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The Army Game
''The Army Game'' is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group of soldiers and their National Service conscription into the British Army during the post war years. The original cast consisted of William Hartnell, Michael Medwin, Geoffrey Sumner, Alfie Bass, Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Bresslaw and Norman Rossington. The cast would change over the years with actors such as Bill Fraser, Ted Lune, Frank Williams, Harry Fowler and Dick Emery appearing in subsequent series. The popularity of the series inspired a film spin-off, '' I Only Arsked!'' (1958), and a top ten hit. It also produced the successful sitcom '' Bootsie and Snudge'' starring the popular characters played by Bass and Fraser. Background The creator, Sid Colin, was inspired by a 1956 film, '' Private's Progress'', that starred Ian ... [...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] |
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] |
John Jowett
John D. Jowett is an English Shakespeare scholar and editor. He is the Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham and Deputy Director of the Shakespeare Institute. Born in Lancashire, England, Jowett took his BA and MA at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and was awarded a PhD from Liverpool University. His doctoral thesis was an edition of Henry Chettle's ''Tragedy of Hoffman'' (1983). He went to the Oxford University Press as an academic editor of the Oxford edition of Shakespeare's Complete Works (1986–87). He was lecturer at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, and taught for a year at the University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous .... He was appointed to the Shakespeare Institute in 1993. He is the general editor of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Stephens
Lawrence Geoffrey Stephens (16 July 1923p.14926 January 1959) was a BBC radio scriptwriter, best remembered for co-writing ''The Goon Show'' with Spike Milligan. Stephens was a regular writer of the show for the first two years, and then returned to ''The Goon Show'' to assist Milligan. From his association with Milligan, Stephens became involved with Associated London Scripts (ALS), and was said to have been "one of the most eye-catching characters, in the earliest days of the company...he played a significant cameo role in the first phase of success for ALS". Early life Stephens was born in West Bromwich and moved to Quinton, Birmingham, when he was four. He attended Quinton Infant and Junior School then Birmingham Central Grammar School. Trained as an accountant, Stephens distinguished himself as a jazz pianist before the onset of World War II. Following service in the war, during which he served as a Commando captain, he returned to England, and began writing for British co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 1911 – 8 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the Social structure of the United Kingdom#Upper class, upper classes, especially wikt:cad, cads, toffs and wikt:bounder, bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a monocle, waistcoat and cigarette holder. His striking dress sense was set off by a Diastema, gap between his Maxillary central incisor, two upper front teeth. Born in London, Terry-Thomas made his film debut, uncredited, in ''The Private Life of Henry VIII'' (1933). He spent several years appearing in smaller roles, before wartime service with Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) and Stars in Battledress. The experience helped sharpen his cabaret and revue act, increased his public profile and proved instrumental in the de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), as well as life president of the Premier League club Chelsea F.C., Chelsea. He joined the Royal Air Force during World War II and served in the Royal Air Force Film Production Unit, film unit, going on several Strategic bombing, bombing raids over continental Europe and filming the conflict from the Tail gunner, rear gunner's position. He was the older brother of broadcaster and nature presenter Sir David Attenborough and motor executive John Attenborough. He was married to actress Sheila Sim from 1945 until his death. As an actor, Attenborough is best remembered for his film roles in ''Brighton Rock (1948 film), Brighton Rock'' (1948), ''I'm All Right Jack'' (1959), ''The Great Escape (film), The Gr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Carmichael
Ian Gillett Carmichael, (18 June 1920 – 5 February 2010) was an English actor who Ian Carmichael on stage, screen and radio, worked prolifically on stage, screen and radio in a career that spanned seventy years. Born in Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but his studies—and the early stages of his career—were curtailed by the Second World War. After his Demobilisation of the British Armed Forces after the Second World War, demobilisation he returned to acting and found success, initially in revue and Sketch comedy, sketch productions. In 1955 Carmichael was noticed by the film producers Boulting brothers, John and Roy Boulting, who cast him in five of their films as one of the major players. The first was the 1956 film ''Private's Progress'', a satire on the British Army; he received critical and popular praise for the role, including from the American market. In many of his roles he played a likea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Private's Progress
