ITV Comedy – 1980’s

The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show (1982)

archivetvmusings Christmas Television, ITV Comedy - 1980's

For the seasoned M&W watcher, the 1982 Christmas special contains an awful lot of recycled material. Quite why Eric & Ernie revisited so many of their old routines during their last few years together is a little bit of a mystery. Several possibilities have been advanced – maybe Eddie Braben was running out of ideas or it might have been that Morecambe & Wise (especially following Eric’s second heart attack) were less confident with fresh material and so preferred to work with scripts that they knew should guarantee them laughs.

The show opens with a bombshell – Eric announces that they are retiring. Given that they were approaching the end of their career, there’s something slightly uncomfortable about this. Although at this point it does seem more like a gag rather than a coded statement – it was during 1983 that Eric began to have serious doubts about continuing and began to look forward to a peaceful retirement as a writer.

During the show, Eric phones up a number of potential guests – Denis Healey, Glenda Jackson, Andre Previn, Jimmy Young, Diana Dors – all of whom he manages to insult (causing them to slam down the phone and shake their heads). This was another old BBC favourite of course, although back in the BBC days they did manage to wangle some very big names (like Laurence Olivier). Today’s crop are perfectly fine, but (due to the fact that many already had an association with Eric & Ernie) their brief appearances don’t quite have the same impact.

Today’s sole musical guests are Wall Street Crash. They may be forgotten today (despite a lengthy career – albeit with numerous personnel changes – between 1980 and 2007) but their style of music chimed exactly with Eric and Ernie, who joins them in white top hats and tails for an entertaining musical item. This, like the rest of the show, features some familiar material (such as the reveal that Eric’s piano prowess is due to him having an impossible number of fingers on each hand).

A video shop sketch (with Valerie Minifie once again acting as a mostly silent stooge) is followed by a fairly lengthy piece (just over seven minutes) featuring Richard Vernon interviewing a pair of explorers – Eric & Ernie of course. Like Tommy Cooper, Eric seemed to adore props and gadgets and several are wheeled out here for a laugh. Vernon’s a good straight man, but possibly the problem is that he’s a little too straight, meaning that the sketch never really catches fire.

The best sketch of the evening takes place inside a lingerie store, where Little Ern (attempting to buy a bra for his sister) has to overcome his embarrassment with the lady behind the counter (played by Patricia Brake). Eric, of course, offers him his usual wholehearted support ….

A familiar sketch from the BBC era (show 4.3) it sticks very closely to the original. The one change is that Brake is made up to look dowdier than Ann Hamilton was, which means that Eric’s parting insult comes across as quite cruel.

The star guest power of today’s show doesn’t seem quite as great as, say, the 1981 special. Robert Hardy is wheeled on for another appearance – his front curtain banter with Eric & Ernie has all been road-tested before (the banana part with Sir John Mills, for example).

When you have every existing show to hand, this sort of thing can be a problem, but back in 1982 (when they were reusing gags from the previous decade that may not have been seen since their original broadcasts) it mattered less. After all, one of their most famous routines – with Andre Previn in 1971 – was a rehash of a sketch from their 1960’s days at ATV.

I enjoyed the Chattanooga Choo Choo skit, with M&W playing multiple characters. This leads into the play – set in the Yukon during the goldrush. The introductory text places us firmly in the early 1980’s (mentioning both British Leyland and Freddie Laker). Rula Lenska vamps it up very agreeably – a pity that she didn’t get a front curtain introduction before the play, but since this special only runs for fifty minutes (unlike some of the BBC specials which lasted over an hour) time was obviously a little tight.

So there we are. Taken in isolation, this is a perfectly enjoyable fifty minutes, although for me it’s impossible not to keep mentally referring to the original performances and comparing and contrasting. Mind you, if musicians can perform sets of their greatest hits, there should be no reason why comedians can’t do so as well …

The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show (1981)

archivetvmusings Christmas Television, ITV Comedy - 1980's

The opening credits introduces us to the guest stars. This is a nice touch and something that hasn’t been done since the early 1970’s BBC specials.

Little Ern is told by Eric that he’s been made the next Lord Mayor of Peterborough. And to prove it he’s given an impressive chain of office (“Fidelity, Integrity, Diligence, Obedience”). Hmm, I wonder what the initials of those words spell out?

This is another example of a very familiar Eric and Ernie trope – Eric conning the gullible Ern into believing that he’s about to receive an honour. It works because (as always) their interaction is spot on (the business with the top hat, for example). The reveal of the statue is also a nice touch.

