Frankie Howerd - The Lost Tapes - video Dailymotion

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Documentary shining a light on previously unknown elements of comedy legend Frankie Howerd and his long life and career, including home film footage and unseen interviews. Twenty years after his death, this film features never-before-seen footage of one of Britain's best loved comedy icons.   Alongside clips from his classic shows, this film also features professional and personal archive film and audio that has never been broadcast. From pilots and home movie footage to unseen interviews and material from his live stand up show, the show shines a light on the highs and lows of comedy legend Frankie Howerd's remarkable career.   The film also lifts the lid on Frankie's vast collection of personal correspondence. From Sir Laurence Olivier and Paul McCartney to Howerd's many fans, everyone wrote to Frankie, and Frankie always took the time to write back.   The documentary features a range of contributors, including some of the comedian's most famous fans, such as Sir Bruce Forsyth and Barry Cryer. It also hears from the people who were closest to him, such as his former agents, collaborators and writers, including Ray Galton, Alan Simpson and Clive Anderson.

Transcript

00:00:00The theatre is a temple, and we are here to worship the gods of comedy and tragedy.

00:00:11Tonight, I am pleased to announce a comedy.

00:00:15We shall employ every device we know in our desire to divert you.

00:00:22Since Frankie Howard died in 1992, his house in Somerset has been left virtually untouched.

00:00:30Look! Oh, yeah, you might have to control yourselves, please.

00:00:34Now, look!

00:00:36Ooh!

00:00:39Ooh!

00:00:42Come on, there's one more. Come on.

00:00:45Ooh! That's a lot.

00:00:48All over the house, the walls are decorated exactly as Frankie left them.

00:00:54Still on a table in the lounge are his signed photographs of his close friends Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

00:01:02And stacked on dusty shelves, lost recordings of Frankie's 1940s radio shows.

00:01:09No, but the thing is this, you see, the BBC said to me,

00:01:12Now, look, Francis, you must have a new image. You must have a new image, you see.

00:01:16They said, you must show a part of yourself which has never been seen before.

00:01:21Show it, Missy.

00:01:22Shall we find out what part we're talking about first?

00:01:24Before you start gaffawing.

00:01:26No.

00:01:29Don't you don't say you want to be a godsend. Don't you don't.

00:01:32Come on, not here tonight. No.

00:01:34The thing is this, ladies and gentlemen, there's a lot of me which has not been seen on television.

00:01:40I have many facets.

00:01:43There's more evidence upstairs of the comedian's life.

00:01:47In a chaotic bedroom, the odd sight of Frankie's ghetto blaster.

00:01:52And still in the tape player, a cassette of Frankie rehearsing.

00:01:57Naughty. Naughty. Naughty.

00:02:00Now, if you can't force titties or chortles or guffaws, I'd be very grateful if you could force a smile.

00:02:07A smile.

00:02:08Nothing worse than looking down when someone's glaring up at you like that.

00:02:12The house was sold in 2010, but the new owners have yet to remove the many items that once belonged to Frankie Howard.

00:02:21As a result, Frankie's former home offers a unique insight into the life and career of one of the country's favourite comedians.

00:02:29Oh, no. Oh, no, Missy.

00:02:34But that's not all.

00:02:36Across the country in London, the professional and personal files of Frankie Howard's career have also recently come to light.

00:02:44They were stored in his former agent's garden shed for the last 20 years.

00:02:49And now the huge collection of unseen documents and photographs can be viewed for the first time.

00:02:55Amongst the collection are also hours of untransmitted programmes, strange projects like Up the Alps, Frankie's misadventures at a ski resort.

00:03:05What is she doing here?

00:03:07The reams of letters show Frankie's wide circle of friends, including Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness and Paul McCartney.

00:03:16Also discovered were in-depth interviews which have never been broadcast.

00:03:20And there's the story of Frankie Howard's work with the Beatles and a bizarre collaboration with the Bee Gees.

00:03:27Who were you?

00:03:29Your son's father.

00:03:30Oh, yes, the leeches.

00:03:32The unseen files and recordings tell the story of a life of extreme highs and lows, of a man touched by genius but cursed with anxiety and self-doubt.

00:03:44They show how he survived a rollercoaster career, getting laughs with an act that broke all the rules and influenced so many others.

00:03:51They show that Frankie Howard was a man who truly suffered for his art and his art was comedy.

00:03:58I was amazed!

00:03:59And to you all, the best of luck. God bless you. Thank you very much.

00:04:05Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.

00:04:06Oh, to be incarcerated...I don't want to be incarcerated!

00:04:11In-carcerated!

00:04:12Look it up in the dictionary! In-carcerated!

00:04:14Come on!

00:04:15Incarcerated. I don't want to be incarcerated. Incarcerated.

00:04:20Look it up in the dictionary. Incarcerated.

00:04:23I'm too young to die too young.

00:04:25Come on, then. Come on.

00:04:27I'm finished yet.

00:04:29There's a monologue here.

00:04:33It's my best bit.

00:04:36Oh, I forgot where I am.

00:04:41As a comic, he was just wonderful.

00:04:45You're looking very well.

00:04:46Oh, really?

00:04:47Very well, I must say.

00:04:49I must say this in the script.

00:04:51It's the charm of it as well, really.

00:04:53It's just so charming to be really just making a selection of noises.

00:04:58No, no, no.

00:04:59And everyone just be fooling about laughing.

00:05:01You're not actually saying all that much.

00:05:04No, ah, well, now, ah, now.

00:05:06Ooh, now, this is it.

00:05:07I was wondering how to get these in.

00:05:09Thank you. No, listen.

00:05:11What he did was always brilliant, and it remained brilliant.

00:05:14You know, like the best comics.

00:05:17He was the one that was being funny,

00:05:19and the stuff he was talking about was really,

00:05:21that was just stuff he said while he was being funny.

00:05:25I come from a military background.

00:05:28Military background.

00:05:29Oh, yes.

00:05:30Ooh, a lot of heroes in our family.

00:05:33All heroes.

00:05:33Oh, yes.

00:05:35No, no.

00:05:36The first, no, no.

00:05:37No, no.

00:05:38No, you're jeer.

00:05:38You're mocking.

00:05:39You're mocking Francis.

00:05:40Mocking Francis.

00:05:41For me, he was, he was stand-up comedy.

00:05:46Come on now, get your titties out now, please.

00:05:48Get your titties out.

00:05:50Titter time has arrived.

00:05:51Let's have all the little titties out.

00:05:53That's right.

00:05:54And the big ones, Mrs. Yes.

00:05:57Get your big titties out.

00:05:58Let's have all titties.

00:05:59When Frankie Howard was a boy, he found God.

00:06:08He went to church.

00:06:10He said his prayers.

00:06:11He had a vision of himself as St. Francis of Eltham, South London.

00:06:16I started off with the intention of being a saint.

00:06:19Roughly, there was some idea of being a saint.

00:06:21And you also may have gathered since then,

00:06:23I've been a spectacular failure at that.

00:06:25Evidence of his lifelong interest in religion

00:06:30can still be seen at his house in Somerset.

00:06:33Resting on a table by the front door

00:06:35is the Howard family Bible.

00:06:37And for luck, Frankie would place his hand on this Bible

00:06:40each time he left the house.

00:06:43As a young man, he even planned to become a priest.

00:06:46But a trip to the Lewisham Hippodrome changed all that.

00:06:52Frankie Howard was seduced

00:06:53by the tainted world of show business

00:06:55and began to worship the comedy icons

00:06:58of the Variety Theatre.

00:07:01Max Miller,

00:07:03Sid Field,

00:07:04George Robey,

00:07:06fallen angels with dirty jokes.

00:07:08And the young Frankie Howard was hooked.

00:07:12A bawdy kind of comedy was now in his blood.

00:07:15And for the rest of his life,

00:07:17Frankie would be torn between saint and sinner.

00:07:21Welcome to Variety Band Box.

00:07:23In 1946, Frankie Howard appeared

00:07:26on BBC Radio's Variety Band Box

00:07:28and became a star.

00:07:31Frankie Howard.

00:07:38Now, uh,

00:07:39limbs and men.

00:07:41Now look, now listen, now look.

00:07:43Now look, now,

00:07:44I'm not the one to complain, am I?

00:07:45Variety Band Box not only started his career,

00:07:48but it really made him

00:07:49a huge star in Britain.

00:07:52Uh, at one stage,

00:07:53it was really the big radio show

00:07:55and radio was far more popular than TV

00:07:58and so if you were at the top of radio,

00:08:00you were at the top of show business.

00:08:02Eric Sykes wrote a lot for him in those days

00:08:04and Eric wrote brilliantly for him

00:08:06and surreal stuff,

00:08:08taking an elephant on the tube and...

00:08:10Oh, wonderful.

00:08:12Two elephants!

00:08:14Two elephants!

00:08:15France!

00:08:17I was a man!

00:08:23So I got up in a string

00:08:24and I, um,

00:08:28tied it round their necks, you see,

00:08:30and I let them out into the street.

00:08:32Oh, I didn't, oh, I did feel a ninny.

00:08:34Anyway,

00:08:38but the, no,

00:08:39but the way people stared,

00:08:41the way people stared,

00:08:42you'd think they'd never seen

00:08:43two elephants going down the underground before.

00:08:48I mean, it must have been extraordinary

00:08:49hearing him on the radio in the 40s,

00:08:51this bizarre torrent of

00:08:54exaggerated burlesque vocals

00:08:57and when you see his face,

00:08:58it fits entirely

00:08:59because he's not actually a deadpan.

00:09:02His face is just running around

00:09:03the whole playground,

00:09:04hitting people and running away.

00:09:06His face is just massively elastic.

00:09:10By the end of his four years

00:09:12on Variety Bandbox,

00:09:13Frankie Howard

00:09:14was one of the most famous comedians

00:09:16in the country,

00:09:17earning huge amounts of money

00:09:18in the process.

00:09:19He had made it to the top

00:09:21and wanted to stay there.

00:09:23He was ambitious and talented

00:09:24and he wanted it all.

00:09:28He spoke of his ambition

00:09:29in an interview with the BBC's Arena

00:09:31in 1989.

00:09:33The full interview

00:09:34was found in his agent's archives

00:09:36and unseen extracts from the tapes

00:09:38are being shown on television now

00:09:40for the very first time.

00:09:41I was very ambitious.

00:09:43I was very ambitious, very, to succeed.

00:09:47I wanted to be famous.

00:09:49I don't know why, actually.

00:09:52I did.

00:09:53And I don't know the actual goal,

00:09:56to be famous.

00:09:58I often puzzle out

00:10:00what the goal of being famous actually is,

00:10:02what it does to be famous.

00:10:05Frankie Howard swept to the top

00:10:07with a burst of creative energy

00:10:09that shook up the world of variety.

00:10:12It's important for people

00:10:13to remember these days

00:10:14that in the time

00:10:16when Frankie Howard became his star,

00:10:18there was a very conventional view

00:10:19of what a stand-up comedian was,

00:10:21that he was basically a clown.

00:10:23He was a turn.

00:10:24And they wore funny outfits

00:10:25or very smart outfits.

00:10:27And they had a very rigid line of patter.

00:10:31And Frankie Howard changed that.

00:10:33And that was quite revolutionary at the time.

00:10:35We didn't have anyone who looked like him.

00:10:38You know, all the comics that were before him

00:10:40all came on in smart suits

00:10:42and bloody trill beats,

00:10:43like Trinder and people like that.

00:10:45And were smart and slick

00:10:47and doing great gags

00:10:49and all this stuff.

00:10:50But Frank was rambling

00:10:51and like he looked,

00:10:52he was rambling and strange.

00:10:54We didn't know what the hell he was all about.

00:10:57He made me laugh.

00:10:58Frankie's originality was no accident.

00:11:00He had a vision

00:11:01of a new type of stand-up comedy,

00:11:03as he explains

00:11:04in this previously unseen interview.

00:11:07I used to come on

00:11:08as I wasn't with this show at all.

00:11:10I'm not with this lot.

00:11:12Oh, no.

00:11:13They're a funny lot.

00:11:14I keep myself to myself.

00:11:16I think it's best, don't you?

