John Cleese has adapted three episodes of Fawlty Towers into a play, which will premiere in the West End in May.
Fawlty Towers is often, quite rightly, cited as one of the best sitcoms ever made. Starring John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs and Connie Booth, it was written by Cleese and Booth who, according to the DVD commentaries, took six weeks to plot and write each episode.
The show was based on a real hotel the Monty Python team stayed at, with Basil Fawlty based on its proprietor Donald Sinclair, after whom Cleese later named his character in Rat Race.
According to the British Comedy Guide, Cleese has adapted three episodes for the stage as a play which will premiere at the Apollo Theatre in the West End in June. Caroline Jay Ranger will direct.
The episodes are The Hotel Inspector and The Germans from Series 1 and Communication Problems...
Fawlty Towers is often, quite rightly, cited as one of the best sitcoms ever made. Starring John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs and Connie Booth, it was written by Cleese and Booth who, according to the DVD commentaries, took six weeks to plot and write each episode.
The show was based on a real hotel the Monty Python team stayed at, with Basil Fawlty based on its proprietor Donald Sinclair, after whom Cleese later named his character in Rat Race.
According to the British Comedy Guide, Cleese has adapted three episodes for the stage as a play which will premiere at the Apollo Theatre in the West End in June. Caroline Jay Ranger will direct.
The episodes are The Hotel Inspector and The Germans from Series 1 and Communication Problems...
- 2/5/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The Fawlty Towers revival continues apace.
Not content with rebooting the TV series with Rob Reiner, John Cleese has now penned a stage adaptation of three episodes of the 40-year-old BBC series, which is widely considered one of the best British shows of all time.
Fawlty Towers: The Play is based on three episodes: “The Hotel Inspectors,” “The Germans” and “Communication Problems,” and will merge the three into one. One of the episodes, “The Germans,” has caused a stir in recent years as a character repeatedly uses the N-word in reference to members of the West Indies cricket team. It was briefly taken down from UKTV’s streaming service four years ago before being reinstated.
Cleese said he has “assembled a top-class group of comedy actors” and written “one huge finale” to the play.
It was originally staged in Australia but is now coming to London’s West End Apollo Theatre,...
Not content with rebooting the TV series with Rob Reiner, John Cleese has now penned a stage adaptation of three episodes of the 40-year-old BBC series, which is widely considered one of the best British shows of all time.
Fawlty Towers: The Play is based on three episodes: “The Hotel Inspectors,” “The Germans” and “Communication Problems,” and will merge the three into one. One of the episodes, “The Germans,” has caused a stir in recent years as a character repeatedly uses the N-word in reference to members of the West Indies cricket team. It was briefly taken down from UKTV’s streaming service four years ago before being reinstated.
Cleese said he has “assembled a top-class group of comedy actors” and written “one huge finale” to the play.
It was originally staged in Australia but is now coming to London’s West End Apollo Theatre,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC boss Tim Davie has said he hasn’t ruled out an external investigation relating to the allegations against comedian Russell Brand.
Over the weekend Brand was the subject of an in-depth joint investigation by The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 documentary strand “Dispatches” which alleged he had sexually assaulted and raped up to four women at the height of his fame. Brand has strenuously denied the allegations.
Davie was appearing in conversation at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, U.K. where he was questioned by journalist Kate Bulkley.
Citing the ongoing investigation against BBC DJ Tim Westwood, who is currently the subject of another investigation led by an independent reviewer following allegations of sexual assault, and obliquely referring to the recent Huw Edwards scandal, Bulkley asked Davie “Who’s next?”
“These are very serious allegations,” Davie replied. “We just can’t be complacent.
Over the weekend Brand was the subject of an in-depth joint investigation by The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 documentary strand “Dispatches” which alleged he had sexually assaulted and raped up to four women at the height of his fame. Brand has strenuously denied the allegations.
Davie was appearing in conversation at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, U.K. where he was questioned by journalist Kate Bulkley.
Citing the ongoing investigation against BBC DJ Tim Westwood, who is currently the subject of another investigation led by an independent reviewer following allegations of sexual assault, and obliquely referring to the recent Huw Edwards scandal, Bulkley asked Davie “Who’s next?”
“These are very serious allegations,” Davie replied. “We just can’t be complacent.
- 9/20/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
“What led to that being on air?,” questioned Director General Tim Davie of Russell Brand’s old BBC broadcasts today, as he set out the scope of the review into Brand, which should report back in “weeks not months.”
Addressing the allegations in an all-staff Q&a this afternoon, Davie said Peter Johnston, Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, will oversee the report.
“We’ll look at any complaints made about Russell Brand’s conduct during his time, what was known at the time, what was done – so full transparency, we’re digging into anything that we’ve got there,” he added. “I’m hoping for an initial report in weeks, not months. So this is not something we want to take too long [over], but we do want to get to the facts.”
Brand presented shows on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 2 between 2006 and 2008 before he was sacked...
Addressing the allegations in an all-staff Q&a this afternoon, Davie said Peter Johnston, Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, will oversee the report.
“We’ll look at any complaints made about Russell Brand’s conduct during his time, what was known at the time, what was done – so full transparency, we’re digging into anything that we’ve got there,” he added. “I’m hoping for an initial report in weeks, not months. So this is not something we want to take too long [over], but we do want to get to the facts.”
Brand presented shows on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 2 between 2006 and 2008 before he was sacked...
- 9/19/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The BBC has refused to say whether it received historical complaints about Russell Brand as the broadcaster is expected to face scrutiny over allegations about the comedian’s alleged conduct.
Brand presented shows for BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 from 2006 to 2008. He was forced to quit in a firestorm of controversy for leaving “gratuitously offensive” messages on the voicemail of Andrew Sachs, in which he hinted at sleeping with the Fawlty Towers actor’s granddaughter.
As part of an investigation into allegations that Brand raped and sexually assaulted four women, The Times and Sunday Times newspapers and Channel 4 reported that complaints were made about Brand’s behavior to Lesley Douglas, then controller of BBC Radio 2.
Deadline has contacted Brand’s publicist and attorney for comment. He preemptively refuted criminal allegations in a social media video, in which he said his relationships were “always consensual.” He said reports about...
Brand presented shows for BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2 from 2006 to 2008. He was forced to quit in a firestorm of controversy for leaving “gratuitously offensive” messages on the voicemail of Andrew Sachs, in which he hinted at sleeping with the Fawlty Towers actor’s granddaughter.
As part of an investigation into allegations that Brand raped and sexually assaulted four women, The Times and Sunday Times newspapers and Channel 4 reported that complaints were made about Brand’s behavior to Lesley Douglas, then controller of BBC Radio 2.
Deadline has contacted Brand’s publicist and attorney for comment. He preemptively refuted criminal allegations in a social media video, in which he said his relationships were “always consensual.” He said reports about...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
London’s Metropolitan Police have urged any alleged victims to come forward following a catalogue of historic allegations against Russell Brand.
This follows a weekend where The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches investigative documentary team collaborated to publish an expose of allegations against the comedian turned influencer, including claims of rape, sexual assault, abusive and predatory behaviour.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “We are aware of media reporting of a series of allegations of sexual assault. We have not received any reports in relation to this. If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago, we would encourage them to contact police.”
