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TED CAN'T HEAR YAH! A (belated) Hi-De-Hi! 40th Anniversary thread!

Started by Glebe, August 25, 2020, 07:39:37 PM

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Glebe

Quote from: DrGreggles on September 01, 2020, 05:08:26 PMIt's been said many times before, but that's a fucking astonishing Wogan impression by yer man.

Indeed DrG... sure you've seen this before but here he doing his Wogan beside the great man himself!

Quote from: Famous Mortimer on September 01, 2020, 05:52:05 PMI just happened upon an Ade Edmondson ad for Natwest just now, where he's clearly playing Vyvyan but is never referenced as such. I just wanted to post this because I'd never heard of it before (there's a Ronnie Barker ad for watches on the video just before it, too) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEuEman9cUw - Ade's bit starts at about 2:30.

EDIT: It's got a Cinzano Bianco ad with Joan Collins, Leonard Rossiter and a young Marina Sirtis after that, too. This is a fun video.

Friends Provident Advert - Featuring Half of the The Young Ones (1990).

Interesting what rectorofstiffkey was saying about copyright, RE: the Wispa ad with Madoc and Cadell, in this case they obviously got permission to use the characters proper.

Discovered this in the YT related sidebar, not sure if I'd seen if before but it seems vaguely familiar:

Castrol Ad 2000 featuring Nigel Planer as Neil from 'The Young Ones".

Neil you bloody hypocrite!

Quote from: Alternative Carpark on September 01, 2020, 10:31:28 PMThere is actually one other episode he also appears in, 'Ted At The Helm', where Ted goes to Maplins Head Office in London and meets him there.

Oh bugger yeah you're right AC, forgot about that! 'Spaghetti Galore', in which he tries in on with Gladys at Tony's Trattoria, features Pink Panther series stalwart Graham Stark as Tony himself... was sad to discover some unplesant allegations involving Stark via this thread:

Quote from: Bennett Brauer on May 26, 2019, 12:24:41 AMStark is yet another dodgy case, unfortunately. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10806464/The-stark-truth-of-Peter-Sellers-sidekick.html

Hmmm.

Quote from: SavageHedgehog on September 01, 2020, 10:35:06 PMThe disconnect between the title and cover here is intriguing.

Around the same time Peter Keogh released hit single 'Husbands Will Always Be the Last to Know Their Wives Got the Head Bust in the Break-Up'.

Quote from: Tony Tony Tony on September 02, 2020, 11:16:42 AMNext up Hearts and Showers by Su herself.

The thrills continue! While we await the synopsis, here's Frankie Howerd's Typhoo time to shine! (With Kenny Everett voicing the Brillo Pad ad tagged on there?)

Glebe

Quote from: Huxleys Babkins on September 02, 2020, 09:34:42 AMProblem is, they'd also brought Su Pollard.

Su was bedecked in bright red sequinned hot pants and matching baseball cap and tinted glasses. She'd regularly break away from the rest of the group and start mingling in with the rest of the public, speaking loudly to herself in order to be noticed. "Oh, I wonder where the loos are?" she'd bellow. At no point did her voice go below "raised". She'd greet people with a very enthusiastic hello and seemed irked if she only got an hello back. She needed to hear "wow, it's Su Pollard off the telly" as if she needed it to live.

A genuinely exhausting woman.

Somebody posted some anecdote before (which I can't find) involving some of the HDH! cast out for a meal or summit, where Cadell made some amusing quip about Pollard's loudness.

Couple of things from one of the previous HDH! threads:

Quote from: Ignatius_S on December 22, 2015, 01:23:38 PMDavid Griffin was very good as Clive and he was well cast (although he found it an unhappy experience)

Hmmm, that's interesting... Ignatius, if you happen to stop by, could you elaborate on this?

Quote from: Phoenix Lazarus link=topic=45455.msg2715875#msg2715875date=1450798023Cadell mentioned in an interview bollocking students heckling him in a theatre with 'Hi De Hi', getting off the stage to do so.  Not a squeak thereafter.

