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Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!
''Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!'' is a 1974 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Brian Rix, Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims and Joanna Lumley. It was based on the Whitehall farce of the same title written by Michael Pertwee, who also wrote the screenplay. A government minister and his best friend take action in parliament against permissive behaviour in the United Kingdom. Plot summary Sir William Mainwaring-Brown, a British Government Minister, puts forward a parliamentary Bill to battle "filth" (permissive behaviour) in the UK. However, that does not stop him having an affair with Wendy, the wife of a high-up reporter, as well as planning a one-night-stand with his secretary Miss Parkyn. Opponents of the Bill, mainly some hippies, led by Johnny, decide to kidnap the Minister's best friend and co-sponsor of the Bill, Barry Ovis, just as he is on the way to the church to marry his fiancée, Jean. The intention is to discredit Barry Ovis by making it appear ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Kellett
Robert Ryerson Kellett (25 December 1927 – 27 November 2012) was a British film director, film producer, screenwriter, television director and television writer one of British cinema’s and television's most prominent comedy directors in the 1970s, working with many of the big names of the era, including Ronnie Barker and Frankie Howerd. Biography Born in Lancaster, Lancashire, on 25 December 1927, the son of a British Army officer, Bob Kellett was educated at Bedford School, where he was captain of boats. He became a writer with the advertising agencies FCB (advertising agency), Foote, Cone & Belding and Notley, and in 1950 he moved to Wessex Films, working as script editor for the film producer Ian Dalrymple on Thomas Hardy adaptations such as ''Far from the Madding Crowd''. He joined the ITV (TV network), ITV franchise holder Associated-Rediffusion in 1956 and contributed scripts to the first series of the detective drama ''Shadow Squad'' and to ''Jim's Inn'', starring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Derek Griffiths
Derek Griffiths (born 15 July 1946) is a British actor, singer and voice artist who appeared in numerous British children's television series in the 1970s to present and has more recently played parts in television drama. Career Griffiths was known in his early years for his '' Play School'' appearances alongside the likes of Chloe Ashcroft, Johnny Ball and Brian Cant. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he voiced over and sang the theme tune to ''Heads and Tails'', a series of short animal films for children produced by BBC Television, and also sang and played the theme tune to the cartoon '' Bod''. Another children's TV role was in Granada Television's early 1980s series ''Film Fun'', in which he played the entire staff of a cinema (the manager, the commissionaire (with the catchphrase "Get on with it!"), the projectionist, the usherette and also himself) while also showing cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. Griffiths appeared o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1974 Films
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events. Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) celebrated their 50th anniversaries. Highest-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten 1974 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows: Events *February 7 – '' Blazing Saddles'' is released in the United States. *May 28 - Joseph E. Levine, the founder of Embassy Pictures, resigns as president. *June 20 – '' Chinatown'', directed by Roman Polanski and featured Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston, is released to worldwide critical acclaim. *September 23 – Barry Diller announced as chairman and chief executive office of Paramount Pictures. *November 1 – Technicolor ceases its legendary dye-transfer printing process. *November 8 – Frank Yablans announces his resignation as president of Paramount Pictures with effect from January 5, 1975. *Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with big fanfare, including '' That's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
No Sex Please, We're British
''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a British farce written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, which premiered in London's West End on 3 June 1971 at the Strand Theatre. It was panned by critics, but ran until 5 September 1987, transferring to the Garrick and the Duchess during the run of 6,761 performances. Plot An assistant bank manager, Peter Hunter, lives in a flat above his bank with his new bride Frances. When Frances innocently sends off a mail order for some Scandinavian glassware, what comes back is Scandinavian pornography. The two, along with the bank's frantic chief cashier Brian Runnicles, must decide what to do with the veritable floods of pornography, photographs, books, films and eventually girls that threaten to engulf this happy couple. The matter is considerably complicated by the presence of Eleanor (Peter's mother), Mr. Bromhead (his boss), Mr. Needham (a visiting bank inspector) and Vernon Paul (a police superintendent). Stage play The part of Bria ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was an English actor best known for playing bigoted cockney Alf Garnett in television, film and stage productions from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was a BAFTA TV Award winner and twice a Laurence Olivier Award winner. In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes '' Educating Archie'' and ''Hancock's Half Hour''. He also performed minor roles in several films. In the 1960s, he rose to prominence in the role of Alf Garnett in the BBC television sitcom '' Till Death Us Do Part'' (1965–75), created by Johnny Speight, which won him a Best TV Actor BAFTA in 1967. He reprised the role in the television sequels '' Till Death...'' ( ATV, 1981) and '' In Sickness and in Health'' (BBC, 1985–92), and in the films '' Till Death Us Do Part'' (1969) and '' The Alf Garnett Saga'' (1972). Mitchell's other film appearances include '' Three Crooked Men'' (1958), '' Carry On Cleo'' (1964), '' The Spy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ITV (TV Network)