The Times of London’s dossier on Saturday and a 90-minute documentary on Channel 4 yesterday evening included reports by four women – speaking anonymously – who detailed encounters with the star. One woman claimed...
This follows a weekend where The Times of London, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches investigative documentary team collaborated to publish an expose of allegations against the comedian turned influencer, including claims of rape, sexual assault, abusive and predatory behaviour.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “We are aware of media reporting of a series of allegations of sexual assault. We have not received any reports in relation to this. If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago, we would encourage them to contact police.”
The Times of London’s dossier on Saturday and a 90-minute documentary on Channel 4 yesterday evening included reports by four women – speaking anonymously – who detailed encounters with the star. One woman claimed...
- 9/17/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Russell Brand has been accused of “rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse” in a new report by The Sunday Times of London.
The joint investigation with The Times of London and Channel 4’s documentary team “Dispatches” published on Saturday afternoon in the U.K. “Dispatches” will air its 90-minute documentary on the allegations on Saturday evening on U.K. network Channel 4. “Five women, four of whom asked to remain anonymous, agreed to share their stories of serious sexual allegations in the program,” said a rep for the show.
According to The Sunday Times, the British comedian, who originally found fame as a host on MTV U.K. before starring in Hollywood films such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek,” has been accused of sexual assault by four women between 2006 and 2013.
He was married to singer Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.
The newspaper reported that one alleged victim...
The joint investigation with The Times of London and Channel 4’s documentary team “Dispatches” published on Saturday afternoon in the U.K. “Dispatches” will air its 90-minute documentary on the allegations on Saturday evening on U.K. network Channel 4. “Five women, four of whom asked to remain anonymous, agreed to share their stories of serious sexual allegations in the program,” said a rep for the show.
According to The Sunday Times, the British comedian, who originally found fame as a host on MTV U.K. before starring in Hollywood films such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek,” has been accused of sexual assault by four women between 2006 and 2013.
He was married to singer Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.
The newspaper reported that one alleged victim...
- 9/16/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Classic sitcom Fawlty Towers is set to be rebooted by John Cleese and his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
The Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor, who starred in the original series as irascible hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is making the new series in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Both Cleese and his daughter will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
According to Deadline, the series will “explore how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world”.
“John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh,” Reiner said.
As well as Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi, and Matthew George will all serve as executive producers.
Speaking to the outlet, John Cleese praised George’s “understanding of the ‘creative process’” and claimed that their initial meeting had yielded “one of the best creative sessions I...
The Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor, who starred in the original series as irascible hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is making the new series in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Both Cleese and his daughter will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
According to Deadline, the series will “explore how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world”.
“John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh,” Reiner said.
As well as Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi, and Matthew George will all serve as executive producers.
Speaking to the outlet, John Cleese praised George’s “understanding of the ‘creative process’” and claimed that their initial meeting had yielded “one of the best creative sessions I...
- 2/28/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
John Cleese has issued an “apology” for rebootingFawlty Towers with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
It was recently announced that the Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor – who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty – is making the reboot in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Cleese, 83, and Camilla, 39, will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The actor told fans that the forthcoming series – which follows Basil discovering he has a secret daughter and struggling to navigate the modern world – won’t be an “anti-woke nightmare”. He also ruled out BBC hosting the series.
News of the reboot divided fans of the original series, with many critics urging that Fawlty Towers should be left alone.
Cleese responded to the criticism with a sarcastic apology posted to Twitter on Monday (20 February).
“I must apologise,” he wrote. “I had no idea that the idea...
It was recently announced that the Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor – who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty – is making the reboot in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Cleese, 83, and Camilla, 39, will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The actor told fans that the forthcoming series – which follows Basil discovering he has a secret daughter and struggling to navigate the modern world – won’t be an “anti-woke nightmare”. He also ruled out BBC hosting the series.
News of the reboot divided fans of the original series, with many critics urging that Fawlty Towers should be left alone.
Cleese responded to the criticism with a sarcastic apology posted to Twitter on Monday (20 February).
“I must apologise,” he wrote. “I had no idea that the idea...
- 2/21/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
John Cleese has issued an “apology” for rebootingFawlty Towers with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
It was recently announced that the Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor – who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty – is making the reboot in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Cleese, 83, and Camilla, 39, will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The actor told fans that the forthcoming series – which follows Basil discovering he has a secret daughter and struggling to navigate the modern world – won’t be an “anti-woke nightmare”. He also ruled out BBC hosting the series.
News of the reboot divided fans of the original series, with many critics urging that Fawlty Towers should be left alone.
Cleese responded to the criticism with a sarcastic apology posted to Twitter on Monday (20 February).
“I must apologise,” he wrote. “I had no idea that the idea...
It was recently announced that the Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor – who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty – is making the reboot in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Cleese, 83, and Camilla, 39, will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The actor told fans that the forthcoming series – which follows Basil discovering he has a secret daughter and struggling to navigate the modern world – won’t be an “anti-woke nightmare”. He also ruled out BBC hosting the series.
News of the reboot divided fans of the original series, with many critics urging that Fawlty Towers should be left alone.
Cleese responded to the criticism with a sarcastic apology posted to Twitter on Monday (20 February).
“I must apologise,” he wrote. “I had no idea that the idea...
- 2/20/2023
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - TV
Fawlty Towers co-creator and actor, Connie Booth has said she didn’t know the show was getting a reboot.
The former actor – who played Polly in the show – claims she found out about the news the same way as anyone else, by reading it “in the papers”.
Last week, John Cleese announced he would be rebooting the classic sitcom with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
The Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor, who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is currently working on the new series in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Both Cleese and his daughter will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The original series starred Connie Booth – Cleese’s then-wife who co-created the series – along with Prunella Scales as Basil’s wife Sybil and the late Andrew Sachs as hotel employee Manuel.
The new series will not...
The former actor – who played Polly in the show – claims she found out about the news the same way as anyone else, by reading it “in the papers”.
Last week, John Cleese announced he would be rebooting the classic sitcom with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
The Monty Python’s Flying Circus actor, who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is currently working on the new series in collaboration with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
Both Cleese and his daughter will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development.
The original series starred Connie Booth – Cleese’s then-wife who co-created the series – along with Prunella Scales as Basil’s wife Sybil and the late Andrew Sachs as hotel employee Manuel.
The new series will not...
- 2/14/2023
- by Megan Graye
- The Independent - Music
John Cleese has said his surprise revival of Fawlty Towers won’t be returning to its original home on the BBC because the UK broadcaster would not give him sufficient editorial freedom.
The 83-year-old British comedy icon said the revived series, which is in the works at Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment, would find a new home as he writes scripts with his daughter Camilla Cleese.
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Asked if he wanted to work with the BBC, he said: “No, because you wouldn’t get the freedom.”
He told Gb News, the right-leaning British news channel, that the series will take the central character of...
The 83-year-old British comedy icon said the revived series, which is in the works at Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment, would find a new home as he writes scripts with his daughter Camilla Cleese.
