Parkinson - Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howerd

[Music] evening tonight we celebrate two men who made a living out of making us laugh it's a tough job but a few more difficult ways of earning a crust by comparison a lion-tamer as it Cushi the two committees we remember tonight for a great individualist more clowns than tell us of jokes and they were Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howard [Applause] [Music] [Applause] fools you fool [Applause] I was once in charge of the guest list for a dinner which Tommy Cooper was booked to speak that fine actor Trevor Howard called me and begged for a ticket it's his timing he said every actor should sit in watch him perform and learn how to control an audience he is said Trevor a genius well he didn't look like one did he with that wonderfully gormless face and the fez he didn't like being interviewed I think this is probably only one he did on television he was nervous needed heavy persuasion and the presence of his beloved props now what you're about to see is me playing straight man to a great comic it might not be a model interview but it was great fun where I was sitting [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] bro you add a bucket a saucepan is it wrong that as I said in the introduction you're the most in personated man in Britain now I must ask you when was the first time you went you know like that I never did it you never did never say that at all I never well well the other thing that they do want to take you off they go no what's it like they'll beam them no they don't do that they don't know what we do what I do to go no they don't do that wasn't you hey our job was war ha ha ha now well we're in fact that the feds come from well the face yes the folly of the face came when I was in Egypt I was in the Army there you see and I'm sorry I was thinking some now I got let away a bit there I'm sorry otherwise nothing to do the show read about it yeah well I pack the horse today is in 20 to 1 and it came in too many fast forward it's nothing to do with it really I will talk about it's just a person thing you don't mean but everybody's like when people give you a tip they always want my side about it it could be a chip oh yeah well they don't want to hear it the self is a fact you see as a day for the race I don't really temple no no buts day this man gave me a tip and I lost 200 pounds 200 Pasha but I messed nothing to do I shouldn't say anything about it because it's just nothing Sethi no I'm sorry boy [Laughter] alright I'm alright I asked you about the Fez let me start first start the fam now [Laughter] [Applause] [Laughter] oh good that's not voice and a big boss yeah it just is it because the day I'll have a lot of cause to this day no I moved I lost my voice a bit as I I wasn't saw a doctor and he said that so he look he said help me Mom I thought that and he looked down he's a little raw no way it was loud no when I got the fence I work I got it when I was an easier I was in I was in the Army there you see and we did a show at the YMCA eyes aware pith helmet my teeth is a very high used to wear this and then one day I forgot to bring with me so I these waiters would walk back with a pheasant a long white gala beer so I took we're off the head and I wore ever since why are you wearing one today Why What there's a long story chapter I'll tell you all about that let's talk about a magic because although you used to build your act around not being a very good music and musicians magician you are in fact a very accomplished work and I wonder if if you just show me a good straight trick done for real all right yes yes as better I'll show a trick of some space boss yeah is that a yellow one Todd red right so that's left right and that's right right right so that's right right and that's left right is that right right cuz this is left right right right okay so look if I take that one away what's left one no this is left oh that's that's right that's right no I'm confused I told you how I do in French all right do you speak French no under free but we are we gonna use two so we use these two under so I'll get this one here own I put into it very good yeah and then I get only dirt and dirt in dirt now the idea this tree is this I may own jump of dirt to overdo and when I hope only I had every nothing do they bill folk we do [Music] I'll tell her I'll do this time you can help me with a smile hello I'll get this one here look I placed in the hand like that and this one here what's it squeezed in your hand tight like that now I'm gonna make my disappeared and I submit yours you may go now watch it's going now it's gone you don't believe me it is a look at all right now it's all gone can you feel it yes right right just put it down there [Music] good all right I tell you what I take this one to this one put a buff in your hand like that just hold it there like that I'll tell you what I take one here look it is possible to make that wouldn't come from there to over there no no I put it in there like that simple OOP there I told you I'm sure how it's done see what you do is this you get this one and this one and put hold of the type you know this too but it makes you look like one say your wait a bit about lot of that see and then you put it in there on that get this one and you put in your pocket so Emery's in there - no you weren't washing now trouble I'll take this one this one here okay right now which - would you like those two right