Throughout the show we frequently cut to a snooker match between Steve Davis and Eric (Ernie has a passive role as the referee). Steve can’t pot a ball and Eric can’t miss (thanks to slick editing). Having won his first World title earlier in the year, Steve was a good sport to play along and it looks like he brought the actual World Championship trophy for Eric to briefly handle.

Next we cross to the flat, where Ernie is preparing to meet not only Robert Hardy but also Sir Ralph Richardson. In story terms, Hardy’s presence seems superfluous (Sir Ralph is the one that Ern wants to nab for his latest and greatest play) but maybe there  were concerns that Sir Ralph wouldn’t be able to handle all the byplay, so possibly Hardy was brought in to help shoulder the load.

And it’s true that Richardson does seem to be a little disconnected (although that seemed to be his public persona at the best of times). He warms up as time goes on though and genuinely seems to enjoying interacting with Eric and Ernie. In years gone by, this sort of preamble with a guest would occur before they appeared in the play but that’s pretty much your lot today for Sir Ralph (other stars later pop up in a totally different play).

Suzanne Danielle arrives to provide a touch of glam for the big song and dance number which is followed by a Health Food shop sketch that’s fairly inconsequential (although it does later provide the tag for the play).

Alvin Stardust has to withstand a fair bit of front curtain banter from Eric (which he takes in good heart) and then has to perform a song with the boys doing their best to upstage him. This is another very familiar M&W trope – although it’s interesting that in earlier days the musical guest would then be given the chance to sing another song without interference (poor Alvin doesn’t get this opportunity though).

Tonight’s play is another Shakespeare remake – Julius Caesar. Ian Ogilvy and Susannah York are dragged out in front of the curtain for some pre-play banter. Susannah seems a little nervous – she begins by calling Ernie the wrong name (Eric being Eric, of course, can’t let a slip of the tongue like that pass without comment).

Given the period, it’s not surprising that the play rehashes some moments from the earlier Cleopatra (with Glenda Jackson). What interests me more is just how basic the set is – an intentional choice or evidence that Thames couldn’t afford the same budgets that the BBC did?

We conclude the show with the whole guest ensemble (including Sir Ralph) dressed in overcoats, scarfs and flat caps – exiting the stage in the time honoured fashion. A joyous way to end a strong festive special.

The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show (1980)

archivetvmusings Christmas Television, ITV Comedy - 1980's

This December I’ve been tackling all of the Morecambe & Wise Christmas Shows (from 1969 to 1983).  My thoughts on the 1969 – 1979 shows can already been found elsewhere on the blog (having revisited the words what I’ve previously wrote, my opinions haven’t changed that much – I still find the 1972 and 1975 specials to be something of a slog, for example).

Following the low-key 1979 special, 1980 saw the boys back in harness. After a decent opening crosstalk (notable for the way Ern exits locked inside a life-sized wallet) we jump straight into a park-bench sketch with Eric, Ernie and Peter Vaughan. Vaughan plays to type as a menacing individual who intimidates the unfortunate Eric (Ern’s on hand to spur Eric on – which only serves to inflame Peter Vaughan all the more). Whether intentionally or not, this reminds me of a Hancock/Sid James scene. The sketch ends with the appearance of Mick McManus (a celeb who you have to be a certain age to recognise). I’m sure most of the readers of this blog will know exactly who he is ….

Next, Eric and Ernie invite Jill Gascoine round for Christmas dinner. This was a virtual word for word remake of an old BBC sketch with Ann Hamilton. It doesn’t work quite as well this time round (at one point Eric fluffs a line about the number of bottles of ginger wine Ern drinks at Christmas). The gag about Ann buying Eric an identical tie every Christmas worked because of her long association with the boys, so it’s a pity they repeated this with Jill as she didn’t have the same history (meaning that the moment doesn’t make any sense).

There then follows a musical number with Eric, Ernie and Jill dressed (of course) in police uniforms.

If you’ve got the original Network DVD of series one of the Thames M&W shows (with the second disc containing the first four specials) then it’s worth holding onto, as the more recent release (Morecambe & Wise at Thames) snipped out a four minute chunk which featured Eric dressed as Rolf Harris. On the one hand I can see why they did this, but it’s still an irritation. As someone who watches 1970’s/1980’s television on a regular basis, I frequently encounter people who are now persona non grata (I’d prefer to be the one to decide whether I watch them or forward on).

