Are you drunk? You can't do that because I can
tell and you know, how you can tell, because I can see two of
you, They don't want me to tell you
what about that last school. With all those kids listening
the songs on your tape recorder. Well, they wanted you.
They needed me because they wanted me to teach them to sing.
Well, teach a lot. Hello, and welcome to goon pod.
If I sound a little bit as my guest indicated husky tonight,
it is because I am suffering from, I don't know what, but uh,
I've been sneezing and coughing like nobody's business for the
last Fortnight. So that's why my voice sounds
even more, chocolatey than it normally does.
Oh, shocker, you don't need to hide your huskiness.
Bring it out in the open and deserve.
I am available for Cadbury's. Flake.
And It's anything like that obscene phone calls.
You name it. Even though we refer to, as you
can hear, I am joined by somebody and that person is
returning guest John or tea. Hello John.
Hello sir. How are you getting on apart
from your huskiness. Don't don't apologize for that
marvelous. This could generate huge
quantities of work in a think it's all good.
Yeah, but it's a joy to be back here in the Goon pot.
I love what you've done with it. Thank you very much, kept it
lovely. Why?
Thank you very much and start my last trip.
Well, the last time you were here, we were talking about the
film The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins.
Yes. And and in a way you could call
this episode. What seeking did next?
Yes. Now that they do dovetail quite?
Well don't they really? If you take him consideration
his character from that there's a distinct possibility.
This could have been how things turned out you know.
I'm with you on that. But yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I'm conscious of the fact that on this podcast.
Yes, it's about. Yeah, we we try and focus on the
goons, the Goon show but also the individuals and it has been
very, very, very heavily weighted towards Sellers and
Milligan. Yes, and I feel a bit bad
because, you know, we've done a handful of shows about Harry but
he doesn't get a fair crack of the whip, I feel so it was
great. Opportunity for John to return
and talk about his last film appearance.
Harry's not mine, I do not yours.
Let up Harry's last film appearance in which he was not
the star, it's the 1972 film sunstruck but a few things
before we get on to talking about Sons drunk and John
obviously, you are all about stunts and stun to people and
people in the Art of stunt work showing themselves about a bit
in a so that other people can take the glory.
Yes, that's that. Yeah, you are behind behind the
stunts. Yeah.
It's a sort of place that people can go to and find out about all
aspects of stunt work in various shapes or forms.
Whether that's TV shows, whether it's clips of stunts or
behind-the-scenes stuff or it's a breakdown of how things are
done. You know, I'm fascinated by How
this is done, how you do this? How do you do that?
That's what I want to know. And a lot like I'm looking at
the situation where there's a lot of people in the world who
have joined me on the YouTube channel, who want to know
exactly the same thing they want to know that behind the scenes
stuff. So that's where all of that
comes from. And it's, it's so we're going
from strength to strength, them it.
So it's very good and if you haven't already done, so come
and join us. What's the worst that can
happen, right? I want to try and stump, you
hear something. Just occurred to me top of my
head, right? Okay, and I haven't watched the
film for eons, but it's either being released or it's been
released recently on Blu-ray and I intend to buy it Brannigan.
Oh well, you know, brand again, I'm sure what a picture 1975.
John Wayne as Big. Jim Brannigan fantastic coming
over to London and causing Havoc.
Yeah, and I believe you get scuffed under the chin by
Richard, Attenborough, no less. He He does and I tell you what,
Peter Brian was the stunt coordinator on the picture.
Wonderful guy who was many will know him from his television
work. Of course, he was responsible
for all the action on the professionals, The Sweeney
villain. You know, villain yeah.
Oh yeah. So all of the car chased a
really big car chase guy and he's really he's quite
recognizable because he is a stunt man who wore glasses,
regardless of who is doubling, which I always find fascinating.
Yeah, but Richard Attenborough was, particularly keen on
getting in on that fight and really giving it the beans and
he does. I mean he'd absolutely throws
the kitchen sink at every single punch.
He's throwing and Peter and a number of other.
The stunt guys there said he was really good and did chin half a
dozen people for real. Yeah, you know.
Okay. But you tend to let him get away
with it, I think them, but everybody was queuing up to be
hit by John Wayne. That was great.
That was the thing because he you go.
Oh wow. Wouldn't that be great?
They were all fans of The Westerns and they thought this
is my opportunity but greatly the the dine out on that story.
Wouldn't, you know? Certainly yeah.
And in my memory, there's a scene where televisions Baldrick
gets pushed into a canal by John Wayne.
Is that right? Yeah, that's right.
The immortal line that says, can you swim?
And he says, yes, and then go get it and then throws him into.
I suppose would be part of the docklands.
I'm still not quite sure where that is, but He did that for
real. Tony Robinson.
Did that for real? Yes, he did.
Yeah. And this is one of the jobs that
he got through his agent at the time will almost off the cuff.
You know, it was a Wednesday evening.
He was at home and got a phone call to say, are you available
to do a thing on a, on a movie? Okay.
Yeah, sure. So the director had said, you
know, this is what we need you to do and pick the brain said,
you know, what's the deal as far as you and Aiming is concerned
so I'm pretty good A pretty hit pretty fit, so?
Okay, the idea is that you're going to get thrown into the
water, all right? Now that was the initial thing
but then they later on it was changed to a slightly different
location on the docklands and I would say that's probably 10 or
15 feet above the water and he's in Boots using Leathers.
He's got a helmet on and he hits the water like a sack of
potatoes. Somebody really does flat back
the whole thing and he's heard to shout ad-libbing lie.
Yeah. What are these boots on?
He's going under for the third time.
But yeah, we did that for real. So hats off to him for that
because that was a nice. I think.
Now he says, you know, it would have been great but only got
flat rate for it. There's gay wasn't getting any
danger money. Like the other boys were doing,
but yeah better but but he wouldn't have got that kind of
Gig. If he'd taken the bungle job on
Rainbow no woody. Yeah, and that is quite a long,
isn't it? I don't like the idea of that.
I don't like the idea that Baldrick could quite easily have
been bungle. No, no, no, I think that's a, he
took the right choice, I think under the circumstances being
thrown in the Water by John Wayne or doing that.
Well, I know where I'm going with this and following in the
water is quite appropriate for this podcast just before we
start again. One other quick thing, just a
moment silence please, for Network DVD.
You've heard about this sorry. John, yes, I'm afraid.
So I'm in there in liquid layer and Liquidation on this.
So I know there was a lot of people going on.
I've got orders outstanding, well, you probably won't get
them, I would have thought of this state, or they're honoring,
what's going on? But nevertheless, they were the
sort of staple for all that stuff.
You go, you, you discover a movie in the middle of the night
on some dusty Channel at the satellite and go, I love them.
Where do you get these movies from network was always the
place where Go. No it was always the place where
you'd think, oh they must have it and nine times out of ten.
They would have it you know, on a number of different formats as
well. So it is a great shame because
they were very important to a lot of people.
Those there's a bunch of us out there who just love to find
those old Dusty pictures that nobody ever sees any way for
those to those that know anymore, you know?
Yeah. Well, we're and where I'm
sitting right now. My have a sizable shelf of DVDs
and Blu-rays. And I'm just looking here of
this, there's robbery Stanley Baker, film.
There's the direct use of touch. Oh, there's a man about the
house movie, although whole release by Network at work?
Yeah. Yeah.
They managed to, you know, they've cornered the market.
There was a niche area and they'd suddenly discovered, a
lot of people going. Yes, this is exactly where I
want to try and get this movie from.
So it's a really sad time that it's come to this.
I thought that they were, you know, massively popular and
obviously not massively popular enough to generate the sort of
money that they need on a turnover basis.
So it is a terrible thing to see what I hope something comes of
this and that and that they don't Disappear Completely and
that there will be some future in it.
There is speculation that someone else will take up the
Baton in some fashion. And I think that the success of
channels I talking pictures TV shows that there is a market for
this was absolutely. So, Hopefully network will
return in a different guise If You artist formerly known the
artist formerly known as Network.
Yeah, it's be shame of if this resource dried up for for
obscure hard to get films and television.
What happens when a Welsh choirmaster fancies the games
mistress but she doesn't fancy him.
Stan, Lee Evans thinks he has the answer.
This is what he hopes for and who wouldn't, but this is what
he gets. Lee Evans.