there two lines one right so now I take this one of this one and put them in your hand like that see the whole time right it's all did you see it did you feel yeah I've got two balls yeah you got she was right yeah I really will you say three - OH [Applause] whoops so I felt a bit more about buddy right have you ever used animals in your app to talk yes as whenever I have I got here is right I brought this back when I was in Africa what is it yes sir a mongoose yes sir a man needs a mongoose matter of fact it's a very unpredictable you know sometimes it's friendly sometimes it's not the other day I was tickle under the chin and I did yesterday let's see but where I've got this I was up in this middle of the Congo jungle and a friend of mine was there station with me you see and that he's the right over to his mother I remember one day roll of his brothers dear mom I'm right here in the part of the toggle jungle heat bananas and coconuts all day long I'm getting Brown as a berry I is deadly the tribe our haste Raiders they could swing a head to the size of a small orange and he puts PS if we get me a bowler hat size one of the half set it up come on come on [Applause] you know and of course it's a little-known fact you're a dab hand and inventions aren't you yes it just happened to be there you know sometimes when you go to the cinema anyone who watch the film and yet people behind they keep talking right so you can't enjoy the film so I've managed this see they didn't hear the film in peace and if we done on the film you can listen to the conversation [Music] why it's alright you're doing that you know but I mean you haven't you still haven't explained to me why you're not wearing this pose well because the very sad news really because since we joined the common market then after I think after next week I can't wear the Fez anymore myself but because it's the the rule the comma mark on market regulation yes that's right I don't know why we joined we never won it so not yet it ought to be but having that's the rules and regulations so they sent some hats along here for me to try on so I can't with a fez anymore after all these years but so what what I mean face face isn't fair I just said they send them along you know there's a walk in Hamlet Oh walking um hey you want to see my plane [Laughter] geez we should think of a favor I don't know what we're gonna I don't know what it is no wonder I kept get lost hello magnificent what sister it's my own hat I wear this I'm gonna forget the common market Tommy Cooper wanted his props Frankie Howard demanded a script he wanted the interview written down so he could rehearse the responses we persuaded him against it but you can see the nerve ends showing and the highlights from the two interviews I did with him he wasn't a spontaneous performer he rehearsed every ooh and every are every ad-lib was painstakingly worked on the great dr. Johnson who knew good comic when he saw one observed that a comedian need not necessarily be a person of humorous disposition he was thinking of Frankie Howard when he said it our first encounter occurred in the first year of the Parkinson's show in 1971 [Music] [Applause] that is thank you very much in fact it's now women let's make sure that you've got the same questions that I got the answers start off by telling you that in fact today's an anniversary for you isn't it because it's 25 years to the day big mouth of course you would bring that up yes for 25 years once the since what since you first appeared on radio it's about 25 years I didn't anything actually but I mean radio yes radio oh remember yes 25 years ago yes was a Sunday I didn't understand there's a beer I know quite right is that was Sunday 25 years ago yes I was tutoring the same jokes when did you first realize that you wanted to be a comedian when war was declared and I went into the army and that's when I started try to be funny I can't imagine you in the army you're a sergeant isn't romantic because you're hardly a man of some night repairing personal you should be noted Michael I was sympathizing with you before because you said you had a bit of a bad throat two nice ones cutting we do the work against the body asking me about the army I enjoyed aspects of it because our first of all as I started off before I went into the army I was intensely shy and having to mix with all sorts of different kinds of people we have seen we're all in Nissen hats in barrack rooms one had to learn to cope with other people and learn to be less shy and also I found you see what they did then they they said we're gonna put on some shows of the YMCA tonight is that anyone can do anything and I thought were in a fire or two and I got very nervous eventually I plunged and I said yes I said I think I could do a little bit of something so they said what can you do so I said I think that was like a little song would you believe seen so I couldn't sing there neither would still never mind it was posed to me Oh to be funny and it was a song called four little fishes now this is a long time ago and I thought out to this little song I had two little squeaks in it till squee know that's the first time I did it right go now down in the meadow in a little fishy pool he lives three little fishes and the mama fishy to now swim said the mama fishy are you taking the Mickey so they swam and they swam right over the chameleon Frank is often seen as a just a lonely insecure even tragic figure yeah is this this is true is it true