Heh! Oh yeah, RE: the previously-posted musical poster... Keith Richards has let himself go!:



Now I'm just off to show willing and help entertain the campers in the Hawaiian Ballroom during the gentlemen's excuse-me.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: Glebe on September 04, 2020, 01:45:34 AM...Hmmm, that's interesting... Ignatius, if you happen to stop by, could you elaborate on this?...

I may have overstated that but from a couple of interviews with Griffin, my inference is that it wasn't a particularly happy gig because he replaced Cadell, which was brought up by cast and crew regularly. I think it's on the Comedy Connections episode about the show, where Griffin mentions that people would say to him how difficult it must be trying to fill Simon's shows - IIRC, he says that he thinks this was probably well-meaning but it sounds like it made fitting into the cast difficult and the way he phrases it (i.e. implying some doubt about how well-intentioned it is) suggests some ambivalence.

I suspect a big issue is how loved Cadell was on the show - one of those people who never had a bad word said about him, tremendously amusing and warm-hearted. I remember someone saying on here (hopefully I got the details right) that their mother booked celebrity guests for company functions (possibly it was a publishers and this was to do with annual awards) - once it was Cadell, charmed absolutely everyone when presenting. Afterwards, he elected to remain there, propping up the bar, delighted to chat to anyone and tell stories. Hope I got that right and my memory isn't playing tricks!

Glebe

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 10, 2020, 08:22:05 PMI may have overstated that but from a couple of interviews with Griffin, my inference is that it wasn't a particularly happy gig because he replaced Cadell, which was brought up by cast and crew regularly. I think it's on the Comedy Connections episode about the show, where Griffin mentions that people would say to him how difficult it must be trying to fill Simon's shows - IIRC, he says that he thinks this was probably well-meaning but it sounds like it made fitting into the cast difficult and the way he phrases it (i.e. implying some doubt about how well-intentioned it is) suggests some ambivalence.

I suspect a big issue is how loved Cadell was on the show - one of those people who never had a bad word said about him, tremendously amusing and warm-hearted. I remember someone saying on here (hopefully I got the details right) that their mother booked celebrity guests for company functions (possibly it was a publishers and this was to do with annual awards) - once it was Cadell, charmed absolutely everyone when presenting. Afterwards, he elected to remain there, propping up the bar, delighted to chat to anyone and tell stories. Hope I got that right and my memory isn't playing tricks!

Thanks for that Ignatius (good to hear from you again, btw!)... that Comedy Connections is on YouTube, but the audio is out of sync, ffs. As I say I was always a fan of Cadell as Jeffrey, but admit Griffin as Clive was a good replacement.

I had this idea for a follow-up (maybe titled Ho-De-Ho!), that could be set in the '80s/'90s maybe with Johnny Vegas as Ted's son, following him into the business!

Ignatius_S

Quote from: Glebe on September 13, 2020, 01:35:26 PM
Thanks for that Ignatius (good to hear from you again, btw!)... that Comedy Connections is on YouTube, but the audio is out of sync, ffs. As I say I was always a fan of Cadell as Jeffrey, but admit Griffin as Clive was a good replacement.

I had this idea for a follow-up (maybe titled Ho-De-Ho!), that could be set in the '80s/'90s maybe with Johnny Vegas as Ted's son, following him into the business!

Always a pleasure, Glebe - and thanks for the kind words! Rather like the idea of the follow-up too!

It's a shame about that Comedy Connections as there's a lot of interesting information in there. However, from what I remember, it was one where so much is crammed up, sometimes it was easy to infer something incorrect. For instance, a couple of people I know thought that Leslie Dwyer was written out because he had died, although it does say that he passed away after leaving the show - but it's covered so quickly, it's an understandable impression to get.

Speaking of Dwyer, he pops up in quite a few films on Talking Pictures, including some leading roles. One that I saw a little while ago, Where There's a Will involves a cockney family inheriting a farm - very fun film (as was the fashion, based on a play) with a lovely cast, including Dandy Nichols and Kathleen Harrison. George Cole plays Dwyer's spivvish brother-in-law and to my mind, Dwyer stole most of their scenes... no mean feat!