Stanley, this is the Kookaburra Springs, parent, Teachers
Association. meanwhile, the kids are busy, especially Stevie and
we're all going to make a fresh start, right?
Okay, so as I mentioned before, we're talking about sunstruck
from 1972 today, starring Harry second.
So my first question, John is what made you change this?
Yeah. What, why the hell did you want
to talk about? So, what were you thinking of
you lunatic be? Well, I really it was as we've
discussed before and as, as many people know, without Harry, you
know, the whole goon thing would fall apart and he is a massive
part of the success of all of this and on his own was another
staple part of many people's diet.
When it came to, you know, entertainment, whether that be
singing, what his great voice, and all that sort of stuff and
general entertainment. And I remember seeing something
many moons ago, which was probably around this sort of
time, I think he was some, I think he was in charge of the
touring cricket team. For the variety club and they
would jet off to all sorts of places and play, West Indies 11
or the Earth. Do you know, they've got all
these different places and raise lots of money for thing.
And it struck me that him in warm climate was amusing, you
know, he always, everybody was always poking the same fun at
him. But nevertheless, he was, it was
very entertaining and when I kind of saw this picture, And I
thought, well, you know, this, this, this might work, you know,
obviously him broaden his Horizons and going to Sunny
climates. Well, what could possibly go
wrong? As far as entertainment was
concerned evidently quite a bit. This is not the point we'll get
to that later on but throw him in with any situation.
I'd love to have been in the meeting.
You always think, wouldn't it be great to been a fly on the wall
and be in the meeting where they pitched?
Harry this idea. We've got this great And these
goes, how long would it have taken him to go?
I'm in, you know, no problem, I'll do it because he was, you
know, it was a big night is still a fairly big name.
He had those specials didn't either Harry speaking shows, he
was very popular down under very popular in Australia and New
Zealand. It's a starring vehicle.
It's filming in Australia yet, having said all that, it's not
necessarily the Glamorous bits of Australia.
No no and in hindsight you might not have needed to go to
Australia to film it. If the truth be known but it
certainly has its a hairy cecum picture and even though he'd
been pretty successful in those movies that people will know
Oliver, for instance, and of course shows like pick wig when
you want to try and find a film, that would maybe take a couple
of the boxes along the way. They seem like a good choice.
Its obscure enough for people, maybe not to have seen it, but
entertaining enough for people to maybe of caught it.
Do you mean that movie The other thing?
Of course it was filmed in on location, in New South Wales
between January and March 1972. Which is perishing Lee hot in
Australia. Yeah.
And it shows it does look like it does look like it's running
out of him dirty. It is really warm and and it was
a British Australian co-production right to partially
receive funding from the Australian.
In film development commission and Harry agreed to take a lower
salary, and have points in the film.
So, Casey of the film did? Well, then he would, he would do
very well out of it himself, but I don't think the film did that
well, so, but now you are not. It could because it's, it's
directed and co-written by Jimmy graft and isn't, and Jimmy
Gilbert the Grafton and Gilbert Lads.
Well, yes, it is. It's directed by Jimmy Gilbert
and partially written and And Jimmy Grafton had a quite a hand
in the screenplay and Jimmy Gilbert interesting guy.
He's one of those names that you just know from the credits of
classic TV, comedy shows. Yes exactly.
He was, he was the guy who bought together really properly
brought together The Two Ronnies.
Wasn't he after that? There was a live.
I'm trying to decide who show it was, but it was a live
performance and something was running late, or somebody was
missing a killer or something. And somebody had said to Ronnie
Barker, would you get up and do a thing?
Just, you know, warm everybody up for five minutes or so.
And then somebody had nudge Ronnie.
Corbett said, why don't you get up as well, in the two of them
together, all of a sudden there was a bit of chemistry and there
was a lot of rummaging and nudging in the first row and
people going on, that's not bad. So, and before too long, Jimmy
was partially responsible for going, right?
Come and see me you pair and we'll try and sort something
out. I think that was, that was how
that happened. But I had heard In my mind I'm
thinking it was the baftas, right?
Yep. Might could well have been but I
think it was about a but yeah, Jimmy Gilbert was best known.
Really is a television producer and he worked on goon
connection. He worked on.
It's a square world. He worked on not only but also
most of which sadly doesn't exist anymore white.
Yes. Yeah.
And network had been around that have taken those.
You see? See it's all coming back to the
you know, they could have had the lot lately.
He leaves. It was head of light.
Entertainment wasn't always had a BBC comedy for a while.
Yeah. And he was, he was one of the
drivers behind Last of the Summer Wine and whatever
happened to the likely Lads. So really, really strong, tele
pedigree, but I think this is really his only one of the only
film projects that he was involved with right far as I can
see. And I guess the idea was that
this is the direction he maybe wanted to move and but because
the film didn't necessarily make much money did make much of a
directional. And you know, and it was
originated was it had a number of working titles the best known
being the education of Stan, Lee Evans.
That's right. Yeah.
But it was also that if there was also some some titles that
they were sort of playing around with including the Immigrant and
now see that that was the production company's called
immigrant, isn't it? So that if that they must have
tied they just create that for the purpose of the picture and
use that title as the done? Well originally it see right at
the beginning. Me in an early draft of the
script Harry was going to be playing an Italian opera star
who moves to Australia now. Now, now I'm already sold on the
deal right here. You know, I could have taken
that on board none. Yep, yep.
Yeah, just give me that movie, that movies, fine, I'll take
that. No problem whatsoever, couple of
arya's, jobs are good, and another title that they had
attached to. This was a touch of the Sun and
I land. Interestingly intriguingly in
April 1963, there was a TV movie on the BBC called a touch of the
sun, right? A start.
Well, it was to Star Dick Emery, Jones Sims and Patrick Cargill.
But for some reason it was never actually broadcast.
I gather it was in the radio times listed but it was never
broadcast for some reason and instead it was replaced by quite
appropriately. The Red Army Choir now.
So I'd like to know why a series of numbers from their
repertoire. Yes.
Yeah. I'd love to know why it was
never broadcast but but but I mention it because obviously
it's called a touch of the sun who do you think?
Produced it or was to produce it?
Maybe, maybe Jimmy Gilbert possibly.
Yes, Jim, You kill people. So I wonder I wonder whether
there was a script from that, that which has been rehashed
create this. Yeah, possibly, yeah.
So yes. So there's this really this to
that. Well, there's three locations
that we see in this film is. No.
There's, there's the main location which is, what is it
called? Kookaburra Springs, kookaburra
Springs and lies. There's there's also we see They
briefly, don't we? We see the Sydney Opera house,
but the Sydney Opera House didn't open until 1973.
Well, maybe it was, was it completed late on and then not
opened until 75-minute? Presumably is, it was in working
order, right? But because the place that they
actually do, all the place that looks like where they visit
eventually for the whole choir sequence doesn't look like
Sydney Opera house at all. It looks like a completely
different building so I'm assuming that's they did
Interiors elsewhere, maybe? Yeah.
Yeah, I can. I really can't see a school's
choir competition taking place in the Sydney Opera House,
really? Yeah.
And of course at the beginning, at the beginning of the film pre
credits, there's a, there's a Welsh mining Village, that's
right. It is mer.
Fer ya, murtha merthyr tydfil? Yeah, there's a there's a thing
on IMDb where there is somebody who is who was in the opening
sequence, has a choir singing and Mr. Evans is conducting said
quiet. Now a member of that choir for
the school's sequence had has left a comment and I am be IMDb
about you know what a time it was and how and how Harry was
fabulous and would constantly make everybody corpse with
laughter accepted said, I mean, is it just the sort of thing
that you would expect him to do? You wouldn't want him to be one?
Take cecum? You know he's you want to do you
want 25 of them all mess? Shut up because he's laughing
the whole time or blowing raspberries are doing x, y, and
Zed. You know, that type of thing.
So they have confirmed that they were, in fact, in the school.
It was a real school in merthyr tydfil and they had a fabulous
time. Good, good.
And that, the premise of the film is that you have this
unlucky and love. Love Lon schoolteacher.
Yes. Stan.
Lee Evans and he's been perving on the PE teacher.
Pretty well. Who hasn't?
We've all been there although? His capacity as teacher, he
makes it. There's a lovely moment part way
through when he's conducting and looking out of the window.
And but the camera is panning across the rest of the choir.
Who was singing, who all know what's going on?