00:11:18Mm.

00:11:19Oh, you're right.

00:11:21In the early 50s,

00:11:22Frankie Howard was riding

00:11:24the crest of a wave

00:11:25and the next step

00:11:26was the movies.

00:11:30Jumping for Joy

00:11:31was set in the dodgy world

00:11:32of London greyhound racing.

00:11:34What should it be this time, sonny?

00:11:36Cactus Jack.

00:11:37So you'd won,

00:11:37how much you won on it?

00:11:38Couple of hundred.

00:11:40Yes.

00:11:41There you are.

00:11:44He had ambitions

00:11:45to be a Bob Hope-style

00:11:46international comedy star,

00:11:48but the films he was making

00:11:49were never going to deliver

00:11:51international stardom.

00:11:52His brief appearance

00:11:55in the Ealing comedy

00:11:56The Lady Killers

00:11:56would really highlight

00:11:58the gap between

00:11:59comedy star

00:11:59and film star.

00:12:01Young men!

00:12:03Do you mind?

00:12:05Now, go on, get out of it.

00:12:06Get this horse out of the way there.

00:12:07He's been pulling me

00:12:08all the way down

00:12:09from Burton Street.

00:12:10He's had three pounds

00:12:10The Lady Killers

00:12:17would become a classic

00:12:18thanks to the acting talent

00:12:20of Peter Sellers

00:12:20and Alec Guinness.

00:12:22Frankie Howard would,

00:12:23for now,

00:12:24have to accept the role

00:12:25as a memorable

00:12:26bit part player.

00:12:29These original drawings

00:12:30for his own comic strip

00:12:31in film fun

00:12:32show that by the mid-50s

00:12:34Frankie Howard

00:12:35was a major star.

00:12:37It was all going so well.

00:12:38Nobody could have predicted

00:12:41what happened next.

00:12:52The comedian Frankie Howard

00:12:54lived for many years

00:12:55in this house

00:12:56in Somerset.

00:12:59It still contains

00:13:00many of his personal possessions

00:13:02including the OBE

00:13:04he was awarded

00:13:04in 1977.

00:13:07I expected to leave

00:13:08a trail of wreckage

00:13:09in Buckingham Palace.

00:13:10Apart from knocking

00:13:11into two footmen

00:13:12I didn't do badly

00:13:13and even this stayed on

00:13:14which was quite something

00:13:15for me.

00:13:16By his side

00:13:17to collect his OBE

00:13:18at Buckingham Palace

00:13:19was his long-term partner

00:13:21Dennis Hamer.

00:13:22They lived together

00:13:23in this house

00:13:24called Wavering Down

00:13:25and it was Dennis

00:13:26who kept everything

00:13:27as it was

00:13:28in the years following

00:13:29Frankie's death.

00:13:30I went to Wavering Down

00:13:32and I knew Dennis

00:13:34who was Frankie's

00:13:35long-term partner

00:13:37and it was slightly

00:13:38turned into a bit

00:13:38of a museum

00:13:39you know

00:13:40sort of Howard's End

00:13:41really

00:13:41with you know

00:13:43a wig of his

00:13:45had been preserved

00:13:45and posters of his films

00:13:47so it was quite a sweet

00:13:49memorial to him

00:13:52in a slightly odd way.

00:13:55Occasionally Dennis

00:13:56would host open days

00:13:57at the house

00:13:58where visitors

00:13:59could view strange items

00:14:00such as Frankie's

00:14:02false teeth

00:14:02and an x-ray

00:14:04of his pelvis.

00:14:06Well I went to Frankie's

00:14:07house in the West Country

00:14:08to do a report

00:14:11for The Guardian

00:14:12and it was

00:14:12an extraordinary place.

00:14:14Dennis was still alive

00:14:15at that time

00:14:16and there were literally

00:14:18papers on his table

00:14:20his briefcase was there.

00:14:22Also loads of

00:14:23Egyptian stuff

00:14:24you know

00:14:25they got all sorts

00:14:26of stuff from

00:14:27going to Egypt

00:14:29and the extraordinary

00:14:30thing was

00:14:31that when I went there

00:14:32he'd been dead

00:14:33what 15 years at least

00:14:34and it seemed like

00:14:36he'd left the place

00:14:37about 15 minutes before.

00:14:40Frankie's partner

00:14:40Dennis Hamer

00:14:41had such a deep interest

00:14:43in ancient Egypt

00:14:44that he bought himself

00:14:45a coffin

00:14:45in the style of a pharaoh.

00:14:47He kept it in the lounge

00:14:49for years

00:14:49and was buried

00:14:50in the sarcophagus

00:14:51when he died

00:14:52in 2009.

00:14:57Dennis and Frankie

00:15:07had met in 1955

00:15:09when homosexuality

00:15:10was still

00:15:11a criminal offence.

00:15:13I had friends

00:15:14like Frank

00:15:15and Jimmy Edwards

00:15:16and there was

00:15:17Russ Conway

00:15:17the pianist

00:15:18and they were gay

00:15:20and if they

00:15:20didn't come out

00:15:21there was no hypocrisy

00:15:22involved.

00:15:23if they'd come out

00:15:25or been outed

00:15:26they would have been

00:15:27ruined and go to prison.

00:15:29I mean it was

00:15:29just a hideous era.

00:15:32They were haunted

00:15:32hunted men.

00:15:35Oh yes.

00:15:36He said you see

00:15:36he said

00:15:37the trouble with you

00:15:39is he said

00:15:39you're so difficult

00:15:41to categorise.

00:15:42He said

00:15:42you see

00:15:44you don't fit in anywhere.

00:15:45You're neither one thing

00:15:46nor the other.

00:15:47I don't know

00:15:48what he meant by that.

00:15:51He said

00:15:52he said

00:15:55he's

00:15:56too much tittering

00:15:58naughty

00:15:58titermongers

00:15:59when Frankie

00:16:03met Dennis

00:16:03his career

00:16:04was at a crisis point.

00:16:06A combination

00:16:06of insecurity

00:16:07and perfectionism

00:16:09had made him

00:16:09very difficult

00:16:10to work with.

00:16:11A letter to Frankie

00:16:12from the BBC

00:16:13at this time

00:16:14asks

00:16:14for no more fusses

00:16:16no more arguments.

00:16:20Behind the scenes

00:16:21he was

00:16:21a great worrier

00:16:23and always pushing

00:16:24everyone around him

00:16:25to do the best

00:16:26they could

00:16:27and it meant

00:16:28that he would

00:16:29inevitably have

00:16:30lots and lots

00:16:31of arguments

00:16:32with producers

00:16:33and engineers

00:16:34and just about

00:16:35anyone working

00:16:36on his shows.

00:16:37He drove many producers

00:16:38to the point of collapse

00:16:40and one in fact

00:16:41to a full blown

00:16:42nervous breakdown.

00:16:43The patience

00:16:44of the BBC

00:16:45was further tested

00:16:46by a disastrous

00:16:47appearance

00:16:48on the panel show

00:16:49What's My Line

00:16:50in 1954.

00:16:52The unscripted programme

00:16:53relied on quickfire repartee

00:16:55but Frankie

00:16:56paralysed by fear

00:16:57said almost nothing.

