Charlie Drake - The Worker

[bhowells]

Anyone seen this show on DVD. I was never his greatest fan but I would be quite tempted to purchase this show on dvd as I am fascinated with most shows that I originally saw in my childhood.



After many years I can still sing the song that Drake sang over the credits of The Worker.



Anyone remember him in the 1967 series ,"Who Is Sylvia,", when I saw this as a seven year old I assumed it was a drama as there was no audience laughter. Charlie wrote this show with Donald Churchill according to the Radio Times TV comedy guide.



Another show I recall Charlie Drake in was Slaptstick and Old Lace, where Drake played the manager of a vvaudeville thatre in a sketch show made by ATV IN 1971 .



I must have watched every epiosode , every show looked the same.



Probably one of Charies last regular projects on tv apart fom the odd special and re-working of The Worker as part of "Bruces Big Night ," in 1978.

[Tony Pendrey]

I don't know why, but I too, still find myself singing that opening song.



And I haven't seen the show for 40 years ! I remember loving it as a kid but I suspect I would not feel the same now.

[bhowells]

I recall that most of the show consisted of Charlie holding Mr Pugh(Henry Mghee) by the lapels of his suit. I suspect that there was a lot of corpsing, Henry did a lot of this in The Benny Hill Show.

[smudge]

Courtesy of NETWORK DVD I watched the entire series not long back. I didn't really know what to expect, having a very limited memory of Charlie D and THE WORKER. I expected it to be horribly dated.



I have to say that by the end of the run I was a fan. I was very impressed about how well constructed the scripts were, even though most episodes appear to meander away. He lays some good 'sleeper' gags which come back and bite you, and no matter how outlandish things may become he always draws it back together at the end....



I came away with the impression that Drake was one of those rare individuals, like Doddy and Monkhouse, who knew comedy inside out and exactly what worked.



Good stuff; must re-watch some soon.



Smudge

[Husky]

I agree, Smudge. On viewing the DVDs I was surprised how Pythonesque some of the programmes were, such as the episode where he goes to a TV studio, and walks in on the set of The Worker, looking curiously at the cameras and audience. Or maybe Python was Workeresque.



Most episodes were pretty good, and I'll certainly watch them again (which is not always the case with old TV shows).

[smudge]

Yes, the TV studios visit was very surreal....



... and a fine example of his 'cyclical' construction too.



Smudge

[Mr Sloane]

I am sorry but Charlie Drake is just one of those performers whose appeal is beyond me, even is a child I used to find him childish and unfunny.

To paraphrase Satre hell is other peoples' comedians my tormentors:-

Charlie Drake, Norman Wisdom,Lee Evans,jJm Carrey,Adam Sandler,Ricky Gervais,Steve Coogan and Beelzebub himself Jerry Lewis.

[Bernardo]

name='Mr Sloane']

To paraphrase Satre hell is other peoples' comedians my tormentors:-

Charlie Drake, Norman Wisdom,Lee Evans,jJm Carrey,Adam Sandler,Ricky Gervais,Steve Coogan and Beelzebub himself Jerry Lewis.

The exact list I would have compiled, custard pie throwers and those who think portraying twats is the height of sophistication.

Unfortunately they are rich twats.