Related Story ‘Fawlty Towers’ Reboot In The Works With John Cleese, Camilla Cleese & Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment Related Story Volodymyr Zelensky Surprises BBC Ukraine Journalist With Hug During Historic UK Visit Related Story Former Ymu Business Exec Joins Rebranded Digital Content Indie Cowshed Collective
Asked if he wanted to work with the BBC, he said: “No, because you wouldn’t get the freedom.”
He told Gb News, the right-leaning British news channel, that the series will take the central character of...
- 2/9/2023
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
John Cleese is rebooting his classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers, it was announced this week.
The British actor and writer, who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is collaborating on the new show with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
He will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development, along with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
The Fawlty Towers reboot will reportedly explore “how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world”.
Cleese claimed that an initial meeting about the series had yielded “one of the best creative sessions I can remember”.
So what happened to the main four castmembers of Fawlty Towers?
John Cleese
After Fawlty Towers finished, Cleese, who played bedraggled hotelier Basil Fawlty, went on to enjoy a successful film career.
Highlights include 1981’s Time Bandits, directed by fellow Monty Python star Terry Gilliam, and the screwball...
The British actor and writer, who starred in the original series as hotel owner Basil Fawlty, is collaborating on the new show with Spinal Tap filmmaker Rob Reiner.
He will write and star in the revival, which is currently in development, along with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
The Fawlty Towers reboot will reportedly explore “how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world”.
Cleese claimed that an initial meeting about the series had yielded “one of the best creative sessions I can remember”.
So what happened to the main four castmembers of Fawlty Towers?
John Cleese
After Fawlty Towers finished, Cleese, who played bedraggled hotelier Basil Fawlty, went on to enjoy a successful film career.
Highlights include 1981’s Time Bandits, directed by fellow Monty Python star Terry Gilliam, and the screwball...
- 2/8/2023
- by Louis Chilton and Roisin O'Connor
- The Independent - TV
Basil Fawlty is coming back, folks! Quite resoundingly disproving the commonly made claim that it “couldn’t be made in this day and age”, the legendary British comedy series Fawlty Towers is gearing up for a contemporary reboot that’s set to chronicle the continuing misadventures of everybody’s favourite miserly misanthrope.
Despite only running for two series and 12 episodes, Fawlty Towers has endured for over 40 years as the quintessential British sit-com. Now, John Cleese’s Castle Rock Entertainment. Cleese, whose daughter Camilla Cleese will be starring alongside him as Basil’s long-lost daughter in the revival, will also be on writing duties for the show.
Although plot details are largely being kept under wraps for Fawlty’s return, we do know that the show will explore how Basil functions in the rapidly-changing modern world as he sets about opening and running a new boutique hotel with his estranged child.
Despite only running for two series and 12 episodes, Fawlty Towers has endured for over 40 years as the quintessential British sit-com. Now, John Cleese’s Castle Rock Entertainment. Cleese, whose daughter Camilla Cleese will be starring alongside him as Basil’s long-lost daughter in the revival, will also be on writing duties for the show.
Although plot details are largely being kept under wraps for Fawlty’s return, we do know that the show will explore how Basil functions in the rapidly-changing modern world as he sets about opening and running a new boutique hotel with his estranged child.
- 2/8/2023
- by Jordan King
- Empire - TV
Pack your bags, friends, because we’re traveling to the seaside town of Torquay on the English Riviera for a Fawlty Towers reboot! The British television sitcom is returning with John Cleese as Basil Fawlty, and he’s bringing friends and family along for the ride. In addition to reprising his iconic role as the cynical proprietor of the hotel Fawlty Towers, Cleese is writing and starring in the series alongside his daughter Camilla Cleese.
The Fawlty Towers reboot hails from Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment and focuses on Basil Fawlty as he navigates the modern world. Further plot details remain a mystery. However, we know the show explores Basil’s relationship with his estranged daughter as the pair attempt to buck fate and run a boutique hotel as a team. Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi, and Matthew George executive produce.
Cleese spoke about George’s “understanding of the...
The Fawlty Towers reboot hails from Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment and focuses on Basil Fawlty as he navigates the modern world. Further plot details remain a mystery. However, we know the show explores Basil’s relationship with his estranged daughter as the pair attempt to buck fate and run a boutique hotel as a team. Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi, and Matthew George executive produce.
Cleese spoke about George’s “understanding of the...
- 2/7/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
One of the most acclaimed comedy series of all time is returning to TV more than four decades later. “Fawlty Towers,” the beloved British sitcom starring John Cleese, is getting a revival, with the “Monty Python” star set to return.
The show is being developed at Castle Rock Entertainment, with Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner, and Derrick Rossi executive producing for the studio. Cleese will write and star in the revival with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
“What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process,” Cleese said in a statement announcing the project. “When we first met, he offered an excellent first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best creative sessions I can remember. By dessert we had an overall concept so good that, a few days later, it won the approval of Rob and Michele Reiner.
The show is being developed at Castle Rock Entertainment, with Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner, and Derrick Rossi executive producing for the studio. Cleese will write and star in the revival with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.
“What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process,” Cleese said in a statement announcing the project. “When we first met, he offered an excellent first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best creative sessions I can remember. By dessert we had an overall concept so good that, a few days later, it won the approval of Rob and Michele Reiner.
- 2/7/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Basil Fawlty is back. A reboot of John Cleese’s British comedy sensation Fawlty Towers is in the works and Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment is developing.
More than 40 years after the second and final season drew to a close, Monty Python star Cleese is set to write and star alongside daughter Camilla Cleese, in news that will bring joy to a generation of British comedy fans.
The new series will explore how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world. Plot details are largely being kept under wraps but the development will bring the story forward to explore Basil’s relationship with a daughter he has just discovered he had, as the pair tempt fate and team up to run a boutique hotel.
The Cleeses have joined with Reiner’s Castle Rock on the development, with Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi and Matthew George exec producing.
More than 40 years after the second and final season drew to a close, Monty Python star Cleese is set to write and star alongside daughter Camilla Cleese, in news that will bring joy to a generation of British comedy fans.
The new series will explore how Cleese’s over-the-top, cynical and misanthropic Basil Fawlty navigates the modern world. Plot details are largely being kept under wraps but the development will bring the story forward to explore Basil’s relationship with a daughter he has just discovered he had, as the pair tempt fate and team up to run a boutique hotel.
The Cleeses have joined with Reiner’s Castle Rock on the development, with Reiner, Michele Reiner, Derrick Rossi and Matthew George exec producing.
- 2/7/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
I'm working my way through all the films about Hitler's last days. Downfall seemed set to be the definitive version, but now it's been reduced to a meme. Still, it's a largely accurate, powerful account, with a very strong performance from Bruno Ganz.In Bologna's Cinematheque I watch Pabst's The Last Act which, aided by the scorching summer weather, packed auditorium and inadequate air conditioning, really felt like spending ten days in a bunker under heavy shelling. The film introduces a fictional anti-war general played by Oscar Werner in a bit of "We're not all bad" special pleading but it gets a lot right.Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973) is notorious for getting a lot wrong: not facts, which are scrupulously attested to and signed off on right at the start by a historian and an actual witness, but the filmmaking and the casting. I don't know who you ought...
