Reply to: Much underrated

[DaveB]

Gotta say I always thought Spike Milligan was overrated as a comedian. To me he always seemed a sad case, literally, who never got over World War 2 (which was surprising, as I think he spent most of it in the Home Guard, not exactly the most stressful and dangerous posting).

Note, I'm not sneering at anyone, young or old, who was in the Home Guard. For a start, anyone who was short-sighted or flat footed, or with a dodgy ticker etc would be turned down for the regular forces and thus have little choice.

Talking about comedians, often actors/actresses who normally play tough guys and baddies turn out to be surprisingly funny in comedies. Herbert Lom almost stole the show as the mad commissioner in the Pink Panther films, and Robert de Niro was hiliarious in Midnight Run.

He actually spent a large part of the war fighting in North Africa and Italy as a gunner in the Royal Artilliery, before being invalided out after being wounded in action and suffering from shell shock. It was almost certainly a contributing factor to the Bi-Polar disorder he suffered from for most of the rest of his life, including at least 10 major mental breakdowns.

If you havn't read his memoires - "Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall", "Rommel?" "Gunner Who?": A Confrontation in the Desert, "Monty: His Part in My Victory" and "Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall" - then you should. They are very funny and very poingant and give a real idea of what life was like for an ordinary soldier in the ranks during the African and Italian campaigns.

Milligan is one of those comedians you like or you don't, no in between really. He has given us some of the best british comedy ever created - The Goon Show - and although his TV work was arguably not as good it still has some gems. Many of thsoe who came after such as Python, The Goodies etc owe a huge debt to him in terms of inspiration, style and presentation.

He is also credited with writing the worlds funniest joke, based on a goon show sketch he wrote.

[Pogle]

Like the others said, he did serve abroad. His books on the war and his postings are very funny! You should give them a try. I haven't seen much of his TV stuff except for Yellowbeard so I can't comment on that.

His Q series was a bit hit and miss - but when it hit is was very funny.

[cailin maith]

Gotta say I always thought Spike Milligan was overrated as a comedian. To me he always seemed a sad case, literally, who never got over World War 2 (which was surprising, as I think he spent most of it in the Home Guard, not exactly the most stressful and dangerous posting).

Note, I'm not sneering at anyone, young or old, who was in the Home Guard. For a start, anyone who was short-sighted or flat footed, or with a dodgy ticker etc would be turned down for the regular forces and thus have little choice.

Talking about comedians, often actors/actresses who normally play tough guys and baddies turn out to be surprisingly funny in comedies. Herbert Lom almost stole the show as the mad commissioner in the Pink Panther films, and Robert de Niro was hiliarious in Midnight Run.

Like the others said, he did serve abroad. His books on the war and his postings are very funny! You should give them a try. I haven't seen much of his TV stuff except for Yellowbeard so I can't comment on that.

[Pogle]

Wouldn't class someone like the Divine Comedy as a guilty pleasure. Niow if you were to mention Black Lace......


Anyway back on topic

Sitcom - Early Doors
Film - Mystery Men (also agree with Yellowbeard)

Naw - ELO are the guilty pleasure!

Totally agree with Early Doors
Mystery Men - did that have 'The Shovaler' and the bowling ball skull thingy?
If so - yes it was great

[Grinder]

My list of 3 underrated things:

1. Having a crap
2. "Agadoo"
3. Gardening as a form of exercise

[Doggy Styles]

Gotta say I always thought Spike Milligan was overrated as a comedian. To me he always seemed a sad case, literally, who never got over World War 2 (which was surprising, as I think he spent most of it in the Home Guard, not exactly the most stressful and dangerous posting).

You couldn't be more wrong about that.

His books covering his war years were very funny (up to his being invalided out from Italy), but I agree that some of his TV stuff wasn't funny. Some was though.

[BrowneIssue]

a sad case, literally, who never got over World War 2

He'd probably have been the first to admit that.

He served in North Africa and Italy. He was injured and suffered from shell shock. I can't remember which of his books covered that period but it made very hard reading.

[OwlHoot]

- the whole thing is full of that malarkey. Spike Milligan is hilarious in it too.

I love the bit where he finds out his son is a gardner.... "a gardner, a Yellowbeard gardner"

Gotta say I always thought Spike Milligan was overrated as a comedian. To me he always seemed a sad case, literally, who never got over World War 2 (which was surprising, as I think he spent most of it in the Home Guard, not exactly the most stressful and dangerous posting).

Note, I'm not sneering at anyone, young or old, who was in the Home Guard. For a start, anyone who was short-sighted or flat footed, or with a dodgy ticker etc would be turned down for the regular forces and thus have little choice.

Talking about comedians, often actors/actresses who normally play tough guys and baddies turn out to be surprisingly funny in comedies. Herbert Lom almost stole the show as the mad commissioner in the Pink Panther films, and Robert de Niro was hiliarious in Midnight Run.

[foritisme]

Cant agree more about the Divine Comedy, Mr P and I are big fans and love all their/his albums -witty and musically delightful. We saw them a few years ago in manchester - brilliant and he did a great version of ELO's Mr Blue Sky as an encore. I was very pleased as it is one of my guilty pleasures

In a similar vein Belle and Sebastian and Tom Waits - of course.

Mods - can we have a dedicated music section??? Pleeeeeeeeese

Wouldn't class someone like the Divine Comedy as a guilty pleasure. Niow if you were to mention Black Lace......


Anyway back on topic

Sitcom - Early Doors
Film - Mystery Men (also agree with Yellowbeard)

[cailin maith]

Yeah, and one of them with a headress so big there are special cut outs in the door frames so he can walk through them

It's the best film... I might have to have a look on amazon for a copy. Bet my parents won't part with theirs.

[DaveB]

Oh yeah... the spanish boys one with the lisp

Yeah, and one of them with a headress so big there are special cut outs in the door frames so he can walk through them

[cailin maith]

Cheech and Chong do a great cameo double act as well. The cast list was like a who's who of British and American comedy at the time.

Oh yeah... the spanish boys one with the lisp

[DaveB]

- the whole thing is full of that malarkey. Spike Milligan is hilarious in it too.

I love the bit where he finds out his son is a gardner.... "a gardner, a Yellowbeard gardner"

Cheech and Chong do a great cameo double act as well. The cast list was like a who's who of British and American comedy at the time.

[cailin maith]

Yup, excellent film. Beryl Reid being indecently assaulted in a bush. Classic

- the whole thing is full of that malarkey. Spike Milligan is hilarious in it too.

I love the bit where he finds out his son is a gardner.... "a gardner, a Yellowbeard gardner"

[DaveB]

Agreed - it's sooooo funny. Seriously reminds me of my childhood

Yup, excellent film. Beryl Reid being indecently assaulted in a bush. Classic