Glenda Jackson pops by for a quick sketch and Peter Cushing (more about him anon) is another familiar face who enlivens proceedings. Today’s biggest star guest though, is undoubtedly Alec Guinness. It’s a pity he doesn’t have more to do (although his sketch is still a good one). He does turn up at the end, but we’re cruelly denied the opportunity to see him sing Bring Me Sunshine with Eric and Ernie.

Hannah Gordon and Peter Barkworth are today’s front curtain banter guests. Hannah Gordon had previously crossed swords with M&W on the BBC but it was all new to Barkworth – and it’s a joy to witness his nervous apprehension as he desperately trys to wriggle out of his commitments. Off hand, I don’t think Peter Barkworth tackled comedy that often, which makes his appearance here more noteworthy.

The play (little Ern’s rewrite of Hamlet) is typical enough fare and (thankfully) unlike some of the later BBC Christmas show plays doesn’t outstay its welcome – it’s around the ten minute mark.

Throughout the show, there are numerous quickie sketches featuring Eric & Ernie as a pair of carol singers attempting to extract a few pennies from Number 10. The payoff – after the credits have rolled – is that (through sheer force of will) the unseen person inside Number 10 who has forced the boys to put their own money in the collection box is none other than Peter Cushing! After all these years he’s finally been paid ….

Back to Christmas 1982 (24th December 1982)

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's

There’s a short season of Peter Sellers films to enjoy this Christmas, beginning today with I’m Alright Jack on BBC2. That’ll certainly go on the list as it’s an evergreen favourite that still has a satirical bite today (and the cast – including Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, Margaret Rutherford, Irene Handl, Liz Fraser and John Le Mesurier – aren’t too shabby either).

I’ll stick with BBC2 for a repeat of K9 & Company. I don’t really approve of ‘guilty pleasures’ – something’s either a pleasure or not – but I have to admit that I’ve rewatched this many more times than is really sensible. Ignoring (or indeed cherishing) its many faults is all part of the fun.

At 8:40 on BBC1 there’s Christmas With Terry & June, which will be my last pick today on the BBC.

ITV’s offering a repeat of The Goodies – Snow White 2. By this point, The Goodies’ brief association with Thames had already come to an end – a shame as the run of episodes had been pretty strong. Next up is The Stanley Baxter Hour. Like The Goodies, Baxter would eventually fall foul of ITV (also for cost reasons – his shows simply became too expensive for them) but for now he’s one of the jewels in their crown. Never as high profile as Morecambe & Wise or Benny Hill, Baxter always delivered though – and if the scripts weren’t always that sharp, his performances were.

I’ll round off today with a real oddity on C4 – The Curious Case of Santa Claus. Starring James Coco and Jon Pertwee and written by Bob Larbey it’s well worth a look.

Back to November 1982 (25th November 1982)

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I’ll be kicking off the evening with TOTP. Not a classic edition but studio performances by Talk Talk (Talk Talk) and A Flock of Seagulls (Wishing If I Had a Photograph of You) ensure that it’s not a total write-off.

From then on, it’s sitcoms all the way. There’s an embarrassment of riches tonight, beginning with Only When I Laugh and Shelley on ITV. Then it’ll be over to BBC1 for Only Fools and Horses before the highlight of the evening (both mine and Stan’s) which is Yes Minister on BBC2.

Tonight’s episode is The Skeleton in the Cupboard and offers Jim the satisfaction of gaining the upper hand over Sir Humphrey. The episode has two plotlines which are only tenuously connected (either could have worked just as well in another episode without the other) but when there’s so many quotable lines flying about, I’m not too concerned about plotting. To give just two examples ….

Sir Humphrey Appleby: If local authorities don’t send us the statistics that we ask for, then government figures will be a nonsense.
Jim Hacker: Why?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: They will be incomplete.
Jim Hacker: But government figures are a nonsense anyway.
Bernard Woolley: I think Sir Humphrey want to ensure they are a complete nonsense.

Jim Hacker: Bernard, how did Sir Humphrey know I was with Dr. Cartwright?
Bernard Woolley: God moves in a mysterious way.
Jim Hacker: Let me make one thing perfectly clear: Humphrey is not God, OK?
Bernard Woolley: Will you tell him or shall I?

The first storyline concerns a local council which has attracted Sir Humphrey’s ire (because they never send their paperwork back to the DAA). This hasn’t stopped them from becoming the most efficient council in the country though, but that’s something which cuts no ice with a bureaucratic mandarin like Sir Humphrey.

