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Post by Shrink Proof on Feb 17, 2017 22:54:29 GMT
Oh, and even at the best of times I'd rather not be reminded of Arthur Askey, whatever the state of his bowel movements! Arthur Askey's career best performance was in the film "The Ghost Train" - he played an intensely irritating, buttock-clenchingly corny, scene ruining "comedian" like a natural....
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Post by mcannon on Feb 18, 2017 8:58:05 GMT
Oh, and even at the best of times I'd rather not be reminded of Arthur Askey, whatever the state of his bowel movements! Arthur Askey's career best performance was in the film "The Ghost Train" - he played an intensely irritating, buttock-clenchingly corny, scene ruining "comedian" like a natural.... I first encountered Arthur Askey's work via early 1970s Aussie screenings of the comedy panel show "Joker's Wild" (Sunday nights, ABC TV, if I remember correctly). At the time he struck me as a reasonably entertaining old school British comedian. I don't think I ever saw anything more of him until I finally saw "The Ghost Train" a decade or so ago - again, courtesy of the ABC, which was then screening a lot of ancient British films in the midnight to dawn slot. I'm eternally grateful that I was already familiar with the play via radio recordings - otherwise, I'd irrevocably identify it with Askey. He played one of the most irritating and obnoxious "comedy relief" characters I've ever seen. Within a couple of minutes of his first appearance, I found myself wishing that one of his co-stars would push him under the wheels of the nearest locomotive. The fact that he was obviously the star of this version, so that the entire story was warped to revolve around him made it all the worse. Did he always play variations of that pain-in-the-arse character? I have access to a couple of other 1940s films in which he stars, but have never had the enthusiasm to watch them. Mark
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Post by ropardoe on Feb 18, 2017 10:07:15 GMT
I first encountered Arthur Askey's work via early 1970s Aussie screenings of the comedy panel show "Joker's Wild" (Sunday nights, ABC TV, if I remember correctly). At the time he struck me as a reasonably entertaining old school British comedian. I don't think I ever saw anything more of him until I finally saw "The Ghost Train" a decade or so ago - again, courtesy of the ABC, which was then screening a lot of ancient British films in the midnight to dawn slot. I'm eternally grateful that I was already familiar with the play via radio recordings - otherwise, I'd irrevocably identify it with Askey. He played one of the most irritating and obnoxious "comedy relief" characters I've ever seen. Within a couple of minutes of his first appearance, I found myself wishing that one of his co-stars would push him under the wheels of the nearest locomotive. The fact that he was obviously the star of this version, so that the entire story was warped to revolve around him made it all the worse. Did he always play variations of that pain-in-the-arse character? I have access to a couple of other 1940s films in which he stars, but have never had the enthusiasm to watch them. Mark To be honest, I've managed to avoid any of Askey's films, including The Ghost Train, simply because he was in them. From this position of ignorance, my guess would be that he played himself (or his comedy persona if that was different) in all of them. I know him only from his appearances on TV variety shows in the late '50s and early '60s (they don't make 'em like that any more, thank goodness). If, perchance, somewhere on the Net, there's a clip of him singing the "Bee Song" ("buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, busy bee, busy bee, buzz if you like but don't sting me...."), then you should take a look if you want to know what true horror is.