00:17:00Because I had a note

00:17:01the other day

00:17:02from this

00:17:02what's his name

00:17:02you know

00:17:03the man in charge

00:17:04what's his name

00:17:04you know

00:17:04thing you know

00:17:05well no

00:17:06I had this note

00:17:07and it said

00:17:08dear Howard

00:17:08your presence

00:17:10is requested

00:17:11in my office

00:17:11between 2.30

00:17:12and 2.35

00:17:13and I thought

00:17:14he was off alone

00:17:15and he said

00:17:16he's never given me

00:17:18that long before

00:17:18they must

00:17:19they must be worried

00:17:21so I went in there

00:17:22and he was

00:17:22he said

00:17:23you know

00:17:23thing

00:17:24and he said

00:17:24ah yes

00:17:25there you are

00:17:26and he looked

00:17:27at his secretary

00:17:27and she said

00:17:28Howard

00:17:28he said

00:17:28ah yes

00:17:29come in Trevor

00:17:30he said

00:17:30now

00:17:31he said

00:17:33do sit down

00:17:34well

00:17:35he's never offered

00:17:36me a seat before

00:17:36so I knew

00:17:37I was alright

00:17:37he said

00:17:38would you care

00:17:38for a cigarette

00:17:39I said

00:17:39thank you very much

00:17:40so he threw his tin over

00:17:41and he said

00:17:42I wonder

00:17:42if you roll me one

00:17:44as well

00:17:44while you're at it

00:17:45he had been

00:17:47the golden boy

00:17:48of BBC comedy

00:17:49but by the end

00:17:50of the 50s

00:17:51his reputation

00:17:52was in tatters

00:17:52as Galton and Simpson

00:17:54the writers of

00:17:55Hancock's Half Hour

00:17:56found out

00:17:57when we finished

00:17:59working with

00:18:00Tony Hancock

00:18:01the BBC

00:18:02in the

00:18:03persona

00:18:05of Tom Sloan

00:18:05head of light entertainment

00:18:06called us up

00:18:07to the BBC

00:18:08and said

00:18:09well now

00:18:09you're not working

00:18:10with Tony anymore

00:18:11what do you want to do

00:18:11and we said

00:18:13oh we'd like to write

00:18:14the series

00:18:15of Frankie Howard

00:18:16he said

00:18:16are you kidding

00:18:18he said

00:18:19he's finished

00:18:20and we said

00:18:20what do you mean finished

00:18:21he said

00:18:21his last series

00:18:22was terrible

00:18:23I don't know

00:18:24Frank

00:18:24began to lose

00:18:26favour with everybody

00:18:27you know

00:18:28one minute

00:18:28he was a huge star

00:18:30and then

00:18:31gradually

00:18:32over a period

00:18:33he wasn't

00:18:35you know

00:18:35it was really

00:18:36awful to watch

00:18:38to be honest

00:18:39I beg your pardon

00:18:40who are you

00:18:42who am I

00:18:43I'm Frankie Howard

00:18:44who

00:18:44well if your own agent's

00:18:47never heard of you

00:18:47what chance do you stand

00:18:48I'm sorry

00:18:49I don't recognise

00:18:50as the offers

00:18:51of work dried up

00:18:52Frankie would begin

00:18:53to suffer periods

00:18:54of intense depression

00:18:55well of course

00:18:56it affected him greatly

00:18:57he loved his audience

00:18:58you know

00:18:59and if he was being

00:19:01rejected

00:19:02or wasn't being

00:19:02allowed

00:19:03to practice

00:19:04his craft

00:19:05and that

00:19:06he would get

00:19:07very depressed

00:19:08everyone would

00:19:09you know

00:19:09people say to me

00:19:10when are you going to

00:19:11retire

00:19:11and I say

00:19:11when they stop asking

00:19:12well they stopped

00:19:14asking Frank

00:19:14and he didn't

00:19:16that was

00:19:17that's terribly

00:19:18upsetting

00:19:18you know

00:19:19particularly at the age

00:19:20he was

00:19:21he wasn't an old man

00:19:22when he got the elbow

00:19:23really you know

00:19:23it's rather

00:19:24moving thinking back

00:19:27him sort of

00:19:28brooding at home

00:19:29and nothing's happening

00:19:31oh it's over

00:19:32you know

00:19:32it's over

00:19:33and it never was

00:19:34happily

00:19:35but he wouldn't

00:19:35know that at the time

00:19:37with his career

00:19:39on the slide

00:19:40there was another shock

00:19:41when Frankie discovered

00:19:42he had lost

00:19:43all his money

00:19:44in dubious investments

00:19:45made by his agent

00:19:47Stanley Scruffy Dale

00:19:48by 1960

00:19:50Frankie Howard

00:19:51the most innovative

00:19:52comedian of his generation

00:19:54had no money

00:19:55and no career

00:19:56he'd had

00:19:57career knocks

00:19:58he'd had financial disasters

00:20:00then his mother died

00:20:02and he was

00:20:04crushed as an individual

00:20:05to a great extent

00:20:06to the point where

00:20:08he even sought

00:20:09therapy

00:20:09with LSD

00:20:11that was being

00:20:11experimented on

00:20:12at the time

00:20:13and he used to go

00:20:14for fortnightly weekends

00:20:16where he would be

00:20:17injected with LSD

00:20:18and Ritalin

00:20:19and then

00:20:20be psychoanalyzed

00:20:22because he just

00:20:23couldn't figure out

00:20:24how to get out

00:20:25of this trough

00:20:25that he'd

00:20:26found himself in

00:20:27in this unseen interview

00:20:30he looks back

00:20:31on those difficult times

00:20:33I never actually

00:20:33gave up show business

00:20:34I mean I

00:20:35all

00:20:36I never stopped

00:20:37working as we say

00:20:39but it dwindled

00:20:40let's put it that way

00:20:40down to a

00:20:43very

00:20:43trickle

00:20:44in a desert

00:20:47for a man who had once

00:20:51been at the top

00:20:51of the entertainment world

00:20:53the trickle of work

00:20:54was not enough

00:20:55it broke his heart

00:20:57but he decided

00:20:58the next job

00:20:58would be his last

00:20:59at Frankie's house

00:21:02in Somerset

00:21:03a bronze figure

00:21:04on a side table

00:21:05tells the story

00:21:06of that next job

00:21:07and the impact

00:21:08it had on the rest

00:21:09of his career

00:21:10it's an award

00:21:11given to Frankie

00:21:12for his years

00:21:13of entertaining speeches

00:21:15at the evening standard

00:21:16drama awards

00:21:17including the one

00:21:18he was about to make

00:21:20Frankie had accepted

00:21:28that it was all over

00:21:29for him

00:21:30he had made up his mind

00:21:32to do one last performance

00:21:34and this was it

00:21:35but if this was the end

00:21:38he wanted it to be Frankie

00:21:39Howard

00:21:40at his best

00:21:41I want to make a little

00:21:43appeal to you

00:21:44but it's not an appeal

00:21:44for money

00:21:45you're alright love

00:21:45she's getting her purse out

00:21:46you're alright love

00:21:47no it's an appeal

00:21:48for you to try and laugh

00:21:49as much as you can

00:21:50at the jokes

00:21:51I mean they'd never

00:21:53had a compare

00:21:54for the awards

00:21:55like him

00:21:55always bitching

00:21:59and gossiping

00:21:59about who

00:22:00you know he turned it

00:22:01into a show

00:22:01it was wonderful

00:22:02and at that

00:22:04evening standard

00:22:05was Peter Cook

00:22:07and he and Dudley Moore

00:22:09they've got this

00:22:10club they've opened

00:22:12called The Establishment

00:22:14Peter Cook had opened

00:22:17The Establishment Club

00:22:19the year before

00:22:19as the new home

00:22:20of cutting edge comedy

00:22:22on the spot

00:22:23he offered Frankie Howard

00:22:24a month long run

00:22:25at the club

00:22:26he later told the story

00:22:27of their meeting

00:22:28on This Is Your Life

00:22:29in 1976

00:22:30that the drama awards

00:22:34which were quite serious

00:22:35he just sent the whole

00:22:35thing up so marvellously

00:22:36seemingly ad lib

00:22:38and I thought

00:22:39The Establishment

00:22:40needed sending up

00:22:41because we were

00:22:41a pretty snotty

00:22:42little club

00:22:43at that time

00:22:43and I thought

00:22:45we needed somebody

00:22:46to send it up

00:22:47but I was very scared

00:22:49you see

00:22:49to ask you

00:22:49because you're

00:22:50a big star

00:22:51you see

00:22:52so I had to have

00:22:53a couple of scotches

00:22:54before I'd come up

00:22:54and say hello

00:22:55then I read in your book

00:22:57that you were sloshed

00:22:57at the time

00:22:58I was

00:22:58half a bottle of scotch

00:23:02I'd say

00:23:03anyway

00:23:03I won't waste any more time

00:23:04I'd say

00:23:05one of the funniest men

00:23:07in the world

00:23:07I'd say the funniest

00:23:09but Dudley's very sensitive

00:23:10at the very moment

00:23:17he had given up hope

00:23:18Peter Cook

00:23:19had thrown him

00:23:19a lifeline

00:23:20Peter Cook

00:23:21was very much

00:23:21a pure comedian

00:23:22he was really

00:23:23into the idea

00:23:24of comedy

00:23:25rather than just

00:23:26advancing his career

00:23:27I think he loved

00:23:28comedy in its purest form

00:23:30and I think

00:23:30with Frankie Howard

00:23:31he just saw someone

00:23:33who transcended

00:23:33his surroundings

00:23:34he didn't obviously care

00:23:35about Frankie Howard

00:23:36being a left over

00:23:37from the 50s

00:23:38or anything like that

00:23:38he just really liked

00:23:40Frankie Howard

00:23:41and thought that

00:23:41Frankie Howard's humour

00:23:42rightly or wrongly

00:23:43would work

00:23:44in this new context

00:23:45of the establishment

00:23:46and the world

00:23:47would be on the fringe

00:23:47with its reputation

00:23:50for radical satire

00:23:51the establishment club

00:23:53didn't seem to be

00:23:54the natural home

00:23:54for Frankie Howard

00:23:55and he was convinced

00:23:57it was going to be

00:23:58a disaster

00:23:58he was very nervous

00:24:02leading up to it

00:24:03because it was

00:24:04a complete

00:24:05change for him

00:24:06part of him thought

00:24:08oh

00:24:09I wonder if I'm going

00:24:10to be any good

00:24:11at this

00:24:11you know

00:24:11a tense

00:24:15and nervous Frankie

00:24:16heard Peter Cook

00:24:17make the introduction

00:24:18and now ladies

00:24:20and gentlemen

00:24:20Frankie Howard

00:24:22Frankie Howard

00:24:25then walked on stage

00:24:26with his entire career

00:24:28on the line

00:24:28the establishment club

00:24:3863

00:24:38and on stage

00:24:39a nervous Frankie Howard

00:24:41I'd like to explain

00:24:42how I happened

00:24:43to get here

00:24:44in this place

00:24:44before we start

00:24:46because as you know

00:24:48well if you do know

00:24:49at all

00:24:50I'm a humble

00:24:50music hall comedian

00:24:52a sort of variety artist

00:24:53you know

00:24:53I'm not usually associated

00:24:55with these sophisticated

00:24:56of the news

00:24:57although Frankie

00:24:59could be nervous

00:25:00before a show

00:25:01when it started

00:25:02he was

00:25:03he was on

00:25:03and he was

00:25:04the Frankie Howard

00:25:06out of all

00:25:07of the apparent

00:25:08nervousness

00:25:09and fragile quality

00:25:11that he had

00:25:11when it came

00:25:12to his act

00:25:13he was very brave

00:25:14when he thought

00:25:15what he was doing

00:25:16was right

00:25:17and that was the art

00:25:18and he was going

00:25:19to protect it

00:25:20and defend it

00:25:21no matter what

00:25:21every year

00:25:22they have these

00:25:23drama awards

00:25:24they even stand

00:25:25at drama awards

00:25:26at the Savoy

00:25:26the hotel

00:25:28well there are so many

00:25:30cafes of that night

00:25:31now

00:25:31and they have a dinner

00:25:34there

00:25:34this young lad

00:25:36came over to me

00:25:37and what a resentable boy