Yeah, they're all nudging and winking with each other and then
there's a moment where she presumably turns which catches a
glimpse of him. And he just about turns and goes
back to his position, in the classroom, hoping that she
didn't say him. But yeah, it's I think we can
peeping I think is the phrase that's used in the pictures.
Anything that's right peeping. Everything seems a bit strong
for 72. Does actually, by the way, this
business with Jennifer Jennifer. Oh.
Miss Morgan. You mean exactly?
You know that she and I are you know, I didn't know that you
were well we asking. And between ourselves.
You're embarrassing her. My huh.
My you know, you're always I was peeping what I show you.
I no intention of looking at some of the kids have remarked
on it, started drawing things on the walls.
Just wanted to make a fool of yourself.
That's all. Oh man.
Now, Donald Houston. Now, I know Donald Houston from
films such as Where Eagles Dare indeed and he's, you know, he's
quite high up in the building of this film but he's in it for
literally what? 40 seconds maybe oh s.
Yeah. And is he credited as himself?
He's credited. As I can't remember whether I
saw it as a character, I believe he's down as himself as he.
So he's just a Donald Houston. As himself as the teacher is, is
driving off in his sports. Car with the PE teacher with the
PE teacher standard operating procedure.
He's got that lovely. There's a couple of just really,
lovely moments. He says, that the children are
drawing pictures as well. You know what?
So they typically we see one of them don't.
Yeah, exactly sir. He tries to cover it up
desperately quickly. That's it yet.
The premise is that Stan Lee Evans school teacher can't get
the girl of his dreams and he is spies on his Long Walk Home was
he sort of pushing his bike up a hill or something and he yeah
cycles for a bit then gets to the look like the train station
and sees this sign, which is at which we should, I think believe
it is that whether the whole premise for the movie came from
originally because it's a A teacher in a Mortar Board and
swimming trunks carrying a pile of books.
And I think the sign says, teach in the sun in New South Wales,
Australia, and he has that. Hmm, I wonder moment here before
the titles kick in and what if point of fact, before a burst of
Waltzing Matilda kicks in, I wondered how long, it'd be with
an Australian reference to Waltzing Matilda.
It wasn't that long. Well, yeah, with, and he's on
the beach Harry's. The beach in this Daydream this
reverie with the mortarboard with the robes and that's it and
the try the Trunks, and he's conducting, he's leading a bevy
of bikini-clad Beauties in a Lusty rendition of Waltzing
Matilda and Lusty rendition. Yes.
Indeed. And he.
Yeah. He decides egg.
This is this the life of me. I'll, I'll pack up and I'll move
to 2 odds and and he does that without saying a word, you know,
it's all purely in. In his mind.
And then at the end of that, he says, right unfit and storms off
and then the titles kicking to go.
Hang on. We're moving it up with the
titles. Is he moving?
Isn't it the journal? It's a montage of him on
increasingly less robust, aircraft such as smaller smaller
aircraft as he gets further away.
Yeah so he's either thinks he thinks he's going to be
teaching. Literally teaching people on
Bondi Beach, doesn't he? Yes, he does.
He's envisaging. And then the truth is quite
otherwise. Unfortunately, he, he ends up
being posted to this far-flung. Secluded little out back.
Not even a town isn't, it's more of just a hotel and a school
Dust Bowl. Yeah, exactly.
And you know nowadays you get there and you go, right.
I'm just going to ring trading standards because this is not
what I've signed up for and he kind of does that in.
Not so many words in these Head. He's going.
Oh, this really isn't a good idea.
But yes, kookaburra Springs mention all the, all the Exotic,
Hot Spot. Kookaburra Springs is
essentially a place called new lunga.
Liu Liu Lang. Golu, I think you have to say
that with an accent, well, I don't have the Aboriginal accent
to up to low right, but there's new longer Lou and also a nearby
Town called one Galia, okay? And and they were both fairly
thriving towns in the early 20th century, but for some reason,
their schools closed down in the 60s.
And by the time that this film was shot, they were pretty much
ghost towns, really. Oh, right hand.
And the, the film crew who was scouting locations for the film
discovered by accident. They took a wrong turning or
something and they discovered this Homestead in the lung glue
called Bray side and they thought it'd be perfect as the
hotel that received them and they purchased it for
apparently. They bought it for 400,000
Australian dollars which seems an awful lot but for a disused
dilapidated. Yeah location.
And and what they did, they then bought a very old disused
schoolhouse from one Galia. And Had it transported to the
longer Lou and then positioned it across from the hotel as we
see in the, in the field, and they pretty much use.
Whatever locals were still living around to act as extras
as, okay, set, Builders even and body, doubles and animal
handlers and of the 16 children that we see in the film being
taught by herion in. Kookaburra Springs. 14 of them
were just local kids. Oh.
So right. I was happy and yes.
Oh, so that's the sort of the background to, to kookaburra
spring Z. This is why this isn't, this is
why this podcast exists, right? There's a very small little
picture that we're looking at. All of a sudden, you've painted
painting pictures with words, Tyler.
That's what you've done there. You've given us a sort of wish
you were here episode of the travel.
If Judith Charmers headed that she'd had done it, no better.
My friend, that's what you've done there.
You've given us the whole lay down of the other thing.
That's brilliant. I didn't know any of that.
Sort of the Giudice was one for the teenagers.
Judy shoot a challenge. Yes, a regular mention she gets
you know yes and I want to talk about some of the cast who have
not mentioned or yes. Obviously we don't we don't
really didn't need to talk about Harry at the stage.
Do we? No no, no.
I think what one thing I would like to say if I may just from
the titles is that the The music is provided by Geico Peter
Knight, who is a really serious composer?
And arranger of that period having to work with everybody.
You have a look at who we'd work with through the 50s 60s, and
70s and a lot of comedians musical.
Arranges for Eric and Ernie. Ken Dodd, Stanley Baxter,
Bernard cribbins, Benny Hill dick, Emery Bruce Forsyth,
Frankie, Howard and was was one of the musical guys who worked
with Harry and Pickwick, and with some Christmas night for
the Stars. So, there's a long On reference
there with that lamb. Um, has he any other connections
with with other goon type films of that nature?
Well, let me put it this way. You're aware of.
Let me put it this way. So Harry flew back from
Australia in March. 72, right hand in April. 72 Harry was
involved with the last gunshot of all gods.
Who was the conductor for the last crying beaten?
I've eaten Uh okay yeah, got it and web talk about the credits
as well. I noticed done.
If you picked up on this there was a credit for Jenny cecum.
Daughter under publicity stroke, Stills, Stills photographer?
Yeah. And she was his, she was Harry's
daughter getting anything but a mechanism there, unfortunately.
Sadly Jenny passed away relatively recently in re.
So really, it's hard to show but her sister her younger sister,
Katie actually follows the show on Twitter, right?
She and I have had a brief Exchange.
Change and she, she was very, very little when this film was
made, but she was out there with the family on location is Harry
was for. Yeah, she said it was a
wonderful time. Now, I'm very impressed by the
actor. John, and I hope I pronounce
this correctly John Malin or me La Mala Mia.
Malins it. Yeah, because he is effectively
Australian Cinema. Isn't he?
His knee? Just good Lord.
There isn't anything he hasn't been in.
Think that's safe to say, ìwell. I think the Casual Cinema Goa
would probably know him. Mainly fair to say from the
Crocodile Dundee films. Right?
Well, till Wednesday, Wednesday. Yesterday.
Well Monday. Doesn't doesn't care.
Looking busted. He pretty much as I know that a
lot of those movies that hold a lot of critical clout as well
like Walkabout for instance. Well, he was the father in
Walkabout, wasn't he? Yeah, exactly.
He's the guy starts shooting it as kids.
That's right, because he worked in London from 1959 to 1965.
And so, the last stage stuff here and he also did a lot of
stuff comedic wise out. Fact was in lots of episodes of
the worker with Charlie Drake. Oh dear.
And that your world and then with an Australian connection
when they took shows out. There you mentioned.
Patrick Cargill Alia father. Dear father for instance.
Yeah, the Australian version. He was in that 633.
Squadron, he was in longest day. I'm in a whole bunch of bits and
pieces but does it as I'm watching this film, sorry to
break 2 katana. As I'm watching this film,
there's another film but kept, I kept thinking about which is
completely different. It's a completely just different
tone to this film, but the film Wake in Fright.
Have you ever seen that wake and for, I don't know what have
waking in Fright. Well, Wake in Fright.