- 4/25/2018
- MUBI
Review by Roger Carpenter
Nigel Wingrove, founder of Salvation Films and the UK Redemption Video label, was the first person to give serious video releases of films by oft-banned Euro-horror filmmakers such as Jess Franco and Jean Rollin. He also produced some magnificently blasphemous nunsploitation. He is still the only filmmaker to have a film banned in Britain purely on the grounds of blasphemy. Always one to stretch the boundaries of filmmaking as well as good taste, Wingrove then founded The Satanic Sluts, a cadre of goth chicks who were photographed, filmed, and did live performance art that was so atrocious they were banned from many British clubs. The whole thing blew up when Russell Brand, who was having a fling with one of the Sluts, found out she was the granddaughter of Andrew Sachs, a very famous and beloved British character actor. Brand made a prank phone call to...
Nigel Wingrove, founder of Salvation Films and the UK Redemption Video label, was the first person to give serious video releases of films by oft-banned Euro-horror filmmakers such as Jess Franco and Jean Rollin. He also produced some magnificently blasphemous nunsploitation. He is still the only filmmaker to have a film banned in Britain purely on the grounds of blasphemy. Always one to stretch the boundaries of filmmaking as well as good taste, Wingrove then founded The Satanic Sluts, a cadre of goth chicks who were photographed, filmed, and did live performance art that was so atrocious they were banned from many British clubs. The whole thing blew up when Russell Brand, who was having a fling with one of the Sluts, found out she was the granddaughter of Andrew Sachs, a very famous and beloved British character actor. Brand made a prank phone call to...
- 4/19/2018
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
There’s a thing that’s been happening in London since 2012 (and elsewhere around the world for 20 years). Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience is exactly what it sounds like, if not what it spells like. It replicates the abusive experience of being served a meal by noted hotelier and ball of rage Basil Fawlty in the just-about-serviceable dining room of his Torquay lodging establishment Fawlty Towers, where they are always out of waldorfs for the salad. Faulty Towers has started a new permanent residency at the Kingsway Hall Hotel in Covent Garden (not far from Holburn tube station), and I recently attended a performance.
Manuel has a most likely foolproof method of clearing the table between courses.
It is an absolute riot. I have not laughed so hard in ages.
The production goes out of its way to explain that the original scripts for the classic 1970s BBC sitcom are not used in this event.
Manuel has a most likely foolproof method of clearing the table between courses.
It is an absolute riot. I have not laughed so hard in ages.
The production goes out of its way to explain that the original scripts for the classic 1970s BBC sitcom are not used in this event.
- 5/18/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Van Williams, who played the titular crime-fighter on ABC’s The Green Hornet, has died; he was 82 years old.
Williams died Nov. 29 of kidney failure at his Scottsdale home, his wife Vicki told The Hollywood Reporter. He starred as newspaper publisher Britt Reid in the 1966-67 action series, which was an offshoot of the Adam West Batman series. Reid donned a fedora and a mask to fight crime at night as the Green Hornet, alongside his trusty sidekick Kato, played by martial-arts legend Bruce Lee.
RelatedAndrew Sachs, Manuel on the UK’s Fawlty Towers, Dead at 86
The Green Hornet...
Williams died Nov. 29 of kidney failure at his Scottsdale home, his wife Vicki told The Hollywood Reporter. He starred as newspaper publisher Britt Reid in the 1966-67 action series, which was an offshoot of the Adam West Batman series. Reid donned a fedora and a mask to fight crime at night as the Green Hornet, alongside his trusty sidekick Kato, played by martial-arts legend Bruce Lee.
RelatedAndrew Sachs, Manuel on the UK’s Fawlty Towers, Dead at 86
The Green Hornet...
- 12/5/2016
- TVLine.com
Van Williams, who played the title character in the 1960s TV series “The Green Hornet,” has died at age 82, according to media reports. The actor died of renal failure in Scottsdale, Ariz., on November 28. Before his career-defining role as the fedora-wearing playboy superhero, the handsome 6-footer starred as bachelor private eye Kenny Madison on “Bourbon Street Beat.” He then reprised the same role for “Surfside 6.” The actor would eventually hang it up as the 1970s gave way to the ’80s. Also Read: Andrew Sachs, 'Fawlty Towers' Star, Dies at 86 (Report) “The Green Hornet” was launched as a companion series to “Batman.
- 12/5/2016
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
We regret to report that German-born British actor Andrew Sachs has died at the age of 86. While his death was announced last night, Deadline report Sachs passed away on November 23rd, in a London nursing home.Active on the stage, as well as both the big and small screens, Sachs is perhaps best known for playing Spanish waiter Manuel in the Fawlty Towers TV show, opposite John Cleese. Only two seasons totaling 12 episodes of the classic comedy series were ever made. Cleese produced the BBC Two sitcom with then-wife Connie Booth, but the couple divorced after the first season ran in 1975. Season two did not air until 1979. Us viewers may have caught the sitcom on PBS.Read More…...
- 12/2/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Den Of Geek Dec 2, 2016
Fawlty Towers legend Andrew Sachs has passed away at the age of 86.
We've got some very sad news to share this morning: Andrew Sachs has passed away. The actor, best known for playing Manuel in Fawlty Towers, died on the 23rd of November and his funeral took place yesterday, Thursday the 1st of December. He had been battling dementia since 2012.
The tributes have been quick to pour in, with John Cleese taking to Twitter to say, "Just heard about Andy Sachs. Very sad." He described his Fawlty Towers co-star as "A very sweet, gentle and kind man and a truly great farceur."
"I could not have found a better Manuel. Inspired", Cleese added. Indeed, the Spanish waiter who Sachs played opposite Cleese will go down in history as one of TV's best-loved comedic characters. His famous lines "I know nothing", "eventually" and "que?" are still quoted regularly around the globe.
Fawlty Towers legend Andrew Sachs has passed away at the age of 86.
We've got some very sad news to share this morning: Andrew Sachs has passed away. The actor, best known for playing Manuel in Fawlty Towers, died on the 23rd of November and his funeral took place yesterday, Thursday the 1st of December. He had been battling dementia since 2012.
The tributes have been quick to pour in, with John Cleese taking to Twitter to say, "Just heard about Andy Sachs. Very sad." He described his Fawlty Towers co-star as "A very sweet, gentle and kind man and a truly great farceur."
"I could not have found a better Manuel. Inspired", Cleese added. Indeed, the Spanish waiter who Sachs played opposite Cleese will go down in history as one of TV's best-loved comedic characters. His famous lines "I know nothing", "eventually" and "que?" are still quoted regularly around the globe.
- 12/2/2016
- Den of Geek
Variety reports that British actor Andrew Sachs—best known to American audiences as the dim-witted waiter Manuel on John Cleese’s beloved TV farce Fawlty Towers—has died. Sachs was 86.
