISBN: 0718108663
|
||
*Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin, 1972. paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140035206
|
||
Oxford: ISIS Large Print, 1987 (Mainstream series)
|
||
ISBN: 1850891966
|
||
London: Book Club Assoc., 1972
|
||
New York: Harper's Magazine Press, 1974
|
||
ISBN: 006126380X
|
||
|
||
Badjelly the witch : a fairy story [written in his own
|
||
handwriting, reproduced from manuscript]
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: M. and J. Hobbs ; London: Joseph, 1973
|
||
ISBN: 0718111125
|
||
London: Target Books, 1974 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0426105672
|
||
|
||
The bedside Milligan, or, Read yourself to insomnia
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: Margaret and Jack Hobbs, 1968
|
||
ISBN: 0851380042
|
||
London: Tandem, 1971
|
||
ISBN: 0426069471
|
||
ISBN: 0426054776 1972 paperback
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: Hobbs in association with Michael Joseph,
|
||
1983
|
||
ISBN: 0718122275
|
||
Star Books, 1979
|
||
ISBN: 0352306270
|
||
|
||
(written with John Antrobus) The bed-sitting room
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: Margaret and Jack Hobbs, 1970
|
||
ISBN: 0851380123
|
||
London: Tandem, 1972
|
||
ISBN: 0426068599, 0426158008
|
||
|
||
The Bible : the Old Testament according to Spike Milligan
|
||
London: Michael Joseph, 1993
|
||
ISBN: 0718137361
|
||
*London: Penguin, 1994 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140239707
|
||
|
||
The book of the Goons : incorporating a new selection of Spike
|
||
Milligan's Goon Show scripts and, by courtesy of Whacklow, Futtle
|
||
& Crun (Commissioniers for Oaths, threats issued), the authentic,
|
||
unexpurgated inter-Goonal correspondence of certain naughty
|
||
gentlemen and sundry others, alias Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and
|
||
Spike Milligan including photographs by Snowdon and drawings by the
|
||
Goons.
|
||
London: Robson Books, 1974
|
||
ISBN: 0903895269
|
||
London: Corgi, 1975
|
||
ISBN: 0552999563
|
||
*London: Robson, 1984 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 086051286X
|
||
New York: St. Martin's Press, 1975
|
||
NOTE: The following scripts are in the book:
|
||
- The terrible revenge of Fred Fumanchu
|
||
- The great string robberies
|
||
- The Spon Plague
|
||
- Tales of men's shirts
|
||
- Robin's post
|
||
|
||
Chill air
|
||
[Leicester]: New Broom Press, 1981
|
||
ISBN: 0901870498
|
||
NOTE: Drawing by Rigby Graham. Limited edition of 150 copies.
|
||
|
||
Cyclists please dismount : and other photographs from Kodak
|
||
Limited's "Humour '70" exhibition.
|
||
London: Angus & Robertson, 1971
|
||
ISBN: 0207954402
|
||
|
||
Dear Robert, Dear Spike : the Graves-Milligan correspondence
|
||
Stroud, Gloucestershire: A. Sutton, 1991
|
||
ISBN: 0862996481
|
||
|
||
(with Anthony W. Clare)
|
||
Depression and how to survive it.
|
||
*Ebury, 1993
|
||
ISBN: 009177019X
|
||
*London: Arrow, 1994 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0099858304
|
||
|
||
A dustbin of Milligan
|
||
London: D. Dobson, 1961
|
||
ISBN: 0234775688
|
||
London: Louvain Landsborough, 1963
|
||
London: Tandem Books, 1965
|
||
ISBN: 0426042719
|
||
Star Books, 1979
|
||
ISBN: 0352306297
|
||
|
||
(and Tracey Boyd)
|
||
Floored masterpieces with worse verse
|
||
London: Macmillan, 1985 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 333393147
|
||
|
||
Get in the Q annual
|
||
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey: London: M & J Hobbs ; M. Joseph,
|
||
1980
|
||
ISBN: 0718119622
|
||
|
||
Good-bye soldier
|
||
London: M. Joseph in association with J. Hobbs, 1986
|
||
(War biography, vol. 6)
|
||
ISBN: 0718125045
|
||
*Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1987 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140103384
|
||
|
||
The Goon cartoons
|
||
London: M. Joseph in association with M. & J. Hobbs, 1982
|
||
ISBN: 0718122003
|
||
|
||
The Goon Show scripts
|
||
London: Woburn Press, 1972
|
||
ISBN: 0713000767
|
||
London: Sphere Books, 1973
|
||
ISBN: 0722160585
|
||
London: Sphere, 1976 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0722160747
|
||
New York: St. Martin's Press, 1972
|
||
ISBN: 0713000767
|
||
Melbourne: Lansdowne, 1972
|
||
ISBN: 070180047X
|
||
NOTE: The following scripts are in the book:
|
||
- The dreaded batter pudding hurler
|
||
- The phantom head-shaver
|
||
- The affair of the lone banana
|
||
- The canal
|
||
- Napoleon's piano
|
||
- Foiled by President Fred
|
||
- The mighty wurlitzer
|
||
- The Hastings flyer
|
||
- The house of teeth
|
||
|
||
(with Jack Hobbs)
|
||
The great McGonagall scrap book
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: London: M. and J. Hobbs; Joseph, 1975
|
||
ISBN: 071811258X
|
||
|
||
Hidden words : collected poems
|
||
*London: Michael Joseph, 1993
|
||
ISBN: 0718136152
|
||
|
||
Indefinite articles : culled from his newspaper writings and
|
||
Scunthorpe
|
||
London: M & J Hobbs in association with Michael Joseph, 1981
|
||
ISBN: 0718120787
|
||
London: Sphere, 1983 (paperback)
|
||
ISBN: 0722161115
|
||
London: M. & J. Hobbs in association with M. Joseph, 1981
|
||
[Special late royal wedding ed.]
