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Post by ripper on Feb 23, 2022 15:21:20 GMT
Very sad news that Anna Karen, who played Olive, has died in a fire at age 85. I believe there are now none of the main cast still with us. Olive's barbed interchanges with husband Arthur were show highlights. RIP Anna Karen
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Post by dem bones on Feb 23, 2022 18:20:43 GMT
Very sad news that Anna Karen, who played Olive, has died in a fire at age 85. I believe there are now none of the main cast still with us. Olive's barbed interchanges with husband Arthur were show highlights. RIP Anna Karen Had the privilege of meeting her backstage at a Hammer function. She was absolutely charming. Craig Walker writes in his book that, pre- On the Buses fame, Anna had been a beauty queen. It took much work in the make-up department to transform her into Olive. RIP Anna Karen. Proper star.
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Post by ripper on Feb 23, 2022 20:45:55 GMT
Very sad news that Anna Karen, who played Olive, has died in a fire at age 85. I believe there are now none of the main cast still with us. Olive's barbed interchanges with husband Arthur were show highlights. RIP Anna Karen Had the privilege of meeting her backstage at a Hammer function. She was absolutely charming. Craig Walker writes in his book that, pre- On the Buses fame, Anna had been a beauty queen. It took much work in the make-up department to transform her into Olive. RIP Anna Karen. Proper star. Stanley Long mentions her in his book on his career. She was in one or two of his early sexploitation films. I remember being so surprised by what she looked like in real life after just seeing her as Olive--I could hardly beleivve it was the same person.
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Post by Shrink Proof on Feb 23, 2022 20:47:56 GMT
Quite agree. Sad news.
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Post by tynebridges on Nov 9, 2023 12:25:49 GMT
While we're talking about British so-called comedies, has anyone seen a film called Our Miss Fred? This was on Talking Pictures TV recently so I gave it a look. I never saw much of Danny La Rue in his lifetime but, from his successful career, assumed he must be talented. Not on the evidence of this film: I found it dire, with its star utterly unconvincing as a macho army man (supposedly straight), and without a single laugh. I'm not a huge fan of drag performances but generally found Lily Savage and Dame Edna Everage hilarious. In the final sequence "Falling in love again" La Rue didn't even seem to be able to sing convincingly - surely something his whole career was based on?
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Post by ripper on Nov 9, 2023 18:14:00 GMT
While we're talking about British so-called comedies, has anyone seen a film called Our Miss Fred? This was on Talking Pictures TV recently so I gave it a look. I never saw much of Danny La Rue in his lifetime but, from his successful career, assumed he must be talented. Not on the evidence of this film: I found it dire, with its star utterly unconvincing as a macho army man (supposedly straight), and without a single laugh. I'm not a huge fan of drag performances but generally found Lily Savage and Dame Edna Everage hilarious. In the final sequence "Falling in love again" La Rue didn't even seem to be able to sing convincingly - surely something his whole career was based on? I saw it once on TV, probably late 70s/early 80s. I don't remember it too well to be honest. La Rue was quite popular back in the day and turned up on shows like The Good Old Days and other variety programmes.
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Post by ripper on Nov 10, 2023 15:40:16 GMT
Here are a few 70s UK sitcoms that I used to watch. None are remembered so well as the likes of On the Buses etc.
Billy Liar (1973-74). Based on the novel and 60s film, Jeff Rawle starred as Billy, with George A. Cooper as his dad and Colin Jeavons as Mr Shadrack, his funeral director boss. I loved this series, particularly Billy's flights of fancy.
Casanova '73 (1973). Stars Leslie Phillips as Henry Newhouse and Jan Holden as his long-suffering wife. A bit controversial due to its risque nature, with womanising Henry Newhouse getting into all kind of scrapes with various females, which usually backfired.
Come Back, Mrs Noah (1977-78). Mollie Sugden plays Gertrude Noah, a housewife who wins a competition to tour a spaceship that accidentally blasts into outer space. Despite a decent cast it was not well regarded. Sugden probably deserved better and Red Dwarf it wasn't.
The Wackers (1975). Starred Ken Jones, Sheila Fey, Joe Gladwin and Keith Chegwin. Lots of shouting but far fewer laughs. Got a real pasting in the press. I wasn't a big fan of The Liver Birds, but this was far worse. It's on YT at the moment if anyone has the courage. I watched episode 1 and there were some things in it that would start a Twitter-storm nowadays. I like Ken Jones, but he's another who deserved better.
Queenie's Castle (1970-72). Diana Dors as Queenie Shepherd, head of a family living in a block of council flats. Her husband was never seen, with Queenie giving differing reasons for his absence. Future Coronation Street regulars Lynne Perrie and Brian Mosley also featured in the cast. I don't think I either particularly liked or disliked the show. If I was watching TV and it came on then I would watch it, but wouldn't at the time go out of my way to do so.
Not on your Nellie (1974-75). Basically, Nearest and Dearest set in a London pub. Hylda Baker plays almost the same character, who is called down to London to help her father run a pub. There's even the equivalent of Walter from Nearest and Dearest i.e. a character who never speaks. It wasn't as popular as N and D, I think the absence of a Jimmy Jewel type character for Baker to feud with hampered it, and it ended in acrimony when Baker injured herself. Sadly, that was more or less it for Baker's TV career. I did like the series, though perhaps not as much as N and D.
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Post by helrunar on Nov 10, 2023 23:06:52 GMT
I saw an episode of the Diana Dors Queenie show on youtube a few years ago. One was enough, although Diana was a lot of fun in the role. I sent the link to a friend who really got into the series.
I noticed that Mollie Sugden's Mrs Noah show has the pilot on youtube. Mollie does her usual thing which is great as far as I'm concerned. I think the series would be enjoyed by those who find amusement in the typical humor of the period.
Hel.
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Post by ripper on Nov 11, 2023 20:32:32 GMT
I saw an episode of the Diana Dors Queenie show on youtube a few years ago. One was enough, although Diana was a lot of fun in the role. I sent the link to a friend who really got into the series. I noticed that Mollie Sugden's Mrs Noah show has the pilot on youtube. Mollie does her usual thing which is great as far as I'm concerned. I think the series would be enjoyed by those who find amusement in the typical humor of the period. Hel. I was very young when Queenie's Castle was on TV, but agree that Diana Dors was the best thing about it. As for Come Back, Mrs Noah, it was okay, but I wouldn't worry much if I missed an episode. Beryl's Lot was not a sitcom, but more of a comedy drama, running from 1973 to 1977. Carmal McSharry starred as Beryl, a woman fast approaching middle age, who decides to start on a programme of personal development. This was a favourite of mine at the time. It co-starred the wonderful Barbara Mitchell, who passed away far too young. There were 3 series, some of 1 hour duration and some of 1/2 hour. I preferred the longer format as it was so enjoyable. I would love to see it again.
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