Sachs’ career stretched across 60 years and more than 100 roles in British TV, radio, and film, including appearances on such English mainstays as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Are You Being Served? and Doctor Who. But he was best known as Manuel, the good-hearted fool manning the kitchen of the Fawlty Towers hotel, constantly driving his employer, Cleese’s Basil Fawlty, into fits of apoplexy with his well-intentioned bumbling. Not every aspect of Manuel’s character or treatment has stood the test of time—the show often acted as though his Spanish accent was a joke in of itself, and the frequent violence against him sometimes crossed the line from darkly comic to actively abusive. (Reportedly, Sachs was wounded at ...
Sachs’ career stretched across 60 years and more than 100 roles in British TV, radio, and film, including appearances on such English mainstays as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Are You Being Served? and Doctor Who. But he was best known as Manuel, the good-hearted fool manning the kitchen of the Fawlty Towers hotel, constantly driving his employer, Cleese’s Basil Fawlty, into fits of apoplexy with his well-intentioned bumbling. Not every aspect of Manuel’s character or treatment has stood the test of time—the show often acted as though his Spanish accent was a joke in of itself, and the frequent violence against him sometimes crossed the line from darkly comic to actively abusive. (Reportedly, Sachs was wounded at ...
- 12/2/2016
- by William Hughes
- avclub.com
As “Fawlty Tower” fans mourned the death of Andrew Sachs, who played well-meaning but disorganized Spanish waiter Manuel on the cult BBC series, John Cleese paid an emotional tribute to his former co-star. “Just heard about Andy Sachs. Very sad … I knew he was having problems with his memory as his wife Melody told me a couple of years ago and I heard very recently that he had been admitted to Denham Hall, but I had no idea that his life was in danger,” the Monty Python co-founder wrote on Twitter Thursday after news of Sachs’ death at age 86 on Nov.
- 12/2/2016
- by Debbie Emery
- The Wrap
Andrew Sachs, a Germany-born British actor best known for his role opposite John Cleese on the seminal UK sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died. He was 86. He died November 23 in a London nursing home, but the news was announced today. Born on April 7, 1930, in Berlin, Sachs moved with his parents to England at age 8, when they fled the increasing persecution of the Nazi regime. Growing up in London, Sachs began his career as an assistant stage manager in Bexhill, East Sussex…...
- 12/2/2016
- Deadline
Andrew Sachs, a Germany-born British actor best known for his role opposite John Cleese on the seminal UK sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died. He was 86. He died November 23 in a London nursing home, but the news was announced today. Born on April 7, 1930, in Berlin, Sachs moved with his parents to England at age 8, when they fled the increasing persecution of the Nazi regime. Growing up in London, Sachs began his career as an assistant stage manager in Bexhill, East Sussex…...
- 12/2/2016
- Deadline TV
Andrew Sachs, who played Manuel on the classic British sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died. He was 86 years old.
Sachs died Nov. 23 after a four-year battle with dementia, according to his wife Melody, and was buried on Thursday. The Daily Mail first reported the news.
Sachs starred alongside John Cleese on Towers, playing the bumbling Spanish waiter Manuel at a quaint English hotel owned by Cleese’s Basil Fawlty. Towers only ran for a dozen episodes in 1975 and 1979, but still stands as one of the most beloved comedies in British TV history.
VideosThe Walking Dead: Watch a Recap of All Six Seasons From…...
Sachs died Nov. 23 after a four-year battle with dementia, according to his wife Melody, and was buried on Thursday. The Daily Mail first reported the news.
Sachs starred alongside John Cleese on Towers, playing the bumbling Spanish waiter Manuel at a quaint English hotel owned by Cleese’s Basil Fawlty. Towers only ran for a dozen episodes in 1975 and 1979, but still stands as one of the most beloved comedies in British TV history.
VideosThe Walking Dead: Watch a Recap of All Six Seasons From…...
- 12/2/2016
- TVLine.com
Andrew Sachs, who played well-meaning but disorganized Spanish waiter Manuel on the BBC series “Fawly Towers,” died on Nov. 23, the Daily Mail reported Thursday. He was 86. According to his wife, Melody Sachs, the actor had suffered from macular dementia, which he was diagnosed with in 2012. “We were happy, we were always laughing, we never had a dull moment,” the Daily Mail reported Melody Sachs as saying. “He had dementia for four years and we didn’t really notice it at first until the memory started going.” Also Read: Grant Tinker, Former NBC CEO, Dies at 90 Despite he illness, his widow said,...
- 12/2/2016
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Best known for his role in iconic British sitcom “Fawlty Towers”, actor Andrew Sachs has passed away at age 86 after a four-year struggle with Alzheimer’s, with his wife, Melody, revealing that Sachs died last week at a care home. “My heart has been broken every day for a long time,” she told The Daily Mail, adding that […]...
- 12/2/2016
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
The beloved, BAFTA-nominated actor had been battling dementia for four years.
British actor Andrew Sachs, famous for playing the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, has died aged 86.
He passed away last week in a nursing home according to his wife Melody Sachs. The actor had been battling dementia since 2012.
Sachs became a household name – and earned a BAFTA nomination - after playing Manuel in the John Cleese-fronted sitcom Fawlty Towers, which ran for just 12 episodes between 1975-1979. It is now considered one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time.
Sachs also appeared in numerous films, TV programs and radio shows during his 60-year career, including; Coronation Street, Hitler: The Last Ten Days, the Are You Being Served? movie, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Quartet and as the narrator in the BAFTA-winning Troubleshooter.
His wife said: “My heart has been broken every day for a long time. I never once...
British actor Andrew Sachs, famous for playing the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, has died aged 86.
He passed away last week in a nursing home according to his wife Melody Sachs. The actor had been battling dementia since 2012.
Sachs became a household name – and earned a BAFTA nomination - after playing Manuel in the John Cleese-fronted sitcom Fawlty Towers, which ran for just 12 episodes between 1975-1979. It is now considered one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time.
Sachs also appeared in numerous films, TV programs and radio shows during his 60-year career, including; Coronation Street, Hitler: The Last Ten Days, the Are You Being Served? movie, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Quartet and as the narrator in the BAFTA-winning Troubleshooter.
His wife said: “My heart has been broken every day for a long time. I never once...
- 12/1/2016
- ScreenDaily
Depp and Amber Heard’s quasi-apology for illegally taking their terriers to Australia mocks the authorities, yet falls short of satire and into a kind of weird irony
Legally enforced pseudo-apologies from public figures are common enough: the mock sorrow for “any offence caused”, the breezily worded commitment to “setting the record straight” etc. But Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have gone in for the high-risk strategy of recording an elaborately deadpan spoof apology whose purpose is to satirise the very people they’ve been forced to placate. The result is very bizarre and uncomfortable: Russell Brand brought off this kind of pseudo-apology a bit more successfully when he released a quasi-mea culpa online after the Andrew Sachs affair with a picture of Stalin in the background.
It’s the equivalent of too-cool-for-school Year 12 students sneeringly saying “sorr-eeeeee!” to the headteacher and it says to the viewer: these uptight idiots...
Legally enforced pseudo-apologies from public figures are common enough: the mock sorrow for “any offence caused”, the breezily worded commitment to “setting the record straight” etc. But Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have gone in for the high-risk strategy of recording an elaborately deadpan spoof apology whose purpose is to satirise the very people they’ve been forced to placate. The result is very bizarre and uncomfortable: Russell Brand brought off this kind of pseudo-apology a bit more successfully when he released a quasi-mea culpa online after the Andrew Sachs affair with a picture of Stalin in the background.