Going back to Griffin, I think he's actually very good in Hi-De-Hi and plays Clive beautifully. Although I think it was good that they made his character different to Cadell's, rather than replicate it - that's something that tended to happen when character got replaced in Croft's sitcoms - it did really alter the dynamic in core cast of the Entertainment Manager, Gladys and Ted. For me, having someone so naive and principled, bouncing off the unscrupulous, cunning Ted with Gladys backing Jeffrey, but understanding how things work more than him, is more satisfying than having someone rather more worldly-wise.

Also, Cadell made Jeffrey so funny, despite rarely having funny lines of his own (going from memory, would say he set the lines up), his physicality is just astounding.

That said, Clive and Gladys' relationship was one that I feel was easier to imagine as having a long-term and she was really just the woman that the aimless Clive needed, which I rather like.

Alberon


Glebe

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 28, 2020, 07:50:39 PMIt's a shame about that Comedy Connections as there's a lot of interesting information in there. However, from what I remember, it was one where so much is crammed up, sometimes it was easy to infer something incorrect. For instance, a couple of people I know thought that Leslie Dwyer was written out because he had died, although it does say that he passed away after leaving the show - but it's covered so quickly, it's an understandable impression to get.

Interesting, I thought he was written out because Dwyer passed away. Hmmm.

Menu

Why did Cadell leave? I thought he was written out because he was ill. Obviously not.

Tony Tony Tony

Cadell left, in 1984, simply because he wanted to. He always stated he didn't want to be in a long running role that would lead to him being typecast. He was a well respected actor prior to joining Hi De Hi (National Youth Theatre and Bristol Old Vic) post Jeff he continued a long(ish) acting career (Blott on the Landscape and Life Without George amongst others). He was diagnosed with lung Cancer in 1993 after a heart attack. He passed away some three years later.

It seems unlikely he left the show under any sort of cloud, having married Rebecca the daughter of David Croft, who of course jointly created and wrote Hi De Hi, barely a year after departing.

An indication of how soon Cadell was taken is that he was at school with Gyles Brandreth who, as we know, is still hanging around hale and hearty.

Menu

Thanks for that. 80 fags a day apparently. That'll do it for sure.

Ignatius_S

The drama Enemy at the Door about the WWII occupation of Guernsey is being shown on Talking Pictures at the moment and Cadell plays one of the main characters, a nasty Nazi. On a Hi-De-Hi related tangent, another Alfred Burke is in the show and in Public Eye, which he starred in, there's an episode where Leslie Dwyer appears - quite a tangent, but always like to give that series and those actors a plug.

Quote from: Glebe on September 28, 2020, 08:21:34 PM
Interesting, I thought he was written out because Dwyer passed away. Hmmm.

No, there was bit of a gap between him leaving and shuffling off this mortal coil, as the bard has it. Far from a massive one admittedly, but sure in a previous thread than when production dates are taken into account, it's a little longer than people tend to think.

I think Dwyer may have wanted to leave the show due to ill health - given that he was nearing 80 years of age, that wouldn't be unexpected but then again, neither would just want to take things a bit easy.

Glebe

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 28, 2020, 07:50:39 PMAlso, Cadell made Jeffrey so funny, despite rarely having funny lines of his own (going from memory, would say he set the lines up), his physicality is just astounding.

Been said before of course but his dictations of Joe Maplin's letters ("Listen up, see...") were a highlight. Also a lot of humour derived from his naïve nature... there was a scene where he gives Ted advice for his insomnia by describing how he pretends he's curled up in a flowerpot or something when he tries to sleep that was pretty funny.

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 29, 2020, 09:06:37 PMNo, there was bit of a gap between him leaving and shuffling off this mortal coil, as the bard has it. Far from a massive one admittedly, but sure in a previous thread than when production dates are taken into account, it's a little longer than people tend to think.

