British Comedy Guide

Peter Sellers - 30th anniversary of death Page 2

Has anyone listened to his album 'Songs for Swinging Sellers'?
Very impressive & funny.

I might dig out Being There and give it a watch.

Being There is the one film I won't be watching, I couldn't stand it. I'll get my boxsets out and watch them, I am quite disgusted though that the BBC are not bothering with even one TV prog in his honour. Very few stars have done as much for the BBC's reputation in comedy as he did.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ July 16 2010, 9:54 PM BST

Has anyone listened to his album 'Songs for Swinging Sellers'?
Very impressive & funny.

I <3 the album. We'll Let You Know is a great example of his work. And who could not like I Haven't Told Her She Hasn't Told Me. Always reminds me of that Parkinson interview.

This is a very good thread and naughty BBC for not putting anything on the telly. I was a child when he died and was mortified when I heard Inspector Clouseau had died, I cried on the school bus. :(

Maybe they should show his last film "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu", though most would rather think "Being There" was... (personal I give me Fu any time.)

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ July 16 2010, 9:54 PM BST

Has anyone listened to his album 'Songs for Swinging Sellers'?
Very impressive & funny.

Yes, one of the first albums I bought. The cover had a pair of legs dangling from a tree IIRC. Funny stuff.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ July 16 2010, 9:54 PM BST

Has anyone listened to his album 'Songs for Swinging Sellers'?
Very impressive & funny.

Matt Monro got his break on the album, they were after a Sinatra soundalike

I've just had to reorder The Peter Sellers Collection, forgotten I had left it somewhere. Has most of the stuff on Swingin Sellers plus lots more, including the best radio sketch anyone ever did imo, Balham, Gateway To The South. There are too many classics to list but I'm looking forward most to hearing She Loves You, has me howling after three seconds.

He did assault a woman (Britt Ekland), so maybe we shouldn't honour him too much. Or should we just airbrush the bad stuff out of history?

Quote: chipolata @ July 18 2010, 12:34 PM BST

He did assault a woman (Britt Ekland), so maybe we shouldn't honour him too much. Or should we just airbrush the bad stuff out of history?

If you start bring all that type of thing up then there's a lot of comedy greats you could start looking at in a different way. Peter Cook, Tommy Cooper, Sid James and the list goes on. Just remember the moments of genius not the moments that they are not proud of themselves.

Quote: chipolata @ July 18 2010, 12:34 PM BST

He did assault a woman (Britt Ekland), so maybe we shouldn't honour him too much. Or should we just airbrush the bad stuff out of history?

He was not very pleasant in real life, but that doesn't detract from his talent. If the BBC airs a tribute show to him, no need to ignore the fact that his behaviour was often imperfect.

Quote: Kenneth @ July 18 2010, 1:23 PM BST

He was not very pleasant in real life, but that doesn't detract from his talent. If the BBC airs a tribute show to him, no need to ignore the fact that his behaviour was often imperfect.

A lot of comedians are not very pleasant in real life and there's been a lot of documentaries made about that. So I don't want to cover it up but I think when you're celebrating somebody's life you should remember the good things not the bad things.

Quote: Kenneth @ July 18 2010, 1:23 PM BST

He was not very pleasant in real life, but that doesn't detract from his talent. If the BBC airs a tribute show to him, no need to ignore the fact that his behaviour was often imperfect.

There have been tribute shows to him. It's not like he's never been tributised. They might have missed this one, but I'm sure there'll be another significant date along soon enough that does get celebrated.

Quote: James Cotter @ July 18 2010, 12:41 PM BST

... there's a lot of comedy greats you could start looking at in a different way. Peter Cook ...

I thought it was cuddly Dudley Moore who was more known for Ringo Starr-esque episodes of domestic violence toward his last wife, Nicole Rothschild, though she was said to have been just as brutal.

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