Jim is reluctant to censure the council simply because they can’t fill in forms, but he’s pressured by Sir Humphrey to do so. Jim seems to have no choice, but then a gift (evidence of Sir Humphrey’s incompetence from thirty years ago) is dropped into his lap. This is the cue for some exquisite squirming from Nigel Hawthorne as he reluctantly confesses all (equally good as ever, of course, is Paul Eddington as we see Jim delight in twisting the knife).

It’s difficult to say that Hawthorne didn’t deserve the four BAFTAs he won for Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, but it’s a bitter irony that Paul Eddington had to lose out to his colleague on each occasion (in the years that Hawthorne won, Eddington was always also nominated). If Jim and Sir Humphrey were a double act, then you could say that Eddington tended to play the feed at times (but though he had the less showy role, he was always excellent value). Indeed, one of the pleasures of rewatching the series is simply to appreciate just how good they both were.

Back to November 1982 (24th November 1982)

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's

Tonight I’ll be catching To The Manor Born and Dallas on BBC1. To The Manor Born was incredibly popular at the time (the final episode in 1981 pulled in a staggering 27 million viewers) but it hasn’t retained the same profile today. The fact it doesn’t get re-run has something to do with this, of course. The performances are the thing which still engage the interest – especially Penelope Keith as the horrendous and self-centered Audrey fforbes-Hamilton. It’s Keith’s skill (not to mention the more sympathetic characters played by Peter Bowles and Angela Thorne) which ensures that Audrey is more than a one-dimensional snob. Although there are times when I have to confess I find her very irritating ….

I’ve been meaning to make a real dent in my Dallas boxset for some time, so maybe dipping into this episode will provide the spark to get me going. Possibly yet another programme to add to the 2023 pending rewatch pile.

I’ll set the VHS to record M*A*S*H on BBC2 whilst I switch over to ITV for The Morecambe & Wise Show and Minder. It’s noticeable how peak time repeats (today it’s To The Manor Born and Minder) are quite common in this era. Patricia Brake and Ruth Madoc are Eric and Ernie’s guests today. As I’ve said before, I think the Thames era deserves a little more love than it generally receives – yes, the rehashes of old scripts do become very noticeable at times (as in this episode) but the BBC series also did this from time to time (hello, Greig’s piano concerto).

All Mod Cons (S02E08, original tx 30th October 1980) is today’s Minder repeat. Toyah Wilcox guests as Kate, with Michael Robbins, Simon Cadell, Tony Osoba and Harry Towb also featuring. My thoughts on this one can be found here.

Natural Causes by Eric Chappell

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Broadcast in 1988, Natural Causes is a rather obscure entry from Eric Chappell’s back catalogue. That’s not terribly surprising as it was given the less than primetime slot of 11.30 pm (although it still managed to pull in an impressive 6.5 million viewers).

It began life as a play in 1985 with Ian Lavender and Michael Robbins. Chappell’s television adaptation boasts an equally impressive cast – George Cole, Benjamin Whitrow, Prunella Scales and Leslie Ash.

Walter Bryce (Whitrow) is keen to help his neurotic wife, Ceilia (Scales), depart this vale of tears, as waiting in the wings to comfort him is his young secretary Angie (Ash).

And that’s where Vincent (Cole) comes in. He works for a company called Exodus which exists to facilitate suicides. But although things initially seen straightforward, a myriad of complications soon ensue …

The theatrical origin of the story Is quite obvious, as the production remains studio-bound throughout with no attempt made to open it up. That’s not a problem for me though as it means the play has to stand or falls on the quality of its performances.

George Cole leads the way as the pernickety Vincent. Sounding not unlike Arthur Daley, Cole gives a highly effective turn, doing most of the comic heavy lifting during the early part of the story.

He initially forms a strong double-act with Whitrow, who’s entertainingly twitchy as the unfaithful husband attempting to persuade himself (and Vincent) that the death of his wife will be a mercy for her. But the first problem occurs when she decides that they should die together. He’s not keen …

Prunella Scales, like Cole, seems to be operating well within her comfort zone but that’s not really a criticism as she does what she does so well. Leslie Ash has the lesser of the four roles but there’s still a faint air of Lady Macbeth about Angie which is appealingly teased out.

The ending doesn’t come as a huge surprise but overall the 78 minutes slipped by very agreeably. Well worth a look.

Back to 1982 – 9th August 1982

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's, ITV Drama - 1980's

Not a lot that’s sourceable on BBC1 today. I might watch tune into Doctor Who and the Monsters for nostalgia’s sake – even though Earthshock is one of those stories that really grates on me these days (the plot, such as it is, is full of holes that I find hard to ignore).