00:25:39and I said

00:25:39quite a nice lad

00:25:40quite a nice type

00:25:41you know

00:25:41and he said

00:25:42I was wondering

00:25:44if I could introduce

00:25:45myself

00:25:46he said

00:25:46I'm cook

00:25:47so I said

00:25:48oh it was a lovely meal

00:25:49I said

00:25:50really lovely

00:25:50absolutely

00:25:51really did

00:25:52it was a night

00:25:55that changed

00:25:56Frankie's life

00:25:57the fashionable

00:25:58crowd loved him

00:25:59it was a triumph

00:26:00and a resurrection

00:26:01at the home

00:26:02of the new wave

00:26:03of comedy

00:26:04delighted for Frank

00:26:06because he was

00:26:07going through

00:26:08a bad period

00:26:09where people

00:26:11were assuming

00:26:11that he was finished

00:26:12and it's very difficult

00:26:14once people

00:26:15start thinking that

00:26:16and leaving it

00:26:16it's very difficult

00:26:17to get out of it

00:26:18you know

00:26:18but he did it

00:26:20with one

00:26:21with one bound

00:26:22he was free

00:26:23I must say

00:26:24I did enjoy it

00:26:25very much

00:26:26I did it twice nightly

00:26:28it was rather odd

00:26:29to do a club

00:26:31a nightclub

00:26:31twice nightly

00:26:32but it did very well

00:26:34when I was there

00:26:35playing there

00:26:37we had a visit

00:26:38from a distinguished

00:26:39gentleman called

00:26:40well he thought

00:26:41he was distinguished

00:26:42called Ned Sherrin

00:26:43who shall remain

00:26:47anonymous

00:26:47and he

00:26:49he

00:26:50anyway

00:26:51he

00:26:52engaged me

00:26:55or to be

00:26:55appearing

00:26:56that was the week

00:26:57that was

00:26:57so that was my

00:26:59satirical stage

00:27:00I went through

00:27:01then

00:27:01Ned Sherrin

00:27:03was the producer

00:27:04of that was the week

00:27:05that was

00:27:06that was the week

00:27:07that was

00:27:08it's over

00:27:10let it go

00:27:11that was the week

00:27:12the show defined

00:27:13the satirical comedy

00:27:14attitude of the day

00:27:15into this new

00:27:17radical arena

00:27:18came the 46 year old

00:27:20Frankie Howard

00:27:20and now the

00:27:22week at Westminster

00:27:24and our lobby

00:27:25correspondent

00:27:25is Mr Frankie

00:27:26Howard

00:27:27before we

00:27:37this is the

00:27:38I'm on this alarm

00:27:38on yes

00:27:39it's about time

00:27:41I've been waiting

00:27:41a hell of a time

00:27:42here to get on

00:27:42it's 25 to 12

00:27:43I thought

00:27:48I'd have to have

00:27:49a little shave

00:27:50before I got on

00:27:50within mine

00:27:51so I enjoyed

00:27:56bits of it

00:27:57and I mean

00:28:01the bits I understood

00:28:02ladies and gentlemen

00:28:02I thought

00:28:03no

00:28:03now he's

00:28:05suddenly found

00:28:05himself at the

00:28:06satirical

00:28:07centre

00:28:08of show business

00:28:10and he took

00:28:11the mickey out of it

00:28:12basically

00:28:13that's what he did

00:28:13of course

00:28:14the longer he went

00:28:15on the more his

00:28:16confidence grew

00:28:16he thought

00:28:17I'm back

00:28:18here we go again

00:28:18I'm back

00:28:19I'm back on television

00:28:20and it's working

00:28:21you know

00:28:22and he began to

00:28:23really enjoy it

00:28:24I saw the producer

00:28:26this um

00:28:26Ned Sherrin

00:28:28and a new

00:28:30nice man

00:28:30underneath

00:28:32and here

00:28:33and here

00:28:33no no

00:28:35and just no

00:28:37no please

00:28:38for one night only

00:28:40the show that loved

00:28:41to attack politicians

00:28:42gave the floor to a

00:28:44comedian who turned

00:28:45the whole concept

00:28:46on its head

00:28:47my technique was to

00:28:50was to play

00:28:51right against

00:28:52the current trend

00:28:55of attacking

00:28:55them

00:28:57I used to defend

00:28:58them

00:28:59which is

00:29:01my defence was

00:29:03a jolly sight

00:29:03worse actually

00:29:04than anybody else's

00:29:04attack

00:29:05because I would

00:29:07never say

00:29:08a joke about

00:29:10Macmillan

00:29:12to direct

00:29:13I used to say

00:29:13I used to talk

00:29:15about it's his wife

00:29:16Dorothy you see

00:29:17and I'd say

00:29:18no it's not him

00:29:20no it's her

00:29:22everyone blames Mac

00:29:24everyone

00:29:25you know you know

00:29:25this is true

00:29:26everyone blames

00:29:27Macmillan

00:29:28for sacking half

00:29:29the government

00:29:29last year

00:29:30you see

00:29:30everyone blames

00:29:31Macmillan

00:29:31for sacking half

00:29:32the government

00:29:32but you see

00:29:32I don't

00:29:33no I'm sorry

00:29:34I don't

00:29:34I don't blame him

00:29:36I blame her

00:29:38I blame her

00:29:41no I do

00:29:44it's Dot

00:29:45Dot

00:29:46it was over

00:29:49the garden

00:29:50wall again

00:29:50he said

00:29:51oh Doc

00:29:52I blame Dot

00:29:53she was suddenly

00:29:54Dot

00:29:55Lady Dorothy

00:29:56Macmillan

00:29:57that was

00:29:57brilliant

00:29:58that was pure

00:29:59Howard

00:29:59I played Dot

00:30:00gossip

00:30:01there's a moment

00:30:03where you see

00:30:03the joy in his face

00:30:04where he realises

00:30:05that they're not

00:30:06taking the mickey

00:30:07out of him

00:30:07that he's not

00:30:08a novelty act

00:30:08that they haven't

00:30:09just put somebody

00:30:10they remember

00:30:10as a kid on

00:30:11to be laughed at

00:30:12he's being laughed

00:30:13with

00:30:13the audience

00:30:14are getting back

00:30:15into it

00:30:15and

00:30:16it may have

00:30:18seemed old fashioned

00:30:18to them

00:30:19but in the midst

00:30:19of that kind

00:30:20of old fashioned

00:30:20delivery

00:30:21he was actually

00:30:22delivering some

00:30:22really interesting

00:30:23satirical stuff

00:30:25it was massive

00:30:26on a Saturday night

00:30:27pubs and restaurants

00:30:28would empty

00:30:28people going home

00:30:29to watch

00:30:30that was the week

00:30:31that was

00:30:31he couldn't have

00:30:32had a better

00:30:32showcase

00:30:33for a comeback

00:30:34for

00:30:35you know

00:30:36to appear on that

00:30:37big show

00:30:38on a Saturday night

00:30:39it was great

00:30:40it was a career

00:30:49defining performance

00:30:50he had entered

00:30:51the world

00:30:52of the sharp

00:30:52minds of

00:30:53Oxbridge satire

00:30:54and given a

00:30:55masterclass

00:30:55in the art

00:30:56of stand-up comedy

00:30:57Frankie Howard

00:31:02was now

00:31:03one of the hottest

00:31:03properties

00:31:04in show business

00:31:05from the bottom

00:31:06of the heap

00:31:06to the top

00:31:07in just a few

00:31:08eventful months

00:31:09he was being

00:31:13fated and admired

00:31:14but Frankie Howard's

00:31:16finances

00:31:16was still in a

00:31:17sorry state

00:31:18but all that

00:31:19was about to change

00:31:20from across the Atlantic

00:31:24from the heart

00:31:25of New York City

00:31:26a Stephen Sondheim

00:31:27musical

00:31:28would greatly improve

00:31:29the Frankie Howard

00:31:30bank balance

00:31:31a funny thing

00:31:32happened on the way

00:31:33to the Forum

00:31:33the biggest hit show

00:31:35on Broadway

00:31:35came to London's

00:31:37West End

00:31:37and Frankie

00:31:38got the starring role

00:31:40the play

00:31:52the play also started

00:31:53a running theme

00:31:53in Frankie's act

00:31:54for the first time

00:31:55he was being saucy

00:31:57with semi-naked women

00:31:58go ahead

00:32:00and look her over

00:32:01as you did before

00:32:01but then when you get around

00:32:03put your arm up

00:32:04like this Christine

00:32:05and you look through

00:32:06this rare film

00:32:07shows Frankie rehearsing

00:32:08with the show's legendary

00:32:09Broadway director

00:32:10George Abbott

00:32:11that's it

00:32:12I've got a feeler

00:32:13haven't I

00:32:13first that's it

00:32:14I must keep this in

00:32:16because I enjoyed this bit

00:32:17ah you've got one as well

00:32:20for a man who was trying

00:32:21to be discreet

00:32:22about his sexuality

00:32:23the lecherous character

00:32:25of Pseudilus

00:32:25was the perfect part

00:32:27and bawdy

00:32:28sexual innuendo

00:32:29became a major part

00:32:30of his act

00:32:31from this point on

00:32:32two years of a funny thing

00:32:35happened on the way

00:32:36to the Forum

00:32:36also sparked an interest

00:32:38in all things Roman

00:32:39at the house

00:32:40in Somerset

00:32:41the garden is dotted

00:32:43with versions

00:32:43of classical statues

00:32:44and Frankie had Roman columns

00:32:47installed in the lounge

00:32:48in one corner

00:32:50his 3D Elvis Presley portrait

00:32:52hangs incongruously

00:32:54next to one of the columns

00:32:55the pride of Frankie's

00:32:58Roman collection

00:32:58were two replica swords

00:33:00which still sit

00:33:01by the fireplace

00:33:02they were given to him

00:33:04by his friend

00:33:04Richard Burton

00:33:05and were the swords

00:33:06Burton used

00:33:07when he played

00:33:07Mark Antony

00:33:08in the 1963 film

00:33:10Cleopatra

00:33:11Frankie Howard

00:33:13knew exactly

00:33:13what the Romans

00:33:14had done for him

00:33:15on stage

00:33:16and soon

00:33:17on television

00:33:18a radio times

00:33:29from December 1964

00:33:30shows that Frankie Howard

00:33:32was back on television

00:33:34the Frankie Howard show

00:33:38was written by the best

00:33:39in the business

00:33:40Galton and Simpson

00:33:41the writers of

00:33:42Hancock's Half Hour

00:33:43and Steptoe and Son

00:33:44in this episode

00:33:47Frankie has had

00:33:49enough of living

00:33:49on his own

00:33:50I never felt so bad

00:33:52do you know

00:33:53for one minute

00:33:54I was seriously

00:33:55considered in the gas oven

00:33:56that was no good

00:33:58it was no good

00:33:58because only one

00:33:58of those tiny

00:33:59bachelor ones

00:34:00it's a hard enough

00:34:01job getting your foot in

00:34:02and I said to myself

00:34:05Francis

00:34:06this is not the answer

00:34:07not the coward's way out

00:34:09pull yourself together

00:34:10you blithering fool

00:34:11I often talk to myself

00:34:12like that

00:34:13you know

00:34:13okay what I say

00:34:15to myself

00:34:15I give myself

00:34:17a right lashing sometimes

00:34:18I said Francis

00:34:19you are still young

00:34:20now get out

00:34:22into the world

00:34:23and find yourself

00:34:23a mate mate

00:34:24Frankie signs up

00:34:27with a lonely

00:34:27hearts agency

00:34:28and is sent on

00:34:29a series of

00:34:30disastrous blind dates

00:34:31this one

00:34:32with June Whitfield

00:34:34excuse me

00:34:36I don't suppose

00:34:36for one moment

00:34:37you are

00:34:37but could you

00:34:38by any chance

00:34:39be a Miss Beryl

00:34:40Cattlebunt

00:34:40yes I am

00:34:41yeah I'm sorry

00:34:42yes I am

00:34:45Beryl Cattlebunt

00:34:45oh

00:34:46must be something

00:34:51wrong with her

00:34:51would you put me

00:34:53to introduce myself

00:34:54I am Francis A Howard

00:34:55Esquire

00:34:56oh don't touch me

00:34:57I can't stand

00:34:58men touching me

00:34:59didn't I tell you

00:35:00I always get them

00:35:03don't I

00:35:04everyone enjoyed

00:35:06the sketches

00:35:06with Frankie and June

00:35:07everyone that is

00:35:09except Frankie

00:35:10he didn't really

00:35:12like performing

00:35:14he hated it

00:35:16and you know