of yourself is this the way that you feel lonely insecure hmm you know let me let's take an example me let's take Hancock example I mean he came to a very sad yeah have you ever contemplated suicide as he did no I've contemplated murder do you have any any funny or bitter memories about really dying the death thank you very badly I mean yeah well I'm yes I've done badly many I'm in 25 years is a long time and I've had ups and downs that I've ups and downs and I've had a lot of times and I've gone badly and if I may say so a lot of times that I haven't been very good and I come off and I've missed I'm gags I've done jokes and I've got the I know I've Sonny thought neither didn't love now once my manager his coffin said you'll be lady a 44 but the funny night at the end promise you this is true I'm just thinking though before the first musical joke I ever did was about this old man poor old boy 82 and he went to the doctor's so what a minute so this doctor said what's wrong so the man said nothing wrong you said he said it's the thing is I'm I'm 82 you see so I wanted to examine because he said I'm getting married Saturday so this Dobson married examine me make sure I'm in good working order because he said I want to know to be right for the honeymoon and I want to is so obviously well oh you're marrying so the scope man some of the girl naturally would I love don't be facetious he said how old is this girl he said 24 24 don't seem to yes you seem to be so the old boy said I make it so could you give me any advice you say so the doctor said well they said if you're 82 and she's 24 is quite a discrepancy in the ages could I suggest to you you took any young lodger because you see you are getting an old-age pension she's on her own a lot it'll be company for it'll keep her happy and satisfied it'll your fund will be much they'll be connubial bliss taking a young lodger so this oh boy so I'll do that then so Elfi why'd you say no a year late he was going down the high street on his land beretta and of course the doctor saw he's a deer so this whole boy went over he said here so he said the doctor the doctor said and acknowledged all smashing lovely do you see how's the marriage going wrong smashing lovely this machine is it smashing oh she's just like a baby so the doctors daddy baby so how was the lodger all he said she's about as well it is amazing how little things changed in it because I mean that is sort of typical kind of honest vulgarity that's that's you know it is your trademark be mine be mine oh your lips your lips are like red cherry shoulders your focus my swamis on your shoulders are like wait a minute your shoulders are like the Venus de Milo your your bosoms are like the round hills of Rome I'm not going that way I'm the mind in mind well may as well it's bitter out I can't think of another comedian who was discovered by as wide a cross-section of the public is Frankie Howard when his early career was in decline he was resurrected by the satirist s' of the 60s Peter Cook gave him a stint at the establishment Club net sharing a spot on that was the week that was a registrant was revived by a Pompeii followed by a time of neglect which was overturned when Sid Vicious of all people declared him to be the main man and Howard became the darling the punk rockers here are highlights of my favorite interview with Frankie in 1980 the other two guest theatre director Trevor Nunn and the writer actor and director Bryan Forbes [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] thank you very much how are you yes well now commence the interview yeah listen no this morning that disgraceful what do you see that well in the papers did you see that see what that woman did in the divorce that well from a woman from Glamorgan and she was in she's not here is she oh please God am I saying the wrong thing no she trying to tell you my god they said now that another nightmares ahead of us I can tell that now you see this woman apparently she was that you just that I think it's a scandalous story she was married for ten years in the paper at the merit burst in the neighbors also know that she was married for ten years and her husband never said anything to her in those 10 years and his three words in ten years is that disgraceful man what a way to live the three words in Kenya's has always said to the poor so she got the divorce well she got a divorce and their custody the three children asexual missus don't rhyme still the taglines do you mind please what 30 40 years excuse me who told you to say that but you get your but you get your data frogs an anniversary doesn't 34 years I have the devil that I've been performing so I'm so sorry that's how I do you remember your audition yes I do that was before what I do well you see I was when I first started all this is riveting don't being gross now it's been such a jolly show so far he did his best and what did you do at your audition yeah you see I was thought I was in a church play yes I was I was a Sunday school teacher he wouldn't believe that well I was and I were very young lanighta but they aren't they put me in a play and I said I used to be a very nervous boy and I used to have an impediment there we are again pediment of speech when I got very nervous and I got very nervous I kind of what they call dyslexia sort of lovely and so they took pity upon me and they put me in this play called Chilean Bloomsbury under Tilly of Brisbane you wouldn't know about that anyway towards the