It’s the equivalent of too-cool-for-school Year 12 students sneeringly saying “sorr-eeeeee!” to the headteacher and it says to the viewer: these uptight idiots...
- 4/18/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The Torquay hotel that inspired John Cleese and Connie Booth to create Fawlty Towers is being demolished. The Guardian reports that retirement flats will be built in its place. Cleese and Booth starred in the BBC Two sitcom with Prunella Scales and Andrew Sachs. Fawlty Towers ran for two non-concurrent series (seasons) in 1975 and 1979.
The Monty Python comedy group (aka The Pythons) reportedly stayed at Torquay's Gleneagles Hotel in the early '70s, while shooting Monty Python's Flying Circus. Flabbergasted by the rude behavior of then-owners Donald and Beatrice Sinclair, most of the team moved on. Booth and Cleese, who were married at the time, stayed on to study the couple's behavior. Per The Guardian, Cleese described Mr. Sinclair as "the most wonderfully rude man I have ever met."
Read More…...
The Monty Python comedy group (aka The Pythons) reportedly stayed at Torquay's Gleneagles Hotel in the early '70s, while shooting Monty Python's Flying Circus. Flabbergasted by the rude behavior of then-owners Donald and Beatrice Sinclair, most of the team moved on. Booth and Cleese, who were married at the time, stayed on to study the couple's behavior. Per The Guardian, Cleese described Mr. Sinclair as "the most wonderfully rude man I have ever met."
Read More…...
- 3/18/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Mark Harrison Dec 24, 2016
A Christmas treat from 1995: but does anyone else remember The Forgotten Toys?
Over the years, British animation has given us a few good television specials in the Christmas season, including classic cartoons like The Snowman, stop-motion treats like Wallace & Gromit and more recent CG-animated Julia Donaldson adaptations like The Gruffalo and the upcoming Stick Man.
See related Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch plays down talk of show ending Sherlock series 3: 111 things we learned from the special edition DVDs Sherlock: The Abominable Bride review
A lot of these specials enjoy annual exposure in the Christmas telly schedules, winning over different generations of viewers. Ironically, a less remembered special is The Forgotten Toys, which first aired on Children's ITV on Boxing Day in 1995. Directed by Graham Ralph, the original half-hour special is adapted from James Stevenson's The Night After Christmas, starting with two toys waking up...
A Christmas treat from 1995: but does anyone else remember The Forgotten Toys?
Over the years, British animation has given us a few good television specials in the Christmas season, including classic cartoons like The Snowman, stop-motion treats like Wallace & Gromit and more recent CG-animated Julia Donaldson adaptations like The Gruffalo and the upcoming Stick Man.
See related Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch plays down talk of show ending Sherlock series 3: 111 things we learned from the special edition DVDs Sherlock: The Abominable Bride review
A lot of these specials enjoy annual exposure in the Christmas telly schedules, winning over different generations of viewers. Ironically, a less remembered special is The Forgotten Toys, which first aired on Children's ITV on Boxing Day in 1995. Directed by Graham Ralph, the original half-hour special is adapted from James Stevenson's The Night After Christmas, starting with two toys waking up...
- 12/9/2015
- Den of Geek
The shortlist is announced today for the eighth annual Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography - the nominees are Tennessee Williams Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh by John Lahr, Our Time of Day My Life with Corin Redgrave by Kika Markham, What do I Know People, Politics and the Arts by Richard Eyre, Covering Shakespeare by David Weston and I Know Nothing The Autobiography by Andrew Sachs.
- 3/4/2015
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Andrew Sachs has joined the cast of 'EastEnders'. The veteran actor - who is well known for playing the role of Manuel in the comedy series 'Fawlty Towers' - is to make a guest stint in the soap for a handful of episodes in the new year. Although producers are yet to reveal who the 84-year-old star will play, appearing in a soap is nothing new for Andrew, having previously appeared in ITV's 'Coronation Street'. In 2009, the father-of-three was cast in the soap opera as the brother of Norris, Ramsay Clegg, featuring in 27 episodes in the role. The 'Quartet' star became embroiled...
- 12/21/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
Andrew Sachs has joined the cast of 'EastEnders'. The veteran actor - who is well known for playing the role of Manuel in the comedy series 'Fawlty Towers' - is to make a guest stint in the soap for a handful of episodes in the new year. Although producers are yet to reveal who the 84-year-old star will play, appearing in a soap is nothing new for Andrew, having previously appeared in ITV's 'Coronation Street'. In 2009, the father-of-three was cast in the soap opera as the brother of Norris, Ramsay Clegg, featuring in 27 episodes in the role. The 'Quartet' star became embroiled...
- 12/18/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
Jonathan Ross won't host 'Strictly Come Dancing'. The chat show host has ruled himself out of replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth on the BBC ballroom dancing competition following his involvement in the Andrew Sachs prank call scandal in 2008. Jonathan, who hosted popular talk show 'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross' on BBC One until 2010, says he won't return to work for the BBC and is ''happy'' at ITV, where he now fronts 'The Jonathan Ross Show'. He told Digital Spy: ''That would never happen, oh come on. I'm not going to be offered it. I'm very happy at ITV. I'm an ITV person.
- 5/9/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
Jonathan Ross has revealed that he will definitely not be hosting Strictly Come Dancing.
The chat show host is among several stars tipped to replace the outgoing Sir Bruce Forsyth on the BBC One competition.
However, he told Digital Spy that he is unlikely to present a primetime show on the BBC, following the Andrew Sachs prank phone call scandal with Russell Brand in 2008.
"That would never happen, oh come on," he said. "I'm not going to be offered it. I'm very happy at ITV. I'm an ITV person.
"I have no problem with the BBC, but I have no intention of going back there to host shows."
Ross also addressed rumours of him developing a UK version of RuPaul's Drag Race.
He said: "I'm trying to get RuPaul's show itself transmitted over here. It all got a bit mangled there. It's a tremendous show and I can't believe it's not showing over here.
The chat show host is among several stars tipped to replace the outgoing Sir Bruce Forsyth on the BBC One competition.
However, he told Digital Spy that he is unlikely to present a primetime show on the BBC, following the Andrew Sachs prank phone call scandal with Russell Brand in 2008.
"That would never happen, oh come on," he said. "I'm not going to be offered it. I'm very happy at ITV. I'm an ITV person.
"I have no problem with the BBC, but I have no intention of going back there to host shows."
Ross also addressed rumours of him developing a UK version of RuPaul's Drag Race.
He said: "I'm trying to get RuPaul's show itself transmitted over here. It all got a bit mangled there. It's a tremendous show and I can't believe it's not showing over here.
- 5/9/2014
- Digital Spy
Let Me Entertain You: ITV, 6pm
Premiering tonight and hosted by Michael Underwood, the brand new ITV show celebrates all things musical.
Viewers opt to send in clips of themselves, their children or even their grandparents participating in a musical act, be it singing or dancing, and then have it broadcast on the show.