No, I haven't. No.
Okay. It's from a, I think the year
before somebody wants an Australian film again, right?
But it is, I would say it's probably Australian British
again, co-production because there's British actors in it,
including Donald Pleasence, okay, in a row. all that you
will not forget in a hurry and and it's of it is exactly that
fish out of water, innocent person or innocent, man innocent
in the sense of, you know, not particularly worldwide.
Worldly wise. Yes, yes, absolutely.
And being put into this very, very difficult environment with
very, very difficult people. And it's not an easy watch and
and it's Infamous as well because there are genuine scenes
of animal cruelty, oh, Marion and things like that.
So it's quite It's a very memorable memorable film of.
I have watched at the ones. I don't think I'd watch it
again. But running through this film,
there are quite a number of Wake in Fright connections, and I do.
Okay? And I'm going to.
So John was it mail and did you say John Mainland?
Hey, Lem here male and he was in Wake in Fright.
Okay. All right, as was the actress
who played his wife and son, struck.
Don't like I said she was in her eyes.
Well, as well. Was the guy who played the sort
of. I suppose you calling the
villain of the piece Pete. Oh, the brother.
He's the brother, rather. Yes.
Yes, heater Whittle. He was in Wake in Fright, I
think it would be easier to say, who wasn't in waking who wasn't
exactly Harry, but I can tell you this, now, it would not do
Wake in Fright and sunstrike would not make not a good double
feature will feature. No very similar in some ways,
but poles, apart in others, okay?
And Yes. If we've got, we've got Johnny
plays make who's the owner of the Mayfair Hotel, I guess,
after Harry sent Central character really, isn't he in
this film? He is he without him.
The story, wouldn't take the turns that it takes, and he
picks him up from the flight to take him in, to take him a note.
That that's the first thing I noticed, was that Harry's
equipped with his golf clubs and a tape recorder.
And she says, Is to him, you apply any tennis.
He says not. Not very well.
All right. Okay, but yes, he's got his golf
clubs with him. The tape recorder.
You might want to stick that in the front, it's a bit bumpy in
the back. Roger, then he says, God isn't
it art? And I was wondering how long it
would be before, there was a heat reference and it again, you
know, delivered quite early on but he does acclimatize later
on, as the case may be. But yeah, Judd, there Cassidy
character is very important to this.
I want to ask you as well because I've jotted down some
sort of talking points. And one of the first things I
jotted down was because there's the film was largely written by,
I guess where it's it's, it's yeah, the original screenplay
screenplay by Stone Mars who'd written for Harry on the Harry
second show and, and additional material from Jimmy Grafton,
Jimmy Gilbert and album Jones. So it's a His team writing a
film set in Australia and I wonder what your thoughts are
about British owed ideas about Ossie idioms.
If, you know what I mean in terms of?
Yeah, well it's, you know, it's just not take very long before
you see somebody wearing a hat and got Cokes around it, you
know, that type of stuff and the and this was more or less around
the time when you had you know, Dame Edna was probably going to
starting out. I would have thought every late
for six years. Early 70s.
Barry Humphries, you know? Yeah.
Well in because the deal, The in private eye.
The berry Mackenzie. Yes, stuff in private eye and
then there was the film. Then there was the film was
right these? These really sort of course
Australian idioms. Yeah, were quite common currency
around this time I think and okay the you know this is a this
is a very gentle film. But at one point I think it's
Mick mixed character refers to Stanley's rather timid Drinking
of a schooner of lager. Yeah.
Well I can tell it isn't true. Blue Australian would say that
know those those things have those type whenever you've seen
a character and and again we go back to the original Point,
you're making their about writing Australian, dialogue for
Australian, actors, by British writers.
You know what, what's your favorite color, blue?
What do you do for a living? They get all that sort of stuff,
you know, and, and looking at it now it's, it is a very sort of
stereotypical type dialog, but that hadn't really changed in
Australian pictures and television are.
But particularly the phrase, Fryman, your Flamin Galah.
That happens a lot, which was a home-and-away thing.
What was your man on home? And away used to say that all
the time? Elf elf apps, you're right, Al
Franken. Used to say that all the time
and I love that was the mid-90s. I suppose are the early late 80s
or something like that, whenever they're started.
And that was sort of a stock in phrased.
That that's a that was an Australian writing team Creator.
Oh you know true because they were writing it for a particular
audience, a particular time slot.
Etc. So maybe they're kind of worked
on it. But yeah, there's got to be more
research to the, to the dialect, and the thing as opposed to just
throwing and we're working on the basis that the They
performed it as per script and then we could have been a great
deal of ad-libbing going on. I would have thought that
Cassidy would have done a fair bit of that himself would have
been instructed to do. So in certain scenes to play
about with it maybe maybe. Yeah.
Interesting thing as well about because one of the key locations
in this film is, the is the bar in the hotel.
Yes. And, and the sort of the pub
culture, Australian pop culture, and again, sorry to get back to
it. At the beginning of the film
Wake. In Fright, we see an actual
Australian Pub. And I don't know, Australian
Licensing Laws were really weird.
Back then I know we're good--we're bad.
Well Clive James has talked about this where pups were only
ill Hurtin. I think I'm right in saying this
and please, I'm sure. But I do have Australian
listeners, who I'm sure will be able to correct me on this,
right? But there was a time, I'm sure
that pubs in Australia, were only allowed to open for
something ridiculous. Couple of hours a day or
something and just explain. We're really just dived in and
got stuck in as quickly as possible.
Well, Clive James talked about that about people being
absolutely rata payload, because they were just, they would have
to squeeze in as much drinking to these couple of hours, you
know, and you see that in the film Wake in Fright.
But in I mean, presumably a kookaburra Springs.
They don't observe any Licensing Laws.
Well, evidently not because there's a piano if you remember
in the bar our which is used later on and there's drinking
taking place while the kids are at school.
So it's not, it's not, you know, the thing is, anytime your man's
in the bar, it's open. I think that's the plan of
action here. You've got the half dozen or so
regulars. Yeah, the propping up the bar in
the Mayfair Hotel and they're all very broad Australian
stereotypes, aren't they? Basically sort of, I think the
phrase Aziz user sort of occurs or Larrick, I think that's right
hard-drinking unsophisticated yeah ill-disciplined yeah yeah I
think you could throw a stick and hit everybody in that bar
and that would tick every box. I think it's a good drinking
seen in the in the hotel. Certainly you get Stanley.
Who's really as a fish out of water?
He's a big lad, but he's not a big drinker.
Now, he doesn't. He realize he's made a terrible
mistake. Coming coming to live and work
here but he comes down into the bar and stammers out this
impromptu speech about convicts and Ned Kelly and he's
introduced to Norm been banjo Pete, Chiller gumbo Mick and
tich. I was going to say that they do
sound like a band. Yeah yeah the he parent-teacher
association meeting. Yellow women.
Just just these. Yeah.
Just those Lads there. That's right.
Yes, that but yeah, Stanley is a lightweight, but eventually
develops quite a thirst doesn't, as the film goes on, oh, as he
goes on, you know, I mean because the the, the following
to that is that is the breakfast at the, Cassidy's the following
morning. Yes.
And all of a sudden, you know, within the mount whack.
There's another fat joke. You know, she says, I've major
of major great big breakfast. They're making us drops.
This breakfast off Williams, sausage bacon, eggs, the whole
nine yards and he says I'm not a big eater and your man says, you
could have fooled me and all that sort of stuff and yet the
tables are turned then later on. Because he's, you know, I do
later stage, he comes down for breakfast off having a right
skinful the night before and polishes off the big breakfast,
you know. So it's it's a change of change
of Direction but he is he's a fish out of water.
Yeah. And The kids evidently are that
one thing that he can take from home and here, you know, in his
eyes when he goes to the school, right?
I'm on that Level Playing Field again.
Now I just do what I did before, you know, try and get that
message across in to try and be liked maybe at first.
Yeah. And so when Harry read the
script yeah. Do you think going through his
head? The old adage, never work with
kids and animals. Because they're on every page.
Yeah, yeah. You, you must never work with
children or animals and, and here's a script with a lot of
children and a fair quantity of animal.
Some of which are really not very nice animals to be fairly.
Yeah, he's a and unfortunately, a lot of the animals he starts
out with mosquitoes but that's all down because of mix son.
Stevie he's the culprit here, isn't it?
