Leonard Rossiter’s diverse career spanned thirty years. Before achieving success in his television sitcoms, he appeared in a hundred and fifty stage productions, numerous television dramas and some of the most important films of the 1960s. The Unforgettable s2e2: Leonard Rossiter
Leonard Rossiter’s success in the theatre is less well recognised. ibid.
Frankie Howerd’s career had the ups and downs of a rollercoaster. But for forty-five years he was one of Britain’s funniest comedians. The Unforgettable s2e5: Frankie Howerd
1946 became a professional comedian. Within a year Frankie Howerd was a household name on BBC radio’s Variety Band Box. ibid.
43,195. At the end of the 1950s Frankie’s comedy career was in crisis. ibid.
Frankie’s resurrection came from BBC television and the early sixties craze for political satire: That Was the Week that Was. ibid.
Frankie Howerd had gone from has-been to headliner. ibid.
In the mid-eighties he was discovered by a new generation of teenagers and students. ibid.
The 1970s was the golden age of sitcom. And her comedic talents were suddenly very much in demand. The Unforgettable s4e3: Mollie Sugden
Are You Being Served: as Mrs Slocombe, Mollie Sugden was propelled to worldwide fame. The sitcom sensation started out as a pilot episode. ibid.
‘Captain Peacock, I do not respond to any man’s finger.’ ibid. Mrs Slocombe
Mollie and Bill were still very much in demand. Often working together in the theatre. ibid.
Mollie died 1st July 2009. She was 86. ibid.
Terry Scott was a stalwart of British farce on stage and screen. And became renowned as one of the great pantomime dames. But he reached the peak of his fame in the 1970s and 1980s playing the bumbling suburban husband in Terry & June. The Unforgettable s4e4: Terry Scott
His energy and enthusiasm for performing never flagged. ibid.
Terry’s child-like qualities found their natural home in pantomime where he became legendary as a dame. ibid.
Terry joined the Carry On team. ibid.
Happy Ever After ran for five years ... The first series of Terry & June went on air. ibid.
Terry Scott died on July 26th 1994. ibid.
By the time of his death in 2001 Sir Harry Secombe was one of Britain’s best loved entertainers. The Unforgettable s4e5: Harry Secombe
One of the Goons. ibid.
A voice that could move people to tears. ibid.
The Goons recorded several successful singles. ibid.
He would go on to release more than seventy albums. And enjoy regular hit singles. ibid.
He also found time to write two novels. ibid.
He christened himself Sir Cumference. ibid.
43,425. Soon the face of Sunday teatime. ibid.
Writer, musician, Goon, poet, artist and humanitarian, perceived as a genius and madman in equal measure, Spike Milligan’s life was full of contradiction, controversy and comedy. But where did it all begin? The Unforgettable s4e8: Spike Milligan
In 1933 the Milligans found themselves on a boat to England. ibid.
Spike loved Army life and formed a band. ibid.
Spike was injured by an exploding mortar. ibid.
Their gooning around eventually became The Goons. ibid.
Spike Milligan was at the epicentre of a new comedy explosion in Britain. ibid.
The stress became so great he suffered a nervous breakdown. ibid.
Silly Verse for Kids went on to become a modern classic. ibid.
The series that was to change the rules of British comedy: Q. ibid.
Spike still suffered with severe depressions. ibid.
Born in 1915 in Marylebone London Norman and older brother Fred had a tough upbringing. The Unforgettable s5e1: Norman Wisdom
Norman was alone, sleeping rough and living off charity from food vendors. ibid.
The plucky band boy became Flyweight boxing champion of the British Army. ibid.
Norman began appearing in small theatres. ibid.
By the early ’50s Norman was one of Britain’s biggest variety acts. ibid.
The Rank Organisation contracted him for a seven-year deal. ibid.
Over the next thirteen years Norman would make fourteen more comedy films. Most with the same winning formula. ibid.
By the mid-60s Norman Wisdom was one of Britain’s biggest stars. ibid.
In Going Gently Norman was cast as a man on a terminal ward dying of cancer. ibid.
‘I found out my fiancé is going to buy me a surprise present. And I’m on my way to buy him one. You are awful. But I like you.’ The Unforgettable s5e7: Dick Emery, sketch
He married the first of what would be five wives. ibid.
He met a young chorus girl called Vicky Chambers. ibid.
‘I am sure that must give you immense satisfaction.’ ibid. Emery as vicar judging marrow contest
Dick’s private life is increasingly complicated. ibid.
Dudley Moore – musician, performer, movie star, he had it all. The Unforgettable s5e10: Dudley Moore
That show was Beyond the Fringe. ibid.
Not Only, But Also ... ibid.
Derek and Clive’s underground popularity led to spots on Saturday Night Live. ibid.
He started to embrace the Hollywood lifestyle. ibid.
Arthur was another role that seemed to be made for Dudley. Although not a drinker himself he was the perfect drunk. ibid.
Then in 1995 Dudley heard the shocking news of the sudden death of his former comedy partner Peter Cook. ibid.
Comedy is learning to be funny, and you learn to be funny in small rooms with young audiences. Joan Rivers
My routines come out of total unhappiness. My audiences are my group therapy. Joan Rivers
What are people going to do? Fire me? I’ve been fired before. Not book me? I’ve been out of work before. I don’t care. Joan Rivers
Forty years in the fucking business and this is where you end up. Joan Rivers, A Piece of Work, 2010
Anybody call? No! ibid. Joan with secretary
Staff, I’m lonely. Who’s gonna fuck me tonight, staff? ibid.
No man has ever put his hand up a woman’s dress looking for a library card. ibid. Johnny Carson show
Fox Fires Joan Rivers. ibid. magazine article
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the best act in her price range … Joan Rivers, Don’t Start With Me, backstage self-introduction, Netflix 2012
$35 million dollars? I wish I had a son. Come on, one night with Michael. ibid.
It was so horrible: we swam with sharks. $250 to swim with a fucking shark. I went over to the fattest woman I could find, and I said, I hope you have your period. ibid.
The Chinese brought two things to this country. They brought the railroads and they brought anal sex. Oh, sidebar, sidebar – don’t you love anal sex? Can we talk here. Oh for a busy woman I mean multi-tasking at its finest, it’s so great, you can have him fucking you away – and you can do your internet: you can answer all your email. And now that you can get Netflix – oh! Take your time. ibid.
Thin people, get the fuck out. I hate you. I hate thin people – does this tampon make me look heavy? And you know who you are – your fingers smell of vomit. ibid.
Don’t swallow sperm. 148 calories a swallow – New York Times. Or if you go on Weight Watchers – two points. ibid.
They have the best giftshop at Auschwitz. They have, here it comes, yes, yes, smoked ham, a Hitler watch – they hands when they get to noon – Heil! – And they have a pen – watch the Jews go in the over, watch the Jews comes out of the over – too much? Then I won’t tell you my Whitney Houston joke. ibid.