Quote: zooo @ September 24 2008, 9:55 PM BSTI've clearly angered you Morrace.
I don't quite know how, but my apologies.
I'm glad you don't know how - you just got lucky. Apology accepted. I'm just sorry I didn't 'anger' you. 
Earliest gay sitcom character? Page 7
We know they did - NOW, there's no 'suspect' about it. However, as far as Joe/Jane Public were concerned, they kept well within an iron-clad closet. The reason being, Joe/Jane Public were well aware of homosexuality and generally disapproved of it.
My point was that the people in charge of the BBC, coming either from a theatre or public school background, would have known all about the gay culture of the time.
Therefore it seems unlikely to me that they were unaware of the gay references and allusions in "Round The Horne" etc., which somebody (who might not have been you) suggested. That's all.
Does BBC stand for Buggers Backing Communism?
Quote: Griff @ September 24 2008, 10:25 PM BSTMy point was that the people in charge of the BBC, coming either from a theatre or public school background, would have known all about the gay culture of the time.
Therefore it seems unlikely to me that they were unaware of the gay references and allusions in "Round The Horne" etc., which somebody (who might not have been you) suggested. That's all.
I think that may have been me. I thought that, at the time, the beeb was run by technicians & suits that new nothing. But, as I said before, I have only heard this in documentaries, and I wasn't there.
Does BBC stand for Buggers Backing Communism?
I'm just saying I don't accept the "head-in-the-clouds-innocent" portrayal of the people working in comedy/light entertainment etc in the BBC in the 50s and 60s. You can't work with showbiz people all day and remain unworldly.
Not saying I disbelieve you, Nil, I've heard that story suggested too. It just seems pretty far-fetched to me.
Hang on this is is 60s BBC we're talking about, that got Mary Whitehouse in a tizzy.
Wasn't it ram jam full of smart arse Oxbridge satitirists, enraged socialist from oop north, and sexually ambiguos Scifi.
Even Pinky and Perky were banned for undermining respect for democracy.
Yeah, I don't believe everything I see. The documentary, the name escapes me, was on BBC Four not so long ago. tI had some archive film footage of the beeb 'technicians' etc. and, IIRC, a producer or someone talking about 'The Horne'. He said that he new what was going on, but that the people upstairs had no idea. Obviously, that was his opinion (not mine), and may have been wrong.
Are we going 'round in circles.
Well, he was there and I wasn't, so who am I to say.
Anyway. Round The Horne is ace. I've got a book of it and went to see the "Lost" scripts being done in the theatre a year or so back. Fantastic.
Ironically, the world of showbiz was one of very few areas in the 50s and 60s where homosexuality was tolerated, if not completely accepted or publicly acknowledged, because any campness or effeminacy could be passed off as flamboyance.
Oh, was he gay?
Quote: Griff @ September 25 2008, 2:55 PM BSTOh, was he gay?
I bet the gay community thought Lukewarm was hot stuff back in the day...
Oh, very droll! 