''Private's Progress'' is a 1956 British comedy film directed by John Boulting and starring Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, Terry-Thomas and Ian Carmichael. The script was by John Boulting and Frank Harvey, based on the novel of the same name by Alan Hackney. Plot During the Second World War, young undergraduate Stanley Windrush is conscripted into the British Army. Unlike his friend, Egan, Windrush is a most reluctant soldier and struggles through basic training at Gravestone Barracks under Sgt. Sutton. Failing his officer selection board, he is posted to a holding unit, under the command of Major Hitchcock. Most of the soldiers there are malingerers and drop-outs, with one of them Private Cox becoming his mentor in escaping work details and riding on the railway without a ticket. Windrush is finally posted to train as a Japanese interpreter, where he becomes the prize pupil. He is then contacted by his uncle, Brigadier Tracepurcel, who rapidly rose from the rank of Maj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bootsie And Snudge
''Bootsie and Snudge'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV for three series from 1960 to 1963, with a fourth in 1974. The show is a spin-off of ''The Army Game'', a sitcom about soldiers undertaking national service, and follows two of the main characters (played by Alfie Bass and Bill Fraser) after they returned to civilian life. The first series is titled ''Bootsie and Snudge in Civvy Life''. Between the 1963 and 1974 series, a spin-off called ''Foreign Affairs'' was broadcast. Background Bass and Fraser acted together in minor roles in the 1956 comedy film '' Jumping for Joy'' starring Frankie Howerd and possibly developed a friendship from that point. Private Montague 'Bootsie' Bisley and Sergeant-Major Claude Snudge are two of the main characters in the successful sitcom ''The Army Game'' that aired from 1957 to 1961. Snudge enjoys his position of superiority over Bootsie, whilst Bootsie feels comfortable in his position as it allows him to mock and hate Snudge (and at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I Only Arsked!
''I Only Arsked!'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin and Alfie Bass. The screenplay was by Sid Colin and Jack Davies based on the television series ''The Army Game'' (1957–1961). It was made by Hammer Films. Plot Slapstick ensues when inept army recruits are transferred to a post in the Middle East. Cast * Bernard Bresslaw as Private "Popeye" Popplewell * Michael Medwin as Corporal Springer * Alfie Bass as Private "Excused Boots" Bisley * Geoffrey Sumner as Major Upshott-Bagley * Charles Hawtrey as Private "Professor" Hatchett * Norman Rossington as Private "Cupcake" Cook * David Lodge as Sergeant "Potty" Chambers * Arthur Howard as Sir Redvers * Marne Maitland as King Fazim * Michael Bentine as Fred * Francis Matthews as Mahmoud * Michael Ripper as Azim * Wolfe Morris as Salaman * Ewan MacDuff as Ferrers * Basil Dignam as General Bender * Martin Boddey as Colonel Danvers * Claire Gordon as harem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Fowler
Henry James Fowler (10 December 1926 – 4 January 2012) was an English character actor in film and television. Over a career lasting more than six decades, he made nearly 200 appearances on screen. Personal life Fowler was born in Lambeth, south London, on 10 December 1926. As a "near illiterate newspaper boy" making eight shillings a week, he told film historian Brian McFarlane, he was invited on to radio to speak about his life in wartime London. In 1951, Fowler married actress Joan Dowling, who died by suicide in 1954. In 1960, he married Catherine Palmer.The Independent 9 Jan 2012 Harry Fowler: Prolific screen actor known for his 'cheerful cockney' characters Fowler died on 4 January 2012. He was survived by his wife and had no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve personnel and 4,697 "other personnel", for a total of 108,413. The British Army traces back to 1707 and the Acts of Union 1707, formation of the united Kingdom of Great Britain which joined the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland into a Political union, single state and, with that, united the English Army and the Scots Army as the British Army. The Parliament of England, English Bill of Rights 1689 and Convention of the Estates, Scottish Claim of Right Act 1689 require parliamentary consent for the Crown to maintain a peacetime standing army. Members of the British Army swear allegiance to the Charles III, monarch as their commander-in-chief. The army is administered by the Ministry of Defence (United Kingd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