churchwarden this place said to me you should be an actor you see you've been active so I thought right that's what I'll do I've been actor I went to an LCC London County Council class to stand those a teacher there and she teach taught the previous year's winner for this scholarship to go into Rada and she said yes you'll be an actor so none pieces that I went to Rada this judo rod you know they'd want Academy don't you like the big gymnasium built this board at the end there's cold morning grey like it is today great and I did me pieces for their stuttering and stand over the river I was at the scene and you see I pull that's when I did well you know I asked you what you did about 10 minutes ago actually [Laughter] losing system well I get sooo Shakespeare that's what you want to get into I know what you are getting into and I did what I did to be or not to be which is about what three minutes to be it's better now it's personalized about three minutes what time I'd finished dawn was breaking the panelist and they just said get out all right so I did so in fact I used to live near and the outskirts of London and with some beautiful fields as a very nasty day and I sat then I cried for now I really died thought my soul that's the end of the world I'll have to get a job and then I thought no I won't I'll be a comics will our jokes I enjoyed doing comedy parts so then I switched I hope the combating some people don't think it's covered it but I tried it what about I mean doing an audition now for the yes my apartment about two very distinguished you can always tell the distinguished they dress so badly [Applause] I report like this caught the new suit look at that it's nice to chain it and they say there's no money about whistled it was a man that's all I get all right yes so you might have another go to auditioning for these two gentlemen what the magazine now way they look at these grain like it this over what should i do then I can't auditions what do you want to do what I do something all right we're now promise me you'll listen with interest yes because that's a sign of the genius is it they see POC receipt I wish I do I can't do it I've got London thing I'm prepared nothing I just made motion I'll show you I'll show your mother palm the expression I'll show you my range right right what you want me to do what can I do anger anger oh your swagg where's the camera play on that camera oh sweet Bianca come on I'll catch you come on come on do don't fright me for a second hope the plazas Thank You Ernie Boch keep your trap shut [Music] China talks look I know what else you want passionate passion passion Oh get all gushy love and passion no angel your angel but look into my eyes you see this word thank you my darling I I love you very much I want to be tender Andriy loving I want to be gracious I wanted a right [Applause] [Applause] the cheeky devil said he got the cheek up the job let's see some action from you now [Music] [Applause] [Applause] andum [Applause] that's the methods good it looks like Jeffrey how come on passion well give you some your work we all said get drunk drama they can't do that it makes me embarrassed no drama no I can't act at ball I won't ask you to do humility because there's no chance of huh [Applause] the primary travel what do you think who do you think was best not be honest well it's different you could see because you you you're such a virile sort of inside information would you like to lay bed real Frankie Howard I mean what you'll be the like on this one this way that you may not must be a good mind what you really like underneath come again it's too cold tonight what do you think that now Michael you know me a little bit not very much what do you think I'm like underneath well you're right as a person now well you're like most funny man you you're serious offstage careful what you say now I shall sue you for every you ask me that's not listen if you're naughty I should sue you for every penny that Australian we can't turn on this Bob in this good declares you know my love ma'am what do you really think know what do you you know me I'm a serious you think yes off and I'm capable of being quite down there rose oh but why is it sometimes yes but I mean you don't need expected of comedians to see because armed with a comedian is a people I think that must really make you fed up is people correct you're saying you're not allowed to be blooming but people don't actually say I mean the thing is unfortunately I have as you said before a face eye bags under the eyes it takes before out of the makeup room to get rid of these bags and I look more morose than I am I walk around and you see I look sort of like that and I don't often for oh I'm thinking most of the time is now tonight I'll have to taking me pie people say come on smile you know and I'm not really thinking a rather dilapidated face and next week we'll be looking at an interview with Orson Welles that I did in 1973 until then a very good night good night Elizabeth the private Simkins Errol it's it's when the girl of the cookhouse at Aldershot and she said she's anxiously anxious they're waiting for him to come home as she has something for him in the oven I don't mean to laugh [Music] [Applause] oh there's one more [Laughter]

Channel: Archivetv Musings

Views: 255,754

Rating: 4.7658229 out of 5

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Id: Ct5wZIw4ZMk

Length: 38min 5sec (2285 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 04 2020