BBC2 is a happier hunting ground. There’s tea-time Laurel and Hardy whilst later a repeat of The Paul Daniels Magic Show will definitely go on the list. Today Paul welcomes Reveen the Impossiblist with his Chess Magic, Mr Electric (the magician who beat the Energy Crisis) and Ray Dondy with his crazy diving skills. If that’s not entertainment then I don’t know what is.

Moving to ITV, an afternoon Van Der Valk repeat is a possible. VDV is a series I’m always surprised to find that I don’t enjoy more – all the building blocks are there (good central performance from Barry Foster, the usual roster of familiar faces guesting) but often the stories are just a little humdrum. Maybe today’s effort will surprise me though.

The blurb for this evening’s Coronation Street (courtesy of Stan Sayer) sounds intriguing. Alf Roberts off to watch a blue film? I’m in.

I’ll round off the evening with Arthur Lowe in A.J. Wentworth B.A. Broadcast after Arthur Lowe’s death in April 1982, the series always had a melancholy feel for that reason. It’s certainly not Lowe at his best, but I felt obligated to watch it forty years ago out of respect, so I think I’ll honour that feeling again today.

(And for those wondering, the eyes belong to John Alderton).

Back to 1982 – 8th August 1982

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I’ve fired up the randomizer again and it’s taken me back to August 1982 for the next seven days. As before, I’ll peruse each days listings and select my viewing choices (but they have to be programmes that I have access to, rather than simply a wishlist of what I would watch had I the opportunity).

The 1980 Classic Serial of adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities continues its repeat run – today it’s episode six. These adaptations had been Sunday tea-time staples for so long that it seemed they’d run for ever – but that wasn’t to be. They’re good for a few more years, but eventually their cheap and cheerful style (VT for interiors, film for exteriors) would fall out of fashion as  big-budget all-film productions became the norm.

There’s no shortage of familiar faces – Paul Shelley, Nigel Stock, Ralph Michael, Judy Parfitt, Stephen Yardley, Harold Innocent, David Collings – appearing and Michael E. Briant is a typically strong behind the camera presence so I think I’ll be tuning in.

Prior to the new series beginning in September, the previous run of The Chinese Detective was given a repeat run – today it’s S01E04 – Income Tax. With the DVDs long deleted and no television station yet to pick it up, The Chinese Detective has rather faded from view. A pity, as there was a lot to appreciate over its short run – from David Yip’s engaging lead performance to Ian Kennedy Martin’s scripts (the fact he wrote most of them suggests he was very invested in the series). The always reliable Lee Montague guest-stars today, which is another plus in this episode’s favour.

Over on BBC2 there’s a Jane omnibus. For a myriad of reasons it’s a series you’d never see today – the overdose of CSO for one (I miss programmes that had the sheer nerve to go full-on CSO) and the mild (very mild really) titillation for another.

Not a great deal available on ITV, but Holding the Fort is a possible. It’s a Marks and Gran sitcom that has rather sunk without trace, even though the cast (Peter Davison, Patricia Hodge, Matthew Kelly) were more than passable. Possibly its low profile is due to the fact it’s an ITV sitcom that Network never got around to releasing on DVD. But the episodes are up on YouTube (click here) if you wish to investigate.

Back to May 1986 (22nd May 1986)

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's

It doesn’t look like a classic Top of the Pops line-up tonight, but it’ll give me a good snapshot of musical tastes from mid 1986, so it’s going on the list.

The Clairvoyant on BBC2 will also be worth a look. The combination of the two Roys (Clarke and Kinnear) promised much and whilst you didn’t have to be a mind reader (sorry) to have predicted that this sitcom wouldn’t have a long run, it’s still amusing enough.

ITV offers Never the Twain. It’s a sitcom which ran for an incredibly long time and was sustained throughout its life almost entirely by the larger than life performances of Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden. They could always be guaranteed to make something out of the most predictable situations.

I’ll round the evening off with the 1983 American TV movie version of A Caribbean Mystery.  I’m rather fond of all the 1980’s US Agatha Christie TVMs and whilst it’s obvious that Helen Hayes was no Joan Hickson, on her own terms she makes for an appealing Miss Marple.

Most of the US Christie TVMs of this era feature impressive supporting casts (for example, the other Helen Hayes Marple mystery has Bette Davis, Leo McKern, Dorothy Tutin and John Mills amongst others) but A Caribbean Mystery is a bit bereft in this respect, although the likes of Bernard Hughes, Brock Peters and George Innes do feature.