00:35:18he always said

00:35:20if he could win

00:35:21the lottery

00:35:22or something

00:35:22he wouldn't

00:35:23he wouldn't do it

00:35:25he was so nervous

00:35:27before he did

00:35:29a show

00:35:30the nervousness

00:35:32works to his

00:35:33advantage in the end

00:35:34as he worried away

00:35:35at every aspect

00:35:36of his performance

00:35:37and it was in this

00:35:38series that Frankie

00:35:39experimented with the

00:35:40device of breaking off

00:35:41from the story

00:35:42to talk directly to the

00:35:43camera

00:35:44you must think I'm

00:35:46rather strange

00:35:47oh no

00:35:48oh no

00:35:49happy woman

00:35:51it was quite

00:35:54quite something

00:35:55for a television

00:35:55to take the

00:35:57viewer

00:35:57basically

00:35:58the viewers

00:35:59aside

00:36:00from the action

00:36:01and say listen

00:36:01you know

00:36:02it was a great

00:36:03great technique

00:36:04and so perfectly

00:36:05suited to Frankie

00:36:06Howard

00:36:06I just totally

00:36:08lap up that whole

00:36:09thing of

00:36:10he's talking to

00:36:11the audience

00:36:11and it's all

00:36:13I love the way

00:36:16he's bouncing off

00:36:16audience reactions

00:36:17it's just so

00:36:18spontaneous

00:36:18nobody had done

00:36:19it and he was

00:36:20probably one of

00:36:21the few people

00:36:22who could do it

00:36:23properly

00:36:24and get away

00:36:25with it

00:36:26you know

00:36:26just that gap

00:36:28between the

00:36:30television and the

00:36:30audience at home

00:36:31drawing them in

00:36:33lovely

00:36:33I should turn

00:36:41the sound off

00:36:42if I were you

00:36:43she's not on long

00:36:44I should turn

00:36:48the vision off

00:36:48as well

00:36:49you might be

00:36:51love

00:36:51ah yes

00:36:51thank you

00:36:52by the mid

00:36:5460s

00:36:54television fame

00:36:55was the only

00:36:56thing that

00:36:56counted in the

00:36:57world of

00:36:57entertainment

00:36:58and Frankie

00:36:59Howard was

00:37:00one of TV's

00:37:00biggest stars

00:37:01his shambolic

00:37:03style was even

00:37:04put to use

00:37:04in advertising

00:37:05and he became

00:37:06the unlikely

00:37:06face of

00:37:07lion's made

00:37:08ice cream

00:37:09I'm doing

00:37:10this commercial

00:37:11for ice cream

00:37:12fools

00:37:13I never

00:37:14touch the

00:37:14stuff

00:37:15still there

00:37:16paying me

00:37:16ah yes

00:37:18here

00:37:19strawberry

00:37:20and vanilla

00:37:21ice cream

00:37:21rippled with

00:37:22a strawberry

00:37:23sauce

00:37:23or with

00:37:24a cherry

00:37:24on top

00:37:25extravagant

00:37:26devils

00:37:27audiences

00:37:32everywhere

00:37:32had a great

00:37:33affection

00:37:33for Frankie

00:37:34and he was

00:37:35also admired

00:37:36and adored

00:37:36by his fellow

00:37:37comedians

00:37:37as a guest

00:37:38star

00:37:39he was the

00:37:39highlight

00:37:40of any

00:37:40programme

00:37:40and he was

00:37:41a regular

00:37:41on the

00:37:42Bruce Forsyth

00:37:43show

00:37:43he was

00:37:50wonderful

00:37:51to work

00:37:51with

00:37:51I just

00:37:52loved the

00:37:52man

00:37:53pretend

00:37:53you're

00:37:54sawing a

00:37:54piece of

00:37:55wood with

00:37:55one hand

00:37:56oh yes

00:37:57that's right

00:37:58and blowing

00:37:58up a balloon

00:37:59with the

00:37:59other

00:38:00oh

00:38:00that's it

00:38:01no you'll

00:38:03never make

00:38:03a trombone

00:38:04play out

00:38:04pretty

00:38:07oh

00:38:08oh

00:38:08I'm waiting

00:38:13to continue

00:38:13the show

00:38:14pretend

00:38:15pretend

00:38:18pretend

00:38:18or pretend

00:38:19pretend

00:38:21I'll start

00:38:23again

00:38:23pretend

00:38:25a lot

00:38:31of the time

00:38:32Frankie

00:38:32could forget

00:38:33his lines

00:38:33and that's

00:38:34why he used

00:38:34oh well

00:38:35yes

00:38:35oh

00:38:36well

00:38:37no

00:38:37I'll make

00:38:38myself

00:38:39cover

00:38:39all that

00:38:40used to

00:38:40cover up

00:38:41him

00:38:41sometimes

00:38:42trying to

00:38:42think of

00:38:43his lines

00:38:43Frankie

00:39:09often went

00:39:10into a whole

00:39:11other level

00:39:11of apparent

00:39:12amateurishness

00:39:13when teamed

00:39:14with other

00:39:14performers

00:39:14he had a

00:39:15long running

00:39:16routine

00:39:16with various

00:39:17female piano

00:39:17players

00:39:18who were

00:39:18hard of

00:39:19hearing

00:39:19and got

00:39:20everything

00:39:20wrong

00:39:20it was

00:39:23fashionable

00:39:23in those

00:39:24days

00:39:24for people

00:39:26who sang

00:39:26to have

00:39:26a accompanist

00:39:27to have

00:39:28a pianist

00:39:28an awful lot

00:39:30of people

00:39:30sang

00:39:31stars

00:39:33and always

00:39:33had their

00:39:34own pianist

00:39:34and they

00:39:36would perhaps

00:39:36be an evening

00:39:36dress

00:39:37and have a

00:39:39pianist

00:39:39at the piano

00:39:39and there

00:39:41were always

00:39:41men

00:39:41always

00:39:42men

00:39:42I never

00:39:42ever saw

00:39:43a woman

00:39:43pianist

00:39:44and

00:39:45so I

00:39:47thought

00:39:47well

00:39:47if it is

00:39:48I'll get

00:39:49a woman

00:39:50if it is

00:39:51got a

00:39:51straight

00:39:52man

00:39:53pianist

00:39:54and have

00:39:54a comedy

00:39:55lady

00:39:55pianist

00:39:56just to be

00:39:57different

00:39:57I'm gonna

00:39:58do a song

00:39:58tonight

00:39:59ladies and

00:39:59gentlemen

00:39:59and I'm

00:40:00gonna sing

00:40:01a song

00:40:02which

00:40:02oh god

00:40:03no don't

00:40:04don't laugh

00:40:05you don't

00:40:06no don't

00:40:06you'll get me

00:40:07into trouble

00:40:07please

00:40:08no don't

00:40:08oh she's a

00:40:10funny woman

00:40:11she knows

00:40:12she can't hear

00:40:13very well

00:40:13she has this

00:40:13impediment

00:40:14of the ear

00:40:14and she's a bit

00:40:15miserable

00:40:15you know

00:40:16only some

00:40:17people are

00:40:17happy sufferers

00:40:18but she's

00:40:19you know

00:40:19she's bitter

00:40:21with it

00:40:22you know

00:40:22poor soul

00:40:23isn't it

00:40:24no don't

00:40:27laugh

00:40:27it might be

00:40:28one of your

00:40:28own

00:40:28don't laugh

00:40:29poor soul

00:40:31now

00:40:32yes it is

00:40:33it's chilly

00:40:33tonight

00:40:34yes

00:40:34poor soul

00:40:36she's passed

00:40:37it

00:40:37she would say

00:40:38chilly

00:40:38oh chilly

00:40:39chilly

00:40:39and he'd go

00:40:40oh yes

00:40:41chilly

00:40:42I'm sweating

00:40:43like a pig

00:40:44and you know

00:40:45talking about

00:40:46the pianist

00:40:47over there

00:40:47but now

00:40:48listen

00:40:48I'll do a song

00:40:49now do a song

00:40:50do a song

00:40:51now

00:40:51do a song

00:40:52now yes

00:40:53oh she's a burden

00:40:55I can't

00:40:55now this is a kind

00:40:58of aria

00:40:59a kind of aria

00:41:01do the aria

00:41:02now

00:41:02yes the aria

00:41:03she doesn't know

00:41:06whether she's on her

00:41:06aria or her elbow

00:41:07like this

00:41:08I love the way

00:41:11that the sort of

00:41:12grand piano

00:41:13the slightly dour

00:41:15looking female

00:41:16pianist

00:41:18and him making

00:41:18remarks to the

00:41:19audience about her

00:41:20clearly you know

00:41:20in the real world

00:41:21within earshot

00:41:22but supposedly

00:41:23out of earshot

00:41:23of the pianist

00:41:24it's all about

00:41:25you know

00:41:26I'm telling you

00:41:27something about

00:41:28this person

00:41:28and they can't

00:41:29hear me

00:41:29which is sort

00:41:30of what his

00:41:31whole that

00:41:31was kind of

00:41:32about anyway

00:41:32listen

00:41:33listen

00:41:33these people

00:41:34let me tell

00:41:35you this

00:41:35there was a comic

00:41:37idea he came up

00:41:38with during the war

00:41:39but it still

00:41:40worked on stage

00:41:4145 years later

00:41:42hers is a sad

00:41:44story

00:41:44no her don't

00:41:45love hers

00:41:46is a sad story

00:41:47yours

00:41:48I was just saying

00:41:49yours is a sad

00:41:51story

00:41:52and of course

00:41:54five years ago

00:41:55tragedy struck

00:41:56tragedy struck

00:41:59five years

00:42:00years ago

00:42:01the 1960s saw

00:42:07Frankie Howard

00:42:07fast becoming

00:42:08a British comedy

00:42:09icon

00:42:09and a clue

00:42:10to just how big

00:42:11he had become

00:42:12can be found

00:42:12in his files

00:42:13this invitation

00:42:16from Paul McCartney

00:42:17is evidence

00:42:17of a close

00:42:18relationship

00:42:19with the Beatles

00:42:19Frankie even

00:42:21interviewed McCartney

00:42:22on television

00:42:23but all that

00:42:24survives

00:42:24is this short

00:42:25sound recording

00:42:26Mr Paul McCartney

00:42:28here he is

00:42:28how do you

00:42:31manage to get

00:42:31this youthful image

00:42:32that's what I

00:42:33want to know

00:42:33well you know

00:42:34I just

00:42:35I do a lot

00:42:36of exercise

00:42:36what sort of

00:42:37well you know

00:42:39everything you

00:42:39can tell us

00:42:40about

00:42:40you know

00:42:41every morning

00:42:42around twice

00:42:43around the block

00:42:44yeah you try

00:42:45around the block

00:42:45I see

00:42:46Frankie had

00:42:47known the Beatles

00:42:48from their earliest

00:42:49days so when

00:42:50the Beatles

00:42:50needed help

00:42:51in 1965

00:42:52they turned

00:42:53to Frankie Howard

00:42:54these rare

00:43:02photographs

00:43:02tell the story

00:43:03of Frankie's

00:43:04forgotten work

00:43:05on the Beatles

00:43:05film Help

00:43:06I'm fairly sure

00:43:11the Beatles

00:43:11wanted him

00:43:12help

00:43:12because he'd

00:43:13been a good

00:43:14supporter of

00:43:15them in their

00:43:15early days

00:43:16he actually

00:43:16managed to get

00:43:17them gigs

00:43:18when they were

00:43:19underage

00:43:20in places

00:43:20like Jersey

00:43:21and he was

00:43:22quite a good

00:43:22advisor in those

00:43:23days he used

00:43:24to meet them

00:43:24informally

00:43:25and so they

00:43:25were big fans

00:43:26particularly

00:43:27Lennon and

00:43:27McCartney I think

00:43:28yeah I mean

00:43:29that says a lot

00:43:30about Frankie's

00:43:32success at the

00:43:33time that he

00:43:33would be in a

00:43:34film with the

00:43:34Beatles I mean

00:43:35the Beatles

00:43:36presumably could

00:43:36choose pretty much

00:43:37who they asked

00:43:37to be in their

00:43:38films and maybe

00:43:38they thought he

00:43:39was funny

00:43:39when the Beatles

00:43:40made their films

00:43:40they put in

00:43:41people like

00:43:41Ivor Kotler

00:43:42they put in

00:43:43cult comedians

00:43:44they didn't put

00:43:44in Jimmy Tarbuck

00:43:46although I'm sure

00:43:46he'd love to

00:43:46have been in it

00:43:47they put in

00:43:48people like Frankie

00:43:49Howard

00:43:49even though Frankie

00:43:50Howard was popular

00:43:51he was a cult

00:43:52figure

00:43:52the Beatles just

00:43:53liked comedy

00:43:54they were very good

00:43:55at appreciating comedy

00:43:56and he was in a scene

00:43:58with Paul McCartney

00:44:00and Wendy Richard

00:44:01and they filmed it

00:44:03it was all made

00:44:03but when they got

00:44:05to cut the movie

00:44:06Dick Lester cut

00:44:08the whole section

00:44:09out

00:44:09I think he was

00:44:15quite shattered