|
||
ISBN: 0718120787
|
||
|
||
It ends with magic : a Milligan family story
|
||
*London: M. Joseph, 1990
|
||
ISBN: 071813432X
|
||
*London: Penguin, 1991 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140139125
|
||
|
||
Lady Chatterley's lover : according to Spike Milligan
|
||
*London: M. Joseph, 1994
|
||
ISBN: 0718138120
|
||
*London: Penguin, 1995
|
||
ISBN: 0140242996 paperback
|
||
|
||
The lost Goon Shows
|
||
London: Robson Books, 1987
|
||
ISBN: 0860514609
|
||
London: Penguin, 1988 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140114173
|
||
*London: Robson, 1993 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0860518876
|
||
|
||
The Melting Pot
|
||
London: Robson Books, 1983
|
||
ISBN: 0860511952
|
||
NOTE: A script of a recorded television program which was never
|
||
aired.
|
||
|
||
The Milligan book of records: games, cartoons and commercials
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: London: M. and J. Hobbs; Joseph, 1975
|
||
ISBN: 0718113772
|
||
Star Books, 1977
|
||
ISBN: 0352396407
|
||
|
||
(and Jack Hobbs, editors)
|
||
Milligan's ark
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: London: Hobbs; Distributed by M. Joseph,
|
||
1971
|
||
ISBN: 0851380174
|
||
London: Sphere, 1977 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0722160801
|
||
NOTE: Foreword by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
|
||
|
||
Milligan's war : the selected war memoirs of Spike Milligan
|
||
London: Joseph, 1988
|
||
ISBN: 0718130359
|
||
*Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1989 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140110828
|
||
|
||
Monty, his part in my victory (War autobiography, vol. 3)
|
||
London: Joseph, 1976
|
||
ISBN: 0718115317
|
||
*Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1978 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140045031
|
||
London: Book Club Associates, 1977
|
||
|
||
More Goon cartoons
|
||
[Walton-on-Thames]: M. & J. Hobbs in association with Joseph,
|
||
1983
|
||
ISBN: 0718123417
|
||
|
||
(edited by Norma Farnes)
|
||
More Spike Milligan letters
|
||
London: M. & J. Hobbs in association with M. Joseph, 1984
|
||
ISBN: 0718124367
|
||
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1985 (paperback)
|
||
ISBN: 0140081631
|
||
|
||
Peace work (Peace/war autobiography, vol. 7)
|
||
London: Michael Joseph, 1991
|
||
ISBN: 0718135334
|
||
*London: Penguin, 1992 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140149708
|
||
|
||
The 'Q' annual
|
||
London: M. Joseph in association with M. &. J. Hobbs, 1979
|
||
ISBN: 0718118707
|
||
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1980
|
||
ISBN: 0140056491
|
||
NOTE: 'Based on material for the BBC Television "Q" series by
|
||
Spike Milligan and Neil Shand.'
|
||
|
||
"Rommel?"-"Gunner Who?" : a confrontation in the desert
|
||
(War autobiography, vol. 2)
|
||
London: Joseph, 1974
|
||
ISBN: 0718107330
|
||
London: Book Club Associates, 1975
|
||
Harmondsworth: Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1976 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140041079
|
||
|
||
Silly verse for kids and animals
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: M. & J. Hobbs in association with M.
|
||
Jackson, 1984
|
||
ISBN: 0718124049
|
||
|
||
Small dreams of a scorpion : poems
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: London: M. and J. Hobbs, Joseph, 1972
|
||
ISBN: 0718110498
|
||
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1973 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140035648
|
||
|
||
Spike Milligan -- paintings, drawings, manuscripts and recordings:
|
||
[catalogue of an exhibition held] 5th December -- 23rd December
|
||
1972
|
||
London: Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1973
|
||
ISBN: 0854880127
|
||
|
||
There's lot of it about!