Back to May 1986 (20th May 1986)

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, BBC Drama - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's , ,

Once again, the number of prime time repeats rather surprises me. My recollection of this era tended to confine re-runs mostly to July and August (a dead couple of months,  which saw the impatient viewer counting down the days before the exciting new season launched in September).

One Arabian Night is the Terry and June episode on offer. Written by Colin Bostock-Smith, it’s a politically incorrect half hour – Derek Griffiths guests as an Arab Prince who takes a shine to June and offers to buy her for fifty camels.

We’re on firmer ground with Juliet Bravo (The Day The Circus Left Town). The Kenny Everett Show is also worth a look – it’s a re-run from the third series, so the strike rate is still pretty high (the show tended to tail off somewhat during the next few years).

Over on ITV there’s Duty Free – a series that was incredibly popular at the time (even displacing Coronation Street at the top of the ratings) although didn’t seem to generate an equal amount of love. Even today, it’s seen as a lesser part of the Eric Chappell canon – but I’ve always loved it. Very studio-bound, it has the feel of a stage farce which is one of the reasons why I’ve always found it appealing. When the Christmas Special went to Spain for location filming it seemed to kill the comedy stone dead, which suggests that the artificiality of studio VT work can sometimes be a positive.

And if there’s time I’ll catch a bit more of Edward and Mrs Simpson.

Back to May 1986 (16th May 1986)

archivetvmusings BBC Comedy - 1980's, BBC Drama - 1980's, ITV Comedy - 1980's, ITV Drama - 1980's ,

The randomiser has taken me back to 1986, to sample a week’s television. What does Friday the 16th of May offer? Let’s take a look ….

BBC1 offers a repeat of Home and Dry, the final episode from Big Deal’s first series (watching this might spur me into attempting a complete rewatch). There’s more repeats on ITV – Me and My Girl and Home to Roost. Me and My Girl isn’t greeted with much enthusiasm by the Daily Mirror blurb writer, Tony Pratt (who also seems unaware that the show had already clocked up three series by this point) but you can’t argue with the combined talents of O’Sullivan, Brooke-Taylor and Sanderson.

Home to Roost isn’t a sitcom that’s ever really clicked with me (which is surprising, since I’ve always enjoyed most of Eric Chappell’s output). Maybe time to give it another go and see if it’s more engaging this time round.

The undoubted pick of the evening is Quo Vadis, Pet, the final episode of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet‘s second series. At the time this seemed to be the final end (although it’s slightly disturbing to realise that the first comeback series aired twenty years ago. Where has that time gone?)

The second series, of course, was overshadowed by the death of Gary Horton – especially towards the end of the run when his absence had to be explained away by a double passing through shot or amended dialogue. Despite this, all of the series’ remaining story threads are neatly tied up and even if the second half of series two did sag a little, I’d have to say it slightly edges the first run as my favourite.

Back to April 1982 (7th April 1982)

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There’s nothing sourceable for me on BBC1, whilst BBC2 offers The Ascent of Man and M*A*S*H as possibilities.

ITV’s a happier hunting ground – there’s the always reliable Coronation Street (Derek Wilton making his first appearance since April 1979) followed by a repeat of The Benny Hill Show. I’m not sure whether I’ll attempt to track down exactly which one it is, as you’d no doubt get the gist from any of his shows at this point ….

Undoubted highlight of the evening is In – the final episode of Minder‘s third series. There’s a grimmer tone to this one – Arthur’s behind bars and desperate whilst Terry, still on the outside, attempts to clear his friend’s name.

This was one of Leon Griffiths’ last scripts for the series. Several writers (Tony Hoare especially) very effectively developed and broadened Griffiths’ original concept, but there’s always something satisfying about watching something written by Minder‘s creator.

Featuring a typically strong supporting cast (Brian Cox, Frederick Jaeger, Diane Langton, Russell Hunter) it’s the sort of episode that makes me want to go back and rewatch the whole series in order.

Morecambe & Wise at Thames

archivetvmusings ITV Comedy - 1970's, ITV Comedy - 1980's

The news that Network look to be releasing all of Morecambe and Wise’s Thames shows soon (DVD covers have appeared on Amazon) fills me with a certain amount of joy. I took to Twitter to express my delight but Twitter being Twitter it wasn’t long before somebody stopped by to tell me that the Thames era was a bit rubbish really ….

This is a widely held view, but hopefully after all the shows become accessible we might see something of a reassessment. It’s true that Morecambe and Wise’s Thames twilight years don’t match their BBC peak – but then both performers were older and slower (especially Eric, who had suffered his second heart attack in the late seventies). And no matter how good Eddie Braben was, after more than a decade writing for Eric and Ernie it’s not a surprise that sometimes things seem rather familiar.