Britain's Got Talent: ITV, 7pm
Ant and Dec continue the nationwide search for talent in the third instalment of weekly auditions.
Out of the four judges, only Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon still have the possibility of pushing the golden buzzer and sending someone straight through to the live semi-finals.
Tune in to see more singing, dancing, magic and other downright crazy acts this week.
Britain's Funniest Comedy Characters: Channel 5, 9.15pm
Counting down the nation's 50 funniest comedy characters is a whole host of celebrities, writers, producers and showbiz critics.
Narrated by Olivia Colman, they...
Premiering tonight and hosted by Michael Underwood, the brand new ITV show celebrates all things musical.
Viewers opt to send in clips of themselves, their children or even their grandparents participating in a musical act, be it singing or dancing, and then have it broadcast on the show.
Britain's Got Talent: ITV, 7pm
Ant and Dec continue the nationwide search for talent in the third instalment of weekly auditions.
Out of the four judges, only Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon still have the possibility of pushing the golden buzzer and sending someone straight through to the live semi-finals.
Tune in to see more singing, dancing, magic and other downright crazy acts this week.
Britain's Funniest Comedy Characters: Channel 5, 9.15pm
Counting down the nation's 50 funniest comedy characters is a whole host of celebrities, writers, producers and showbiz critics.
Narrated by Olivia Colman, they...
- 4/26/2014
- Digital Spy
Exclusive: Vadim Jean directing British comedy with the Fraiser star.
Principal photography has begun in London on independent British comedy Breaking the Bank, starring Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, X-Men).
The film, which plays out against the backdrop of the financial crisis, is directed by Vadim Jean, best known for 1992 comedy Leon the Pig Farmer and fantasy TV movies Hogfather and The Colour of Magic. The script has been written by ex-banker Roger Devlin, who has also provided “substantial finance” to the project.
The story centres on Charles Bunbury (Grammer), the bumbling, affable chairman of 200- year-old bank, Tuftons. Discovering that a rogue trader has left the bank in serious financial trouble - with rival Us and Japanese banks circling - Charles needs to attempt to secure Tuftons future. The only problem is Charles knows nothing about banking.
The cast also includes Episodes star Tamsin Greig as Charles’ frustrated wife; Gavin & Stacey’s Mathew Horne as Charles’ right hand man...
Principal photography has begun in London on independent British comedy Breaking the Bank, starring Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, X-Men).
The film, which plays out against the backdrop of the financial crisis, is directed by Vadim Jean, best known for 1992 comedy Leon the Pig Farmer and fantasy TV movies Hogfather and The Colour of Magic. The script has been written by ex-banker Roger Devlin, who has also provided “substantial finance” to the project.
The story centres on Charles Bunbury (Grammer), the bumbling, affable chairman of 200- year-old bank, Tuftons. Discovering that a rogue trader has left the bank in serious financial trouble - with rival Us and Japanese banks circling - Charles needs to attempt to secure Tuftons future. The only problem is Charles knows nothing about banking.
The cast also includes Episodes star Tamsin Greig as Charles’ frustrated wife; Gavin & Stacey’s Mathew Horne as Charles’ right hand man...
- 4/4/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Nestled in the announcement about the 2014 Brit Awards was confirmation that next year's ceremony willbe the last hosted by James Corden.
Having made his debut alongside Kylie Minogue and comedy partner Mat Horne in 2009, Corden will have presented the annual backslapping event solo for four consecutive years, the longest stint in its history.
In the past, the Brits have changed host year-on-year, with only a handful (Tim Rice, Noel Edmonds, Simon Bates, Ben Elton, Chris Evans) getting a couple of consecutive shows under their belt.
Given Corden's safe-pair-of-hands success, we can well see the British Phonographic Industry looking to pick another long-term prospect. Either way, Digital Spy rounds out some possible replacements for Corden.
Alan Carr
The reason for Corden's success was his ability to (in the main) successfully juggle a sense of fun with the respectful deference the suits and stars demand from The Brits. Carr has of course...
Having made his debut alongside Kylie Minogue and comedy partner Mat Horne in 2009, Corden will have presented the annual backslapping event solo for four consecutive years, the longest stint in its history.
In the past, the Brits have changed host year-on-year, with only a handful (Tim Rice, Noel Edmonds, Simon Bates, Ben Elton, Chris Evans) getting a couple of consecutive shows under their belt.
Given Corden's safe-pair-of-hands success, we can well see the British Phonographic Industry looking to pick another long-term prospect. Either way, Digital Spy rounds out some possible replacements for Corden.
Alan Carr
The reason for Corden's success was his ability to (in the main) successfully juggle a sense of fun with the respectful deference the suits and stars demand from The Brits. Carr has of course...
- 11/28/2013
- Digital Spy
The director reveals he is a 'great fan' of the Us standup comic. Meanwhile, Geri Halliwell looks set to star in her own TV comedy show and London's Glee Club isn't happy
This week's comedy news
Woody Allen has been talking to the New York Times about his desire to make a film with standup comic Louis Ck. The latter has a small role in Allen's forthcoming feature Blue Jasmine, but the part isn't "commensurate with his talent", says Allen. "[So] when I finished this picture, I went into my room and thought, what would be a fun picture? My first thought was: can I come up with something that I could do with Louis Ck? … Some day, I will get something that we could do together, because I do think it would be fun. I'm such a great fan of his."
Elsewhere in Hollywood, Mike Myers in hatching a directorial...
This week's comedy news
Woody Allen has been talking to the New York Times about his desire to make a film with standup comic Louis Ck. The latter has a small role in Allen's forthcoming feature Blue Jasmine, but the part isn't "commensurate with his talent", says Allen. "[So] when I finished this picture, I went into my room and thought, what would be a fun picture? My first thought was: can I come up with something that I could do with Louis Ck? … Some day, I will get something that we could do together, because I do think it would be fun. I'm such a great fan of his."
Elsewhere in Hollywood, Mike Myers in hatching a directorial...
- 7/23/2013
- by Brian Logan
- The Guardian - Film News
London, July 22(Ani): Comedian Russell Brand has revealed that the so-called Sachsgate controversy erupted because of a bias against the BBC.
"Sachsgate", were a series of voice messages that Brand and TV presenter Jonathan Ross left on the answering machine of actor Andrew Sachs in 2008.
He told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs the incident was exploited by elements of the media seeking to "attack and diminish the BBC".
As a result to the Sachsgate affair, Brand and the controller of Radio 2 resigned, and Ross was suspended from broadcasting for three months.
Brand claimed that the thousands of people who.
"Sachsgate", were a series of voice messages that Brand and TV presenter Jonathan Ross left on the answering machine of actor Andrew Sachs in 2008.
He told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs the incident was exploited by elements of the media seeking to "attack and diminish the BBC".
As a result to the Sachsgate affair, Brand and the controller of Radio 2 resigned, and Ross was suspended from broadcasting for three months.
Brand claimed that the thousands of people who.
