Terry and June's acting

I remember watching Terry & June on TV when I was a kid and thinking it was kind of funny.

I watched the first series on DVD a year or two ago and didn't think it was great. However, I'm thinking of giving it another go and watching more series.

But what gets me about Terry and June is their performances - perhaps especially June's - are like they are sort of 'acting that they are acting' if you know what I mean. I don't think it is their lack of ability as actors, but rather the style they chose. Compare it with say "One Foot in the Grave" where Victor and Margaret are acting quite realistically. I tell you what Terry and June reminds me of and that is the likes of Take It From Here where they did take-off-of-history send up radio plays. Like - pause, here comes the punchline kind of stuff. Of course, June was in Take It From Here as it happens.

Anyone else notice this about Terry and June and wonder why they did it? There's also that 'My toe hurts, Darling' 'Oh, I'm so sorry Darling.' stuff.

I can't say I've ever noticed such. To me, it's a big, ridiculous show with big, ridiculous performances to match. It's silly, farcical, panto-esque at times, and it knows it. It's a style that doesn't appeal to all, but it's never struck me that the show and the performances in it are out of line.

I think it's more to do with their upbringing; being stage actors originally (because TV was still relatively young) every word and action had to be accentuated to get it across.

Quote: Chappers @ November 1 2011, 4:47 PM GMT

I think it's more to do with their upbringing; being stage actors originally (because TV was still relatively young) every word and action had to be accentuated to get it across.

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I'm not sure what to make of this-June Whitfield worked on the stage before Terry and June and did so after. Most people probably see her as a TV actress though. Terry and June finished in 1987-you can't really say TV was relatively young in 1987!

It's definitely from the Whitehall farce school of comedy but I don't think it suffers for it.

Quote: Tim Azure @ November 1 2011, 8:47 PM GMT

I'm not sure what to make of this-June Whitfield worked on the stage before Terry and June and did so after. Most people probably see her as a TV actress though. Terry and June finished in 1987-you can't really say TV was relatively young in 1987!

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I meant when June Whitfield was a stage actress in the 1950s "TV was relatively young".

I think June Whitfield and Terry Scott are very good comedy actors.

I can remember my mother's ex partner, Eddy, disliked Terry Scott. I found this ironic (I was only around 15/16 at the time) as he looked quite a bit like him.

Not only that, but he was equally inept too (as was the TV character Terry). He was by profession a second hand car sales man, but is selling almost everything at a loss really considered professional?

As programmes go, it was quite shit and really over acted, with an equally toss theme tune too.

My mother's generation (that post war, pre drugs, c**ty generation) would find it funny, which speaks volumes.

Quote: martin jones @ November 10 2011, 1:42 AM GMT

My mother's generation (that post war, pre drugs, c**ty generation) would find it funny, which speaks volumes.

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Wow you are way too old to still be having these sort of issues.

10:30pm INT House

JUNE
Please stop hitting me Terry

WHACK,WHACK,WHACK GOES THE SLIPPER

TERRY
You know what I'm like when I've had a drink June

JUNE
Pease stoping hitting me infront of the children Terry

WHACK,WHACK,WHACK GOES THE SLIPPER

TERRY
For crying out loud woman, there aren't any children, your ovaries don't work

ANOTHER FIGURE ENTERS THE ROOM

SIR DENNIS
(Loudly)
Medford.....Medford!

TERRY AND JUNE
Yes Sir Dennis?

SIR DENNIS
(Loudly)
I want you to get a house maid, preferably a Philipino or such like

JUNE
Why Sir Dennis? Is my house unclean?

SIR DENNIS
(Loudly)
No not at all Mrs Medford, your house is spotless, unlike your face.
No, a friend of mine has a VHS of some oriental type getting rogered by the great white hunter, turned me on no end I can tell you.

TERRY AND JUNE
Really Sir Dennis?

SIE DENNIS
(Loudly)
Yes

Terry
But, erm how will I pay for her? I've just bought a Betamax and you pay me peanuts.

SIR DENNIS
(Not so loudly)
I didn't get my knighthood for nothing Reggie, I'll see you get a little extra in your pay packet.

JUNE
Shall I get the yellow pages Terry?

END

To the OP, no I have never noticed this about Terry or June's acting to be honest. I have watched a few of these recently with my partner who is a fan of the show. I have to concede I do not find Terry & June remotely funny. It is not in the same class as George & Mildred, nowhere near.

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread but I've tried watching T&J tonight and although Scott and Whifield's acting is polished, it's definitely of the 'stage variety', although considering when it was recorded that's pretty understandable. I didn't laugh either and cancelled the series link on the TiVo. I do recall laughing at it during the 80s though - perhaps I was just rather easily pleased?

They were both brought up to be on the stage so that's probably why.

I think it's a great pity there aren't more performers of their quality making great family-friendly sitcoms these days. Such joy, such life and vivaciousness.

I think June, and in particular Terry, were comics first and actors second, as were most comedy performers in the heyday of radio and the early years of television; people with backgrounds in music hall and forces entertainment.

Galton & Simpson consciously broke the mould with Steptoe and Son, deliberately employing serious stage actors rather than comedians, and have talked about how liberating that was for them as writers. The more actorly style of delivery that they ushered in fed through to shows like Porridge and Rising Damp, but obviously the two traditions continued alongside one another for many years, and really on into the present. In fact with sitcoms now increasingly scene as a star vehicle for comedians, we have arguably returned in recent years to the broader style.