Happy 50th Birthday Navy Lark!

[Bernardo]

This weekend sees the 50th anniversary of the first Navy Lark broadcast.

If you want to join the celebration check BBC 7 for transmissions and check the appreciation society's web-site at:

http://www.navylark.org.uk/:

[Steve Crook]

A great show. The family all used to enjoy it, huddled around the old steam radio



Steve

[Marky B]

Great comedy show.

Ta Ta

Marky B

[manoross]

I know it's not movies but before there were movies there was radio, and one of my favourites was the Navy Lark with Stephen Murray, Phillips, John Pertwee, Ronnie Barker etc.

I just found on the BBC site a link to 3 hours of the old shows, this is their 50th anniversary



BBC iPlayer - The Navy Lark Special



Enjoy

[HUGHJAMPTON]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxzyjvQ-U1Q"]YouTube- TV LARK 1 - Opening Night (Pt 1 of 3)[/ame]



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOJdSOhi6Zw"]YouTube- Embassy Lark S01E02 Pt 1[/ame]



A couple of spin-offs for The Navy Lark.

[Mr Chips]

Love listeningto all the shows on Radio 7, takes me back to the days when there wre more radios than tv's!

[CliveT]

"The Navy Lark" brings back happy radio memories along with "Beyond Our Ken" etc. The days when the pc brigade didn't exist and all the better for it!



"Left hand down a bit"!

[Steve Crook]

name='CliveT']"The Navy Lark" brings back happy radio memories along with "Beyond Our Ken" etc. The days when the pc brigade didn't exist and all the better for it!



"Left hand down a bit"!

Yes, life was much better for everyone with all that casual sexism and racism



Steve

[Mr Sloane]

name='CliveT']"The Navy Lark" brings back happy radio memories along with "Beyond Our Ken" etc. The days when the pc brigade didn't exist and all the better for it!



"Left hand down a bit"!

Is it possible to apply for a commission in the brigade ? I'd make a good Aide De Camp.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Mr Sloane']Is it possible to apply for a commission in the brigade ? I'd make a good Aide De Camp.

That joke is never not going to be funny

[Mr Sloane]

name='CaptainWaggett']That joke is never not going to be funny

And probably used on the first episode of the Navy Lark( and ITMA and Band Waggon and certainly Round the Horne)

[Steve Crook]

name='Mr Sloane']And probably used on the first episode of the Navy Lark( and ITMA and Band Waggon and certainly Round the Horne)

They had racism and anti-Semitism (Leading Seaman Taffy Goldstein) and sexism (usually between Leslie Philips & Heather Chasen). But I don't remember any gay or even slightly camp figures in the show



I used to listen to it regularly on the old steam radio - and I even went to see it being recorded once



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Steve Crook']They had racism and anti-Semitism (Leading Seaman Taffy Goldstein) and sexism (usually between Leslie Philips & Heather Chasen). But I don't remember any gay or even slightly camp figures in the show



I used to listen to it regularly on the old steam radio - and I even went to see it being recorded once



Steve

In the later episodes there's a couple of gay civil servants who turn up a lot (played, I assume by Michael Bates and Tenniel Evans).

[Mr Sloane]

name='Steve Crook']They had racism and anti-Semitism (Leading Seaman Taffy Goldstein) and sexism (usually between Leslie Philips & Heather Chasen). But I don't remember any gay or even slightly camp figures in the show



I used to listen to it regularly on the old steam radio - and I even went to see it being recorded once



Steve

While not gay I think Leslie Phillips is the epitome of theatrical camp.

[CaptainWaggett]

According to Jon Pertwee,producer Herbert Wilcox didn't hire Dennis Price for the film because he disapproved of his gayness Which suggests Mr Wilcox had kept himself to himself during his long career . Though it doesn't explain why nobody else except Leslie Philips was used

[Steve Crook]

name='Mr Sloane']While not gay I think Leslie Phillips is the epitome of theatrical camp.

He chases the ladies. Is he over-compensating?



Steve

[Steve Crook]

name='CaptainWaggett']In the later episodes there's a couple of gay civil servants who turn up a lot (played, I assume by Michael Bates and Tenniel Evans).

Maybe I had grown out of it, or given up on it by then



Steve

[orpheum]

I know it seems difficult to believe that some people in show business were homophobic but there were.I have just finished a biog of Donald Wolfit who heartily disliked hiring what he ttermed "nancy boys" for his company.

[Mr Sloane]

name='orpheum']I know it seems difficult to believe that some people in show business were homophobic but there were.I have just finished a biog of Donald Wolfit who heartily disliked hiring what he ttermed "nancy boys" for his company.

Another surprise is Mae West while she loved the flamboyant and effeminate gays she could not abide "butch" gay men.

[Tonch]

name='Steve Crook']Yes, life was much better for everyone with all that casual sexism and racism



Steve

No it wasn't, it was better when we outgrew that... but before things went to the other extreme and people didn't have to tiptoe around self consciously on eggshells frightened of offending someone by referring to a snowman instead of a "snowperson" (an example I witnessed with my own eyes and ears). PC is a lazy overcompensation for the fact that some people (of all races and both sexes, btw) are and always have been ignorant and thoughtlessly rude.



Never heard much Navy Lark but the conniving Pertwee character always sounded most amusing from the episodes I caught.