Comments on: At Last, the 1967 "At Last, the 1948 Show" Show

At Last, the 1967 "At Last, the 1948 Show" Show

ubiquity — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:16:51 -0800

In 1967, before "Monty Python", before "The Goodies", and before "Marty", John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman teamed up to create a groundbreaking show that influenced (and provided sketch material and dialog for) much of what we know today as British Comedy. Most of the material was erased when its owner, Rediffusion London, disappeared in England's 1967 TV franchise reshuffle. Here is almost all of what survives of "At Last, the 1948 Show".

By: localroger

localroger — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:39:46 -0800

The framing skit for "Reptile Keeper" is eerily prescient. When Aimee held up the sign to show where you could send funds for the "make Aimee a wealthy lady fund" I was jolted to note that it wasn't a URL. Also, there is some funny shit in there.

By: defenestration

defenestration — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:46:29 -0800

Oh thanks. I haven't seen any of this before. Quite funny so far.

By: ooga_booga

ooga_booga — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:51:39 -0800

Ooo! The Four Yorkshiremen sketch sounded eerily familiar - Monty Python performed it during their Live at the Hollywood Bowl concert. On preview: the youtube video poster notes that very fact in the description so you probably know that already.

By: Benny Andajetz

Benny Andajetz — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:24:24 -0800

Ooo! The Four Yorkshiremen sketch sounded eerily familiar Richard Jeni's "we were armless, legless lint suckers..." routine could have been lifted straight from that sketch. I've tried searching for the Jeni clip, but haven't been able to find it.

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:29:08 -0800

Very nice, ubiquity. A similar radio show of that era (1964-1973), with Cleese, Brooke-Taylor, and others, was I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again. Fan pages on the Internet, plus an episode guide. And of course excerpts on YouTube (although being a radio show it's not really that visual).

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:48:24 -0800

Oh man! I remember years ago finding out that most of that stuff had been erased. I'm thrilled to find quite a bit of it's survived.

By: tellurian

tellurian — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:57:04 -0800

Lovely, thanks ubiquity. If we're going to talk comedy influences let's not forget that other radio show from Marty Feldman Round the Horne.

By: andraste

andraste — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:33:48 -0800

Who-hooo! We have the DVDs :) Sad that there isn't much left, but brilliant that something is.

By: scotty

scotty — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:30:51 -0800

I've just been watching the DVDs for the show. I saw the original when I was 20 in 1967 and remember just about every sketch. You should also watch "Do Not Adjust Your Set" with Palin, Jones, Idle...

By: squasha

squasha — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:19:55 -0800

The b&w Four Yorkshiremen skit may be one of my earliest memories of t.v. comedy (parents were big fans of PBS, thus the BBC influence on my youth) and I thank you for reminding me of the original.

By: Clay201

Clay201 — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:51:15 -0800

In V For Vendetta (the comic book, not the movie), Alan Moore includes a song performed by the title character and one of the lyrics is "At last, the 1998 show." I'd never heard of the 1948 show, so had no idea Alan was making a reference. (Though in general he's very fond of them).

By: bbbaldie

bbbaldie — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 07:11:54 -0800

There is no funnier person on the planet than John Cleese.

By: JHarris

JHarris — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 07:25:57 -0800

The problem with this show is it that it reveals, in ever more vivid detail, that the Pythons were from a different, funnier planet, and us mortals can never hope to compete.

By: Reggie Digest

Reggie Digest — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:02:32 -0800

You should also watch "Do Not Adjust Your Set" with Palin, Jones, Idle... No, you shouldn't; it's absolutely terrible. If for any reason at all, watch it to remind yourself that all the funniest Python sketches were Chapman/Cleese creations.

By: Kattullus

Kattullus — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:03:54 -0800

all the funniest Python sketches were Chapman/Cleese creations YAAARGH! No! nonononononononono NO! Repeat after me: Just because I have an opinion on art doesn't mean it's the objective truth. Just because I have an opinion on art doesn't mean it's the objective truth. Just because etc. etc. (you get the idea). However, to answer you substantively, it is possible that all the your favorite Python sketches may be written by Chapman and Cleese, but it's impossible to know for a fact because: a) Aside from some of the most famous sketches, such as Dead Parrot (Cleese/Chapman), Spanish Inquisition (Palin/Jones) and Nudge Nudge (Idle) and a few others, the members of Monty Python have rarely divulged the information as to who wrote which sketch. b) Even though they had recognizable styles, the different Pythons would deliberately write pastiches of each other, which would often end up in the show. Thus, not every thesaurus sketch is written by Cleese and Chapman, not every song is by Idle and not every sketch featuring vikings (or other random historical figures) is by Palin and Jones. That aside there are a whole lot of brilliant sketches in the fourth (truncated) season and Cleese had gone by then. The fourth season isn't as great as the other three, but it nonetheless has some absolutely stellar moments. Let's Talk Ant is one of my favorite sketches, but I recognize it's pretty bizarre, even for the Flying Circus. For the record I like all the Pythons, I couldn't choose a favorite if I tried.

By: davros42

davros42 — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:17:18 -0800

No offense to this show's wonderful place in the history of British Comedy, but the Goons were doing it first.

By: Dr.Pill

Dr.Pill — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:49:58 -0800

No offense to The Goons place in the world of British Comedy, but J. B. Morton was doing it first. "As schoolboys, my brother and I - both Irish, by the way - worshipped Beachcomber ... and used to paste his paragraphs in a book, and that led to the birth of the Goon Show." Spike Milligan