Yeah, you just Okay, the actor that played Stevie was called
Dennis Jordan and it was his first and last acting Jay, I
didn't I didn't see him doing much else, I've learned, okay.
I mean, he was only 12 or 13 or whatever, but, but he was quite,
I found it quite yet. Quite objectionable in there,
all in the way that movie ready for.
You know, I'm sure he is a lovely guide and what he's doing
now. He could be a quantity, surveyor
doesn't a florist, it doesn't matter.
I'm sure his ass. Super guy.
But I, maybe, maybe this is the market of the man, as convincing
as he was in that in that picture within the first five
minutes. I wanted to slap the little
bleeder left, right and Center. I mean, he really was very
objectionable, as you say, very, very unpleasant, indeed.
So he, he either did a great deal of research and work
through his, you know, method based through his character or
that was just what he was like, one of the other.
But he ticked the box. If they go right, we need you to
be a really nice. Nasty piece of work, no problem.
I could do that and he does, you know, he sells it, he's just
homesick. That's all hey, you don't think,
oh, God crook on us and take off like that.
Gotta tap to asses. We've got to make things easy
for him. Well, my kids came home school
today, as happy as Larry and they said it wouldn't last long,
Hey, why kids make my dad? Haven't had a chance yet, they
don't worry old Evans for a while, then we'll give it
another go. I believe.
One of the things that I was impressed by an unexpected
element of this film if you like, go on mr.
Morley is so they're approximately halfway through
the film, we get introduced to this female character, there's
not that many, no, but there's the actress Maggie Fitzgibbon.
Yeah, turns up is, surely character called, surely she's
fabulous. Maggie was in the actress, was
in three episodes. If it's a square world in the
60s. All right.
Yep. But she turns up and she is the
sister of Pete Peters, the the member of the PTA in the bar who
least warms to Stanley. He's again, mmm.
Basically as me it's, it wasn't terribly clear of her.
And I had to, I had to read old school, rewind that scene and go
back earlier on because I didn't make it very clear that they
were brother and sister. Sister.
I really had an issue with that because I thought, well, what's
the problem? Oh, maybe she's married.
I thought you know because I didn't remember anything with
reference to saying, oh that's me brother Pete, you know, I or
anything of that nature because they the first time they meet
what he's unloading. What's the phrase she's using
horses? Doings?
Yes Magnus of horses doings and and she and and of course she
can carry a sack of horses doings quite easily.
She's staying L business Stanley Tries and not a charger.
He's doing the heaving in the pulling in that know.
And it's not leaving the side of the truck as it.
I caused that they then get to meet on the basis or he she
invites him around to tune her piano.
Initially, we thought up euphemism?
Yeah. It's and so did Pete evidently
because that's why he's angry that, right?
I'll put a stop to this, you know.
Well, the thing is what surprised me and I was quite
impressed Was that she is introduced as the love interest
for Stanley for heresy, right? But she's not.
Yeah, they kind of imply that she's a bit.
She's slightly hoarse he faced don't they?
They kind of imply that she's been on the shelf that she's
she's going to be a yes, please do the rest of her life.
Yeah. And she I mean they aren't as
she's interested in her animals and their offices and all that
sort of stuff, and she turns up the first time.
She turns up, she's doing about 90 miles an hour on the back of
this horse. And arrives in scene.
I mean it's slides its way and singing and this big dust
everywhere and she dives off and then she how he might I'm Shayla
and gives it all this. You know she's fantastic.
She's a very in-your-face type of character but she says to him
you know, though probably told you about me and all this sort
of stuff and he's taking it all in this tribe, but I think he
does the same thing that I probably did.
I went. Wow, where did you come for?
Your you've really changed the game of this particular thing
because all we had was these drinkers get over here.
And this little mom and the kids and now all of a sudden you've
turned up and she kind of took that that those few moments in
the film, to it to a slightly different level and you thought.
Okay, I can I can get into this. Now this is all right.
She said she becomes the strongest character in strongest
in terms of physicality, in terms of performance, in terms
of balls, Enos really? Yeah, because Pete doesn't want
Stanley to become entangled with his sister.
I guess it's just because he wants her to look after him and
his son because he's a widower, hasn't he?
Oh, that's right. Yeah, it doesn't want her to be,
you know, focusing her attentions on on Stan, Lee
Evans. So so Pete's very against this
whole notion of the two of them getting together and he he
feigns he finds a dozen injuries and injuries hurt his back or
something with the horses doings in order to interrupt their
little tryst. And she goes ballistic and very
matter-of-factly. She doesn't let understand me
that, you know, this is what's going on.
She she lets him drive drive off and then as moment he drives
off, she goes in and she and Pete is terrified and he really
runs out the back and she takes his beer but his precious beer
bottles out. And she just begins taking
potshots, not just at them, but at her brother at her brother
hand and it is Cream lie, it's a great scene because she's you
know, she's not, she's she is angry but she's harnessing that
anger and and using it to to hurt him.
The most by what? Bye-bye destroy shooting is a
beer, you know, because he even says not me beer, you know, he
makes it very clear that no anything but that and you also
just from a, from a, an action perspective when she fires that
rifle, if you see her blink, I'd be very surprised she is Stony
Let me go. Wow.
You really believe that she's actually taking potshots at her
brother and she's going to hit him in a minute.
If he stops moving about, she's going to get him.
He gets the walk room. Bloody little fat Wells pump.
Yeah, that's a very good sign and it is it does make her an
extremely strong character from an audience point of view you
go. Oh yeah!
She's all right. And you know what, she'd be very
good with with Stanley two of them together would because he
needs a friend right now and she's, she's all this.
You know, she's good, she's in charge of everything.
The brothers scared of her. So yeah, I think she's a very
important. And it's a good saying that.
Very good. Yeah, yeah, drunk acting in this
film, from cacti trunk acting in general.
It son can't very rarely done. Well is it it's very rarely done
well, because what people do is they slur their words of fall
over and when in point of fact, you know somebody who's drunk is
trying to walk straight and talk properly, so it is taken to the
Other Extreme mind. You met Cassidy, does it
terribly well because he's kind of played that character a lot
with The Walkabout, but he has played that character quite a
lot. So he's always, you know, gives
the impression of inebriation without actually pushing the
boundary too far. But yeah, it's a, there is a
great deal of and action and all of a sudden people are falling
about slow. Slurring their words left,
right? And center and making rash
decisions, but it is sweet watching.
Harry drunk in this house. Yeah, he's been here.
He's never going to be It had the greatest actor in the world
is he, but, but he's very engaging.
He's very watchable, he's very watchable.
And also it gives you that thing ago, you know, I quite fancy
going out for a drink with him. No.
Yeah. You do you think of all of them?
You know, Peter is going to really, really anger.
Somebody at some point during the bar.
Yeah, spikes going to be all right, for a few minutes and
then might get a bit sidetracked and then go off and do something
else. But Harry would be with you the
entire duration of the Thing and then ultimately the bear
Singsong. He'd be leading it to be the
whole nine yards. I mean, he was, he looks like it
would be huge fun to be around me.
Yeah I have I have I have gone on record to say he would be the
one. I'd like to go out for a few
pints with sure. Quite right to ya quite round
two and he likes. Ellis took you out you'd be in
prison. Yeah it's an inherently
dangerous crap and Terry did like a drink.
Yes. So you know he could knock them
back, I believe. That and the plot of this film
is essentially vailable, somewhere.
Essentially, the the Harry Nilsson read the character,
Stan, Lee Evans, hmm. He's miserable really, isn't he,
he's covered in mozzie bites. He's got this very small
classroom of kids and, and also there's, there's a, there's a
yearning for home, you know, he sits upstairs, he lies in bed at
night, playing the songs on the Hope record up from the choir in
Wales. You know, he misses that sound,
he misses the kids, he misses whales and you know, because
they're they're downstairs drink.
How much, how long, how much longer are you going to be
playing that up the same song over and over again because it's
on the tape recorder thing, but it's comforting to him, it's
comfort. Blanket is the music, the songs.
And I think ultimately, you know, when he gets to that
stage, where he realizes it well, You know, I could have
some fun here with the kids and it's sounding.
All right, but being thrown the, the left field of, oh, we've
entered you into a competition. All of a sudden UPS, the ante a
bit? Yes, well, most of them that
live there, apart from Pete are terrified, that Stan is going to
get so fed up that he leaves. Yeah, because they, taking bets
art that they need a teacher. They absolutely need to teacher.