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Post by franklinmarsh on Feb 18, 2017 11:07:26 GMT
Enough with the Askey dissing! I saw the great man live at an end of the pier show circa '73 sandwiched in between an up and coming Norman Collier and an on the way down Bachelors. His character in The Ghost Train is annoying, but then is supposed to be, and if you don't feel a twinge of emotion for him when his record player is smashed to pieces, you've hearts made of stone. Plus The Busy Bee Song is on the soundtrack of Telstar - The Joe Meek Story and his last film role was in the big screen version of Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse. He should be a Vault legend. Aythangyew.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Feb 18, 2017 12:02:51 GMT
I first encountered Arthur Askey's work via early 1970s Aussie screenings of the comedy panel show "Joker's Wild" (Sunday nights, ABC TV, if I remember correctly). At the time he struck me as a reasonably entertaining old school British comedian. I don't think I ever saw anything more of him until I finally saw "The Ghost Train" a decade or so ago - again, courtesy of the ABC, which was then screening a lot of ancient British films in the midnight to dawn slot. I'm eternally grateful that I was already familiar with the play via radio recordings - otherwise, I'd irrevocably identify it with Askey. He played one of the most irritating and obnoxious "comedy relief" characters I've ever seen. Within a couple of minutes of his first appearance, I found myself wishing that one of his co-stars would push him under the wheels of the nearest locomotive. The fact that he was obviously the star of this version, so that the entire story was warped to revolve around him made it all the worse. Did he always play variations of that pain-in-the-arse character? I have access to a couple of other 1940s films in which he stars, but have never had the enthusiasm to watch them. Mark To be honest, I've managed to avoid any of Askey's films, including The Ghost Train, simply because he was in them. From this position of ignorance, my guess would be that he played himself (or his comedy persona if that was different) in all of them. I know him only from his appearances on TV variety shows in the late '50s and early '60s (they don't make 'em like that any more, thank goodness). If, perchance, somewhere on the Net, there's a clip of him singing the "Bee Song" ("buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, busy bee, busy bee, buzz if you like but don't sting me...."), then you should take a look if you want to know what true horror is. I didn't mean to start this Arthur-bashing. A friend of mine can do uncanny impressions of Arthur Askey and the equally-hateful show-business "legend" that is Hughie Greene. And you should hear his Ethel Merman raucously belting out "There's No Business like Show Business". It's like he's possessed! There's only one musical-hall comedian contemporary to Arthur Askey and the Crazy Gang etc that I have any time for. That's Will Hay, who made maybe three and a half good films.
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Post by David A. Riley on Feb 18, 2017 14:30:50 GMT
Enough with the Askey dissing! I saw the great man live at an end of the pier show circa '73 sandwiched in between an up and coming Norman Collier and an on the way down Bachelors. His character in The Ghost Train is annoying, but then is supposed to be, and if you don't feel a twinge of emotion for him when his record player is smashed to pieces, you've hearts made of stone. Plus The Busy Bee Song is on the soundtrack of Telstar - The Joe Meek Story and his last film role was in the big screen version of Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse. He should be a Vault legend. Aythangyew. Must admit I find it hard to understand the intense feelings of dislike for Arthur Askey who I always personally found funny. I didn't even mind him in The Ghost Train, because it was a part he played to perfection. Perhaps it's because when I was little he still regularly appeared on TV. Heck, I even loved George Formby films in those days!
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Post by ropardoe on Feb 18, 2017 15:11:11 GMT
Enough with the Askey dissing! I saw the great man live at an end of the pier show circa '73 sandwiched in between an up and coming Norman Collier and an on the way down Bachelors. His character in The Ghost Train is annoying, but then is supposed to be, and if you don't feel a twinge of emotion for him when his record player is smashed to pieces, you've hearts made of stone. Plus The Busy Bee Song is on the soundtrack of Telstar - The Joe Meek Story and his last film role was in the big screen version of Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse. He should be a Vault legend. Aythangyew. Must admit I find it hard to understand the intense feelings of dislike for Arthur Askey who I always personally found funny. I didn't even mind him in The Ghost Train, because it was a part he played to perfection. Perhaps it's because when I was little he still regularly appeared on TV. Heck, I even loved George Formby films in those days! I think we all share culpability in letting Arthur Askey hijack the M.R. James thread, and someone (probably me) is to blame for the fact that I'm stuck with a bee-shaped brain-worm for the rest of the day. (Here's a thought to bring the thread back on track: can anyone do a 'six-degrees...' connecting MRJ with Askey?)
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Feb 18, 2017 15:41:52 GMT
(Here's a thought to bring the thread back on track: can anyone do a 'six-degrees...' connecting MRJ with Askey?) Oh, in less than six, I think... 'Big-hearted' Arthur was in 'Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse' with John Le Mesurier. (As I recall from my single viewing of the film 33 years ago, Le Mez's doctor and Arthur's wheelchair-bound patient shared the exchange, 'Feeling yourself today, Mr Arkwright?' 'Only as a last resort, Doctor.') John Le Mesurier was Barrymore the butler in Hammer's version of'The Hound of the Baskervilles', in which Christopher Lee played Sir Henry Baskerville. Christopher Lee narrated several of MRJ's stories, but also famously met him at his failed interview for Eton.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Feb 18, 2017 16:23:12 GMT
I was trying to think of a way of introducing Danny La Rue as a topic in this thread. Then I realized I simply have to mention him. Which you will note I just did.
