The Goon Show (Colour Version)

 

A color version of the Goon Show artwork I did recently. All colors added digitally. I decided to give Spike Milligan's character Count Moriarty a sickly green pallor. Simply because most of the shows describe him being in a perpetual death-like state.

More Goon Show artwork

A second attempt at characters from THE GOON SHOW. This time in Sumi Black Drawing Ink with brush on Canson Bristol Board. Featuring key characters Neddie Seagoon, Eccles, Bluebottle, Hercules Grytpype-Thynne, Count Jim Moriarty, and Major Denis Bloodnok. 

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The Goon Show (Pen and Ink Original) 

Quick Goon Show Character Sketch

A little something I sketched this morning for my British friends in mind. Many of my American friends might not be familiar with The Goon Show.

Then again, maybe some of you do. 

However, for the benefit of listeners who are not familiar with the Goons, it was comedy that ran on the radio from 1951 until 1960s which starred Peter Sellers, Harry Seacombe and Spike Milligan voicing various character. 

The show would later be revived in the 1960s as the Telegoons which featured marionette versions of the characters once again being voiced by Sellers, Seacombe and Milligan. I've wanted to try and do cartoon versions of the characters for some time. 

I did a quick sketch of Count Jim Moriarty and Hercules Grytpype-Thynne with Neddie Seagoon in the middle of them this morning. Moriarty, Grytpype-Thynne and Seagoon were all voiced by Milligan, Sellers and Seacombe respectively. 

Most of the episodes would consist of Grytpype-Thynne and Moriarty suckering the hopelessly hapless hero Neddie Seagoon into one of their schemes to swindle money. Which Neddie would be the inevitable fall guy.

I also took some reference for the look of the characters both from the Telegoons puppets and the Telegoons comic. I did a little revising on the character designs. Especially in the case of Neddie and Count Moriarty whom I imagined looking slightly different than the puppets or cartoon characters created.

Nothing fancy on this one. Just Micron Pens in my Pen Sketcher Sketchbook.

I'm 37. I'm not old....

I finally got to use that quote from Monty Python and the Holy Grail upon turning 37 yesterday... and I was amazed how many people didn't get it. Even after Syd gave hints. Aw well. I get to use it for an entire year. And that's all that really matters. 

 As far as Birthdays are concerned, this one was probably the best. And last year's was a good one too. Syd and I met up with my cousin Jared and his fiancée Alicia at Smokestack Urban BBQ on Green Street in Worcester. 

If you haven't been to Smokestack, you are missing out!! I think it's probably one of THE BEST BBQ places in the area. Hands down!! Good food. Good service. Friendly serving staff. We have never dealt with bad service or a snarky waiter or waitress when we've gone there. It was great being able to have a few laughs with Jared and Alicia. It's kind of becoming our yearly thing. 

 Afterward, Syd and I headed over to Beatnik's for Ukulele Thursday and I got serenaded on the uke by good buddy and local busker Rich Leufstedt. Which was a first for me. I have never gotten serenaded on my birthday... 

...okay, not quite true. I did get serenaded by my roommate A-Town Krolikowski in college on the accordion. But that was more him squeezing it tunelessly as he slowly snuck into my room. 

Trust me. It's a lot less creepier than it sounds. 

But that brings me to my Birthday gifts from Syd. This year she got me a replica Doctor Who Fourth Doctor scarf (the smaller "I won't accidentally strangle myself to death walking" version), a Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks t-shirt.... 

....and a UKULELE!! 

I had talked about perhaps learning the ukulele for some time now and Syd finally gave me a stop threatening and do it ultimatum and bought me one. 

And it's great!! 

Rich told me.... actually guarenteed me... that he could teach me how to play ukulele in one night. So I am going to take him up on that and go to one of his Ukulele nights and learn. 

So now you know why I posted the picture of the late great Peter Sellers above. Other than being a life-long fan. 

