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This biography, by his lover, shows, how away from the screen, Dick Emery was plagued with self-doubt and insecurity. This book covers his life and the scandals that surrounded it.
Jimmy Jones is the guv'nor of comedy. He was the first adult comedian to break big in the UK. His uncompromising act made him a hero to hundreds of thousands of blue collar Londoners. He became known for his catchphrase 'kin 'ell!' and established himself as an underground legend -- in the process attracting everyone from rock's royalty to real Royalty. The Rolling Stones, the Nice, the Small Faces, Iron Maiden and Status Quo were among the many stars who flocked to his gigs. The Beatles played his tapes on their tour bus. His fans included fellow comedians Dudley Moore and Chubby Brown and soap star Martine McCutcheon. In a long and successful career Jones has told jokes to Michael Jackson, entertained the Kray Twins and performed for a surprising number of Royal Family members -- Prince Charles, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret. TV bosses hated him but Jimmy's outrageous comedy made him a millionaire by his 40s. Not bad for a kid from the rough end of Essex who grew up thinking he'd become a priest.
Legendary British comic actor John Inman broke down many boundaries by playing the camp Mr Humphries in the long-running sitcom Are You Being Served? The show ran for thirteen years, had a spin-off movie and attracted millions of viewers in the UK. Inman's character, whose innuendos were adored by viewers, invariably got the biggest laughs – and this at a time when being gay was largely frowned upon. Away from television, he soon became one of the most in-demand pantomime actors, making a small fortune over several decades. Yet it was as Mr Humphries that he was best loved and the reason he was regarded as a national treasure. In his private life, Inman was secretive about his sexuality until he married his long-term partner Ron Lynch in a civil ceremony in London in 2005. He died two years later following a long battle with hepatitis. Featuring revealing interviews with many of Inman's surviving cast mates and colleagues, I'm Free! uncovers the full story of a man who was adored by millions and who broke down barriers by simply being himself.
Uncover the turbulent transition of the Carry On series and its stars during the 1960s. When the Carry On Stopped looks at how the Carry On film series made its painful transition from one film company, Anglo-Amalgamated, to another, the Rank Organisation. In examining this little-known but fascinating story, the growth of Anglo-Amalgamated is highlighted through the success of its owners, partners Stuart Levy and Nat Cohen. Levys sudden death in 1966 encouraged Cohen to ditch the Carry Ons in favour of more prestigious feature films. Without a film distributor, the series producer Peter Rogers, was forced to search for another, eventually finding the series a new home at Rank. However, ...
The story of an entertainer for 50 years. Did he choose the right profession? Or should he have followed his heart?
This collection of essays highlights the variety of 1970s culture, and shows how it responded to the transformations that were taking place in that most elusive of decades. The 1970s was a period of extraordinary change on the social, sexual and political fronts. Moreover, the culture of the period was revolutionary in a number of ways; it was sometimes florid, innovatory, risk-taking and occasionally awkward and inconsistent. The essays collected here reflect this diversity and analyse many cultural forms of the 1970s. The book includes articles on literature, politics, drama, architecture, film, television, youth cultures, interior design, journalism, and contercultural “happenings”. I...
They Died on my Watch By: Noel Bailey Who was the actress that died just before Christmas - she was the voice of... in...? How many actors died of cancer-related illness in 1996? Did Hitler commit suicide or was he shot by Russian troops? Hey, do you remember what year Princess Diana died in that French car crash? How many husbands did Elizabeth Taylor divorce in her lifetime? What well-known actor died just a few days after David Bowie? Questions you might hear at the next table at your regular eatery. Questions you may not know the answer to. They Died On My Watch can answer these and many more. It is a comprehensive reference work that should prove itself to be indispensible to any household. Most certainly a book to sustain interest while cruising at 35,000 feet between London and New York. The ultimate “umpire” you might say, to settle any argument that may arise with regards to discussion involving a deceased celebrity - recent or not.
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The role of laughter and humour in the postmedieval citation, interpretation or recreation of the middle ages has hitherto received little attention, a gap in scholarship which this book aims to fill. Examining a wide range of comic texts and practices across several centuries, from Don Quixote and early Chaucerian modernisation through to Victorian theatre, the Monty Python films, television and the experience of visiting sites of "heritage tourism" such as the Jorvik Viking Museum at York, it identifies what has been perceived as uniquely funny about the Middle Ages in different times and places, and how this has influenced ideas not just about the medieval but also about modernity. Tracing the development and permutations of its various registers, including satire, parody, irony, camp, wit, jokes, and farce, the author offers fresh and amusing insight into comic medievalism as a vehicle for critical commentary on the present as well as the past, and shows that for as long as there has been medievalism, people have laughed at and with the middle ages. Louise D'Arcens is Associate Professor in English Literatures at the University of Wollongong.
It’s 1979 and Amanda Fernsby, nineteen and inexperienced, dreams of lasting love. She leaves London with her parents to start a new life in rural Sussex, moving into Marshywood, a charming, rustic cottage. Now, surrounded by nature, she is excited to begin her new life, but there are bumps in the road ahead. What about Samantha, her closest friend, who she’s going to miss? And then, of course, there’s Mark, Sam’s gorgeous cousin, who, frustratingly, she’s only just met. Being miles apart, what chance do they have now? Will she find another job? And, perhaps Amanda’s biggest worry of all, does life in the countryside limit her opportunities for finding true love? When Sam and Mark...