The Bricklayers Story - Sick Note.

[dipsydoodle]

Gerard Hoffnung at the Oxford Union Part 2/3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0aWd7tL8y4&feature=related

Came to mind this morning because I recalled it starts with a hurricane.

[non sociopath skin]

1. My favourite Hoffnung is the extracts from letters from Tyrolean landladies.

Dear Madam:

I am honourable to accept your impossible request.

Unhappy it is, I here have not bedroom with bath. A bathroom with bed I have. I can, though, give you a washing, with pleasure, in a most clean spring with no one to see. I insist that you will like this...

I am amazing diverted by your entreaty for a room. I can offer you a commodious chamber with balcony imminent to the romantic gorge, and I hope that you want to drop in.

A vivacious stream washes my doorsteps, so do not concern yourself that I am not too good in bath, I am superb in bed.

Sorrowfully I cannot abide your auto... Having freshly taken over the propriety of this notorious house, I am wishful that you remove to me your esteemed costume.

Standing among savage scenery, the hotel offers stupendous revelations. There is a french widow in every bedroom, affording delightful prospects.

I give personal look to the interior wants of each guests. Here, you shall be well fed-up and agreeably drunk. Our charges for weekly visitors are scarcely creditable.

Peculiar arrangements for gross parties, our motto is "ever serve you right!"

http://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom%3A_translator_coop/2316-%3A_from_gerard_hoffnung%3A_french_widow_affords_delightful_prospects_translation_humor.html

Priceless!

The Skin

[LeftishBrit]

2. snort!

My parents once really did get a letter from the manager of a Swiss hotel, where they had stayed the previous year, which said, 'We are glad that you stayed at our station last year, and we hope to see you under our guests again'.

[non sociopath skin]

3. I remember a letter a school friend received from a French penpal ,,,

... who said that she and her family went for long walks in their car in the mounts.

The Skin

[dipsydoodle]

4. Yes

My only recollection of that one was "There is a french widow in every bedroom, affording delightful prospects"

For those of us old enough to recall the BBC Light Program we used to get such stuff on Forces Favorites on Sunday mornings. :)

[non sociopath skin]

5. Followed, it has to be said, by the Billy Cotton Band Show ...

... which was less enertaining unless you were tickled by current chart hits being performed in the style of the late 1930s.

The Skin

[dipsydoodle]

6. Wakie Wakie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-mgZm-E8wo

I appreciate him much more now - Ted heath too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nasQPS9Kcg

So - what followed Billy Cotton ? Archie Andrews and then Ray's A Laugh ?.

[non sociopath skin]

7. Ted Heath, maybe. John Dankworth certainly.

But Billy Cotton?

Ah, that comedy hour. Now you've got me going.

Yes, "Educating Archie" - that most bizarre thing, a radio show starring a ventriloquist's dummy. Plus at various times Max Bygraves (whom I found pretty embarrassing, even then, Tony Hancock, Bernard Bresslaw and Julie Andrews. Heard a re-run of it on Radio 4 a few years ago and it wasn't as bad as I feared.

And "Ray's A Laugh" with Ted, Kitty Blewitt and Kenneth Connor (his nephew was a classmate of mine)as the ubiquitous Sid Mincing - a sort of one-man ur-Julian and Sandy - if memory serves me well. With musical interludes from Bob and Alf Pearson,Sunderland's most famous musical sons (which speaks volumes about Sunderland).

At other times, "Life With The Lyons" (Now that was a family favourite), "The Clitheroe Kid" (of which the least said the better), "The Ken Dodd Show" (Pretty good - "Must have a burst on me banjo" etc) and, of course, "Beyond Our Ken" and "Round The Horne" of sacred memory. And wasn't "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" on Sundays in the latter part of its run?

Oh dear. I feel a severe case of nostalgia coming on and will need to soak my head in a bucket of Tizer for a few minutes. 'Scuse me ...

The Skin

[dipsydoodle]

8. Tizer ? Thought it was Irn-brew up your way.

Archie Andrews was as bizarre as having a ballet or a conjuror on the radio. btw you missed out Beryl Reed with her Brum accent.

Dankworth plays mainstream / modern whereas Heath played swing music which you can dance to: hence my preference.

I'll leave you to your Tizer and Life With The Lyons : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZfLJ_HvPTE

[non sociopath skin]

9. Irn-Bru? Never heard of it LOL

If you want the real wine of the country hereabouts, it's Fentimans "adult" soft drinks, all ginger-based and delicious but "reassuringly expensive" as they say.

http://www.fentimans.com/index.php

As I always tell folk, five excellent reasons to live in the North East - Fentimans pop, Rington's Tea, Pumphrey's coffee, Mordue's beer and stotty cake.

Of course we used to have our own classic radio show, "What Cheor, Geordie" - but that's a cuddy of an entirely different colour ...

The Skin

[T_i_B]

11. Agree about Fentiman's!

Love their Dandelion & Burdock.

[fedsron2us]

10. You mean the Clitheroe Kid was not an accurate portrayal of northern life.

I am not sure I can cope with my illusions being shattered in this way.

Next thing people will be posting that Two Way Family Favourites remind them of holidays in Antibes rather than the smell of boiled cabbage and the cooking of a Sunday joint.

[non sociopath skin]

12. I seem to remember one of Round the Horne's master-villain characters ...

... using a script of "The Clitheroe Kid" as a weapon of torture.

"Hello Jimmy"
"Hello Grandad"

"OK, OK ... I'll talk ..."

About right.

:evilgrin:

The Skin