Well, on top of keeping up with ongoing projects this year, my other goal is to learn how to play the ukulele. I don't think you will be seeing me playing it in concert anytime soon. However, it would be fun to finally learn :-)

Eric Sykes, CBE: 4 May 1923 - 4 July 2012

I would imagine not many young folks really remember Eric Sykes. Although, I suppose if I said he was the Old Muggle Caretaker in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire some might say "Oh him!" but still not really know who he is.

Eric Sykes was a big influence on British comedy in the 1950's and 1960's. He wrote some of the funniest episodes of The Goon Show alongside Spike Milligan. For those of you unfamiliar with the Goons, it was a British radio comedy from the 1950's which starred Peter Sellers alongside Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. He would later star in many British sitcoms during the 1950s' and 60's alongside both Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as well as a movie roles during that time. He also had a few key roles in some of the films of that era. A couple of them as the comic side kick to gap toothed British comic Terry-Thomas.

Although most of his starring roles seemed to dry up after 1989, he continued to keep busy appearing in various supporting roles such as the mini-series Gormaghast in 2000 as well as movies such as Goblet of Fire and the Others. Just to name a few.

What's kind of a shame nowadays is many young people don't bother with old movies or old television shows because they think just because it's considered "old" it's going to be boring. So many movies, shows and actors get swept under the carpet because our society has sadly become so narrow-minded when it comes to the past. We miss out on so much because we're not willing to give something we're unfamiliar with a chance. And we create opinions on things that we don't know much about.

But if you happen to enjoy Monty Python and Saturday Night Live (which Loren Michaels has mentioned was influenced by Python), then you have Eric Sykes work from those early days of radio and television comedy to thank for that.

2012 is kind of turning into a rough year as far as the passing of many beloved celebrities. Just yesterday it was Andy Griffith and now today Eric Sykes.

I should mention on a side note, that Eric Sykes was in fact the basis for the butler Maladay in my graphic novel The Spaghetti Strand Murder.

But I'm very sorry to hear about Eric Sykes passing. A lot of his writing with the Goons and his influences on later British comedies has influenced me greatly.

Alice in Wonderland (1966)

 

Four our last stop in Wonderland we look at possibly the most unique adaptation in our journey. Produced and directed for the BBC by former Beyond the Fringe writer and humorist Jonathan Miller. It's unique in the sense that Miller made a conscious decision NOT to have the actors dressed as animals but instead have them simply appear in Victorian dress.

Miller justified his approach as an attempt to return to what he perceived as the essence of the story: "Once you take the animal heads off, you begin to see what it's all about. A small child, surrounded by hurrying, worried people, thinking 'Is that what being grown up is like?'

Those who are too young or unfamiliar with British Satire and the counter culture movement of the 1960's might find this take on the tale confusing and boring.

Matter of fact, Anne-Marie Mallik, the young actress playing Alice comes off as very disinterested and bored at her whole "Wonderland" experience. Then again, Alice seemed very much that way in Sir John Tenniel's artwork, didn't she?

Apparently,  Miller had envisaged an Alice "with no stage experience, not very pretty but curiously plain, sallow and a bit priggish".

Well, spot on!!

But to be fair to Ms. Mallick, this was her first and only acting job.

The movie itself is awash in the feel of the 1960's culture as far as it's off-beat and somewhat experiemental interpretation of Alice. Music is composed and performed by Ravi Shankar who was beginning to catch the public eye due to his association with George Harrison and the Beatles. Though not to detract for his own talents as a great musician.

It is almost entirely filmed at Netley Hospital, which was a 19th Century Building which incidentally got demolished shortly after this film was made.

This was also a time of the Satire Boom in the 1960's. There is quite a bit of that visually in many of the scenes of the movies. Especially in the scenes with the Queen of Hearts as well as the courtroom scenes.

Comedy in England became more cerebral and pointed. As was as socially and politically charged as the way people began to look at the world changed. Satire became a way for many writers and comedians to express themselves. Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Alan Bennet and Dudley Moore would influence many of these young would be satirists. Most notably, Eric Idle who would later gain fame as a cast member of Monty Python's Flying Circus.