So Mick, enters the Class into a Australian schools choir
competition and suggest that Stanley can teach them and in
Stanley's quite annoyed. By this at first, his knees
quite dismissive of the whole notion.
It's a decision that's been made out of his hands.
If it's his choir, you know, if it's got that his school at the
school's competition, well, why wasn't he involved in it?
And, and he is genuinely annoyed by the whole thing, it's one of
those stories, you know, hit, you know, Know which direction
it's going to go, of course, don't you?
And I don't want to jump ahead to much but essentially through
subterfuge and through heard ball of subterfuge, yet that
annoying little sheesh, I talk Stevie.
Oh sure, I do quite right. It's what they're switching
tapes for the application. So he's off the tape of the
actual Welsh School choir. That's right.
And And to the application committee and that's why they
got invited to go and take part proving also, having said that
proving that the Welsh choir were magnificent.
You know, they were really really good and on the strength
of hearing that tape. Oh yeah, absolutely.
Come on in. Yeah, will welcome you with open
arms. You know that was a problem.
So so Stan these kind of really thrilled about the whole thing
and then when he realizes what's happened, he's not amused.
But then it is, because you think so.
Hang on that. The choir in Wales, they,
they're the ones that got me there in the first place.
Yeah. There's something I forgot to
mention. By the way, wasn't that a
wonderful rig out that wonderful outfit that Stanley was wearing
when he went to visit, went to tune Shirley's piano.
He can you picture it in your head?
It's it's the it's the car key thing and and the knee socks
knee socks variably socks with brogues or no, they weren't.
They weren't army-issue sand. Boo.
Oxford. So Saturday Oxford's.
Yeah. Yep.
Short short sleeve shirt tie shorts.
I was this a socks pulled up to his knees and an orange hat and
a tissue. Now the whole shorts socks
pulled up to the knees and sensible.
Walking shoes look is very, it's very 1970s 1980s, small town,
New Zealand to me. Oh I see, it's brought, it
brought it all home, did it? Let men of my father's
generation around, you know, the late 70s in particularly Clement
weather, right? Did rarely be seen outside,
without the required shorts, the knee socks, you know, pulled
right up to the knees and the sensor I chose since my shoes
and a special occasion would oh and Tybee require tie of course
short time the same outfit that. I that was that.
Yeah, that the addition. Right?
You got it. Mmm.
So I suppose there's no Not a huge amount to say other than
the fact that we there's a there's a minor bit of potential
Jeopardy. When Pete tells Stanley that
will basically lies and says that everyone thinks he's an
idiot. And yeah.
Exactly. And so he takes umbrage at this
and decides to ride off into the sunset and the slowest nag that
he didn't, who is referred to as old nail will now come on.
That's what? Would you send over a fast walk
and quite obviously, you know, it he's been traveling for hours
and has probably gone about 350 yards and has decided, I must
have a pee and then steps off and Nails away like a rat up a
drainpipe. I think opposite direction.
Yeah. The but the bus containing the
choir and and of course surely catches up to Stan because he's
walking now. Chef Luke, but Chef Luke, he's
totally ready. Richard, he totally dejected.
His luggage has gone with. Now, the nag, all he's got, is
his tape recorder and he's walking along and, and the bus
pulls up behind them and surely explains about Pete being a div
and, and and Stanley has reluctantly at first one over
but then jumps on a starts conducting.
The choir all, isn't it starts conducting the choir?
Yes of course. And then we have the the scene
where they arrive and in And they arrive at the competition,
and for some reason, the the entire event is to be broadcast
twice on the radio National radio.
I don't think that much content that those days.
So they took what they could get really.
Do your best. Exactly.
And then, but back in kookaburra Springs, everybody's trying to
listen to the thing on. Either a transistor radio or the
radio of the Jeep at CERN. Yes.
And as you would expect, no, they didn't win the competition,
they didn't even get second or even third did It's very well
though. No, they got.
They got a special prize for turning out.
Yeah, well done for being quite mediocre but you've done you
come for the farthest. So on the strength of that, well
done. You totally totally.
Yeah and very quickly the film wraps up because we see Stanley
and surely getting married. It's a wedding wedding.
That's right. And everyone is delighted and
they presumably go off on their honeymoon on the In the Port
Stanley in and the plane lands and who steps off that plane.
Oh, good grief, but am I here? Oh yes.
The the worst Derek Nimmo impression.
I know. I'm sorry, but but I've actually
written in my notes, I've written WTF.
Derek Nimmo. Exclamation about a Springs.
Stiffen the lizards have another flavor in poem.
Look after new teaching. What's your voice?
Of all the people Derek Nimmo. Well, you just think Derek was
probably touring Australia at the time on.
Yes, I'm most likely and of course, he would be known to
Jimmy Grafton and Harry and all the rest, and Jimmy Gilbert.
They probably just a little bit fancy coming in doing half an
hour filming. There's a pint in it for you or
whatever it is. The, well in that case or sweet
sherry, I would imagine or switch.
Yes. Yes.
Uh, I think I'll have one of those and Pete actually gets my
favorite line at the end of the picture.
Do you mean? He says when he uses armor, I'm
not losing a sister more ongoing effect, little Welsh Palm.
He says Keeping everything good old-fashioned and British.
Yes, yeah. Harry was a good sport with the
fat jokes. He was a good sport.
That was a good sport. And I think, you know, if that
hadn't been, if anybody else had been cast in that role, it may
not have worked you know that he's absolutely essential to it
because of who Harry is. It's not Evans.
But who Harry is the reason that Evans works is because it's
Harry seeking playing. You know you have anybody else
doing it? Donald Houston France.
Let's say that Donald Houston. Has offered that thing.
It would it just wouldn't happen.
It wouldn't have worked. It would have been, you know,
all right, either done what he did.
But he wouldn't have worked as well because he's not Harry
sake, and I think that's massively important.
Well, he didn't have the, he didn't have a set of pipes and
I'm like, Harry. Oh pipes.
I tell you, hmm. He's got some, but on the
subject of Music, can we just briefly mention the, the music
on the out that the outro of the, of the, of the mood.
For the entire? It's, it's called someday.
It's written. By Winifred Atwell, right?
Yes, who of course discovered Matt Monroe and inspired certain
others including Keith Emerson and Elton John as far as pianos
concern and wrote black and white rag which was the pop
Black theme. I've never made the connection
between the two but then I realized later on I realized
what that was. Once I did a bit of research in
the yes, black and white rag, which is the theme to pot black.
Those of a certain age, you would watch snooker on a Tuesday
evening, On bbc2. Yeah and for those people who
are watching a black and white, the green is now behind the
blue. Good.
I was free for lunch. Big Ted which bring Ted the mat
Monro who by the way I don't think we mentioned on last
week's show we covered the film. Hoffman with Peter Sellers.
Oh I love that film. And Matt Monroe was the was
crooning the, the the opening theme, absolutely and what a
gorgeous drunk. Gets his name misspelled in the,
in the titles as yeah. They stick a neon.
It don't ya there with the way out that that was sunstruck.
If you go in with high expectations you're going to get
mugged, right? So that's that's the major
thing. I think that's a lot with the
view. If you go in thinking, this is
going to be amazing. It's not but it's going to be
really, and it's going to be an entertaining little yarn for an
hour and a bit. Yeah, and I'm watching Harry do
what he does best, you know, he flummox a good Evans, it's
Evans, you know, all that sort of stuff.
Yeah. Little lines and stuff that he
was a great. You know, it's a good film had a
catchphrase. Good Heavens.
It's it had a catchphrase. Yes, I kind of anticipated.
As I said to you before we started recording, John that we
eight minutes in his. That was a kind of an idea that
the show might I under run for one night because you want to do
the song now or will I wait till the bowling a love in love Well,
well done. So what I did was I thought if
the situation arose, that we had time to spare.
Yes. I petitioned on the social
medias for questions, I petition people for questions.
Either pertaining to this show or two goons or individual,
goons, or comedy in general anything.
I just said, anyone got any questions that myself and John
can can run? Through and literally had all
thousands upon thousands of people who didn't respond.
Yeah. It's going to encourage that she
because I got quite a quite a number of questions.
There were some wiseacres of course who isn't there?
Always he didn't ask proper questions.
But anyway, Trish kid on Twitter.
