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10 sats \ 35 replies \ @siggy47 OP 14 Sep 2023 \ parent \ on: Orange Pill Diaries: The Lebowski Brothers bitcoin
Don't know it, but I feel like I heard the name Spike Milligan before. I will check it out.
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Mind, it got him to form The Goons alongside Peter Sellers. Their humor undoubtedly influenced Monty Python.
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I was just reading about him. I always liked Peter Sellers. He was totally off my radar. Of course I'm also a big Month Python fan too. That was my generation
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For me I love the 'Ealing Comedies'. Obi Wan Alec Guinness was in quite a few of them. The Ladykillers is an absolute classic. But there's lots more.
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Once again you've given me stuff to discover. I think of Alec Guinness in serious roles only.
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Oh, his back catalog was always pretty comedic (he was a very versatile actor). Star Wars made him famous worldwide and he was famous for the masterpiece Le Carré role in the two BBC series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People.
He did have straight roles in Bridge over the River Kwai and a bit part in David Lean's Laurence of Arabia but my favorites, other than the Smiley stuff, is easily his B+W comedies.
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Check out Great Expectations with John Mills. A small part but very good.
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You're right - I believe it was Alec's first foray into movies. His last acting part was in a Dickens adaptation too.
I think through the camera we could appreciate his subtle, internal work - thankfully he made it from stage to screen. It'd be a great loss otherwise.
The best Ealing comedies are probably Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), Whisky Galore! (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951) and of course The Ladykillers (1955). And it’s amazing to see the post-war country. The Lavender Hill Mob probably remains my favourite and Alex Guinness starred in 4 of those 5.
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The influence of the Goon Show on Monty Python is pretty apparent and acknowledged by the likes of John Cleese etc. The two strains of comedy at that time in the UK were blue collar working men’s stand up acts (usually insulting their mother-in-law) and the university revue very media aware types (like Monty Python). The second type seemed to win with a television audience and directly influenced the likes of Blackadder, League of Gentlemen and later sketch shows. The stand up comedians these days are much more savvy and mother-in-law jokes thankfully binned.
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I know the sort of humor you're talking about. The late British comic, Les Dawson, did Mother-in-Law jokes, but the 'alternative' comics that were eclipsing the 'old guard' really loved him. Also, he really loved his M-I-L and I think that came through. Plus, he was so well read and intelligent. If he's never been on your radar, maybe check him out.
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He could actually play the piano as well - have to be good to play that badly.
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Ironic but true!
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Did Benny Hill represent the other side? My friends and I couldn't believe that our fathers thought he was funny.
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What sort of comedy things were you and your friends into beside Python?
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I forgot to mention Mad Magazine. When we were in Elementary School we would wait for each issue and bring it to school. It was the funniest thing we had ever read in our young lives.
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When I was in the UK we had Viz magazine. A particularly irreverent comic strip with plenty of mildly offensive content written and drawn in the style of funny pages.
Such quality characters as Sid the Sexist, Roger Mellie (the rudest man on the telly) and Johnny Fartpants. Childish fun.
Recently had a copy sent to a friend recovering in hospital… wish I had a copy sent to me lol.
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Sat Flags?
Sounds very similar. I remember this silliness (I thought it was genius) when the Godfather movie was released:
https://www.madmagazine.com/blog/2012/03/15/the-godfather-turns-40
Python was by far our favorite. The PBS local station in New York would air an episode of the TV show on Sunday Nights. This was when I was in high school. We also loved Mel Brooks movies. All In the Family TV show was very popular. Saturday Night Live was very popular. Woody Allen early films, Bananas, Take The Money And Run, Love and Death. Annie Hall. Stand Up- George Carlin, Richard Pryor.
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Did Fawlty Towers get a showing? Saturday Night Live can be very hit and miss even today. I recall Brewsters Millions as a great Pryor film and Eddie Murphy was also pretty popular along with his films. We used to have to get those on VHS though
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Yes. We loved Fawlty Towers. "Manuel!" I only liked Saturday Night Live until Eddie Murphy left. Haven't watched it since. Where did you grow up?
Oh yes. Very working men’s / variety hall inspired and quite a different use of television as a medium to Python. It don’t have to be like that; Morecombe & Wise, The Two Ronnies did better versions of the variety acts (indeed Spike Milligan wrote for the Two Ronnies).
No judgment on those who enjoy that sort of thing but I find it unpleasant, misogynistic and comedically very weak. Having said that his song ‘Ernie: the fastest milkman in the west’ is considered a classic. So what do I know.
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I remember there was a really old man who got a lot of laughs.
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Yep, if it's the same guy, he got lots of laughs for having his bald head slapped every week.
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