00:44:15when he found

00:44:16that he was on

00:44:17the cutting room

00:44:17floor because he

00:44:18enjoyed doing it

00:44:19and I think he

00:44:20thought it worked

00:44:20quite well

00:44:21Frankie Howard

00:44:22was now right

00:44:23at the centre

00:44:23of 60's show

00:44:24business

00:44:25and the disappointment

00:44:26of help

00:44:27was soon replaced

00:44:28by the excitement

00:44:29of Carry On Doctor

00:44:30Frankie made

00:44:37two films

00:44:38in quick succession

00:44:39Carry On Doctor

00:44:40and Carry On Up The Jungle

00:44:41and in both films

00:44:43he was the highest

00:44:44paid actor

00:44:44quick show him

00:44:46your doings

00:44:47I beg your pardon

00:44:48show him your doings

00:44:49I will not

00:44:50you show him yours

00:44:51he wants to see

00:44:51a bit of magic

00:44:52well you should have

00:44:53said you'll see magic

00:44:54who

00:44:55show me magic doings

00:44:57it's magic doings

00:44:58oh dear

00:44:59he's insistent

00:45:00isn't he

00:45:00well now

00:45:01no you are

00:45:02now wait

00:45:03this

00:45:04oh look

00:45:0612 o'clock

00:45:07that's it

00:45:10you've got him going

00:45:11in his second film

00:45:15Carry On Up The Jungle

00:45:16Frankie found a friend

00:45:17in Jones Sims

00:45:18this rare

00:45:19behind the scenes footage

00:45:20offers a glimpse

00:45:21into what Frankie

00:45:22described as their

00:45:23mad chemistry

00:45:24ah Lady Barkley

00:45:29did you see the

00:45:30giraffes just now

00:45:31yes I did

00:45:32quaint things

00:45:33I wonder why it is

00:45:34they need such long necks

00:45:35ah well

00:45:36it's quite simple

00:45:37really

00:45:37it's because their heads

00:45:38are so far away

00:45:39from their bodies

00:45:40but what I wanted

00:45:41to know was

00:45:42if one came in

00:45:43close contact

00:45:44with a snake

00:45:45could it harm one

00:45:46well

00:45:46that would depend on the snake

00:45:47and there is a brown one

00:45:50of course

00:45:51go on Frank

00:45:53I'm sorry

00:45:54there is a brown one

00:45:56of course

00:45:56the African viper

00:45:58which is quite deadly

00:45:59oh no no

00:46:00no this was definitely

00:46:01a green one

00:46:02and it seemed to move

00:46:03sort of

00:46:04like that

00:46:05ah that would be

00:46:06a windscreen

00:46:07bye for that

00:46:08Frankie Howard

00:46:11now left behind

00:46:12the carry-ons

00:46:13in hospital

00:46:14and up the jungle

00:46:15for eruptions of laughter

00:46:17in up Pompeii

00:46:18as the 60s

00:46:28drew to a close

00:46:29Frankie Howard

00:46:29could reflect

00:46:30on the achievement

00:46:31of coming back

00:46:32from the brink

00:46:32of obscurity

00:46:33to the top

00:46:34of his profession

00:46:35he had made

00:46:36all kinds of films

00:46:37and starred in

00:46:38West End

00:46:39theatre productions

00:46:40but one thing

00:46:41still eluded him

00:46:42a successful

00:46:43situation comedy

00:46:45but lurking

00:46:46around the corner

00:46:47was the spark

00:46:48of an idea

00:46:49the head of light

00:46:51entertainment

00:46:52at the BBC

00:46:52in those days

00:46:53was on holiday

00:46:54and was looking

00:46:56around the

00:46:57ruins

00:46:58of Pompeii

00:47:00and said

00:47:00he half expected

00:47:01thinking of a funny

00:47:02thing happened

00:47:03on the way

00:47:03to the forum

00:47:04to see Frankie Howard

00:47:05come around the corner

00:47:05in a toga

00:47:06and that suddenly

00:47:07sparked the idea

00:47:08into life

00:47:09of saying

00:47:09why don't we

00:47:10do a sitcom

00:47:10oh some shocking

00:47:18things go on

00:47:18here

00:47:18you know

00:47:19shocking

00:47:19licentiousness

00:47:21live a teenage

00:47:22orgies

00:47:23even bingo

00:47:25a pilot episode

00:47:29of up Pompeii

00:47:29was made in

00:47:30September 1969

00:47:32and the first

00:47:33series soon

00:47:33followed

00:47:34it did

00:47:35Frankie the world

00:47:36good

00:47:37it was a

00:47:37marvellous show

00:47:38and he was great

00:47:39in it

00:47:39built

00:47:39built for him

00:47:41up Pompeii

00:47:42was the perfect

00:47:43vehicle for Frankie

00:47:44Howard's comedy

00:47:45it thrived on

00:47:46innuendo

00:47:47and gossip

00:47:47and was set

00:47:48in a world

00:47:48of intrigue

00:47:49treachery

00:47:50and sex

00:47:52it was quite

00:47:53sort of naughty

00:47:54telly that I

00:47:55shouldn't really

00:47:55be watching

00:47:55because there

00:47:56were lots of

00:47:56sort of

00:47:56new bar girls

00:47:57wandering around

00:47:58who were

00:48:00jolly pretty

00:48:01it's putting me

00:48:02off

00:48:02no bra

00:48:05or anything

00:48:06it was very

00:48:08sexual

00:48:09but mostly

00:48:09it was just

00:48:10about

00:48:10how ludicrous

00:48:12the situation

00:48:13was

00:48:14that he was

00:48:14his whole thing

00:48:15like any great

00:48:16comedian

00:48:16is like

00:48:16isn't everything

00:48:17stupid

00:48:18isn't everything

00:48:18ridiculous

00:48:19you're ridiculous

00:48:19I'm ridiculous

00:48:20life is pointless

00:48:21and the whole

00:48:22thing with that

00:48:23character

00:48:24was just

00:48:24aren't these

00:48:24people ludicrous

00:48:25aren't they

00:48:25silly

00:48:26remember the

00:48:27three wise

00:48:28monkeys

00:48:29and keep

00:48:30your council

00:48:30yes

00:48:31and you remember

00:48:32the three

00:48:32brass monkeys

00:48:33and

00:48:33keep out

00:48:37of a draft

00:48:38it was set

00:48:41in 79 AD

00:48:43but it was

00:48:44really the

00:48:44middle-aged

00:48:45comedian's take

00:48:46on the

00:48:46swinging 60s

00:48:47Frankie

00:48:48began each

00:48:49episode in

00:48:49stand-up comedy

00:48:50mode

00:48:51but this

00:48:51time

00:48:52it was

00:48:52called

00:48:52the

00:48:53prologue

00:48:53greetings

00:48:54good citizens

00:48:55the prologue

00:48:56oh dear

00:48:58cold as ever

00:49:00now

00:49:00it was always

00:49:01the prologue

00:49:02wasn't it

00:49:02the prologue

00:49:04it was like

00:49:04right

00:49:04we're presenting

00:49:05a genuine

00:49:06historical epic

00:49:08here

00:49:09and the fact

00:49:10that you

00:49:10the prologue

00:49:10and then somebody

00:49:11comes in

00:49:12and there's

00:49:12the soothsayer

00:49:13and there's

00:49:13somebody

00:49:14and he's

00:49:14oh right

00:49:15this god

00:49:16zeus

00:49:16looked down

00:49:17on earth

00:49:17and he saw

00:49:18this maiden

00:49:18leader

00:49:19and he fancied

00:49:20her

00:49:20see

00:49:21so he said

00:49:22right

00:49:22he said

00:49:23i will go

00:49:24down to

00:49:24earth

00:49:25are you expecting

00:49:33anybody

00:49:34you know

00:49:36it's the same

00:49:36thing he did

00:49:37with his stand-up

00:49:37where he would

00:49:38go

00:49:38you know

00:49:39i'm presenting

00:49:40oh hang on

00:49:41right

00:49:42and then

00:49:42off he goes

00:49:43you know

00:49:44frankie howard

00:49:45used every trick

00:49:46of his comedy

00:49:47trade to make

00:49:48the show work

00:49:49but there was

00:49:49one trick

00:49:50which really

00:49:51stood out

00:49:51his favourite

00:49:52technique

00:49:53of talking

00:49:54straight to the

00:49:54camera

00:49:55to the audience

00:49:56to us

00:49:57i don't want

00:49:58to die

00:49:58you don't want

00:49:59to die

00:49:59i'm too young

00:50:00to die

00:50:00too young

00:50:01to die

00:50:01we will

00:50:01overcome

00:50:02we will

00:50:03overcome

00:50:03we shall

00:50:03go to war

00:50:04we won't

00:50:04go to war

00:50:05down with war

00:50:06down with war

00:50:07down with war

00:50:10what a shocking

00:50:12act to his name

00:50:13it's roman times

00:50:14and he's talking

00:50:15to a camera

00:50:16and sending up

00:50:18all the other

00:50:20characters

00:50:20made for him

00:50:21i love the fact

00:50:22that everyone

00:50:23is in a

00:50:24no one is allowed

00:50:25to kind of look

00:50:25out except

00:50:26frankie

00:50:26so the whole

00:50:27thing is this

00:50:28like kind of

00:50:29play going on

00:50:30around him

00:50:30and he's like

00:50:31this the whole

00:50:31time down the

00:50:32lens

00:50:32fire and brimstone

00:50:34will rain down

00:50:35on the city

00:50:35the very ground

00:50:37will tremble

00:50:38and all

00:50:39shall perish

00:50:40in the destruction

00:50:41and that is the

00:50:43end of the weather

00:50:43forecast

00:50:44silly old bag

00:50:49up on pay

00:50:51was all about

00:50:52drawing attention

00:50:52to the camera

00:50:53the audience

00:50:54the script

00:50:55the poverty

00:50:56of the script

00:50:57the terrible

00:50:57acting involved

00:50:59and he'd be

00:50:59constantly stepping

00:51:00out and being

00:51:01frankie howard

00:51:02and that

00:51:02made it very

00:51:03funny very

00:51:04unusual

00:51:04and very

00:51:05radical in a

00:51:05way

00:51:06frankie howard

00:51:08had finally

00:51:08made a classic

00:51:09situation comedy

00:51:10but not all

00:51:11his fans

00:51:12approved of

00:51:13up pompey

00:51:13discovered in

00:51:15the howard files

00:51:15are some of

00:51:16the huge amount

00:51:17of letters

00:51:17he received

00:51:18from unhappy

00:51:19viewers

00:51:20i got a tremendous

00:51:23amount of letters

00:51:25and there were

00:51:27nine of the

00:51:28ten

00:51:28out of every

00:51:30ten liked it

00:51:31very much

00:51:31and the tenth

00:51:33thought it was

00:51:33the most dreadful

00:51:34thing they've

00:51:34ever seen on

00:51:35television

00:51:35dear mr howard

00:51:38these episodes

00:51:39are merely

00:51:40disgusting

00:51:41not even

00:51:41funny

00:51:42dirt for dirt's

00:51:44sake gets

00:51:44terribly tedious

00:51:46neither my wife

00:51:47nor i would dream

00:51:48of missing one

00:51:49of your programs

00:51:50until the present

00:51:51series about

00:51:51pompey

00:51:52and the filth

00:51:53that passes

00:51:54for humor

00:51:54you don't have

00:51:56to rely on

00:51:56filth mr howard

00:51:57you really don't

00:51:59we loved you

00:52:00as you were

00:52:00the sensitive

00:52:03frankie howard

00:52:04was hurt

00:52:04by the criticism

00:52:05and took time

00:52:06to reply to

00:52:07all the letters

00:52:07usually adding

00:52:09at the end

00:52:09i'm sorry

00:52:10you did not

00:52:11like all the

00:52:11material in

00:52:12the up pompey

00:52:13series

00:52:13but it is

00:52:14difficult to

00:52:15please everybody

00:52:16all the time

00:52:17ladies and

00:52:19gentlemen

00:52:19mr frankie

00:52:20howard

00:52:20the corny

00:52:22jokes and

00:52:23sexual references

00:52:24may have lost

00:52:24him a few

00:52:25fans

00:52:25but the series

00:52:27won him

00:52:27the variety

00:52:28club's top

00:52:28award

00:52:29for show

00:52:30business

00:52:30personality

00:52:31of the

00:52:31year

00:52:31for 1971

00:52:32it had been

00:52:34a long

00:52:34and emotional

00:52:35journey

00:52:35but frankie

00:52:36howard

00:52:37was finally

00:52:38back at the

00:52:38top

00:52:39well

00:52:40before i

00:52:43came on

00:52:43here tonight

00:52:44mr delphont

00:52:45said to me

00:52:48try not

00:52:50he said

00:52:50to look

00:52:51smug

00:52:52as though

00:52:53you've

00:52:53actually

00:52:53deserved

