Coogan to play Savile on telly

[kalowski]

As long as he says, "Would you believe..." I'll be happy.

[jamiefairlie]

I'm looking forward to the Rolf one, the Stuart Hall one, the Fred Talbot etc. Then they all join together in a couple of years. Yewtree Cinematic Universe

The golden years of Yewtree Comedies.

[jamiefairlie]

Will they recreate that bit in Jim Will Fix It where the scouts eat their sandwiches on the rollercoaster. That was fun.

And to think we innocently thought that was mayonnaise. Different times.

[jamiefairlie]

It looks like he's wearing a false chin like Kevin Eldon as Rod Hull in Fist of Fun.

If only Rod had been a nonce instead of just a general fucking nuisance.

[ajsmith2]

Does Coogan have the range/ability to transcend Partridgean tics that would sent this into the realms of the queasily farcical? It seems a tall order, not because of his lack of skillz so much but because he's SO associated with that other fictional more benignly monstrous broadcaster. I just can't imagine him managing it: would loved to be proved wrong though.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

There wasn't a trace of Partridge in his performance as Stan Laurel, so I reckon he could, if you will, pull this off.

But I know what you mean.

[JamesTC]

Hope when this comes out, somebody re-edits it to turn it into an episode of Dr Terrible's House of Horrible.

[Rizla]

TW - gross fucking awful shit.

A lot of the time we don't need or have to rely on instict.  A huge amount of the time all the facts are laid out bare. 

I just tried to find my copy of "As It Happens" wherein he describes the village fete he opened in 1974 (in fact I think my copy was the one republished as "Love Is An Uphill Thing", boak) but couldn't locate it, so I've c&p'd from the daily mail -

Sick: Jimmy Savile made the shocking claims in his 1974 Barrie & Jenkins book As It Happens

Jimmy Savile once spent the night in a tent on a hillside with six girls wearing matching mini-skirts and white boots as 'payment' for taking part in a charity event, he wrote in an out-of-print memoir.

The shamed TV star and the girls 'fell about and over each other, making enough noise to wake the dead' at a location in Yorkshire, he said in his 1974 Barrie & Jenkins book As It Happens.

Savile, who died last year in Leeds aged 84, also recalled being recognised on a beach by a girl, who began to take off her swimsuit inside her caravan for him, leaving him 'wringing wet with heat and temptation', until her parents entered.

He claimed a council chairman called him as he wanted the annual mayoral ball to become a youth dance, because the event had previously only attracted a few hundred locals in the past.

The presenter told the chairman: 'I will come if you will arrange for me to sleep in a tent up the local hillside with another tent alongside with six girls to sleep there as my bodyguards.

He added: 'My demands really put the dance on the map and 2,000 tickets went like hot cakes.

'My ultimatum of "no tents, no girls, no me" meant the council had to go through with it.'

A newspaper advert was placed for young girls to spend the night with him, and he claimed that hundreds applied, reported the Sunday Mirror.

Savile even said the unknown council called a meeting to decide which six girls to use, and half of the members left in disbelief at the discussion.

Savile described the girls as 'good enough to eat' and he had an 'incredible evening'. But the father of one girl realised what was happening before the event started and dragged his daughter home.

Later on that evening Savile claimed the 'girls' tent fell over and we all had to finish up together'.

I remember reading this, well before his death, thinking what an utter nonce cunt in need of grave. BUT what's not been mentioned in the article there is a detail I remember sticking out, which was that he also demanded tented accommodation for "my millionaire pal, who couldn't believe that I was really going through with this whacky sex crime stunt" (quoted from memory)

I bet this incident is depicted somehow in the film. But will it include said pal? Who was this person?

[Buelligan]

Indeed.  What a time to be alive, eh?

[kalowski]

BUT what's not been mentioned in the article there is a detail I remember sticking out, which was that he also demanded tented accommodation for "my millionaire pal, who couldn't believe that I was really going through with this whacky sex crime stunt" (quoted from memory)

I bet this incident is depicted somehow in the film. But will it include said pal? Who was this person?

