Frankie Howerd

The celebrated British comedian Frankie Howerd’s six-decade-long career in showbusiness is the subject of this documentary narrated by his long-time fan, David Walliams.

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A series profiling comedians via their chat show appearances. Features Dawn French and Tamsin Greig.

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Using items from his preserved house in Somerset, Channel Four provides a look into Frankie Howerd's career trajectory and his life behind-the-scenes.

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Frankie Howerd became one of the nation's best-loved comics as a result of a roller-coaster career with many sharp turns, exhilarating highs and sudden dizzying drops. As early as his first television series, The Howerd Crowd, in 1952, he had developed the act that would last the rest of his career: rolled eyes, asides to the audience, the sudden switch to a high-pitched voice and exaggerated "ooohs" and "aaahs". Howerd's famous catchphrases have become part of the national vocabulary ("Ooh er missus!", "Titter ye not", "Oooh no!") and his cosy but risque rapport with the audience in stand-up, cabaret and sit-com is often emulated but never surpassed. This compilation draws together the very finest Howerd moments from his numerous stand-up and sketch shows (Nuts in May, An Evening with Francis Howerd, Howerd’s History of England) as well as classic moments from the Carry On inspired sit-com Up Pompeii!

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A frank documentary about the scandalous private life of Frankie Howerd.

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Profile of actress Wendy Richard's remarkable television career, featuring classic clips and contributions from colleagues.

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Documentary commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 'Carry On' comedy film series. Archive clips and out-takes are mixed with interviews with the cast.

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The World of Hammer is a thirteen-part British documentary series created and written by Robert and Ashley Sidaway for Channel 4. Initially broadcast from 12 August to 4 November 1994, the series is narrated by English actor and frequent Hammer collaborator Oliver Reed.

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Sitcom set in the government's secret underground headquarters during the Second World War.

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Recording of a 1991 Frankie Howerd stage show, previously released on VHS.

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This one-off was shown on ITV in 1991, and by different writers, then the original Talbot Rothwell & Sid Colin. In my opinion a brilliant come-back for Howerd, with a new cast, and funny script. This could have seen a good return as a series on ITV, although Howerds own death in 1992 limited this. The cast in this one-off feature some regulars from other sitcoms from the 1970's including Roy Evans who now stars in Eastenders. The set was more like a theatre than a TV set, no reality at all which, was actually quite a good move. In summing up they successfully bought a true classic back to life with Further Up Pompeii. It's well worth watching at least 2.

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Recording of Frankie Howerd's one man show given at Oxford University in which he returned to many of his most famous routines.

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Craig Ferguson's 1990 comedy special

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The Word was a 1990s Channel 4 television programme in the United Kingdom. The show pushed forward the boundaries of youth TV, always coming close to going too far.

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Documentary about the life of Frankie Howerd, with help from friends and colleagues and including highlights from his TV and film career.

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Going Live! was a Saturday morning magazine show, broadcast on BBC1 between 1987 and 1993. It was presented by Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene. Other presenters included Trevor and Simon, Peter Simon, Emma Forbes, and puppet Gordon the Gopher. The show was broadcast during the autumn to spring seasons, with other shows such as the 8:15 from Manchester and Parallel 9 taking over during the summer months. It was preceded by Saturday Superstore, and succeeded by Live & Kicking. In 1988, when the second series started, Greene was hurt in a helicopter crash with her then boyfriend, Mike Smith. Guest presenters stood in for her including T'Pau's Carol Decker. Similarly, in 1992-93 during the final series, Schofield was starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and was unable to present the show. A third presenter took his place. Originally, Neighbours actor Kristian Schmid took the role but soon left after problems with his work permit. Various other celebrities to stand in included Shane Richie and Robbie Williams during his Take That days.

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Veteran funnyman Frankie Howerd entertains an enthralled audience at the Playhouse Theatre in Weston-super-Mare, England.

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Special featuring Cilla Black and her guests Frankie Howerd, Graham Fletcher, the Bee Gees, Julio Iglesias and George Benson.

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Captain's daughter Josephine and common sailor Ralph Rackstraw are in love. However, their relationship is complicated by her arranged marriage to the high-ranking Sir Joseph Porter. A secret about the characters' true identities revealed by Little Buttercup, which leads to a farcical resolution.

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Set around a classic case of broken vows – the defendant having literally left the claimant at the altar – the trial bubbles over with emotion, humour, and downright chaos, leaving the jury divided.

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Arena celebrates Roy Plomley's Desert Island Discs with the help of many celebrity castaways, including Frankie Howerd, Russell Harty, Trevor Brooking, the Lord Mayor of London, Professor JK Galbraith and Arthur Askey. The special guest for the 40th anniversary programme was Paul McCartney who was also a fan of the show: 'I love its homeliness. It conjures up the best in traditional British pleasure, like the great British breakfast. It's an honour to be asked'.

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A BBC light entertainment holiday series, following on from the success of their Seaside Special shows, featuring comedy, music and variety guest stars.