Much like the later 1972 version of Alice, this film is a veritable "who's who" of British actors with Jonathan Miller's Fringe cohorts Peter Cook and Alan Bennett as the Mad Hatter and Mouse respectively. Also featuring Wilfrid Brambell as the White Rabbit, Leo McKern as the Duchess,  Michael Redgraves as the Caterpillar, Michael Gough as the White Rabbit, Sir John Gielgud as the Mock Turtle and Peter Sellers as the King of Hearts.

As mentioned in a previous blog, Sellers would later play the part of the March Hare in the 1972 version of Alice.

There is also an uncredited appearance of future Monty Python star Eric Idle in the courtroom scene. This film is actually Mr. Idle's first television appearance.

All the portrayals of the characters are different from what we have come to expect. Most notably Peter Cook's take on the Mad Hatter, Michael Gough's March Hare and Sir John Gielgud's playing the Mock Turtle like a retired thespian rather than the baleful creature we know from the story.

For me, I enjoyed the take on the story. But as I mentioned earlier. If you don't have any interest in either British satire or comedy. Or really know or have much interest in 1960's culture, you may find this version to be a tad on the tedious and boring side.

But I would give any of these films a try. Even the ones I said weren't particularly my favorites I would try them anyways. Even if I don't particularly care for them, doesn't necessarily mean you won't care for them.

Never judge anything bad just by what someone else says. Judge it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. The only way you're ever going to know if you like something or not is to actually watch, listen or read something.

You might find yourself pleasantly surprised with what you discover.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)

My favorite of the Alice movies despite having some truly terrible musical numbers. I've never been a big fan of musicals save the Marx Brothers early films for Paramount. But that's because most of the musical numbers were as satirical as the rest of the film.

But this adaptation remains my favorite out of all the productions. Produced in England and starred a veritable who's who of British actors at the time. Most notably Peter Sellers as the March Hare. This would not be Sellers first time in a production of Alice. He had played the King of Hearts in a previous production for British Television directed by Jonathan Miller of Beyond the Fringe fame.

The film features Fiona Fullerton in the role of Alice. Ms. Fullerton was 15 when she took the role. Again, still not the age Lewis Carroll originally wrote the character to be. But still. Considering some of the actresses were over the age of 20 playing the part, Fullerton is probably the closest to the way Carroll wrote the character age wise. She would later gain notice as the Anastasia in Nicholas and Alexandria as well as cuddling up in a jacuzzi to an aged Roger Moore in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill.

Other British actors of note was Michael Crawford (of Phantom of the Opera fame) as the White Rabbit, Dudley Moore as the Dormouse, Spike Milligan as the Gryphon, Sir Ralph Richardson as the Caterpillar and Roy Kinnear as the Cheshire Cat.

Michael Jayston, who would later star with Fullerton as Tsar Nicholas in the movie Nicholas and Alexandra appeared in the film as Lewis Carroll... or as he's referred to by his real name Charles Dodgson in the film.
Doctor Who fans would come to know Michael Jayston as the Valeyard. Whom the Doctor discovers is in fact an evil future interim regeneration of himself.

Although the costuming in the movie still has that school play look to them by today's standards. It's a very well done school play look. Unlike the previous 1933 Alice, the make up allows the actors they natual expressions. In the case of Peter Sellers, who loses himself in a role, you truly believe him to be the March Hare.

Being able to see the actors eyes and expressions makes their performances more believable for me. Well, as believable as a story like this CAN be.

As far as the last 30 or 40 years are concerned, this version is still the best adaptation of the story that has been produced. Sadly, it is only available copies of the film that are available are VHS versions copied to DVD and it has not been fully restored and remastered. Which is a shame. Especially given this year marks the movie's 40th Anniversary.

Despite that, I would highly recommend checking the movie out. There are some really great performances for a really great cast. And for the time, the costuming and set designs are pretty good!

Tomorrow we look at quite possibly the strangest adaptation of Alice from 1949.

Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx (2001)

I've found a lot of parallels between two of my favorite comedians Groucho Marx and Peter Sellers. Apart from the fact that Sellers could do a fairly spot-on impersonation of Groucho.