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Post by Shrink Proof on Feb 18, 2017 17:51:22 GMT
(Here's a thought to bring the thread back on track: can anyone do a 'six-degrees...' connecting MRJ with Askey?) No problem... - One of Askey's co-stars in "The Ghost Train" was character actor Raymond Huntley, who later appeared in the film "Meet Mr Lucifer" (weirdly, that was based on a play by Arnold Ridley, as was "The Ghost Train" itself). - The female lead in "Meet Mr Lucifer" was Peggy Cummins, who would later go on to appear in the movie "Night of the Demon". - "Night of the Demon" was based on "Casting the Runes" by M R James.
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Post by pulphack on Feb 18, 2017 19:17:15 GMT
For God's sakes, what's this hatred of Arthur Askey? I agree with Franklin, and to be frank(lin) 'Backroom Boy' is a great faux-ghost story of the wartime 'it's really Nazi spies!' type, and one of the best Brit comedies of its era. Of course, it does have Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt in it, which helps. As for Will Hay only making three and a half good films (which is the half?), they were all good, and some were great ('Oh Mr Porter' being the quintessential Brit comedy of its era). Mind you, I've always been baffled by Norman Wisdom, even as a kid, and can't for the life of me grasp why he was huge. And George Formby escapes me now, even though I liked the films when I was ten.
As for Danny LaRue - I saw him in panto when I was about eight, and he was bloody marvellous!
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Post by David A. Riley on Feb 18, 2017 19:42:07 GMT
For God's sakes, what's this hatred of Arthur Askey? I agree with Franklin, and to be frank(lin) 'Backroom Boy' is a great faux-ghost story of the wartime 'it's really Nazi spies!' type, and one of the best Brit comedies of its era. Of course, it does have Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt in it, which helps. As for Will Hay only making three and a half good films (which is the half?), they were all good, and some were great ('Oh Mr Porter' being the quintessential Brit comedy of its era). Mind you, I've always been baffled by Norman Wisdom, even as a kid, and can't for the life of me grasp why he was huge. And George Formby escapes me now, even though I liked the films when I was ten. As for Danny LaRue - I saw him in panto when I was about eight, and he was bloody marvellous! Ha ha! Norman Wisdom's popularity has always baffled me too!
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Feb 18, 2017 23:06:12 GMT
For God's sakes, what's this hatred of Arthur Askey? I agree with Franklin, and to be frank(lin) 'Backroom Boy' is a great faux-ghost story of the wartime 'it's really Nazi spies!' type, and one of the best Brit comedies of its era. Of course, it does have Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt in it, which helps. As for Will Hay only making three and a half good films (which is the half?), they were all good, and some were great ('Oh Mr Porter' being the quintessential Brit comedy of its era). Mind you, I've always been baffled by Norman Wisdom, even as a kid, and can't for the life of me grasp why he was huge. And George Formby escapes me now, even though I liked the films when I was ten. As for Danny LaRue - I saw him in panto when I was about eight, and he was bloody marvellous! Danny LaRue was nice to my granny in the butchers at Tolcross. Can't say a bad word about him. Just watched a Norman Wisdom bio _ incredible life. Falling over is extremely difficult.
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Post by ropardoe on Feb 19, 2017 10:52:52 GMT
Well done Dan and Shrink re six degrees of Askey/MRJ - I knew the denizens of the Vault wouldn't let me down. As for Danny La Rue, I certainly don't disagree with the consensus - a great performer and apparently a nice man.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Feb 20, 2017 13:05:03 GMT
There are three degrees of separation between me and M.R. James. In 1988 I saw The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, the play with Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke (and no, I did not sit between them). I saw Robert Stephens in the audience and spoke to him. He had been in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes with Christopher Lee who had been interviewed by M.R. James.
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