I think Dwyer may have wanted to leave the show due to ill health - given that he was nearing 80 years of age, that wouldn't be unexpected but then again, neither would just want to take things a bit easy.

Yeah I guess if he wasn't in the best of health it's hardly surprizing he retired when he did. 'Who Killed Mr. Partridge?' could have been construed as tasteless I guess, though not so much given as you say that Dwyer was actually still around! I love the way the whole murder-mystery, 'Somebody in this room is guilty!' thing is played up in that episode, I think there's a bit with 'DAN-DAN-DAN!' music, isn't there?

Ignatius_S

Quote from: Menu on September 28, 2020, 09:20:27 PM
Why did Cadell leave? I thought he was written out because he was ill. Obviously not.

In addition to what TonyX3 said, when Cadell signed up for Hi-De-Hi, he specified how long he was willing to do be in it, which Croft and Perry accepted. However, this wasn't common knowledge - think Ruth Madoc was only cast member aware of it.

Re: your other post - although Cadell was a heavy smoker, his health conditions weren't helped by a very heavy workload. From what I've read, the massive heart attack and subsequent major surgery, led to Cadell making lifestyle style changes - by most accounts, his cancer diagnosis hit friends hard after Cadell had been so seriously ill but survived only to have that diagnosis so soon after.


Ignatius_S

Quote from: Glebe on September 29, 2020, 09:21:19 PM
Been said before of course but his dictations of Joe Maplin's letters ("Listen up, see...") were a highlight. Also a lot of humour derived from his naïve nature... there was a scene where he gives Ted advice for his insomnia by describing how he pretends he's curled up in a flowerpot or something when he tries to sleep that was pretty funny...

It may have been - but in my book, can't be said too often! Would agree with all that and think one reason why it works so well is that Cadell plays it absolutely dead straight - it makes the discomfort of reading Maplin's semi-literate missives so much effective.

Quote from: Glebe on September 29, 2020, 09:21:19 PM...Yeah I guess if he wasn't in the best of health it's hardly surprizing he retired when he did. 'Who Killed Mr. Partridge?' could have been construed as tasteless I guess, though not so much given as you say that Dwyer was actually still around! I love the way the whole murder-mystery, 'Somebody in this room is guilty!' thing is played up in that episode, I think there's a bit with 'DAN-DAN-DAN!' music, isn't there?

That's a really good point about tastelessness - if Dwyer had passed away, absolutely sure they wouldn't have done with that. I've got a feeling that you're right about that music - however, it's a while since I saw it. Actually, I bought the DVD boxset as I enjoyed catching some of the repeats and wanted to watch the whole thing but didn't get round to it, so this thread is giving some encouragement....

mhmhmh

So if Hi-De-Hi was made today it would be about a holiday camp in the year 2000, is that right? I suppose the phones would look a bit different.

Tony Tony Tony

Quote from: mhmhmh on October 01, 2020, 12:30:51 PM
So if Hi-De-Hi was made today it would be about a holiday camp in the year 2000, is that right? I suppose the phones would look a bit different.

Reckon it be a very different show, these days Butlins for one is all about entertaining the campers rather than the campers being part of the entertainment. Nobbly Knees Contests, Beauty Pagents, Three Legged Races etc are long since gone. Last time I holidayed at Skegness Butlins there was a big tent thing where shows were put on throughout the day. In the evening there was entertainment in a couple of big venues (the biggest holding three thousand or so) where Britains Got Talent and X Factor acts appeared.

Two stories of 'old' Butlins spring to mind (one of which I think I have posted before but what the heck). My dad always maintained that the only reason he was beaten into second place in the Donkey Derby was because the winner made a late dash when the rider put his burning cigarette end and the animals rear. Also I vividly recall as a small child seeing through into the swing doors to the kitchen in the dining area. One of the assistants was cutting portions of a dessert with a cake slice and licking the slicer after each cut. Fun times.   

bomb_dog

Quote from: Tony Tony Tony on October 01, 2020, 02:25:23 PMOne of the assistants was cutting portions of a dessert with a cake slice and licking the slicer after each cut. Fun times.
It was for the slicer! huurrrrrrrr

Glebe

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 29, 2020, 09:45:15 PMIt may have been - but in my book, can't be said too often! Would agree with all that and think one reason why it works so well is that Cadell plays it absolutely dead straight - it makes the discomfort of reading Maplin's semi-literate missives so much effective.