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Classic short British comedy, full of stars, about two workmen delivering planks to a building site. This is done with music and a sort of "wordless dialogue" which consists of a few mumbled sounds to convey the appropriate emotion. TV remake of the 1967 short.

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A short series of animated shows for kids depicting the "Just So" stories by Rudyard Kipling.

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A small town band makes it big, but loses track of their roots, as they get caught up into the big-time machinations of the music biz. Now, they must thwart a plot to destroy their home town. Built around the music of The Beatles, this musical uses some big name groups like Peter Frampton and Aerosmith.

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Celebrating twenty years of classic Carry On films, two of the films’ best-loved stars, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor return to Pinewood film studios to unwrap some rib-tickling moments from the series. From the original, military mayhem of Carry On Sergeant, through to the really ancient archaeological gags of Carry On Behind, our saucy hosts get their titters out for this laugh-a-second gallop through the most successful series of British comedy films ever made.

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A pilot for a Frankie Howerd sitcom that was eventually never made. A Touch of the Casanovas follows the same formula as Howerd's other sitcoms.

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A BBC TV comedy movie about the people living in Pompeii prior to its destruction by volcano, focusing on the life of a house slave (played by Frankie Howerd). A sort of prequel to the 1971 movie "Up Pompeii"

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Comedy legend Frankie Howerd stars as the victim of sinister shenanigans in this hilarious spoof of British horror films of the early ‘70s. Starring Hugh Burden and Oscar winner Ray Milland, and written by Terry Nation. Foster Twelvetrees, a struggling tragedian who scrapes a living by giving hammy performances from the classics, can hardly believe his luck when he’s invited to give a dramatic reading at the country home of a well-off family. Joy soon turns to outraged horror when he discovers dead bodies, foul intentions, lots of snakes and a madwoman in the attic. Can he uncover the hidden family secret before he comes to a sticky end..?

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Whoops Baghdad is a BBC television comedy programme first broadcast from 25 January to 1 March 1973. The series stars Frankie Howerd, and was similar to his earlier programme Up Pompeii!, with the setting moved from Ancient Rome to mediaeval Baghdad. However, it was significantly less successful than its predecessor, only running for six episodes and is little remembered, although all episodes survive. The original proposed title, Up Baghdad, was rejected because it was felt that it might have been seen as supportive of the then-current Iraqi regime.

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In Frankie Howerd's third Up... film it's World War I and he plays Lurk, an absolute cowerd, er coward. He's evading the call-up for all he's worth. But one evening he's hypnotised by a drunken hypnotist (Stanley Holloway) into being brave, but he fails to be released from it. So with his yellow streak gone Lurk is down that army office before you can say "titter ye not." Off to war he goes, mingling with sexy spies like Zsa Zsa Gabor and before long, the spellbound recruit is heading hot-foot back to Blighty with the Germans' plan of attack tattooed on his bum, and the Germans are bringing up the rear...! Full of sauce, knowing real-life references and witty remarks to camera, this is a cheeky incorrigible final instalment.

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A funny thing happened to Lurkalot, serf to Sir Coward de Custard, on the way to Custard Castle. Lurkalot sells lusty love potions and rusty chastity belts in the market place, but on this day Sir Graggart de Bombast arrives to sack the castle, and to get the lovely Lobelia Custard in the sack! Lurkalot must help Custard cream the knight in pining armour...

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The BBC's flagship cinema review TV program featuring reviews of new releases, news items and interviews. The title of the program changes each year to incorporate the year of broadcast.

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A funny thing happens to Lurcio on the way to the rent-a-vestal-virgin market stall. A mysterious scroll falls into his hands, listing the names of all the conspirators plotting to murder Emperor Nero. And when the upstart slave is elected to infiltrate the ringleader's den, the comical ups-and-downs lead to total uproar.

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On his death bed, The King orders his kingdom divided into two halves, the Kingdom of Jelly and the Kingdom of Cucumbers. Before the king even dies, Prince Frederick declares himself "King of Cucumbers" and Prince Marmaduke becomes the “King of Jelly”.

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Frankie Howerd became one of the nation's best-loved comics as a result of a roller-coaster career with many sharp turns, exhilarating highs and sudden dizzying drops. As early as his first television series, The Howerd Crowd, in 1952, he had developed the act that would last the rest of his career: rolled eyes, asides to the audience, the sudden switch to a high-pitched voice and exaggerated "ooohs" and "aaahs". Howerd's famous catchphrases have become part of the national vocabulary ("Ooh er missus!", "Titter ye not", "Oooh no!") and his cosy but risque rapport with the audience in stand-up, cabaret and sit-com is often emulated but never surpassed. This compilation draws together the very finest Howerd moments from his numerous stand-up and sketch shows (Nuts in May, An Evening with Francis Howerd, Howerd’s History of England) as well as classic moments from the Carry On inspired sit-com Up Pompeii!

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