But one thing you realise when working through the BBC era is that not everything is gold. The hit rate is pretty good, but there’s a fair bit of chaff too. For me, it’s Little Ern’s plays which are the main sticking point – had they been tight, ten minute skits then they’d pass by very agreeably (but many tend to be twice that length and are more of a trial than a treasure).

Since the regular Thames shows were only twenty five minutes, this sort of indulgence was no longer possible. Possibly the shows were shorter in order not to put too much pressure on Eric, but whatever the reason it was a positive move.

Although I watch a considerable amount of archive television (a self evident statement I know) I’m very rarely motivated by nostalgia. I’m prepared to make an exception for E & E at Thames though.

I don’t have any clear memories of their first run BBC performances (and in the late seventies, early eighties their BBC shows didn’t get repeated very often) so I really hopped on board at the start of their Thames transfer. So little things (“here they are now, Morecambe & Wise” sung to the Thames jingle and Eric walking off at the end of each show to catch the bus) still give me a little nostalgic frisson.

Fingers crossed that these DVDs don’t go into limbo like certain other Network titles (Biggles, Hollywood). Time will tell ….

The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club – 8th March 1975

archivetvmusings ITV Comedy - 1980's

wheel

Tonight’s Turns:

The Flirtations
The Krankies
George Melly with John Chilton’s Feetwarmers
Richard and Lara Jarman
Joe ‘Mr Piano’ Henderson

There seems to be a never-ending line of girl groups who are available to be wheeled on to open the show. Today it’s the Flirtations, who have an impressive history and look to be another group that I’ll need to investigate further at a later date. Put Your Hands Together is the song they perform here – all three take turns to trade main vocal lines (although it’s fair to say that some seem better suited to taking the lead than others).

The Krankies are back. It’s slightly baffling now to understand quite how they managed to maintain such a long career, given the thinness of their act (possibly it was a mystery back then as well). The formula is as before – straight man Ian (lovely ruffled shirt, sir) finds himself continually interrupted by the highly irritating schoolboy Jimmy.

A sample joke will give you a flavour of their act. “Do you know anything about general knowledge? Yes, he was a soldier”. I don’t know why, but this time round I found their shtick to be somewhat creepy.

Still, things pick up with George Melly. Along with John Chilton’s Feetwarmers he rampages through The Boogie Woogie Man. They were an act surely good enough to be top of the bill, instead of being relegated to five minutes just before the advert break. Oh well.

Considering he wasn’t a name performer, Richard Jarman (together with the lovely Lara) gets a very generous chunk of the show (some thirteen minutes). It’s a perfect example of the sort of magic act you could expect to see in clubland, utilising props which don’t take up a great deal of floorspace.

Things don’t get off to the best of starts when Richard, preparing for the egg into dove illusion, drops the lid onto the floor. But quick as a flash he picks it up and things carry on. Once this minor miracle is out of the way it’s time to concentrate on the two main illusions.  The first is the very familiar Zig Zag Girl, although back then it was more current – having been invented just a decade earlier by Robert Harbin (one of his performances can be found on Network’s London Palladium release).

The trunk illusion is much older (it was a favourite of Houdini’s) and although it’s not too hard to work out how it’s done, the trick is still a good one.  Both illusions do take a while to set up (which helps to explain why the spot was so long) although it’s a slight surprise to me that Richard was allowed the two big tricks, rather than just one.

No act could be better suited to the Wheeltappers than Joe ‘Mr Piano’ Henderson (he plays the piano, you know). ‘Mr Piano’ leads the faithful in a number of sing-alongs (including You Made Me Love You which seemed to feature every other week). Joe’s amiable pub style of playing is the ideal way to close the show. Not an edition that’s particularly high on star power, but there are worse ways to spend forty minutes.

The Flirtations
The Krankies
George Melly
Richard and Lara Jarman
Joe ‘Mr Piano’ Henderson

Mike Yarwood’s Christmas Show (1982)

archivetvmusings Christmas Television, ITV Comedy - 1980's ,

mike

Although Mike Yarwood was one of the kings of 1970’s light entertainment television, his profile has remained fairly low during the last few decades – mainly because few of his shows are commercially available or receive television airings.  Selected Morecambe & Wise and Two Ronnies Christmas Specials pop up in the schedules each year, but Yarwood (whose 1977 Christmas Special achieved a record rating of twenty eight million – just narrowly beating that year’s Morecambe & Wise show) has tended to remain trapped in the archives.