|
||
London: M. & J. Hobbs in association with M. Joseph, 1983
|
||
ISBN: 0718122437
|
||
NOTE: Based on material written for the BBC Television series.
|
||
|
||
Twelve poems that made December colder
|
||
Leicester: New Broom Private Press, 1979
|
||
ISBN: 0901870374
|
||
NOTE: Limited ed. of 90 numbered copies
|
||
|
||
Where have all the bullets gone? (War autobiography, vol. 5)
|
||
Walton-on-Thames: M. & J. Hobbs in association with M.
|
||
Joseph, 1985
|
||
ISBN: 0718124308
|
||
*Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1986 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 014008892X
|
||
|
||
(with Jack Hobbs)
|
||
William McGonagall meets George Gershwin : a Scottish fantasy
|
||
London: Joseph, 1988
|
||
ISBN: 0718131274
|
||
*Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1989 paperback
|
||
ISBN: 0140119353
|
||
|
||
Wuthering Heights
|
||
*London: Michael Joseph, 1994
|
||
ISBN: 0718137876
|
||
|
||
____________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
"The Spike Milligan Bibliography of Printed Works" compilation copyright
|
||
(c) 1995 by Vincent Golden. This document is FREE, and should not be used
|
||
by anyone for monetary gain. Reproductions without written permission are
|
||
forbidden, except for individual use.
|
||
|
||
FEEDBACK WELCOME!
|
||
If you know of other editions, titles, or find any mistakes, please let me
|
||
know. If you can, mail me a photocopy of the title page and the verso
|
||
(that's the back side of the title page) -- it would help in updating the
|
||
list.
|
||
|
||
Vincent Golden
|
||
1117 Austin Dr.
|
||
Urbana, IL 61801
|
||
###
|
||
|
||
=====================================
|
||
THE "FISH CALLED WANDA" QUIZ ANSWERS:
|
||
=====================================
|
||
1. Ilene Cody was the primary witness placing George at the scene
|
||
of the robbery. She lived at 69 Basil Street. 2. Phantom 3. Harvey
|
||
Man-frin-st.john-sen 4. Cathcart Towers Hotel 5. 13 million 6. Oscar
|
||
Wilde 7. Kipling Mansions, Murray Road, London W9 8. Hazel & Ian Johnson
|
||
9. Aristotle was not Belgian; the central message of Buddhism is not every
|
||
man for himself; and the London Underground is not a political movement.
|
||
10. Stephen Fry 11. He emigrates to South Africa to become the Minister
|
||
for Justice. 12. Russian.
|
||
|
||
SPOTTED ON THE INTERNET
|
||
=======================
|
||
A Black Adder-inspired sig?
|
||
|
||
**************************************************************************
|
||
Rob Putnam, University of Chicago rputnam@midway.uchicago.edu
|
||
|
||
,.;. Squirrels: a source of campus nutrition
|
||
|\__/| .~ ~.
|
||
/o=o'`./ .' Recipe for squirrel au vin:
|
||
{o__, \ { Ingredients:
|
||
/ . . ) \ 1 squirrel (remove hair)
|
||
`-` '-' \ } 1 bottle of Boones Strawberry Hill
|
||
.( _( )_.' To prepare:
|
||
:. '---.~_ _ _| Get really drunk, eat the squirrel.
|
||
**************************************************************************
|
||
|
||
QUOTE-O'-THE-MONTH:
|
||
===================
|
||
Dedicated to Hugh Grant.
|
||
|
||
"To Err Is Human
|
||
To Forgive, Divine"
|
||
|
||
(or perhaps it should be dedicated to Liz Hurley...)
|
||
|
||
TOUR GUIDE
|
||
==========
|
||
If you know of someone taking the show on the road, do let us know!
|
||
|
||
Phil McIntyre presents Alexei Sayle
|
||
===================================
|
||
Tickets: <20>9.50/<2F>11.50/<2F>13.50
|
||
Subject to booking fee.