They were both damaged people. They both had domineering stage mothers. And near the end of their respective lives they were both taken in by young women who were accused of using them for their money.

Strangely enough, both cases both these women died horribly in later years.

However, the differences were Groucho came from a large family while Sellers was an only child. Sellers's mother spoiled him rotten and then would ridicule him for being spoiled rotten while Groucho's Mother made it painfully clear that Groucho was not her favorite. There have been claims that Sellers had been physically abusive to his wives and possibly his children while Groucho was just emotionally negligent to both.

Several years back I had read a really well written but very depressing biography on Groucho by Stefan Kanfer titled Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx.

Biographies can be a real mixed bag. Some like Mabel: Hollywood's First I-Don't-Care Girl by Betty Harper Fussell or Peter Sellers: The Authorized Biography by Alexander Walker I found to be very good.

Other notorious entries like The Life and Death of Peter Sellers by Roger Lewis and The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Harry Goldman leave you feeling like these authors really hated the person and the only reason they wrote a biography was just to smear the person's legacy.

Stefan Kanfer's accounts of Groucho is definitely in the "very good" column. Like I said good but depressing. Even after achieving success and stardom you never get the sense in this book Groucho is ever really happy. Although he is sometimes cruel to the people around him, you don't hate Groucho in this account. You feel sorry for him. Strange enough, the part I felt worst for him is when MGM forces him to wear a toupee for movies like At The Circus.

The Marx Brothers were not young men when they broke into Hollywood. They were all in their early 40's. Which I suppose by today's standards would be ancient considering you're a star at 15 and a has-been at 24.

So I probably would be very insulted too if I was constantly being reminded that "I'm getting old".

I found the bio to be both very insightful and informative. But don't expect a "feel good" story. Expect a very well written account.

I highly recommend you check it out. Especially if you're just discovering the Marx Brothers films for the first time and would like to know more about Groucho Marx himself.

The Wrong Box

I love silly old movies. Especially silly movies with Peter Sellers in it. This is one of those films that is sadly not available on DVD but really should be. Thankfully I have a VHS copy of it still.

Two elderly brothers Masterman (John Mills) and Joseph Finsbury (Ralph Richardson) are the last surviving members of a tontine, an investment scheme set up many years before, in which the last surviving member stands to receive a fortune. Masterman is attended by his medical student grandson, Michael (Michael Caine), while his greedy cousins Morris (Peter Cook) and John (Dudley Moore) do their best to keep their annoying uncle Joseph alive. Masterman, who hasn't talked to his despised brother in many years, summons Joseph to his "deathbed", intending to kill him so that Michael can get the money.

On the train trip to London, Joseph escapes from his minders, entering a compartment and boring the sole occupant with a litany of trivial facts (something he does with everyone he encounters). The other man later turns out to be the "Bournemouth Strangler". Joseph later leaves to smoke a cigarette leaving his coat behind, which the strangler puts on. The train then crashes head-on into another one coming the other way. In the confusion, Morris and John find the strangler's mutilated body and mistakenly believe it is that of their uncle.

Morris decides to try to hide this long enough for Masterman to pass away. Morris and John put the body in a barrel and have it shipped to their London home, several doors down from Masterman's residence. However, it is delivered to the Masterman house. Joseph makes his way to London on his own and visits his brother; they quarrel.

Meanwhile, Michael meets and falls in love with Joseph's ward, Julia (Nanette Newman). Things become complicated when Michael discovers the contents of the barrel and, after learning of the dispute between Masterman and Joseph from family butler Peacock (Wilfrid Lawson), assumes that his grandfather has killed his brother. Various misunderstandings and antics result.

Peter Sellers has a bit role in the movie as the rather absent-minded (and completely medically inept) cat loving Dr. Pratt. And it's a lot of fun seeing him playing alongside Peter Cook in the scenes.

And for those of you young kids who liked Michael Caine as Alfred in The Dark Knight, it's really neat to see him as a young man in this movie.

Definitely a movie that's way overdue to be released on DVD. A very silly movie and a lot of fun to watch.