Maybe this is due to concerns that some of his impersonations are too obscure for modern audiences or possibly his brand of humour just seems too bland and middle of the road.  I’d love to see a run of his work for the BBC in the 1970’s – as that’s generally held to be his strongest – but as it’s not available the next best thing is the DVD It’s Mike Yarwood.

Released by Fremantle in 2007, it contains four shows that he made for Thames between 1982 and 1984 as well as a documentary from 1984 – Mike Yarwood: This Is Him.  The documentary is by far the best thing on the DVD, as it offers a well-observed insight into both the man and the mechanics of how his television programmes were put together.

It’s possible to sense from the 1984 interview material that he knew his time was nearly up.  Like Morecambe & Wise, Yarwood’s move from the BBC to Thames wasn’t the happiest of periods in his professional life.  Thames had the practical resources to match the BBC, but for both M&W and Yarwood the spark seems to have gone.  In M&W’s case it was age – Eric Morecambe’s health became a major limiting factor – whilst Yarwood struggled with the brave new world of the 1980’s.

Many of Yarwood’s favourite subjects (especially Harold Wilson) were no longer central figures in British culture – although that didn’t prevent him from continuing to mimic them.  As he struggled to find new people to add to his act, there was also the question of material.  In the This Is Him documentary, Yarwood comments that he could never impersonate anybody he didn’t like – and his gentle mockery would seem increasingly out of place as the alternative comedy boom of the 1980’s wore on.  The next generation of impressionists, such as Rory Bremner, offered more caustic political commentary which was a world away from Yarwood’s style.  Struggles with stage-fright and alcohol were other reasons why Yarwood gradually faded from the public view.

Like Stanley Baxter, Yarwood was a king of makeup and sometimes this was necessary to sell the illusion of his impression.  Mike Yarwood’s Christmas Show, broadcast in 1982, opens with him dressed as Matthew Kelly on the set of Game for a Laugh.  Without this, it would be impossible to guess from the voice alone who he was impersonating.  Yarwood was quite happy to mock this, as later in the show he hands over to himself dressed as Bob Monkhouse, who offers this tribute to the star of the show.  “The man with a million voices – every one exactly the same.”

He seemed to have been a generous performer though – witness the sketch where he plays Prince Charles.  Suzanne Danielle is Princess Diana and the pair are interviewed by Selina Scott.  Danielle gets several of the best lines and the biggest laughs (it’s easy to imagine some of his contemporaries wouldn’t have been happy with this and would have insisted on some rewrites to redress the balance).

Christmas at the White House sees Yarwood play Ronald Reagan, Sammy Davies Jnr, George Burns and Frank Sinatra.  This sequence offers more proof that his style remained rooted in previous decades (he could have impersonated Davies Jnr, Burns and Sinatra in the 1960’s or 1970’s just as effectively).

During the last ten minutes he does some stand-up impersonations in front of the studio audience.  There’s few props (just the odd hat and chair) but it’s easily the best part of the show.  His subjects remain established figures – Bob Hope, Ken Dodd, Max Bygraves, Frankie Vaughan, Dave Allen – but there’s something about his direct connection with the audience that works really well.

Had there been more of that (and less of the elaborate make-up) then the show would undoubtedly have been better, but Mike Yarwood’s Christmas Show is still a diverting way to spend fifty minutes.

Duty Free (YTV 1984)

archivetvmusings ITV Comedy - 1980's
L-R - Neil Stacey, Joanna Van Gyseghem, Keith Barron and Gwen Taylor
L-R – Neil Stacey, Joanna Van Gyseghem, Keith Barron and Gwen Taylor

Incredibly popular in its day, Duty Free is a series that has aged pretty well. Yes, it’s predictable stuff, but the regulars (particularly Keith Barron and Gwen Taylor) are so good that they can, and do, lift the sometimes thin material.

The first series is by far the best, particularly once Amy (Taylor) discovers her husband, David (Barron) has been involved with Linda (Joanna Van Gyseghem).

Rather endearingly, David and Linda’s affair never seemed to have progressed beyond holding hands and the odd clinch. Like the Carry On films, frustration is the name of the game.

But after Amy learns the truth, Taylor has some wonderful scenes that have a little more depth than might have been expected. Gwen Taylor is the star player throughout the run, and never more so than here.

The second and third series tend to stretch the love triangle to breaking point, but they still have their moments.

Not ground-breaking then, but certainly an enjoyable watch.