00:52:54it

00:52:54and i said

00:52:56well look

00:52:56i'll try

00:52:57not to look

00:52:57smug

00:52:58i said

00:52:58if you

00:52:59try not

00:53:00to look

00:53:00as though

00:53:00you've

00:53:00actually

00:53:01paid

00:53:01for the

00:53:01awards

00:53:01yourself

00:53:02i have

00:53:08been in

00:53:08show

00:53:08business

00:53:09this month

00:53:1025 years

00:53:11and

00:53:12i started

00:53:14in the

00:53:14music halls

00:53:15and i

00:53:17started on

00:53:17variety

00:53:18band box

00:53:18and it

00:53:19was 25

00:53:19years ago

00:53:20and i was

00:53:21thinking

00:53:21tonight

00:53:22my goodness

00:53:23this is a

00:53:23long time

00:53:23ago

00:53:24during that

00:53:25time of

00:53:25course

00:53:26i've had

00:53:26like

00:53:27like many

00:53:27all of

00:53:28you

00:53:29ups

00:53:30and downs

00:53:30i've

00:53:32had

00:53:32some

00:53:32success

00:53:33and i've

00:53:34had a

00:53:34good deal

00:53:35of failure

00:53:35but

00:53:36i'm

00:53:37thankful

00:53:37i must

00:53:38tell you

00:53:38this

00:53:39to be

00:53:39even

00:53:39considered

00:53:40for an

00:53:41award

00:53:42such as

00:53:42this

00:53:42let alone

00:53:43to actually

00:53:44receive it

00:53:45and i

00:53:45want to

00:53:46tell you

00:53:46that

00:53:46ladies

00:53:46and

00:53:46gentlemen

00:53:47especially

00:53:48may i

00:53:49say

00:53:50thank you

00:53:51to

00:53:51those

00:53:53friends

00:53:54of mine

00:53:54in the

00:53:55public

00:53:55who have

00:53:56given me

00:53:56over all

00:53:57these

00:53:57years

00:53:57their

00:53:57support

00:53:58you know

00:53:59their support

00:54:00and

00:54:00their laughs

00:54:02their smiles

00:54:03and dare

00:54:04i say

00:54:04it

00:54:05their

00:54:05affection

00:54:05and

00:54:07i'm

00:54:08very

00:54:08grateful

00:54:09off screen

00:54:18there were

00:54:19some

00:54:19unlikely

00:54:19business

00:54:20developments

00:54:20with

00:54:21frankie's

00:54:22agent

00:54:22beryl

00:54:23virtue

00:54:23merging

00:54:24their

00:54:24company

00:54:24with

00:54:25the

00:54:25management

00:54:25of

00:54:25the

00:54:26bg's

00:54:26this

00:54:27gave

00:54:27rise

00:54:27to

00:54:28one

00:54:28of

00:54:28the

00:54:28strangest

00:54:29projects

00:54:29of

00:54:29frankie's

00:54:30career

00:54:30still

00:54:32in

00:54:32the

00:54:32attic

00:54:32of

00:54:32frankie's

00:54:33former

00:54:33home

00:54:34wavering

00:54:34down

00:54:35is

00:54:35frankie's

00:54:36record

00:54:36collection

00:54:36and

00:54:37amongst

00:54:37the

00:54:37albums

00:54:38is

00:54:38cucumber

00:54:39castle

00:54:40by

00:54:40the

00:54:41bg's

00:54:42the

00:54:47hour-long

00:54:48film

00:54:48made to

00:54:49promote

00:54:49the

00:54:49album

00:54:49teamed

00:54:50frankie

00:54:50howard

00:54:51with

00:54:51the

00:54:51bg's

00:54:52in

00:54:52a

00:54:52psychedelic

00:54:53medieval

00:54:53tale

00:54:54of

00:54:54kings

00:54:55and

00:54:55cucumbers

00:54:56it

00:54:57was

00:54:57a

00:54:57lavish

00:54:57but

00:54:58ill

00:54:58conceived

00:54:58project

00:54:59and

00:55:00not

00:55:00surprisingly

00:55:00has

00:55:01not

00:55:01been

00:55:01shown

00:55:02on

00:55:02television

00:55:02since

00:55:03it

00:55:03was

00:55:03first

00:55:03made

00:55:04it

00:55:05should

00:55:05be

00:55:05goodbye

00:55:05really

00:55:06where

00:55:07are you

00:55:07going

00:55:07sir

00:55:07dying

00:55:08out

00:55:08by

00:55:08a

00:55:08fool

00:55:09dying

00:55:10dying

00:55:10nobody

00:55:11cares

00:55:12dying

00:55:13no

00:55:13bad

00:55:14but

00:55:14he's

00:55:14dead

00:55:14dying

00:55:16dying

00:55:17soon after

00:55:41cucumber

00:55:42the castle

00:55:43frankie

00:55:43released

00:55:44a

00:55:44strange

00:55:44record

00:55:44of

00:55:45his

00:55:45own

00:55:45i was

00:55:50phoned

00:55:51up

00:55:51one

00:55:51day

00:55:51by

00:55:52my

00:55:52agent

00:55:53said

00:55:53do

00:55:53you

00:55:53want

00:55:53to

00:55:53make

00:55:53a

00:55:54record

00:55:54with

00:55:54frankie

00:55:55hard

00:55:55i said

00:55:55yes

00:55:55of

00:55:55course

00:55:56so

00:55:57so i

00:55:57go

00:55:57so i go

00:55:57along

00:55:57to

00:55:58the studio

00:55:58and there

00:55:59frank

00:56:00and

00:56:00and ray

00:56:01and alan

00:56:02and they

00:56:04said

00:56:04do you

00:56:05know

00:56:05je t'aime

00:56:06i said

00:56:08no

00:56:09oh well

00:56:10we play

00:56:10it to

00:56:11you

00:56:11so they

00:56:12played

00:56:13it

00:56:13you see

00:56:13a couple

00:56:14of times

00:56:15and i

00:56:15said

00:56:15i see

00:56:17and i'm

00:56:18a heavy

00:56:18breathing

00:56:19they said

00:56:19that's

00:56:20right

00:56:20up

00:56:21je t'aime

00:56:22was his

00:56:22version of

00:56:23the french

00:56:23record

00:56:24je t'aime

00:56:25the song

00:56:25which appeared

00:56:26to include

00:56:26a recording

00:56:27of the singer

00:56:28serge gainsbourg

00:56:29having sex

00:56:30with his

00:56:30girlfriend

00:56:30jane birkin

00:56:32the british

00:56:35version

00:56:35had frankie

00:56:36howard

00:56:37in bed

00:56:37with june

00:56:38whitfield

00:56:39and i was

00:56:42just going

00:56:43oh

00:56:44ah

00:56:45this and

00:56:46the other

00:56:46you know

00:56:47and it

00:56:49turned out

00:56:50in the end

00:56:50that they

00:56:51were in

00:56:51bed

00:56:51with her

00:56:52husband

00:56:52i remember

00:56:54that because

00:56:55i played

00:56:55the husband

00:56:55oi

00:56:57what

00:56:58if you

00:56:59two don't

00:56:59keep quiet

00:57:00i'm getting

00:57:00out of this

00:57:01bed and i'm

00:57:01going to

00:57:01sleep in

00:57:01the other

00:57:02room

00:57:02oh i'm

00:57:03sorry

00:57:03arthur

00:57:03but that

00:57:04was your

00:57:04time which

00:57:05got banned

00:57:06by the bbc

00:57:07for lewdness

00:57:08i mean how

00:57:09ridiculous can

00:57:10you be

00:57:10frankie

00:57:12howard now

00:57:13embarked on a

00:57:13series of

00:57:14feature films

00:57:14beginning with

00:57:15a film version

00:57:16of up

00:57:16pompeii

00:57:17hey you

00:57:18there

00:57:18sleep

00:57:18move me

00:57:19yes you

00:57:20move your

00:57:20ass

00:57:21well that's

00:57:22nice isn't

00:57:23it

00:57:23the next

00:57:26film was

00:57:26up the

00:57:27chastity belt

00:57:28and then

00:57:28up the

00:57:29front

00:57:29the series

00:57:31of up

00:57:32films were

00:57:32in danger

00:57:33of typecasting

00:57:34frankie

00:57:34howard

00:57:34as a comedian

00:57:35who could

00:57:36only do

00:57:36sexual

00:57:37innuendo

00:57:37a return

00:57:39to the bbc

00:57:39for an evening

00:57:40with francis

00:57:41howard

00:57:42was an attempt

00:57:43to change

00:57:43this perception

00:57:44this show

00:57:46isn't going to

00:57:47be like all

00:57:47the shows

00:57:48i've been

00:57:48doing recently

00:57:49i mean

00:57:50there's no

00:57:51you know

00:57:52there's no

00:57:52sort of

00:57:53what's the

00:57:54wait a minute

00:57:55it's no

00:57:56sort of

00:57:56curvaceous

00:57:57you know

00:57:58lovelies

00:57:59lovely ladies

00:57:59and mind you

00:58:00i hope we get

00:58:01how many titties

00:58:01in this show

00:58:02but the thing

00:58:02is

00:58:03no

00:58:05you see

00:58:06i think

00:58:07it's time

00:58:07to prove

00:58:08that i can

00:58:09write above

00:58:09all that

00:58:10because in real

00:58:14life you know

00:58:15oh in real

00:58:16life

00:58:16i mean

00:58:16i look down

00:58:17on that

00:58:17sort of

00:58:18thing

00:58:18frequently

00:58:20however much

00:58:25he wanted

00:58:25to change

00:58:26frankie howard

00:58:27was trapped

00:58:28by his own

00:58:28successful formula

00:58:30and just

00:58:31when he thought

00:58:31he was out

00:58:32it would always

00:58:33pull him back

00:58:34in

00:58:34the worries

00:58:44about failure

00:58:44kept frankie

00:58:45to tried

00:58:46and tested

00:58:46formulas

00:58:47and he now

00:58:48rehashed

00:58:49the up

00:58:49pompeii template

00:58:50in whoops

00:58:51baghdad

00:58:52let them wait

00:58:53till later

00:58:53let them wait

00:58:54greetings

00:58:55salam

00:58:56welcome to

00:58:58old baghdad

00:58:59gateway to the

00:59:01east

00:59:01pearl of the

00:59:02orient

00:59:03and the best

00:59:04knocking shot

00:59:05this side

00:59:05have come

00:59:06ah

00:59:08ah

00:59:11you're saying

00:59:12to yourselves

00:59:13he slipped

00:59:14one in already

00:59:15that's what

00:59:15you're saying

00:59:15yes he has

00:59:18i'll tell you

00:59:18why

00:59:18because i don't

00:59:19want you to

00:59:19switch off

00:59:20that's why

00:59:20in 1975

00:59:22as offers in the

00:59:24uk dried up

00:59:25he set off for

00:59:26canada to make

00:59:27the frankie howard

00:59:28show

00:59:28the 14 episodes

00:59:30with their

00:59:30colorful titles

00:59:31have never been

00:59:32shown on uk

00:59:33television

00:59:34frankie plays a

00:59:36lodger in a

00:59:36shared house

00:59:37full of misfits

00:59:38honestly i'm

00:59:43exhausted

00:59:44exhausted

00:59:45yes

00:59:47what

00:59:48don't don't

00:59:49laugh

00:59:50it's wicked to

00:59:50mock the

00:59:50afflicted

00:59:51i think i think

00:59:54what i'll do

00:59:55what i'll do

00:59:55listen

00:59:56listen now please

00:59:58don't be wicked

01:00:00what i think

01:00:02i'll

01:00:02let's catch

01:00:02your faces

01:00:03a minute now

01:00:04listen

01:00:04what i think

01:00:05i'll do

01:00:05i think

01:00:06i'll have a

01:00:06tinkle

01:00:06frankie now

01:00:14had a new

01:00:14agent

01:00:15beryl vertue

01:00:16handed the

01:00:16management of

01:00:17frankie's career

01:00:18to tessa

01:00:18labaz

01:00:19who talks

01:00:20about life

01:00:20with frankie

01:00:21here for the

01:00:22first time

01:00:22on television

01:00:23just after i

01:00:24took over

01:00:25in 76

01:00:26i had to

01:00:29go over

01:00:30to see him

01:00:30in canada

01:00:31i think

01:00:33he

01:00:33found it

01:00:35a little bit

01:00:35difficult over

01:00:36there

01:00:36i think

01:00:36he was

01:00:36very pleased

01:00:37to see

01:00:37me

01:00:38obviously

01:00:38dennis

01:00:38was there

01:00:39with him

01:00:39all the

01:00:39time

01:00:40dennis

01:00:41was

01:00:41an

01:00:42extremely

01:00:43calm

01:00:45sort of

01:00:45person

01:00:46who could

01:00:48put up

01:00:49with

01:00:49frank's

01:00:50occasional

01:00:51highs

01:00:51and lows

01:00:52of anxiety

01:00:53he

01:00:55dennis

01:00:56is the

01:00:56person

01:00:56who got

01:00:57him

01:00:57through

01:00:57every

01:00:57day

01:00:58from

01:00:59getting

01:01:00him

01:01:00to

01:01:00the

01:01:01right

01:01:01place

01:01:02at

01:01:02the

01:01:02right

01:01:02time

01:01:03to

01:01:03checking

01:01:03out

01:01:03the

01:01:04lighting

01:01:04making

01:01:05sure

01:01:05everything

01:01:05went smoothly

01:01:07he was

01:01:09yes

01:01:10he was

01:01:10absolutely

01:01:11ideal

01:01:11for frank

01:01:12and i

01:01:12suppose

01:01:13he and i

01:01:14between us

01:01:14really

01:01:16kept him

01:01:18going

01:01:19throughout

01:01:19those years

01:01:20that we

01:01:20were working

01:01:21together