Hmm. What about the drains in,
Hackney know, what about I tell you what?
About those drains a, how many more times I got to be full of
Peace. Sewage, shocking.
Don't God, you John dredge by John, John dredge those drains
in Hackney, just he well done. He said, I've heard Woody Allen
mentioned that the goons were broadcast on him on American
radio. Any information on this where
they popular and I didn't have time to really Look into this.
Mean my mum, I knew my memory was that.
Yeah, they were the worst shows, played on American radio in the
mid to late 50s. I don't think they particularly
caught on that. Don't know that they, I suppose
the biggest Legacy in America really is they're hugely
influential to the guys that created fire sign theater,
right? Which nobody really remembers
these days I suppose, but they themselves are very influential.
It'll sort of Comedy troupe. Feel like I did find there was
in a very early GSP as newsletter.
One of the American members of the dsps wrote a short sort of
piece for the newsletter. And I'm just going to quickly
read a little bit of this just because I think it's quite
interesting. But he says, I think the first
time I heard of a goon show was a an oblique mention of it by
Harry cecum on the old. David Frost show just by chance,
I noted on FM radio and FM radio.
Should listing the program in the newspaper and voila, a year
and a half of the gun show every week but you ask, what is the
American reaction to the gun show?
The reply must be as John Lennon pointed out as review of the
scripts in the New York Times. That most people don't think
it's funny. Most people in America, enjoy
the Marx Brothers. They may have laughed at Spike
Milligan film sketches on the Marty Feldman show but they seem
unable to laugh at a world where everybody is crazy.
Then he says I think they ought to shoot those people.
And ironic statement doesn't, he he says another point.
A lot of Americans have difficulty.
Understanding what is said, the accents and quickness, Etc.
So it can be said that the majority of people I've played
the shows for, or encouraged to listen when broadcast were made
have deemed the show stupid, not funny, or best of all British.
Okay? We are separated by a common
language that. Yeah, he says, the gun shows
absurdity makes it. Omni National do for truly
great. Insane, ridiculous idiot, humor
humor. No country can claim a monopoly.
American politics are trying too hard.
Yeah. And that was a good from a guy
called Robert Orson cap off. And that was from around about
the time. I think that Richard Nixon was
resigning. So riding you go.
Thanks for that question John. Nick Kirby it Kirby?
Interesting question. He says when I was a lad I was
in the kitchen with my mom and she was Listen listening to a
repeat broadcast on radio for he was probably my first exposure
to the goons brackets. Early 1980s the episode featured
see green having to repeatedly climb stairs and get through a
door with many in Henry on the other side.
He says against the backdrop of a naval war against the Dutch.
I remember what I heard being hilarious, but I've never been
able to track down which episode this was any thought.
And I immediately thought that's probably and I checked and I was
correct, probably the episode personal narrative from series
say you are good. It's funny enough.
It's one of the shows that I've not heard listen to as many
times as most of the others for reasons that it's not one that I
it's one of the the the later episodes that I got if you know
what I mean. Yeah.
So I haven't committed it to memory as I had many of the
others but I knew that there was a sort of a Dutch naval war
backdrop to it, right? And I checked and yes it was it
was actually repeated on Sunday, the 14th of August 1983 and the
show is actually expanded from a series 3 show that doesn't exist
anymore but we do have the script and the show was called
the Plymouth ho Amada and bits of that were then reused in
revised for the 2001 goon again. Well that Dirk maggs put
together. Oh Dirk yeah, she's cool.
Yeah so yeah so it's personal narrative neck.
So seek that out it's probably on Spotify or at least BBC
sounds well. Now we've got a question here
from another one about the goons actually from Duncan Gray and he
says this is rather obscure but it's always gnawed at me.
There's a line in the gold plate robbery.
I knows a bald-headed old woman called Rat Lab lat And I know
the lining means and it gets it. It does.
It gets a huge response from the audience.
It's William. I know the board any real woman
called Rattler Bluffs. And Duncan says, who knows what
Antics were happening on stage at the same time.
He says, I've never been able to find any reference to this
person. Lady doctor was easy to find
because he get lady doctor referenced in better putting her
right? Not wrestler.
Blots, does anyone have any idea who Rattler blots was?
Right. And I'd always thought it was
just one of those amusing names. You know, it's just spikes just
come up with a funny name right? However, but well it well no, no
I haven't got any great discovery.
Oh, to impart. But what part of me actually
wonders whether Rattler was slang for a type of lady if you
know what I mean. Oh I see yes.
And as for blots would I go there?
You know I just wonder whether I just wondered actually fill
Shoebridge Because Duncan posted this as this question on
Facebook, and then Phil, Phil replied suggesting that Rattler
was possibly someone who frequently broke wind.
Okay. So more or less where I was
going up to a point Phil actually film.
I met for a couple of points last week as well, so high
fight. So yeah, I just think, I think
it was just a funny name that Spike came up with, which it
just the delivery of Sellers as William.
It was just Spot on. It was Chef kiss you know and it
just hit a funny bone with the audience.
Yeah. And and that could have said
anything but the way he delivered it.
Absolutely, absolutely. And then you've got question, it
was not really a question. It's more of a talking point
from Michael Seeley. He says, I think the Goon show
is one of those programs that benefited from its enthusiastic
audience. There we go without their Roars
of laughter. I don't think the goons would
have been as effective. It's nice to know.
There are bigger idiots than yourself around Glad we didn't
have Tuscan salamis or starlings every week.
Hmm. Well, that's a bit unfair Tuscan
salami didn't have an orchestra for that particular week's show,
but I still think it's very strong and the starlings
famously didn't have an audience.
It was just goons without an audience, okay?
But he says, on the other hand, there's nothing said in a comedy
then an audience that may well be smiling along, but when they
do titter makes you feel. The program is misfiring and you
can feel the actors died. Buying their deaths so audiences
and the goons discuss. Okay?
So I would say, yeah, I think the starlings and and I think
maybe Michael was thinking of the, the show called The reason
why which was the other non audience goon show and they're
both, they're both very charming and funny in their own right.
But there is something missing, definitely not having an
audience and I think that the goocher audience at a member who
it was was a dentist Main Wheels.
Said that the gun show was the only show he worked on where he
had to cut out laughter from the audience rather than in.
You know, I see those. There was too much of it rather
than patch in audience, loved order to increase it.
You know, the Goon show does need the audience, really, you
know, I think comedy. Needs an audience.
Someone you would think for a particularly from a from spikes
perspective of writing these episodes, the essential thing
from any writing perspective is to have that immediate feedback
that moment where you know that line is in the right place,
that's been delivered correctly. Look, we've got a laugh there
where I thought we'd get a laugh there that works, that didn't
work. So I'll change that next time
around but you need that immediate feedback from the
audience and particularly with something like the goons where
there's so much going on and characters dropping in and
dropping out, and all sorts of moments happening, you need to
have that immediacy of the whole thing to have that and not have
feedback from an audience. Would be well, I don't know.
That would scare me half to death.
I think if I was in their position.
Yes. Maximum I/O.
I totally agree. Told ya, so thanks Michael David
brunt. The great International
Christmas pudding. Where is it?
Well, Africa over to Africa. I think Tim Worthington.
Hello, Tim. He sent me two questions.
The first one, I'm not going to answer because As you change his
mind about it. But it was typically because
it's Tim, it was to do with mr. Robinson's quango by blur.
She was asked Our Song from their 1995 album, The Great
Escape. But but he said, where do you
think the name q' actually came from for the record?
I honestly believe it was just Milligan deciding that the
letter Q was funny and both of these suggested explanations
sound like nonsense to me, okay? And the to I think what he means
by the to suggested explanations there's a theory that around the
time that he was devising. Q5 QE2 was under construction or
something like that and it was right old name was Q4 or
something like that. Oh I see there's a suggestion
that could have inspired him but and I'm not buying that I was, I
was always under the impression and again, this is only just
something that I heard ya. I don't know how many other
people have heard this, but I was under the impression that
another reason for it was because he didn't there was a
there was a PR firm that wanted to be involved in the shaping
and developing of his work in some shape or form and he wanted
to be outside of that. So it might be just a simple as
being. Oh, right?
QPR. Okay.
Again, that was, that was something I heard whether
there's any truth in it or not, but it's simple enough to go.
