British Comedy Guide

Interested in old comedy films? Page 2

Quote: Kate88 @ 8th July 2015, 7:48 PM BST

Hi. I'm a new person here. Is there anyone who can commend me some good, old comedy ?

Hello Kate, welcome to the boards. Perhaps you'd like to tell us something about yourself in the introductions thread. Let us know a bit more about what type of old comedy interests you.

Quote: Kate88 @ 8th July 2015, 7:48 PM BST

Hi. I'm a new person here. Is there anyone who can commend me some good, old comedy ?

Welcome - film or TV? How old? B&W?

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 1st July 2015, 6:06 PM BST

What about the son-in-law's son-in-law then?

That's exactly what I meant. Having a bloody daughter!

Quote: Chappers @ 8th July 2015, 9:10 PM BST

That's exactly what I meant. Having a bloody daughter!

Bloody Scouse git!

Back to the original topic, the movie channel on Sky.

I have been watching a number of films on this channel, comedy and non-comedy, and there are some very interesting films, and it is a great place to spot comedians in early roles.

The other day I recorded a couple of crime dramas, one called The Frightened Man from 1952 and another the Blue Parrot from 1953.

In both of them was an actor (same actor) playing a police inspector.

I thought I recognised him but could not think from what.

Then after watching for a while I realised it was "The Major" from Fawlty Towers.

I looked at the credits for both films, and there he was listed - Ballard Berkeley.

He was of course much younger, though Fawlty Towers was 1975 and 1979 so only about 23 and 27 years after those films.

You can also spot him in one of my favourite Brit classics, although not a comedy,Night of the Demon 1957.

The good old comedy...

Quote: wigwam willy @ 7th August 2015, 11:59 PM BST

You can also spot him in one of my favourite Brit classics, although not a comedy,Night of the Demon 1957.

Very good film that holds up well with a quite scary Demon in my opinion. I remember seeing it at the cinema when as young lads we would ask; usually a man(!) to take us in when the film was A rated as children has to be accompanied by an adult.
There was often a bloke you could approach with this request who would oblige with no suggestion of any hanky-panky Laughing out loud , and once in the cinema you found your own seat.

Anyway, the Demon scared me shitless in that film and gave me nightmares. :(

Talking Pictures TV will launch on Freeview around 15th September. It's an SD channel, but you will need an HD receiver to get it.

There's some interesting films on the channel along with some really bad ones though. In fact most are pretty obscure and probably for a good reason.

My main reason though for not watching it is that it isn't listed in Radio Times. This means that I tend to miss the occasional gem as I don't really use the EPG. I would have thought it would have resonated quite well with the Radio Time audience.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 19th June 2015, 4:55 PM BST

I was once told by a member of the PC Brigade that 'Chinaman' is unacceptable as a term to describe a man from China.

I think "Chinaman" is still acceptable cricketing parlance for a left-arm offspinner, although I've not heard a test match commentary for a few years.

In the old films division, it's interesting to watch a very young George Cole in Cottage to Let (1941). For Minder buffs there are also a few old films with Dennis Waterman as a kid. And this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoNtUUQKGAA

Quote: Kenneth @ 22nd July 2016, 1:08 PM BST

In the old films division, it's interesting to watch a very young George Cole in Cottage to Let (1941).

Great film with Alastair Sim, John Mills et all which I must now dig out and watch again now that you have reminded me of it.

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