British humor...

[dockmurgw]

British comedy can come from unexpected places. My Godmother was a Brit...a war bride. I can still remember family warning her, under no circumstance, do you tell anyone here to keep their pecker up.

 

[Dave_n]

Well Monty Python evolved years later from the Goon Show. You have to be of a certain age in the early 1950s to remember tuning in BBC radio for 15 minutes of the Goons, Harry Seacombe being one of the leaders together with Spike Milligan, and a couple more whose names I have now forgotten at around 7 pm. This was all verbal humour and very fast repartee. It did not translate to TV even in those early days, but that 15 minutes together with "Paul Temple-Detective" which depending upon your local medium band radio station, were broadcast in the order above, or reverse. LVSteve's parents would have known them but you have to be over 80 nowadays to remember them in their heyday. Dave_n

 

[oldbrownhat]

Well Monty Python evolved years later from the Goon Show. You have to be of a certain age in the early 1950s to remember tuning in BBC radio for 15 minutes of the Goons, Harry Seacombe being one of the leaders together with Spike Milligan, and a couple more whose names I have now forgotten at around 7 pm. This was all verbal humour and very fast repartee. It did not translate to TV even in those early days, but that 15 minutes together with "Paul Temple-Detective" which depending upon your local medium band radio station, were broadcast in the order above, or reverse. LVSteve's parents would have known them but you have to be over 80 nowadays to remember them in their heyday. Dave_n

I'm only 69, but I'm quite familiar with The Goon Show and have lots of them recorded. Spike Milligan ("The Well-Known Typing Error"), Harry Secombe (a very fine high tenor, too), Peter ("Oh my goodness gracious me!") Sellers, Michael Bentine (in the early days) and announcer Wallace Greenslade... , and characters Bluebottle, Neddy Seagoon, Colonel Bloodnok, William mate ("I don't like people to know I does the sewers"), Gryptype-Thynne and Moriarty.... Britain desperately needed somethng to laugh at after the war and this seemed to do the trick.

Spike Milligan's war memoirs (5 or 6 volumes) are worth reading as well, and also the biography of him ("Spike- An Intimate Memoir") by his long-suffering agent, Norma Farnes,

And then, after them, was Beyond the Fringe....

 

[Jessie]

And who could forget the “ Wankers”?

 

[Rustyt1953]

For those interested, research the collaboration and the writings of Stanley Holloway and Marriott Edgar. Marriott is one of my all-time favourite whimsical poets.

Bloody marvelous stuff, that is.

 

[Eltioloco]

In summation;

Britain gave the world Blackadder and Monty Python.

America gave the world Gilligan's Island and Hee Haw.

We also gave the world The Office and Three's Company. jk

 

[oldbrownhat]

For those interested, research the collaboration and the writings of Stanley Holloway and Marriott Edgar. Marriott is one of my all-time favourite whimsical poets.

Bloody marvelous stuff, that is.

Ah yes- Albert and the Lion, Battle of Hastings, etc. Wonderful!

 

[Rustyt1953]

Quite fitting for this crowd.

Marksman Sam by Marriott Edgar

 

[Absalom]

The final word on British TV humor:

“Not funny? What? I'm trying to cheer her up, you stupid Kraut!"

And if you don’t get that because you haven’t watched Fawlty Towers, I’m sorry. Whatever you do, don’t mention the war

 

[Onomea]

...“Not funny? What? I'm trying to cheer her up, you stupid Kraut!"...

Don't Mention the War! | Fawlty Towers | BBC Comedy Greats - YouTube

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have a stockpile of older British sitcoms. Not long ago my youngest started binge watching 'Allo 'Allo! again and she will periodically text me quotes.

It never gets old.

 

[Golddollar]

Nothing and nobody will ever top Benny Hill.

I have fond memories of family gatherings at my paternal grandparents' house in Punxsutawney. We would hear the opening theme for Benny Hill come on and my dad, his brothers and I would be heading for the TV room to watch it together.

 

[LVSteve]

Spike Milligan's war memoirs (5 or 6 volumes) are worth reading as well, ....

Those should be read by anyone who claims that there is no such thing as battle fatigue and PTSD. The way Milligan's writing switches from screaming humour (sic) to serious war reporting says much about his state of mind post WWII. I still cannot read the coughing thing all the way through in one go. I have to stop and give my ribs a rest. Then there's the bit about Havelock the Dog in North Africa that still makes me weep.

As for the Goons, BBC radio did a bunch of reruns in the 70s that Dad had me listen to. Life changing stuff.

 

[Eltioloco]

Dad's Army must be mentioned when talking about British humor. Great stuff. I think all the shows are on youtube now.

 

[swsig]

There is, of course, no such thing as British humor. There is, however, British humour.

 

[Pig Hunter]

All right , stop this sketch now! It's not funny ! Stop it right now.

 

[quikdraw67]

I never really got into the whole Monty Python thing.

My Dad used to watch Benny Hill, but I think that was to check out the girls "assets".

Classic Saturday Night Live, John Belushi era, is my idea of humor.

 

[Llew Taranau]

Anarchy in the UK

 

[Sistema1927]

I never really got into the whole Monty Python thing.

Burn the Witch!
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2xlQaimsGg[/ame]

 

[oldbrownhat]

For former Realm inhabitants:

Or people who throw it overboard (I'll get my coat)

The antidote (which I'm enjoying - well steeped - at this very moment):