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Hello,

The weekend has flown, yet again .. with it on ITV this afternoon came a flash back to a naive sort of humour I/we enjoyed. A few hours in the company of Benny Hill brought back so many fond memories of what I/we lack today in humourous entertainment.

 

This new post is Johns (Sticky) fault, he shouldn`t have mentioned another fine British institution that we have also sadly lost ... Ronnie Barker. Who could forget nurse Gladys Emaualls Morris Minor, and her two large "headlights". The show of course also starred another now fondly cherished institution of the small screen ... David Jason.

 

I consider myself fortunate to be bleesed with a profusion of DVD discs containing much merriment from the afore mentioned.

All I hope, is that the DVD players I possess last long enough to stand the pace of continious playback imposed on them in my dotage.

 

Stop, just look back for a moment at the past comic performances that these "heavy-weights" have brought into my/our lives. Life is far too short to be serious, anyone who tells you different has at least one foot in the grave. Now there`s another story on its own .... 

Hi Bill and all.

All I can say to your last statement is 'I don't believe it!'

Yes Benny Hill, what a great comedian. I used to love Mr Albert Scuttle with his 'Good heavnin sir',

not forgetting Ernie of course. Tis said that he was a big hit in the States which I find difficult to comprehend as I can't imagine that the Americans would pick up on a great deal of his humour, based upon double entendre, as it was. Still, there's nowt so funny as folks. He was of course a past master of slapstick, maybe this is what appealed to them.

I used to have an old LP of Benny Hill monologues. I can't remember much of it now, but there was one phrase that remains with me as a good example of his use of double entendre, the subject was keeping birds (Should appeal to Chris) it goes.

'There's that great big Betty Mavery,

She got 'er own avery,

Got the biggest parakeets I've ever seen'.

Getting back to Ronnie Barker and 'Open all hours', Bill, I'm gald you could appreciate nurse Gladys's rather outstanding disposition.

It's a shame that old Arkwright never even made home base!!! 

Got to go now.

Have fun.

Sticky. 

I agree with everything mentioned but also two of my favourites are Spike Milligan and Eric Sykes and his two Plank films. Good clean British humour at it's best.

 

Rich

My Mrs. couldn't stand Benny, I always, like Tony, liked the scanties, but there ya go. Humour seems to have changed boys, not for the better I think, I find modern stuff far to bland, it's usually not even very clever. I prefer the likes of Dads Army, still makes me laugh no matter how many times I've seen it, Ab Fab was good too, didn't go past its sell by date, but best of all was the stuff that dated back to radio days, Round the Horne, The Navy Lark, Tony Hancock and the Goons, now there's comedy.

I agree Stu, I've got The Navy Lark, Round the Horn and a lifetime of The Goons on my i pod. Sad though it may be I laugh evertime I play it, as I do with my other love in comedy Max Miller.

 

Rich

Hi Rich, Stu and all.

I agree with your comedy comments entirely.

You mention Sykes in 'The plank' Rich, good I agree, but even better was Ronnie Barker in 'Futtocks end'

As for the old radio comedys, gems all.

I must confess the one that always 'did it' for me was Tommy Cooper, not everybody's cup of tea I know, but brilliant, absolutely spot on timing, superb performer. He only had to walk on to a stage and I started to laugh. Chick Murray had the same effect.

For a brilliant comedy duo (With musical accompanyment) Flanders and Swann were also superb.

Have fun.

Sticky.

Hi Guys,  I like all those mentioned above as well. British comedy is certainly well ahead of the pack even if the new stuff is not quite as good as those produced in the 1960's and as above.  Have you guys seen the French and Saunders take off of Mama Mia on the net? Just Google French and Saunders Mama Mia, their take off of Cher is not too bad either.  Ken

"Flanders & swann" .. now there`s a name to play with .. one very good with a piano, the other excelling at wheel chair antics .. well, many a short (and long) tracks I have of theirs .. the "Gnu" song and "The Gas-man cometh" have to be top of my list .. but "london Transport omnibus" is up there as well.

 

Joyce Grenfell and her monologues .. same again, I place her much in the same bracket as "Flanders and Swann" on the versatility stakes. I have a favourite of hers performing with Norman Wisdom .. yes, actually singing (both of them). I don`t suppose many people associate Norman Wisdom and singing .. but he has quite a good voice.

 

If anybody would like to request any old material like this .. I`d be quite happy to upload it into the "Sound Files" album in the "skydrive" on here. .. (if I have it of course.). Oh, there`s Vera Lynn classics, Max Bygraves, Arthur Mullard, Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, etc. in my collections ... sad isn`t it?   

Hi All.

Your Flanders and Swann comments, Bill, certainly brought back some memories. Two of my favourites were 'The slow train' and

'The society for putting broken bedsteads into ponds'. I agree entirely about the Joyce Grenfell monologues, but must not forget that all time classic by Stanley Holloway, 'Albert and t' lion'.

Finally the talented Peter Sellers has to be mentioned, so versatile it's difficult to know where to start but the list is almost endless.

Getting late, gotta go now.

Have fun.

Sticky. 

Guys, if you enjoy a laugh goto YouTube and look up Simon's Cat.

Thanks Tony, looking forward to it, and we'll be back just in time for the reunion, looking forward to seeing you all then.

 

Stu

Holiday? .. I`ve missed something again .. never mind .. have fun Stu & Shirl .. see you next week.

Have a great holiday Stu, see you at the do next week !!

 

Rich