ITV, legally known as Channel 3, is a British free-to-air public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television network. It is branded as ITV1 in most of the UK except for central and northern Scotland, where it is branded as STV (TV channel), STV. It was launched in 1955 as Independent Television to provide competition to BBC Television (established in 1936). ITV is the oldest commercial network in the UK. Since the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990, it has been Legal name, legally known as Channel 3 to distinguish it from the other analogue channels at the time: BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4. ITV was, for decades, a network of separate companies that provided regional television services and also shared programmes among themselves to be shown on the entire network. Each franchise was originally owned by a different company. After several mergers, the fifteen regional franchises are now held by two companies: ITV plc, which runs ITV1, the ITV1 cha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy, which features different characters and settings in each Sketch comedy, skit, sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity across episodes. This continuity allows for the development of storylines and characters over time, fostering audience engagement and investment in the characters' lives and relationships. History The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners. These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term ''sitcom'' emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manager of the British Broadcasting Company, it was the world's first broadcast listings magazine. In September 2023 it became the first broadcast listings magazine to reach and then pass its centenary. It was published entirely in-house by BBC Magazines from 8 January 1937 until 16 August 2011, when the division was merged into Immediate Media Company. On 12 January 2017, Immediate Media was bought by the German media group Hubert Burda. The magazine is published on Tuesdays and carries listings for the week from Saturday to Friday. Originally, listings ran from Sunday to Saturday: the changeover meant 8 October 1960 was listed twice, in successive issues. Since Christmas 1969, a 14-day double-duration issue has been published each December ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Halliwell's Film Guide
Robert James Leslie Halliwell (23 February 1929 – 21 January 1989) was a British film critic, encyclopaedist and television rights buyer for ITV, the British commercial network, and Channel 4. He is best known for his reference guides, '' Filmgoer's Companion'' (1965), a single volume film-related encyclopaedia featuring biographies (with credits) and technical terms, and ''Halliwell's Film Guide'' (1977), which is dedicated to individual films. Anthony Quinton wrote in the '' Times Literary Supplement'': "Immersed in the enjoyment of these fine books, one should look up for a moment to admire the quite astonishing combination of industry and authority in one man which has brought them into existence." Halliwell's promotion of the cinema through his books and seasons of "golden oldies'"on Channel 4 won him awards from the London Film Critics' Circle, the British Film Institute and a posthumous BAFTA.''Broadcast'' magazine, 28 June 1985. Early life Born in Bolton, Lancashir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Monthly Film Bulletin
The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a narrow arthouse release. History The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was edited in the mid-1950s by David Robinson, in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Peter John Dyer, and then by Tom Milne. By the end of the 1960s, when the character and tone of its reviews changed considerably with the arrival of a new generation of critics influenced by the student culture and intellectual tumult of the time (not least the overthrow of old ideas of "taste" and quality), David Wilson was the editor. It was then edited by Jan Dawson (1938 – 1980), for two years from 1971, and from 1973 until its demise by the New Zealand-born critic Richard Combs. In 1991, the ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was merged with '' Sight & Sound'', which had until then be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aubrey Woods
Aubrey Harold Woods (9 April 1928 – 7 May 2013) was an English actor. He is best remembered for playing Bill in ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', where he sang " The Candy Man". Biography and career Woods was born on 9 April 1928 in Edmonton, Middlesex and grew up in nearby Palmers Green. He was educated at the Latymer School. His first film role was at the age of 17 as Smike in '' The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' (1947). On stage he played the role of Fagin in Lionel Bart's production of ''Oliver!'' at the New Theatre, St Martin's Lane in the 1960s alongside Nicolette Roeg and Robert Bridges. Woods played Alfred Jingle in the TV musical '' Pickwick'' for the BBC in 1969.Michael CoveneObituary: Aubrey Woods ''The Guardian'', 14 May 2013 His best remembered film role is in ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', where he played the character of Bill, the owner of Bill's Candy Shop, singing " The Candy Man" near the beginning of the film; the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diane Langton
Diane Shirley Maria Langton (31 May 1944 – 15 January 2025) was a British actress, singer and dancer whose career on stage and screen spanned six decades. After beginning her career in theatre, she went on to appear in television shows, portraying roles such as Kathy Roberts in ''The Rag Trade'' and June Snell in ''Only Fools and Horses'', Ruby Rowan in ''Heartbeat (British TV series), Heartbeat'' and Bev Williams in ''EastEnders''. Her most notable role, however, was her portrayal of Nana McQueen, Marlena "Nana" McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', which she played sporadically between 2007 to 2009 and from 2012 until her death. Early life Diane Shirley Maria Langton was born on 31 May 1944 in Cranmore, Somerset, Cranmore, Somerset, and grew up in Fulham, London. She was the daughter of William Langton, a merchant seaman, and his wife Bridie (''née'' Monahan). Langton began her career as a dancer with several ballet companies on European tours, and trained at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