- 7/22/2013
- by Rahul Kapoor
- RealBollywood.com
With all the paparazzi pictures that have appeared of her new film, Taking Stock, you may feel you have already seen it. Still, if it's going to save the industry …
Once again, Lost in Showbiz contemplates paging Jimmy Carr's tax accountant, in search of an urgent explanation for a forthcoming work of British cinema.
I am joking, of course. Admittedly, none of us is yet clear what precise percentage of Britflicks are deliberately conceived as Producers-style calamities, which nonetheless result in millions plopping into various tax-avoiders' bank accounts. But I seek absolutely no explanation for news that Kelly Brook has landed a movie role other than the notion that cinemagoers will gladly pay to see her act.
For Kelly, appearances on the silver screen are second nature. "I can't wait to get back to doing what I love," she informed fans. Which is? "Which is being on set and...
Once again, Lost in Showbiz contemplates paging Jimmy Carr's tax accountant, in search of an urgent explanation for a forthcoming work of British cinema.
I am joking, of course. Admittedly, none of us is yet clear what precise percentage of Britflicks are deliberately conceived as Producers-style calamities, which nonetheless result in millions plopping into various tax-avoiders' bank accounts. But I seek absolutely no explanation for news that Kelly Brook has landed a movie role other than the notion that cinemagoers will gladly pay to see her act.
For Kelly, appearances on the silver screen are second nature. "I can't wait to get back to doing what I love," she informed fans. Which is? "Which is being on set and...
- 7/18/2013
- by Marina Hyde
- The Guardian - Film News
London, Apr 15: Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand's infamous prank call has been named as one of the top ten radio moments of all time.
The Radio 2 stunt, when the duo left smutty messages on actor Andrew Sachs' answering machine in 2008, was placed at sixth position in a list that was compiled by Sony, the Sun reported.
The top ten radio moments are:
1. Winston Churchill's 1940 "Fight them on the beaches" speech.
2. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" oration in 1963.
3. 1985's Live Aid concert.
4. Hg Wells' play 'The War of the Worlds,' which many Us listeners in 1938 thought was a genuine.
The Radio 2 stunt, when the duo left smutty messages on actor Andrew Sachs' answering machine in 2008, was placed at sixth position in a list that was compiled by Sony, the Sun reported.
The top ten radio moments are:
1. Winston Churchill's 1940 "Fight them on the beaches" speech.
2. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" oration in 1963.
3. 1985's Live Aid concert.
4. Hg Wells' play 'The War of the Worlds,' which many Us listeners in 1938 thought was a genuine.
- 4/15/2013
- by Amith Ostwal
- RealBollywood.com
Director: Ray Cooney, John Luton; Screenwriter: Ray Cooney; Starring: Danny Dyer, Sarah Harding, Denise Van Outen, Neil Morrissey; Running time: 94 mins; Certificate: 12A
Danny Dyer trades in his wideboy screen persona for slapstick japes in latest movie Run For Your Wife. It's a fresh side to the man best known for Nick Love lads' flicks and Deadliest Men documentaries, seeing him play a London cab driver reeling after a blow to the head threatens to expose him as a bigamist. Dyer's John Smith has two wives (Denise Van Outen and Sarah Harding) and two lives, organising his taxi shifts so he can shuttle between homes in North and South London.
Ray Cooney, whose long-running stage play inspired the film, steps behind the camera with John Luton to oversee the mayhem. Many of Cooney's old theatre pals - among them Judi Dench, Richard Briers, Andrew Sachs, Christopher Biggins and Lionel Blair...
Danny Dyer trades in his wideboy screen persona for slapstick japes in latest movie Run For Your Wife. It's a fresh side to the man best known for Nick Love lads' flicks and Deadliest Men documentaries, seeing him play a London cab driver reeling after a blow to the head threatens to expose him as a bigamist. Dyer's John Smith has two wives (Denise Van Outen and Sarah Harding) and two lives, organising his taxi shifts so he can shuttle between homes in North and South London.
Ray Cooney, whose long-running stage play inspired the film, steps behind the camera with John Luton to oversee the mayhem. Many of Cooney's old theatre pals - among them Judi Dench, Richard Briers, Andrew Sachs, Christopher Biggins and Lionel Blair...
- 2/14/2013
- Digital Spy
Review Andrew Blair Feb 14, 2013
Based on the unaired Douglas Adams Doctor Who 1979 serial, Gareth Roberts' novelisation of Shada is a brisk, entertaining read...
Shada is a challenge for a writer. Firstly, it's based on a Douglas Adams script, rush written in 1979 (the show's production was never finished due to industrial action), that its author was not hugely enamoured of anyway. Those aspects Adams did like he used in other stories, most notably in the first Dirk Gently novel. Footage from Shada was used to represent the Fourth Doctor and Romana in The Five Doctors (Tom Baker having declined a return to the role), and what was shot was released on VHS in 1992 with linking narration by Tom Baker.
There have been several fan adaptations, including a Target-style novelisation by Paul Scoones which is available as an E-book, and in 2003 Big Finish and the BBC produced an audioplay with Paul McGann as the Doctor,...
Based on the unaired Douglas Adams Doctor Who 1979 serial, Gareth Roberts' novelisation of Shada is a brisk, entertaining read...
Shada is a challenge for a writer. Firstly, it's based on a Douglas Adams script, rush written in 1979 (the show's production was never finished due to industrial action), that its author was not hugely enamoured of anyway. Those aspects Adams did like he used in other stories, most notably in the first Dirk Gently novel. Footage from Shada was used to represent the Fourth Doctor and Romana in The Five Doctors (Tom Baker having declined a return to the role), and what was shot was released on VHS in 1992 with linking narration by Tom Baker.
There have been several fan adaptations, including a Target-style novelisation by Paul Scoones which is available as an E-book, and in 2003 Big Finish and the BBC produced an audioplay with Paul McGann as the Doctor,...
- 2/13/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross have told of their regret and embarrassment about sparking the 'Sachsgate' scandal which engulfed the BBC, as they discussed the incident together on TV for the first time.
Brand said he was wrapped up in the comedy value of their stunt and lost perspective of "reality" when they left near-the-knuckle messages during a prank call to actor Andrew Sachs which caused outrage in October 2008.
Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross have opened up about the effects of the 'Sachsgate' scandal
The pair reflected on their behaviour and told how it brought them close as friends, as Brand appeared on an edition of 'The Jonathan Ross Show' to be screened on ITV on Saturday.
They caused a furore in 2008 when they left smutty messages on veteran actor Andrews Sachs's answerphone during a pre-recorded Radio 2 show. It led to the departure of the station controller and...
Brand said he was wrapped up in the comedy value of their stunt and lost perspective of "reality" when they left near-the-knuckle messages during a prank call to actor Andrew Sachs which caused outrage in October 2008.
Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross have opened up about the effects of the 'Sachsgate' scandal
The pair reflected on their behaviour and told how it brought them close as friends, as Brand appeared on an edition of 'The Jonathan Ross Show' to be screened on ITV on Saturday.
They caused a furore in 2008 when they left smutty messages on veteran actor Andrews Sachs's answerphone during a pre-recorded Radio 2 show. It led to the departure of the station controller and...
- 2/1/2013
- by PA
- Huffington Post
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