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[Jetstone]

I just discovered CROOKS ANONYMOUS (1962) and after watching about half of it so far I can't think of a better comedy movie from Britain ( Okay... TIME BANDITS ). The facial expressions especially. I have never seen any of the actors except COLUMBO  veteran Wilfrid Hyde White.

The director applies what I consider the most important rule in comedy. Show the essence of each character's performance then cut.

[paw broon]

There are quite a few British comedies that I enjoy, and which make me laugh.  Some are comedy/mysteries.
Try these but I don't know if the humour will travel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BABU1gt-MMM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FMBtg4m_iY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWCOX0_wp_I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DaA825pOrQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62gpAJoOxvU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpvXq6yV1oA
I'm curious to know how you get on.

[bowers]

Thanks for posting these, Paw! I've seen "Ghost Train" and "Naked Truth" (what a cast!) before and enjoyed both. Will watch "Runaway Bus" and the rest soon! With a raucous Christmas Cheer to you, my friend! Bowers

[Robb_K]

Thanks for posting these, Paw! I've seen "Ghost Train" and "Naked Truth" (what a cast!) before and enjoyed both. Will watch "Runaway Bus" and the rest soon! With a raucous Christmas Cheer to you, my friend! Bowers

You should like that one a lot.  Anything with Margaret Rutherford in it has to be good.   

You also can't go wrong with Alastair Sim.

[bowers]

 Robb, I also love Margaret Rutherford! I only discovered a few years ago that Petula Clark was a child star in Britain and not only a singer. I'll be glad to see her performance as well.
I recently watched an interview with Stephen Fry where he gave his opinion as to the difference between British and American humor. He believed American comedy was based more on laughing at others, while British comedy was based more on laughing at ourselves. Maybe that's why I prefer Britcoms! Cheers to all, Bowers

[The Australian Panther]

This is one of the funniest sketches I know. Because as an ex-bookseller I know it is very true to life in principle. Every bookseller I know who has seen this sketch can identify with it. Cleese likes it so much that the Python's have often included it in their live performances even tho it was originally written for a previous show,
'At last the 1948 show' Which was almost as funny as the pythons were.
Here is 'the Bookshop sketch'

John Cleese's Favourite Sketch: The Bookshop | At Last The 1948 Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYlOV7K-xOU

And do look up 'At last the 1948 show' on Google for more laughs.

And here is Cleese and Eric Idle reading some of the full script.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZK_JPSRvw0

Cheers!

   

[paw broon]

OOOOOHHH!!! so much going on.
Right and first, for bowers, Here's Petula Clark:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0TZH7Cytt8
Panther, you're bang on about 1948 Show, but, I think this is just as good:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi_6SaqVQSw
If it's Alastair sim you're after, well, I've posted this before but it's worth posting again.  Great cast:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ueo2TkOkEgs&list=PLSbcysKjoG4skHsnUkPyGoCYlbsStsf_I&index=4
Same with this one.  Another great cast:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zluRBp7al1I

[The Australian Panther]

Wasn't sure where to put these, but comedy is one of the mainstays of these shows, as it has long been on British TV, and yes, we got a good dose of it Down Under.

So enjoy!

Christmas Night with the Stars (BBC 1964)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JksfiiBBIBU

Christmas Night with the Stars (BBC 1958)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLevDSn-Gs8

Christmas Night with the Stars (25 December 1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpBSAiPMb9A

Many highlights. Dick Emery in 1964 and the Goodies in 1972 being only two.

Relax with a glass and some Christmas cheer and have a good laugh!

[Jetstone]

Jack Benny and WC Fields and Jackie Gleason would go towards the laughing at self category if one wants to generalize and label countries with truncated descriptions of comedy style.

Edgar Bergen has grown in my estimation to giant status. Mortimer Snerd a yup yup yup uuuuhhh

My sister has discovered Margaret Rutherford and PG Tips...although Colin Montgomery was posing after he found Yorkshire Gold in the US.