Okay, Well, I've Lions. No reason to doubt it, but I see
the Kiwi to thing as well. Well, the Kiwi for thing is ever
there was a, there's a, there's also a suggestion that I was to
do with them. There was like a code system,
internal BBC, technical jargon for memorandums, for Footwear.
Now, for the physical quality of programs in terms of how badly
they recorded or something like that.
So, Q5 was code for a program that was Really the other the
image of the sound of really poor and shoddy something like
that. So that the reason that could,
that could be some Credence there.
I don't know. They're all plausible.
Plausible, I don't think the Kiwi to is.
But anyway, Mark Everton, hello, Mark.
He says, if you could jump into your licorice and Center pod
powered time machine which one goon show, sorry, I'll say that
again. Which one goon would you like to
interview for? A goon part.
Oh, good lord. Okay, so I mentioned how he had,
certainly go for a pint with Harry, but for the purposes of
goon pod, who would I have? I think I'd roll out Harry and I
drool out benteen Michael Banting.
I think if I had the opportunity I think it'd have to be Peter.
I think, right? I don't know why.
I just I that is interesting because you I would have thought
you'd gone the spike room, firstly.
I think, I don't know, I don't know.
I just, I'd like to draw Peter out of himself if I possibly
could through my through my charm and guile, you know what I
mean? Through the medium of marriage,
tempt him with a string. I know we've, we've only met for
a moment, but would you marry me?
How many varied everybody else? It seems to be fair.
Yeah, I don't know, but I'd ask him.
I know I wouldn't be asking him. The usual questions.
I'm asking about the Fred shows and and the records he made in
the 50s. And I had I'd ask him things
like what his greatest professional regret was you
know, what role does he wish he'd taken?
I imagine it. Probably say the producers,
wouldn't he? I imagine.
But what else would ask if I thought about that.
And I've watched The Producers again recently and I just don't,
I'm really pleased that he took part of it because it just it
works so well, we're zero and Gina A, are they?
You know what, I'll ask him again, this might close down the
conversation because he, you might find this a bit creepy,
but he was he was good friends. You may or may not know with
Roman Polanski and all that I have, I seen I've seen a couple
of photographs of him and and Sharon Tate together, I think
that's a seller's went to the wedding of Sharon Tate, and he
also went to the funeral of Sharon Tate, and I asked him
about that whole thing really Now, you know his friendship
with the polanski's and again he might append the table and say
this interview is over and storm out and I'd wear a purple
tracksuit to interview as well just to just to click just to
unnerve him just to under arms. So question from Hugh, Thomas
hello Hugh. What's he see here?
One thing I'm curious about, is this even after Lennon died,
some Beatles fans were still harping on about.
Horses and star reuniting with Julian.
I'm wondering if goon fans in the 80s and 90s 90s were Keen to
see the remaining goons reunite as the old characters for
something new. Perhaps everyone was everyone
was stated by the wealth of old programs but if something had
happened with Milligan seek Him and perhaps others, is there any
Arrangement or project you feel would have been worth doing
well? We're going to Dirk maggs was
trying to persuade. Wade, Spike Harry and Mike to
restage some old goon show scripts that you know the shows
of which don't exist anymore, right?
In in line with the done, if remember flywheel shyster and
flywheel on the radius of Area dirt was behind.
That was obviously Marx Brothers.
So it was that kind of conceit and never happened because
because my Spike wasn't that Keen and Michael benteen had a
word with Peter Sellers. Through the medium of medium and
Peter defies them not to do it again.
Don't do it bent a deer. I can't know.
I think I think by By the 80s B certainly by the 90s.
I think the age that they were particularly Spike, he kind of
lost a lot of his His energy by then and I don't guy can't see
anything really know. I don't think of Peter had lived
then that might have been different if anything I'd like
to have thought that maybe the Parkinson chats and stuff like
that a lovely, you know, they're great to watch particularly when
Harry and Peter are then they were reminiscing and obviously
spikes. The other part of the world
trying to stay away but it would have been nice to maybe have
some form of Q&A after a screening of something and then
for the for them to have taken a stage and and you knew full well
that it would have been something a bit of banter going
on and before too long something would have happened, you know,
yes, yes, yeah, no, you're right.
I would've liked to have seen something like that.
Som something not necessarily scripted.
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah that would have that would
have been nice when they're all on form as well.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Okay. Last question I think for now
Roger Stevenson on a Roger Roger it was number of questions here
very quickly. He says which lost goon show.
Would you most like to see found?
I would say top my head. Archie and goon land which was
the crossover episode with the goons and educating Archie.
Oh, ventriloquism on the radio, beautiful.
There's a reason for that. When I moved to television, good
Heavens. I am, I'm have thought about
this before. I'd like to have heard the
there's an episode from series for early, on series, for that,
doesn't exist anymore called The Flying Saucer.
Re written on his own. I think by Larry Larry Stevens
and it caused a bit of a fracker, it was a bit of a sort
of, you know, the War of the Worlds.
Awesome. Wells, story, a similar sort of
exercise where people thought it was rail.
Yeah. Something like that.
Yeah, flying saucers were seen in woking or wherever it was.
No, that's where the wasn't it. But.
No. Anyway, people credulous people
thought that what was on the screen show was actually
happening, something like that. I'd like to.
I like to hear that show. Hmm, Roger goes on says, who was
the better producer of the Goon show?
Peter eaten. Will John brow tincture.
John Burroughs very good but Peter reason was much more
instilled, much more discipline into them.
So I say p to Eaton was Milligan better writing scripts on his
own or with a partner with a partner.
I would say generally Because again he would he would be
slightly more anchored by having somebody working with him.
You know he couldn't necessarily drift off.
Yeah can be the work he did with Eric Sykes was was a kind of
good staple point where you can again you pitch something for
somebody else to go. You know I'm not quite sure
about if you move that to here and change that to their that
then worked. Oh I see you need a separate
pair of eyes. Don't you?
And he is sometimes when you're delivering it.
So I think maybe that's that was another reason why a lot of the
stuff we landed if it was written in conjunction.
Yeah, absolutely. Roger concludes with a question.
What did you do last night? You Beast answers on a postcard?
Yes, I'm not answer is where I was elsewhere offers.
So, there we go. So yeah, John and thank you for
for joining me in that. I just thought it would be a
nice little a driver. And because I knew that we would
have some time in hand. Yeah.
And always happy to have a diversion and some time at hand.
Yes, it's always very useful. I guess my last question for you
would be. Do you think that it was Cinemas
lost when Harry decided never to make another feature film?
Or could, you know, I think Cinemas lost was religions,
gain. Very possibly, I think in that
respect also on a slightly different note, but along the
same lines. I'm very very keen.
In now to play the opening titles of this film in without
sound off and replace it with Thunderstruck.
By AC/DC I just want to see if it works.
Think it might on a on a big scale.
I think it might do it, you know, sunstroke Thunderstruck.
There's a lot going on there and I think that could work.
I'd really like to see that has one.
They are indeed. Yeah I think they could have
done but yes, I think Harry doing what he does and he does
it to the very best of his ability and he gives he and, you
know, as you said yourself, he didn't take a big fee and he
just took it in this tribe and he had lots of other stuff to do
and maybe there just wasn't the right project that came along
and so he just carried on doing his thing and fair play to him.
Okay, well, John and quick plug. If you go to YouTube and type in
behind the stunts, you will find Me there.
It's every Friday. There's a show.
I'm going to be taking a little break.
I've got to go off and do some traveling, but there will be
Friday, show on there and on Wednesday wherever you get your
podcasts or however you wish to listen to them.
If you type behind the stunts, there you will find a Wednesday
podcast. And we pick a subject or a
movie, or a topic that has cropped up.
We look at it and then we already analyzed it a bit.
It more in depth on a Friday. And that's, that's how that
works. So that's where you'll find me
all the social medias and Tick-Tock I've gone Tip Top as
well. So if you're if you're
Tick-Tock, herbal aren't. I'm sure that's a word, the get
behind me. Satan Tick-Tock, you've got
branched out to that particular genre of social media, then
know, maybe maybe one day if I need to show a bit of leg to get
some more, you know? Norbit have to go that far but
sometimes it helps particular with my legs.
You know, last time I saw legs like those, they had a message
tied to them. I think somebody should have
probably right? Oh John this has been brilliant.
Thanks, and I'm sure that we will.
We will speak again. Super look forward to it.
Thank you Tyler, a pleasure always.
Cheers me.