British comedy was a ‘Who’s Who’ of acting

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32407, 21 September 1970, Page 4

British comedy was a ‘Who’s Who’ of acting

The average television viewer disregarding the full-time addict—inevitably stores in mind

an enormous number of screen friends and acquaintances. This applies to the habitual cinema-goer as well. One is seldom conscious of this, and it really doesn’t matter. But it was startling to discover, when the Saturday night film was on, just how many faces were familiar,

Long before "I'm All Right Jack” was over and that huge list of credits had begun to swim across the screen, it

seemed that the film makers had done their best to present a “Who’s Who” of British comedy. The programme notes had mentioned Peter Sellers, Dennis Price, lan Carmichael and Terry Thomas, all old friends. But there was John Le Mesurier, the sergeant of “Dad’s Army," as a twitching time-and-motion expert at an armament factory. Richard Attenborough was in one of his more villainous roles, and dear old Margaret Rutherford shared a nice cup of tea with Irene Handl. Terry Scott, the larger part of "Hugh and I,” made a brief appearance, and Liz Frazer of “The Rag Trade" thrust her considerable charms at lan Carmichael. Raymond Huntley, whose screen appearances

must run into hundreds, had a small bit as the magistrate; Wally Eaton popped in briefly, and at the end, as the panel master, was Michael Muggeridge himself, surely among the most industrious of television people. “I’m All Right Jack” was lots of fun. It is a pity that all the week-end films are not as good, although, to be fair, the standard has improved very considerably in the last few months.

Friday evening provided a 50-minute variety show, “The Spring Thing,” which was extremely good when it did not take itself seriously. Neither of the stars, Noel Harrison and Bobby Gentry, had come our way before, although Harrison’s impudent personality seemed somehow familiar. They are both good artists, but Irwin Watson’s comedy was flat. This was an enjoyable show, and women viewers no doubt expressed their wonder at the extraordinary number of costume changes affected by Miss Gentry.

“Personality Squares” on Saturday evening came off nicely. There were some delightfully imaginative misleading answers from the panel; but Les Andrews could do without those dreadfully weak puns. This viewer must confess to a considerable disregard for the quality of “Bracken’s World,” but must also admit that on Saturday evening it was much easier to watch than in any of its previous weeks. This was probably because it was more or less a straightforward whodunit, instead of a tedious turningover of emotions. Mr Bracken offered a few kindly words again; he is harder to find than that, one-armed man ever was.

“Bracken’s World” was better. But there will be many i unable to regret the shift this -programme will make, next month, from Saturday to Thursday.—PANDOßA.

CHTV3 2.00 p.m.: Headline news. 2.03: Any Second Now.—Drama (Stewart Granger, Lois Nettleton, Dana Wynter). 3.35: Petticoat Junction. Comedy. 3.59: Pride and Prejudice. Fourth of six parts. 4.24: The House of Hashimoto. 431: Carrot Top's Song Book. Children. 5.01: Funny Company. Children. 5.00: H. R. Pufnstuf—“The Mechanical Boy.” Children. 5.27: Tomorrow Today. 5.40: Headline news, weather. 5.43: Sexton Blake—“ Sexton Blake and Captain Nemesis.” Second of three parts. Detective. 6.06: Mad Movies. 6.32: Price to Play, music, (final). 7.00: Network news. 7.15: Weather. The South Tonight. 7.35: The Governor and J.J.—“Romeo and J.J.” Comedy. 7.59: Annie, The Women In The Life Of a Man—Anne Bancroft. Guests. Lee J. Cobb, Robert Merrill, Arthur Murray, David Susskind, Jack Cassidy. 8.49: Grandstand. Sport. 9.14: Newsbrief. 9.16: Beggar My Neighbour.—“For Better, For Worse.” Comedy. 9.46: Half-Hour Story—“ Goodnight Albert” (Victor Henry, Gwen Nelson). 10.11: Rugby—New Zealand v. South Africa, fourth test. (Repeat) First half. 10.56: Late news, weather. 11.03: Rugby—second half.

NATIONAL LINK {lncluding 3YA, Christchurch (690 kilohertz); 2YA, Wellington (570 kilohertz); 4YA, Dunedin (780 kilohertz); and 3YZ, Greymouth (920 kilohertz.) 7 p.m.: N.Z.B.C, Sporting Service. 7.2: Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians and Mantovani and his Orchestra. 7.30: Thanks for the Memory. 8.0: Rhythm on Record. 8.30: Weather and News. 9.0: Subway in the Sky. 10.30: N.Z.B.C. News, Comment, Weather. 10.45: Blood Sport. 11.0: 8.8. C. News and Commentary. 12.6 a.m.: The Clitheroe Kid. 1.30: Those Were the Days. 3.3: Sing It Again. 4.9: Cabaret Time. 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz)

7.5 p.m.: D. Scarlatti: Salve Regina—Maureen Forrester (contralto). The Vienna Soloists under Anton Heilier. 7.22: Messiaen: Praise to the Eternal Jesus (Quartet for the End of Time) —Maurice Gendron (cello), Jean Francaix (piano). 7.30: Astronomy Today. 7.44: Brehm: Quintet for brass (1967)—American Brass Quintet. 8.0: Music of Australia—Ten programmes. (3) John Antill (born 1904). Five Australian Lyrics— Stewart Harvey (baritone), Henri Penn (piano). Corroboree Sydney Symphony

Orchestra under Sir Eugene ; Goossens. A talk by the composer precedes the music. 8.38: Britten: Cantata Misericordium, Op. 69 Peter Pears (tenor), Dietrich Fis-cher-Dieskau (baritone), London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Benjamin Britten. 8.58: Prague Spring Festival. Messiaen: Symphonic Fantasy: The Forgotten Offerings; Pieme: Suite from the ballet, Cydalise and the Goat-foot— French National Radio Orchestra under Jean Martinon. 9.40: Strauss: Four Last Songs Lisa della Casa (soprano), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Karl Boehm. 9.54: Tchaikovsky: Manfred, symphony, Op. 58— U.S.S.R. Symphony Orchestra under Yevgeny Svetlanov. 3ZB, CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz)

7.40 . p.m.: G.T. Racers Golden Disc Selection. 8.2: Take It From Here. 8.30: Stump the Brains Trust. 9.2: Frontline for Students. 10.30: Till the Midnight Hour. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH (1400 kilohertz)

7.20 p.m.: Canterbury Requests. 8.30: Crispian St Peters. 9.0: El Trio Modelo with the San Juan Strings. 9.30: Miriam Makeba. 10.0: From the Top Pops.