What Are Your Favourite Old British Comedies?

[naomi24]

I watched an episode of 'Allo 'Allo the other day and laughed just as much as I did when they were first screened.  Brilliant!  The writing is second to none.  So clever!

[andy-hughes]

Sorry - Albert, not Harold.

[Canary42]

I wasn't keen on the bully/victim relationship (windsor Davies and Don Estelle) in It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

 

Furthermore, in that respect, it seemed a rehash of Bootsie and Snudge (that dates me) which was a very lukewarm sequel to The Army Game.  

[andy-hughes]

Canary - // I wasn't keen on the bully/victim relationship (windsor Davies and Don Estelle) in It Ain't Half Hot Mum. //

I've never really thought of it in that way.

By definition, comedies don't stand up to serious investigation.

[Canary42]

Talking of The Army Game, it had me in stitches at the time but not long ago I dug up some from YouTube and found myself thinking "however did we find this funny".  Some comedy just doesn't keep.

[MargoTester]

Dinner ladies for me. Such clever writing and cast who went on to do great things

[Arksided]

I love Tom Sharpes books but never saw either of the above series. I were disapointed with 'Wilt' film with Mel Smith and Griff Ryes Jones.

Old films though Freddie Mercurys Favourite 'Some like it hot' is a classic.

TV. Fatty Owls, Blackadder II agree was the best, The Young ones, Porridge... off the top of my head.

[andy-hughes]

Margo - Absolutely - Victoria Wood's ear for dialogue was second to none.

And as with all great comedy, it skated effortlessly between comedy and pathos.

How they got through the scenes with Julie Walters without laughing every minute I do not know. 

It was so well constructed and acted, an object lesson in how television comedy is done - should be compulsory for any new budding writers.

[sp1814]

Scratch that - Everything about Are You Being Served (despite the laughter track) is still hilarious.

There are videos of Mrs Slocombe's pussy references on YouTube that are still beyond funny.

[sp1814]

?si=gz0uDwHuw1HQUo2N

[andy-hughes]

sp1814 - // Scratch that - Everything about Are You Being Served (despite the laughter track) is still hilarious. //

Good situation comedy relies on strong well-defined characters.

If you place them in the minds of the audience, their interplay will follow on perfectly, because you know how each will react to certain situations and lines.

This is perfectly illustrated in the microcosm of the sixties Class System in AYBS.

[Canary42]

Oh yes Margo, Dinner Ladies was brilliant writing and acting.  And the stroppy teenager* (which was an immensely funny character) is now a leading figure on the live stage.

 

*Twinkle, played by Maxine Peake.

[MargoTester]

Andy I loved the interaction between Bren and Tony (Andrew Dunn)

I also enjoyed a gentle comedy about a cricket club called Outside Edge probably because my son had just started playing and contrary to popular belief there's a lot of humour around a cricket club

[andy-hughes]

Margo - // I also enjoyed a gentle comedy about a cricket club called Outside Edge probably because my son had just started playing and contrary to popular belief there's a lot of humour around a cricket club //

Did you see the original play the series was based on?

Paul Eddington and Prunella Scales - wonderful.

[andy-hughes]

[MargoTester]

Andy I didn't even realise there had been a play, I'll look it up thanks.

Canary, Maxine was excellent wasn't she. She had to wear a 'fat' suit as she lost 5 stone in between the two  series 

[sp1814]

I'm a HUGE Victoria Wood fan, but I always though Dinnerladies wasn't her best work, and this annoys me.
 

Same with Vicar Of Dibley (Dawn French being a comedy God to me).

I think it's because both comedies seemed a bit old hat by the time they were broadcast.

In contrast, Ab Fab (Jennifer Saunders - another comedy God) felt 100% "of the now" at the time.

If you compare Acorn Antiques to Dinnerladies...one is gold, the other, tin.

...good quality tin, but tin nonetheless.

[jno]

How they got through the scenes with Julie Walters without laughing every minute I do not know. 

because Walters and Celia Imrie were supping Rescue Remedy, they were terrified of Wood's perfectionism and of getting a word wrong. It's in her biography somewhere.

[zebo]

//Dinner ladies for me. Such clever writing and cast who went on to do great things//

Sash windows, the words always make me laugh. Her writing was so well observed and typical of the area where it was set  

Yesterday the Breadman who fell of a diving board in Guernsey was a contestant on Pointless, Adrian someone !

[Canary42]

Just being reminded of the breadman has got me laughing away again. 

[Captain2]

Loving all these memories you are digging up.

My favourite was Early Doors, mostly for the humour, but also because it was written/based in a pub that was my local at the time. I 'knew' most of the people the characters were based on - especially Giro Jim who was a great laugh.