01:01:21with him

01:01:21oh god

01:01:22i'm

01:01:23going

01:01:23to

01:01:23faint

01:01:23oh yes

01:01:25i'm

01:01:30going

01:01:30to

01:01:30faint

01:01:30do you

01:01:33mind

01:01:33do you

01:01:33mind

01:01:34dear

01:01:34they

01:01:34can't

01:01:34see

01:01:34the

01:01:34face

01:01:35back

01:01:40back in

01:01:40britain

01:01:41offers

01:01:42of

01:01:42television

01:01:42work

01:01:43remained

01:01:43limited

01:01:44this is

01:01:45your

01:01:45life

01:01:45told

01:01:46the

01:01:46story

01:01:46of

01:01:47his

01:01:47career

01:01:47so

01:01:48far

01:01:48and

01:01:48everyone

01:01:49who

01:01:49had

01:01:49played

01:01:49a

01:01:50part

01:01:50was

01:01:50there

01:01:50peter

01:01:54cook

01:01:54eric

01:01:59sight

01:01:59it was

01:02:00a night

01:02:01of high

01:02:01emotion

01:02:02and there

01:02:03through it

01:02:03all

01:02:03was his

01:02:04discreet

01:02:05and loyal

01:02:05partner

01:02:06dennis

01:02:07hamer

01:02:07let me

01:02:09just say

01:02:09this

01:02:10you know

01:02:11it's nice

01:02:11to have

01:02:11these

01:02:12tributes

01:02:12and i'm

01:02:12very touched

01:02:13i really

01:02:13am but

01:02:14when i

01:02:25wasn't

01:02:25doing

01:02:26so well

01:02:28so many

01:02:30people

01:02:30were kind

01:02:30to me

01:02:31dennis

01:02:32and

01:02:32tessa

01:02:33and blanche

01:02:33and they

01:02:34all stood

01:02:34by me

01:02:35very grateful

01:02:36to me

01:02:36don't

01:02:37i'm sorry

01:02:38i'm being

01:02:38stupid

01:02:39the late

01:02:5270s

01:02:52and early

01:02:5380s

01:02:54saw another

01:02:54dip in

01:02:55frankie

01:02:55howard's

01:02:56career

01:02:56from 1983

01:03:01a variety

01:03:02of tv

01:03:02and theater

01:03:03productions

01:03:04kept him

01:03:04busy

01:03:04but nothing

01:03:05captured that

01:03:06special

01:03:06frankie

01:03:07howard

01:03:07quality

01:03:08a revival

01:03:11of a funny

01:03:11thing happened

01:03:12on the way

01:03:12to the forum

01:03:13failed to live

01:03:14up to former

01:03:15glories

01:03:15the net

01:03:20was cast

01:03:20wide for

01:03:21interesting

01:03:21projects

01:03:22and in

01:03:231985

01:03:23frankie

01:03:24howard

01:03:25found himself

01:03:25up the

01:03:26alps

01:03:27up the

01:03:31alps

01:03:32has never

01:03:32been shown

01:03:33on television

01:03:33before

01:03:34it shows

01:03:35that frankie

01:03:35still had

01:03:36a spirit

01:03:36of adventure

01:03:37and he

01:03:37was not

01:03:38going to

01:03:38give up

01:03:38on his

01:03:39career

01:03:39what is

01:03:47she doing

01:03:48here

01:03:48as television

01:03:50gave up

01:03:50on him

01:03:51frankie

01:03:52howard

01:03:52went back

01:03:53on the

01:03:53road

01:03:53touring

01:03:54theaters

01:03:55with his

01:03:55vintage

01:03:56stand-up

01:03:56comedy

01:03:57act

01:03:57it was

01:03:58very funny

01:03:58you know

01:03:58i didn't

01:04:00know i'd

01:04:00be here

01:04:00about six

01:04:01weeks ago

01:04:01i was

01:04:02sitting

01:04:02at home

01:04:02one night

01:04:03watching

01:04:03the telly

01:04:04nothing

01:04:05on mind

01:04:05you

01:04:05but you

01:04:06get used

01:04:06to that

01:04:06position

01:04:06you

01:04:07know

01:04:07and the

01:04:11phone rang

01:04:12the phone

01:04:13rang

01:04:13i thought

01:04:14now who

01:04:14can't

01:04:14be my

01:04:15agent

01:04:15because he

01:04:16thinks i'm

01:04:16dead

01:04:16there were

01:04:20old jokes

01:04:20and new

01:04:21jokes

01:04:22but one

01:04:23element

01:04:23remained

01:04:24the same

01:04:24the unique

01:04:25style of

01:04:26frankie

01:04:26howard

01:04:27the ordinary

01:04:28suit

01:04:29the shambolic

01:04:30delivery

01:04:31the connection

01:04:32to the

01:04:32audience

01:04:33well

01:04:34ah

01:04:34no

01:04:35you see

01:04:35i thought

01:04:36the management

01:04:36would send

01:04:37me a car

01:04:37see

01:04:38no

01:04:39they send

01:04:39me a nap

01:04:40he toured

01:04:43relentlessly

01:04:44up and down

01:04:45the country

01:04:45he built a

01:04:47reputation

01:04:48and they

01:04:49came

01:04:49in their

01:04:50thousands

01:04:51to see

01:04:51the man

01:04:52himself

01:04:53frankie

01:04:54howard

01:04:54suddenly

01:04:56and unexpectedly

01:04:57his time

01:04:58had come

01:04:59again

01:04:59the alternative

01:05:02comedy of the

01:05:03late 80s

01:05:03was all about

01:05:04stand-up

01:05:05and a new

01:05:06younger

01:05:06audience

01:05:07now had

01:05:07an appreciation

01:05:08of the comedy

01:05:09skills

01:05:10of a true

01:05:11original

01:05:11frankie howard

01:05:29began to sell

01:05:30out bigger

01:05:30and bigger

01:05:31theaters

01:05:32and the fans

01:05:33kept getting

01:05:33younger

01:05:34and younger

01:05:35he came back

01:05:39because of his

01:05:40talent

01:05:40he was rediscovered

01:05:41again and again

01:05:42he put the work

01:05:44here and he just

01:05:45kept coming back

01:05:45and that strikes me

01:05:46for all that people

01:05:47talk about his

01:05:48depression and his

01:05:49anxiety

01:05:49that's an immense

01:05:52resilience

01:05:52and also an indication

01:05:53that he wanted to

01:05:54keep going back on stage

01:05:56all of a sudden

01:05:57he became a cult

01:05:58figure again

01:05:59and then it was

01:06:00all up again

01:06:00so it was wonderful

01:06:01now in his 70s

01:06:05frankie howard

01:06:06was as popular

01:06:07and admired

01:06:08as he had ever

01:06:09been

01:06:09he was a prized

01:06:10guest on youth

01:06:11tv shows

01:06:12like the word

01:06:13and all the best

01:06:19chat shows

01:06:20now wanted

01:06:20a piece

01:06:21of frankie

01:06:22there was also

01:06:24a return to

01:06:25advertising

01:06:26as the face

01:06:26of boddington's

01:06:27bitter

01:06:28bitter you not

01:06:30bitter you not

01:06:32bodies

01:06:34if you don't

01:06:35get bodies

01:06:35you'll just get

01:06:36bitter

01:06:37this late success

01:06:40was everything

01:06:40he could have

01:06:41hoped for

01:06:41but the high point

01:06:42would come

01:06:43at the most

01:06:43unlikely of venues

01:06:45oxford university

01:06:47and the debating

01:06:48chamber of the

01:06:49oxford union

01:06:50was the chosen

01:06:50place for the

01:06:51swan song

01:06:52of frankie howard

01:06:53he came on

01:06:59the place

01:07:02went mad

01:07:02this was a

01:07:02young audience

01:07:03but the reception

01:07:06he got from the

01:07:06students

01:07:07was wonderful

01:07:09no before we

01:07:10start the actual

01:07:11comedy acting

01:07:12you know

01:07:12what you've

01:07:13come to see

01:07:13the sort of

01:07:14comedy stuff

01:07:15i just wanted

01:07:16to say a word

01:07:17to you

01:07:18which is

01:07:19well not

01:07:19serious

01:07:20exactly

01:07:21but

01:07:22sincere

01:07:24sincere

01:07:24yeah

01:07:25no

01:07:26it's because

01:07:27you see

01:07:28i'm not

01:07:28well you know

01:07:30no you don't

01:07:30know

01:07:30but i mean

01:07:31no but you'll

01:07:32believe me

01:07:33when i tell you

01:07:33i'm not what

01:07:34you call

01:07:35an intellectual

01:07:36i'm not

01:07:36no no

01:07:37i'm not

01:07:38no

01:07:38i'm not

01:07:40what you call

01:07:41brainy

01:07:41uh

01:07:42you know

01:07:43a sort of

01:07:43clever clogs

01:07:44i'm not

01:07:44levels

01:07:45o levels

01:07:45and a levels

01:07:46oh no

01:07:46no no

01:07:46not that

01:07:47because you're

01:07:49all students

01:07:50so actually

01:07:51to you

01:07:51i'm not

01:07:52what you call

01:07:52academic

01:07:53by no way

01:07:54at all

01:07:55could you

01:07:55call me

01:07:56an intellectual

01:07:57and the

01:07:58which is why

01:08:03i feel so much

01:08:04at home

01:08:05here tonight

01:08:05there were echoes

01:08:08of that was

01:08:09the week that was

01:08:10the old school

01:08:11comedian

01:08:11teaching an oxbridge

01:08:12crowd a thing or two

01:08:14about the toughest

01:08:14subject of them all

01:08:15stand-up comedy

01:08:17shut your face

01:08:20is mocking

01:08:22no

01:08:23oh no

01:08:26oh no

01:08:27mrs

01:08:27no

01:08:28oh

01:08:30oh

01:08:31oh

01:08:32oh

01:08:35oh

01:08:36oh

01:08:37oh

01:08:38nay

01:08:40nay

01:08:41slice

01:08:42nay

01:08:42and

01:08:43year

01:08:43game

01:08:43nay

01:08:44frankie

01:09:02howard had

01:09:03nothing left

01:09:03to prove

01:09:04he was loved

01:09:05admired

01:09:06and respected

01:09:07right to the

01:09:08end

01:09:08in april

01:09:101992

01:09:11he was admitted

01:09:12to hospital

01:09:13with heart

01:09:14trouble

01:09:14frankie howard

01:09:16was admitted

01:09:16as an emergency

01:09:18to the intensive care

01:09:20unit here at the

01:09:20harley street clinic

01:09:21with a very serious

01:09:23heart problem

01:09:23this is being treated

01:09:25currently with medication

01:09:26he came home for easter

01:09:28but on the 19th of april

01:09:30the great comedian

01:09:32passed away

01:09:33he was buried

01:09:35in the cemetery

01:09:36of saint gregory's church

01:09:37in somerset

01:09:38just a few miles

01:09:40from his house

01:09:40wavering down

01:09:42i mean i'd love

01:09:46to be the first man

01:09:47to play on the moon

01:09:48by play i mean

01:09:49act

01:09:50act

01:09:52on the moon

01:09:54that would be

01:09:55but i don't think

01:09:56i'm going to be

01:09:57he just made you laugh

01:10:01and i mean that is

01:10:03i think that is

01:10:04a wonderful epitaph

01:10:05for anybody

01:10:06if you say

01:10:07what can you remember

01:10:09about frankie howard

01:10:10he made me laugh

01:10:11i mean what a lovely

01:10:12epitaph

01:10:12he went through decades

01:10:17entertaining people

01:10:19making them laugh

01:10:21not many people

01:10:21can say that

01:10:22he is always there

01:10:25you know

01:10:25if you take a sort of

01:10:26snapshot of the late

01:10:2850s 60s 70s 80s

01:10:29all the way through

01:10:30to his death

01:10:31he's always there

01:10:32or thereabouts

01:10:32in a way that a lot

01:10:33of comedians weren't

01:10:34everyone who's followed

01:10:36practically owes a debt

01:10:38to frankie howard

01:10:39because all the ranges

01:10:40of stand-up comedy

01:10:42owes a huge debt

01:10:43to him

01:10:43because he was

01:10:44the subversive one

01:10:45who dared to do it

01:10:46first

01:10:47he was way ahead of the game

01:10:50he's a very modern comic

01:10:51he'd be he'd be just fine

01:10:53then he'd be just fine

01:10:55people who were involved

01:11:02with him did did love him

01:11:05you know did love him for

01:11:07all his hodgepodge that he was

01:11:10I understood him so well

01:11:16being a fellow Pisces

01:11:17and I'll always miss my friend

01:11:20frankie howard

01:11:21a new series in which

01:11:35Gok Wan transforms your looks

01:11:36and your love life

01:11:37his style secret starts tomorrow

01:11:40at 8

01:11:40well Russell Crowe's accent

01:11:43might be a bit off the mark

01:11:44but the action and adventure

01:11:45are bang on target

01:11:46in the network premiere

01:11:48of Ridley Scott's

01:11:49Robin Hood

01:11:50that's next

01:11:51you

Frankie Howerd - The Lost Tapes

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