The Unforgettable...

The Unforgettable Spike Milligan review

Does The Unforgettable Spike Milligan, define who Spike really was? No. Not really. But then again, how could it?

Recent BBC4 repeats of Michael Parkinson's interviews with Peter Cook reminded us that Cook was a rarity: a skilled satirist who was louche, profoundly funny and charismatic.

His diminutive long-time comic partner, "cuddly" Dudley Moore, often fell into the shadow (sometimes literally) of his friend and colleague during their years in 1960s revue Beyond the Fringe and their subsequent TV series, until Moore quite unexpectedly became a huge star in the films 10 and Arthur.

Unforgettable hears from his ex-wife Brogan Lane about his life in Hollywood and how he coped with fame, and from friend Rena Fruchter, who helped Moore through his final, cruel illness until his death in 2002.

The Unforgettable Dudley Moore, ITV1, review

Bernadette McNulty reviews The Unforgettable Dudley Moore, ITV1's profile of the much-loved comedian and actor.

A tribute to the late, great Dudley Moore, perhaps best known in the UK for his hallowed Pete and Dud double act with Peter Cook, but a considerable Hollywood star in his own right, not least for the comedy hits 10 and Arthur. Here friends, family, ex-wives and partners (he was married and divorced four times) celebrate his life, talents and achievements.

Comedian Dick Emery gets the once over as this snappy biographical series profiles another great British entertainer. Emery, who died in 1983, is best remembered for his self-titled sketch show - the catchphrases, vaudeville humour and grotesque British caricatures which will seem strikingly familiar to fans of Little Britain. Interviews with Emery's ex-wife (one of five) and last girlfriend underline the comic's voracious womanising, while rare home footage offers something new for devotees.

Back in the 1970s and 80s, verbose Yorkshireman Russell Harty, who died in 1988, was a popular arts presenter and chat show host. His most notorious moment - being slapped in the face by disgruntled guest Grace Jones - has gone down in TV history. But Harty was also quietly pioneering, establishing a relaxed style of interviewing which got celebrities to open up. This affectionate portrait is peppered with memories from those who knew him, including Janet Street Porter and Michael Parkinson.

An affectionate tribute to the actor as we approach the 10th anniversary of his death. It charts his rise to fame in gritty Seventies police drama The Sweeney, culminating in his most memorable role as opera-loving Oxford sleuth Inspector Morse, whom he played for 13 years. There are contributions from Thaw's widow Sheila Hancock and three daughters, plus home movie footage.

Ernie Wise was one half of the most popular British comedy duo of the last century but rarely got his due credit, with most of the critical acclaim going to his partner Eric Morecambe. Using previously unseen footage and photos this documentary redresses the balance, revealing a man familiar with fame from an early age, for whom life off the stage was more important than the limelight.

He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and was a member of the bullion robbery gang in The Lavender Hill Mob but cockney comic Sid James will be remembered most as a star of the Carry On films. This profile, first broadcast in 2000, delves into his private life: his widow Valerie recalls how his hectic lifestyle and workaholic tendencies led to a heart attack at the age of 53, an affair with Barbara Windsor at 59, and his death at age 62 after collapsing on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre (unaware of what was happening, the audience laughed, believing the events to be part of the show).

ITV1's Unforgettable strand, in which friends, family and peers pay tribute to great entertainers, celebrates the life of Spike Milligan, the writer, musician, poet, artist and Goon who died in 2002. Milligan, considered a genius and madman in equal measure, had an absurd and subversive humour that fuelled The Goons, the Fifties comedy troupe which made his name and was so influential it's led to him being called the godfather of alternative comedy. In a sense, the show owes a debt to the War: Milligan met fellow Goon Harry Secombe when both were serving with the Royal Artillery in Tunisia. Post-war, they teamed up with Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine to launch the most popular comedy show of the Fifties, remembered fondly for its surreal humour and ludicrous plots.

Away from performing, Milligan was a successful author, too, producing dozens of books for children and adults, most memorably his hilarious series of war memoirs, beginning with Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall. His success was tempered by depression and melancholy, however, making Milligan the archetypal sad clown. This intimate tribute features photos from Milligan's personal collection as well as previously unseen home movies, and contributions come from Milligan's children, including the first interview with his daughter Romany, one of two of his children born out of wedlock. Eric Sykes, Paul Merton and Terry Jones also pay tribute.