Six girls were selected and all of them were given matching mini skirts and white boots, as befitting a ceremonial bodyguard. They looked good enough to eat. I duly arrived in the town and it was the start of an incredible evening. The first thing was that the father of one of the girls arrived and hauled her off home. She protested loudly but dad would have none of this preposterous situation. For company I had brought along a millionaire pal who just didn't believe my story. When he saw the crumpet his eyes shot out a mile and his total conversation for the evening was an incredulous 'Are we kipping with them?'
Technically no, as we were in the tent next door. Or were supposed to be.

[Huxleys Babkins]

I don't believe that quote is from Savile for one second.

Now then, now then, six girls were selected and all of them were given matching mini skirts and white boots, as befitting a ceremonial bodyguard. As it 'appens, they looked good enough to eat. I duly arrived in the town and it was the start of an incredible evening. Clunk-click. The first thing was that the father of one of the girls arrived and hauled her off home. E-urgh-e-urgh. She protested loudly but dad would have none of this preposterous situation. Sha-waddy. Waddy. For company I had brought along a millionaire pal who just didn't believe my story. Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle. When he saw the crumpet his eyes shot out a mile and his total conversation for the evening was an incredulous 'Are we kipping with them?' Now then, now then, technically no, as we were in the tent next door. Or were supposed to be as it 'appens. Jewelery.

That's better.

[shiftwork2]

I'm another who is struggling to see how this could work.  Steve Coogan has proven me wrong before.  The first was the 'sweeping the Pennines' off-camera bit at the start of 24 Hour Party People when his Tony Wilson was found to work against the odds.  And the second was his Stan Laurel.  But Savile is something else and the stakes aren't just 'crap impression oh dear never mind', they are much higher.  Could he actually pull Savile off?  I'm leaving that in even though it just popped out.

[kalowski]

I just keep thinking of the brilliant moment in TTWAP when Alan accidentally does a Savile "Now then, now then" impression and then a brief look of horror flashes across his face.

[Cuellar]

Be good if these stills turn out to actually be from an ill-advised segment on a new series of This Time

[Brundle-Fly]

I suspect Coogan will emphasise the When Louie Met Jimmy off camera persona of Savile. The man we eavesdrop on talking about tying up nightclub punters in the basement. I can't imagine it's going to be scene after scene of Coogan going 'jingle jangle, now then, now then, EeeuuurrrgEEeeeurrghEEeeurgh' etc.

[buttgammon]

In Mid Morning Matters, AP points out that the noise Savile made sounded like a siren, as if he was subconsciously trying to warn people.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I just keep thinking of the brilliant moment in TTWAP when Alan accidentally does a Savile "Now then, now then" impression and then a brief look of horror flashes across his face.

One of my favourite Partridge moments, that. Such a great, subtle bit of acting from Coogan.

[kalowski]

One of my favourite Partridge moments, that. Such a great, subtle bit of acting from Coogan.

Which you could easily miss if you were looking at the character who was speaking.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I suspect Coogan will emphasise the When Louie Met Jimmy off camera persona of Savile. The man we eavesdrop on talking about tying up nightclub punters in the basement. I can't imagine it's going to be scene after scene of Coogan going 'jingle jangle, now then, now then, EeeuuurrrgEEeeeurrghEEeeurgh' etc.

Yep. One thing we can be sure of about The Reckoning is that Coogan won't be playing Jimmy Savile as he presented himself to the public (apart from those scenes in which he's presenting himself to the public). Savile was almost always 'on' when he had an audience, he hid behind his zany persona. He knew what he was doing, he kept up the act. For the most part anyway.

The Louis scene you mention, Brundle, is presumably how Coogan will approach the role: quietly intimidating and sinister. He'll have studied various television interviews with Savile too. The 'eccentric' mask often dropped whenever he was put on the spot, that psychopathic aggression was always bubbling just under the surface.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

he also demanded tented accommodation for "my millionaire pal, who couldn't believe that I was really going through with this whacky sex crime stunt" (quoted from memory)

I bet this incident is depicted somehow in the film. But will it include said pal? Who was this person?

