Arthur Askey

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

I well-remember Arthur Askey using the catchphrases "Hello playmates" and "Ooh, don't be filthy" but was it he who used to ask "Doesn't it make you want to spit?" or another comedian?

Secondly, am I wrong in thinking that Arthur sometimes played the piano in his stage appearances?

And thirdly (tongue-in-cheek) did anybody find the "Busy bee" song even vaguely amusing?!

[Freddy]

Morning Al

I can't help you with the first, but yes I remember him playing the piano on the Palladium and other variety shows(whatever happened to those?) and like you Busy bee flew over my head as well. Perhaps it was better live.

regards

Freddy

[ollie]

Busy bee ah yes a stalwart skit that has been recreated in many a pantomime (oh yes it was...)

cheers Ollie.

[Steve Crook]

AlBabson:

I well-remember Arthur Askey using the catchphrases "Hello playmates" and "Ooh, don't be filthy" but was it he who used to ask "Doesn't it make you want to spit?" or another comedian?

Secondly, am I wrong in thinking that Arthur sometimes played the piano in his stage appearances?

And thirdly (tongue-in-cheek) did anybody find the "Busy bee" song even vaguely amusing?!

"Doesn't it make you want to spit?" was Arthur as well.



As for "Busy Bee" - it is best seen rather than just heard. Remember he was only just over 5 feet high. He would dance/prance around the stage flapping his hands like a bee and pull various faces as he sang it. It had us all laughing in the aisles - life was simpler then :)



Steve

[Jim]

Didn't he have another saying like 'Aye thank you!' I always liked Arthur, and I shall get most, if not all, of his films; which won't be too hard, as he didn't make that many did he? :)

[MrDrakesDuck]

Didn't he have another saying like 'Aye thank you!'

Yep. thumbs_u



Only have two films of his, Ghost Train & Charlies Big Hearted Aunt, two real favourites of mine.



Also have an Askey CD with songs and some Bandwagon sketches.



:)

[smudge]

Yep -



He always wrote it Aye Thang You ! Other films were MAKE MINE A MILLION ; BEES IN PARADISE ; THE LOVE MATCH : BAND WAGGON as far as I can recall- there may be more... :)



SMUDGE

[Steve Crook]

IM:

Didn't he have another saying like 'Aye thank you!'

More like "Aye thang yew".

Wasn't that one used by Austin Powers as well?



Other catchphrases he used were "Before your very eyes" and "Have you read any good books lately?"



Steve

[Steve Crook]

I think The Ghost Train (1941) is probably one of his best although King Arthur Was a Gentleman (1942) and Back-Room Boy (1942) are well worth watching as well.



Arthur's was a comedy from a simpler era. Highly sophisticated it ain't. So make allowances for that, go with it and you'll probably enjoy it.



Steve

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

JIM:

Didn't he have another saying like 'Aye thank you!' I always liked Arthur, and I shall get most, if not all, of his films; which won't be too hard, as he didn't make that many did he? :)

I think it was "I thank you" - although very difficult to make out!

I remember seeing one of AA's films at the cinema when I was a kid: Ramsbottom Rides Again.

I wonder what happened to that.

Also I SAW Arthur doing the Busy Bee many times (TOO many) on TV and still didn't find it funny

But I really liked AA apart from that.

To all who have replied to this thread I have one thing to say:

"I thank you." thumbs_u

[Steve Crook]

AlBabson:

[snip]

I think it was "I thank you" - although very difficult to make out!

It was "I thank you" that he was saying. The other spellings are attempts to indicate the accent that he put on it when he said it.



Steve

[anthony chubb]

i am a arthur askey fan wanting to see more of him .

What did i do i went and got Rosie Dixon .

What can i say arthur what were you doing puting your talent and name to this ****

i feel like destroting this tape

feel like i will i ll never watch it again

would someone like to talk me out of it ? shocked2

[70s_brit_movie_fan]

Originally posted by anthony chubb@Feb 1 2005, 08:36 PM

i am a arthur askey fan wanting to see more of him .

What did i do i went and got Rosie Dixon .

What can i say arthur what were you doing puting your talent and name to this ****

i feel like destroting this tape

feel like i will i ll never watch it again

would someone like to talk me out of it ?

I know what your sayiny...Not only was arther askey in these types of films but also a galaxy of other stars, Such as john le mesuier, harry h corrbet, peter butterworth, Charles hawtrey, and Richard wattis,....THe list is endless.



I wonder what made thes e stars stoop so low. As they were/are respected actors(more than likely the money)?

[Buffalo_Chuck]

TCM-USA is showing 3 of Arthur Askey's films (all available on R1 or R2 DVD):

Ghost Train (1941)

Band Waggon (1939)

Charley's Big-Hearted Aunt (1940)



but our local film festival is showing three of his that were only on R2 DVDs, none of which I've seen:



Back Room Boy, Bees In Paradise and Miss London Ltd



Any notes about these 3 films? Last year, we had a few of his (including Ghost Train and Charleys), and this year, a few more. We've got a few more Will Hay films this year, but that's later in the summer. Your ex-pat pals do us well with their good choices - we get most of the P&Ps on the big screen, but one cannot live by fine film alone.

[donna]

the most irritating wee man ever , never liked him .my mum liked Charlie Drake but not my cup of tea either.

[bhowells]

Arthyr was woefully ufunny. I remember him being one of the captains on Jokers Wild the opposing team had Ted Ray. Couldnt stand him either, its occurred to me that Ted Ray was the uk equivilent of Jack Benny, not just the fact that they both had a violin as a comic prop but their slick deliver.



I have watched Jack Benny on some dvds, I have tried to warm to him but I cant, that wide eyed stare and constant jokes about his meanness get extremely wearing after a bit, I know he was a master of comic timing but I have to say he is not for me.



Now, his old pal George Burns and spouse Gracie Allen much more to my tastes. Her scatterbrained routine was a joy to watch. Shame I wasnt around when they debuted on Brutusg telly in 1958.

[WickedLadyKiller]

I have to admit having a soft spot for Arthur Askey. I also think that he provided at least some of the inspiration for Arthur Atkinson in this pretty ruthless Fast Show

parody: YouTube - The fast show George Formby's wartime propaganda pictures also an obvious source.



Anyway, Back Room Boy is great fun and worth watching as an example of a very British type of wartime comedy.

[donna]

Dont think the UK took to Jack Benny, I loved Life with the Lyons, thought it was great on the radio, although the Amercans do seem to have different sense of humour we have to applaud Frazier, it travels well across the pond, slick.

[suzepulcheria]

Arthyr was woefully ufunny. I remember him being one of the captains on Jokers Wild the opposing team had Ted Ray. Couldnt stand him either, its occurred to me that Ted Ray was the uk equivilent of Jack Benny, not just the fact that they both had a violin as a comic prop but their slick deliver.



I have watched Jack Benny on some dvds, I have tried to warm to him but I cant, that wide eyed stare and constant jokes about his meanness get extremely wearing after a bit, I know he was a master of comic timing but I have to say he is not for me.



Now, his old pal George Burns and spouse Gracie Allen much more to my tastes. Her scatterbrained routine was a joy to watch. Shame I wasnt around when they debuted on Brutusg telly in 1958.

I cannot agree- perhaps this is a generation thing? He was the most wonderful pantomime dame- I saw him at the Palladium twice and in summer stock at Torquay. And his songs! 'I want a banana' is perhaps my favourite- risque and sweet at the same time in the best seaside postcard humour style.

I Thang Yew.

[CaptainWaggett]

And the winner of the Most Unlikely Place to Spot an Arthur Askey Film Contest 2009 is...