|
||
|
||
Oct. 8 Aylesbury Civic Centre
|
||
Oct. 10 Newcastle City Hall
|
||
Oct. 11 Bristol Colston Hall
|
||
Oct. 12 Cambridge Corn Exchange
|
||
Oct. 14 Oxford Apollo
|
||
Oct. 15 Liverpool Empire
|
||
Oct. 16 Preston Guildhall
|
||
Oct. 17 Nottingham Royal Centre
|
||
Oct. 18 Edinburgh Festival Theatre
|
||
Oct. 20 York Barbican
|
||
Oct. 21 Wolverhampton Civic Hall
|
||
Oct. 22 Southampton Mayflower
|
||
Oct. 24 Glasgow Pavilion
|
||
Oct. 25 Sheffield City Hall
|
||
Oct. 27 Hull City Hall
|
||
Oct. 28 Manchester Apollo
|
||
Oct. 29 London Palladium
|
||
Oct. 30 Brighton Dome
|
||
Oct. 31 Birmingham Symphony Hall
|
||
Nov. 1 Plymouth Pavilions
|
||
Nov. 2 Cardiff St. David's Hall
|
||
Nov. 3 Reading Hexagon
|
||
Nov. 4 Ipswich Regent
|
||
|
||
BOTTOM -- "THE BIG NUMBER TWO TOUR" LIVE!
|
||
|
||
"Following the success of their sell out 1993 tour, Rik Mayall and Ade
|
||
Edmondson return in a brand new 2-hour stage show based on the award
|
||
winning BBC2 TV series."
|
||
|
||
Tickets: #10.50/12.50/14.50. (available from Box Offices and all usual
|
||
agents subject to booking fee.)
|
||
|
||
SEPT. 18-23 Bristol Hippodrome
|
||
SEPT. 25-27 Woking New Victoria Theatre
|
||
SEPT. 28 Wolverhampton Civic Hall
|
||
OCT. 1 Bournemouth BIC
|
||
OCT. 5-6 Plymouth Pavilions
|
||
OCT. 9-11 Oxford Apollo
|
||
OCT. 16-17 Brighton Dome
|
||
OCT. 18 Manchester Apollo
|
||
OCT. 19-20 Edinburgh Festival Theatre
|
||
OCT. 23-25 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
|
||
OCT. 27-28 Portsmouth Guildhall
|
||
OCT. 30 -
|
||
NOV. 4 Leeds Grand Theatre
|
||
NOV. 6-11 Birmingham Hippodrome
|
||
NOV. 12-14 Cardiff St. David's
|
||
NOV. 16-17 Manchester Apollo
|
||
NOV. 19 Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
|
||
NOV. 20 Leicester De Montfort Hall
|
||
NOV. 21-23 Ipswich Regent
|
||
NOV. 25 Blackburn King George's Hall
|
||
NOV. 26-28 Newcastle City Hall
|
||
NOV. 29 Hull City Hall
|
||
DEC. 1-3 Wolverhampton Civic Hall
|
||
DEC. 5-6 Sheffield City Hall
|
||
DEC. 8-9 Hammersmith Apollo
|
||
DEC. 11-13 Liverpool Empire
|
||
DEC. 18 Scarborough Futurist
|
||
DEC. 19-20 Nottingham Royal Centre
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________________
|
||
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc
|
||
__________________________________________________________________________
|
||
Mike Phillips has a decent collection of BRITCOMS--Red Dwarf, 10%ers, The
|
||
Brittas Empire, Bottom, and more! Looking to trade. Write him at: 2377
|
||
Apollo Rd #324, Garland TX 75044.
|
||
__________________________________________________________________________
|
||
US video catalog SIGNALS offers the first and second series of "ABSOLUTELY
|
||
FABULOUS" Telephone: 1-800-669-9696. Mail: Signals, WGBH Educational
|
||
Foundation, P.O. Box 64428, St. Paul, MN 55164-0428.
|
||
__________________________________________________________________________
|
||
"BOTTOM" fans interested in meeting other like-minded netters are invited
|
||
to email the editor for the Hammersmith performance of "THE BIG NUMBER TWO"
|
||
Tour. RSVP <melinda@cathouse.org>.
|
||
__________________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS:
|
||
==========================
|
||
Britcomedy Digest (ISSN 1077-6680) is a free electronic newsletter posted
|
||
monthly to alt.comedy.british and rec.arts.tv.uk.comedy.
|
||
|
||
DELPHI: In the "UK-American Connexion" forum, cf171.
|
||
|
||
GENIE: In the "Showbiz" roundtable, page 185.
|
||
|
||
SUBSCRIPTIONS: To receive an issue every month, send your email address to
|
||
<melinda@cathouse.org> with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject header.
|
||
|
||
BACK ISSUES:
|
||
============
|
||
WWW:
|
||
|
||
[US] http://www.cathouse.org/BritishComedy/BD/
|
||
[UK] http://paul.acorn.co.uk:8080/Britcom/
|
||
|
||
FTP:
|
||
|
||
Log on as "anonymous," giving your email account as your password.
|
||
|
||
ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/BritComedy
|
||
ftp://ftp.cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/british.humour/britcomedy.digest
|
||
|
||
GOPHER:
|
||
|
||
gopher://gopher.etext.org/11/Zines/BritComedy
|
||
gopher://cathouse.org:6969/11/british.humour/britcomedy.digest
|