October 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic musical, The Phantom of the Opera. Royal Albert Hall was the place to be this past weekend for three sold out performances where more than 200 original and current cast members combined to pay special tribute to the incomparable music of the night. The […]
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Ok, not really, but it does make good copy for those that follow both Doctor Who and Upstairs Downstairs, doesn’t it? Attention: Doctor Who final episode spoiler alert! Do not read on if you haven’t seen last episode of Doctor Who. Even if you haven’t seen it, the episode was, after all, titled, The Wedding of […]
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With the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth nearly upon us (February 2012), there are numerous festivals, exhibitions and educational activities planned for 2012. Two of the most eagerly awaited events from my perspective, however, will be those that find their way to the telly in December leading up to the year-long celebration. Bleak Expectations […]
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Having first appeared in a 1990 New Year’s Day radio program for Thames Television, Mr. Bean is officially retired. Rowan Atkinson, the British comedy great that brought the character to life believes he is too old to play the Buster Keaton-like character any longer. Having last played the lovable legend in the 2007 film, Mr. […]
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With a bit of full disclosure up front, I will admit my only experience that allows me to talk about this subject is having attended a number of BBC Showcase meetings over the years in the UK whereby the answer to everything that dealt with food seemed to be “…just add a bit of brown […]
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Shamelessly paraphrasing a line from the Stevie Ray, Doyle Bramhall song The House is Rockin’, “…don’t bother knocking, come on in” is the only way to describe PBS’ house tonight as Hugh Laurie pays tribute to the history and tradition of New Orleans Blues. Hugh Laurie: Let Them Talk — A Celebration of New Orleans […]
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With the passing of David Croft on Sunday, 27 September, at age 89, more from our 1999 interview for the public television program, Salute to British Comedy on American Public Television. When host Penelope Keith introduces the ‘Allo ‘Allo segment, we come to realize that the series was not only complex for the audience, but […]
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British comedy legend, writer/producer David Croft, has died at age 89. Responsible for such classic sitcoms as Dad’s Army, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi, ‘Allo ‘Allo and Are You Being Served?, Croft began his career in show business with an early childhood advertisement appearance and then a small part in the 1939 film, Goodbye […]
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For your viewing pleasure, there are a couple of upcoming gems on the Dame Judi Dench horizon. One sooner than the other, but both well worth the wait. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel From the director of Shakespeare in Love, the star-studded film features the likes of a couple of Dames (Judi Dench and Maggie […]
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…along comes news of yet another bone-headed re-make concept that just makes you want to turn off your telly and listen to radio drama until the end of time. Word on the street (actually, via The Hollywood Reporter) is that CBS is developing […]
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