Dan Davis mentions this in his biography of Savile.  Savile was camping on a Yorkshire hill, supposedly in another tent to six young women who were daughters of council officials.  Davis interviewed one of the women who took part.  She said Savile came to the ladies' tent, plied them with booze then tried it on with them.  He was diverted by local youths who had followed them up there and shot out some lamps that stood outside as illumination.  Savile ended up in a physical fight with the youths and the interviewee said how vicious and nasty he was when he did.

[Rizla]

Dan Davis mentions this in his biography of Savile.  Savile was camping on a Yorkshire hill, supposedly in another tent to six young women who were daughters of council officials.  Davis interviewed one of the women who took part.  She said Savile came to the ladies' tent, plied them with booze then tried it on with them.  He was diverted by local youths who had followed them up there and shot out some lamps that stood outside as illumination.  Savile ended up in a physical fight with the youths and the interviewee said how vicious and nasty he was when he did.

Ah. I suppose would explain why, when he repeated the "stunt", he had them erect tents on rafts in the middle of a river. Any mention of that in the Davis book - is it worth reading in general?

[Butchers Blind]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/06/prince-charles-repeatedly-sought-jimmy-savile-advice-documentary-claims

[Norton Canes]

Still think they should have gone with Alister McGowan, after his performance in An Audience with Jimmy Savile:

"Alistair McGowan [plays] Savile like a stringy, preening turkey in a turquoise tinfoil tracksuit. McGowan is repellently convincing, getting the tics and verbal mannerisms spot on, as you'd expect from the impressionist turned actor. But he also hints, when confronted by one of Savile's victims, at the dead-eyed emptiness of a man whose presentation of himself to the world was one big con trick"

An Audience with Jimmy Savile review – Alistair McGowan is repellently convincing

[Ferris]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/06/prince-charles-repeatedly-sought-jimmy-savile-advice-documentary-claims

Imagine needing to be told as a family you should give the appearance of getting along in public (if only for the PR).

[Rizla]

Yeah, I wondered if McGowan was ever in the running, I'd liked to have seen that Audience With.

Hey, as a bit of a palate-cleanser, in case anyone's not heard it - Popper and Serafinowicz's brilliant Frost/Savile Radio Spiritworld special

Quite cathartic.

[Icehaven]

A newspaper advert was placed for young girls to spend the night with him, and he claimed that hundreds applied, reported the Sunday Mirror.

Dan Davis mentions this in his biography of Savile.  Savile was camping on a Yorkshire hill, supposedly in another tent to six young women who were daughters of council officials.

Wonder which it actually was, or a combination.
"Daddy you're a councillor, please let me be one of the Savile tent girls, pretty please"
"Well alright then, I'll pull some strings, anything for you poppet."

[Norton Canes]

Hey, as a bit of a palate-cleanser, in case anyone's not heard it - Popper and Serafinowicz's brilliant Frost/Savile Radio Spiritworld special

Ha, now all I can hear in any Savile impersonation is Partridge.

[iamcoop]

The Dan Davies book on Savile (In Plain Sight) is still one of the most remarkable things I've ever read.

The level of complicity from all facets of authority is astonishing.

It's a very well researched and written book and for my money is the definitive account on how his abuse was actively encouraged by people in positions of power.

The main thing I took away from it is how few people have been held accountable since. There are hundreds of people still alive that should be having their day in court. Madness really.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Mark Lawson's run in with Savile is genuinely chilling, not just due to Savile's behaviour, but because of how quickly the BBC turn on him and the victim.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/apr/01/the-day-i-thwarted-jimmy-savile-mark-lawson-on-trying-to-stop-britains-worst-sex-offender

[Ron Maels Moustache]

Occurred to me today, this won't even be the first time Coogan has portrayed Savile:

Love the fact that that channel is called "Classic Comedy" as well. Classic Laffs with Britain's most notorious sex offender!