Social distancing — The Torbay way! 2 metres = 1 Basil Fawlty!

If our new normal of social distancing still has you confused as to what actually constitutes a ‘safe social distance’, consider this from one, John Cleese, with the ultimate in visual explanations for those thick of mind, courtesy of the Torbay Council. Going forward if I see you too close to one another I shall […]

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Leaving the world with a lifetime of laughter to enjoy forever, legendary comedy producer/director, Sydney Lotterby, dies at 93

While we never had the good fortune to speak with Sydney for our any of our PBS specials that featured not only the stars of some of the all-time great British comedy series but also focused on the writers and creators of some of the classics of British comedy, it was through the words of John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Jenny Funnell, Moira Brooker, Philip Bretherton, Richard Briers, Michael Crawford, Roy Clarke, David Jason, Karl Howman, Bob Larbey and Frank Thornton that we were immediately schooled on the greatness that was Sydney Lotterby.

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Happy Birthday, George Harrison — 25 February 1943

Sometimes known as ‘the quiet Beatle’, George Harrison would have been 77 years young today. The Liverpool-born musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer and, oh yeah, lead guitarist of the Beatles passed away in November 2001 of lung cancer at the very young age of 58.  While most Beatles fans will immediately identify with songs written […]

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Happy 65th, Rowan Atkinson!

Rowan Atkinson, English actor, comedian, and screenwriter turns 65 today. While best known to audiences worldwide for his work on the sitcoms Blackadder and Mr. Bean and, more recently, for his stellar performance in Maigret, I first stumbled upon Atkinson’s brilliant talent in the BBC2 sketch comedy series, Not the Nine O’Clock News.

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Neil Innes of Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band/Rutles/Monty Python fame dies at 75

Best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles and collaborating with the British comedy troupe Monty Python, Neil Innes died unexpectedly on Sunday at the age of 75. Innes, who will forever be known as ‘the 7th Python’, performed piano, guitar and vocals in The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band whose hit in 1968, […]

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Monty Python-inspired ‘silly walk’ parade takes over central Budapest

Inspired by a sketch in the 1970s comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, where actor John Cleese played a civil servant walking in unusual ways to the “Ministry of Silly Walks,” Benedek Petrok, a 27-year-old education assistant who organized the march, said the event provided an opportunity for people to forget about their daily problems.

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