I loved how he tried to explain Maplin's slang, "I think he means..."

dissolute ocelot

Quote from: mhmhmh on October 01, 2020, 12:30:51 PM
So if Hi-De-Hi was made today it would be about a holiday camp in the year 2000, is that right? I suppose the phones would look a bit different.
They should do a sitcom about Belle and Sebastian's Bowlie Weekender at Pontins. 1999. (All Tomorrow's Parties started in 2001.)

Glebe

Just watching The Fast Show Live on YouTube recently, it occurs to me that Paul Shearer would make a good Jeffrey in a reboot!

Menu

Quote from: Ignatius_S on September 29, 2020, 09:32:55 PM
In addition to what TonyX3 said, when Cadell signed up for Hi-De-Hi, he specified how long he was willing to do be in it, which Croft and Perry accepted. However, this wasn't common knowledge - think Ruth Madoc was only cast member aware of it.

Re: your other post - although Cadell was a heavy smoker, his health conditions weren't helped by a very heavy workload. From what I've read, the massive heart attack and subsequent major surgery, led to Cadell making lifestyle style changes - by most accounts, his cancer diagnosis hit friends hard after Cadell had been so seriously ill but survived only to have that diagnosis so soon after.

Never said thanks for this, it's very interesting. Thank you!

I never saw any post-Cadell Hi-De-Hi.  What were the episodes like after he left?

Glebe

Quote from: Phoenix Lazarus on October 14, 2020, 06:33:24 AM
I never saw any post-Cadell Hi-De-Hi.  What were the episodes like after he left?

They were still quite decent, really.

The episode just on Drama was good value. John le Mesurier rocked up in a cameo and Diane Holland was dressed as a bar room tart.

today's episode (Season 4, Episode 1) is a Cadell masterclass.

Fambo Number Mive

Lockdown has finally got me into Hi-De-Hi. Up to Series 5 now. It reminds me of Are You Being Served in one way - Grace Brothers is a really rubbish department store owned by a horrible man, Maplins is a really rubbish holiday camp owned by a horrible man.

I do find Jeffrey Farebrother a bit of a cliche but maybe Cambridge professors were like that in the 1950s. Spike and Ted grow on you, Spike is a very sweet person and Ted is a wonderful antihero. Even Peggy is funny in the right setting rather than a pain in the bottom.

It is slightly corny in places but still worth a watch if like me you have more time on your hands than usual.

Glebe

Okay know we're not really supposed to bump threads but didn't wanna start a new thread just for one wee thing:


Tony Tony Tony

Quote from: Glebe on June 10, 2022, 02:43:34 PMOkay know we're not really supposed to bump threads but didn't wanna start a new thread just for one wee thing:


Thanks for that, any scrap of Hi de Hi is welcome. Always brings back memories of Butlins hols as a kid. I have mentioned this one before but I remember there being an animatronic volcano scene in one of the bars that erupted every half hour. Obviously the inspiration for the 'Eruptions' episode where Ted sabotaged a similar bit of kit.

On my last visit to butlins a few years ago I bought a biscuit barrel with old photos on the tin. I was struck by one showing the windows that let you sit in a cafe and see underwater into the swimming pool. Probably a perverts paradise.

kalowski

Apologies if I missed a conversation about this, but I was in the car today and for some reason Felix Bowness popped into my head. Does anyone know why he did the "You have been watching" bit in (angry) character whilst everyone else gave the camera a jolly wave?

Glebe

Quote from: Glebe on August 29, 2020, 02:10:12 AMShane, Madoc, Pollard and Holland on The Paul O' Grady show in 2007 is long gone off YouTube, sadly.

It's back up!