Ref NoBSUCA/JP/1/1/9/2
CollectionJohn Pidgeon Collection
TitleLaughing Matters with Dudley Moore (as broadcast)
Name of creatorPidgeon, John, 1947-2016
DateAugust 1995
Duration2 hr. 0 min. 41 sec.
Extent1 sound cassette (DAT 124)
1 audio file Broadcast WAVE Format
DescriptionLaughing Matters' with Dudley Moore (edited programme as broadcast on British Airways Radio).
[00:03] Introduction, Dudley Moore [DM] introduces a clip of Al Read [00:14] Clip of Al Read plays. [03:21] Clip ends, DM talks about how he ritualistically enjoyed Al Read and the Goon Show, and enjoyed The Proms in the same way.
[04:03] DM talks about how he was attracted to humour and comedy at school. [04:53] DM went to a showing of the movie Genevieve with his mother. [05:30] DM was influenced by comedy actors like Phil Ondell [?] and Alastair Sim.
[05:45] The Goon Show, listened to it on a Sunday afternoon [06:02] Clip of The Goon Show plays. [09:35] Clip ends, DM praises Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers, and says Spike Milligan is an unsung hero [09:54] Clip of Spike Milligan plays. [13:07] Clip ends, DM talks about meeting Spike Milligan at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and seeing him at Peter Cook’s tribute.
[13:43] British Airways Radio jingle plays
[13:52] DM talks about being at Maudling College Oxford hoping to be a choir master or organist, and how he was seduced by jazz and comedy. [14:36] Clip of Dudley Moore playing Beethoven’s Colonel Bogey plays.
[18:22] Clip ends, DM talks about Beyond the Fringe and how he and Jonathan Miller from Cambridge were asked to look for other comedy talents, [18:44] DM recommended Alan Bennett, and Peter Cook was recommended by Jonathan Miller.
[19:53] Clip from Beyond the Fringe plays. [26:16] Clip ends, DM discusses Beyond the Fringe’s legacy. [27:10] Another clip from Beyond the Fringe plays. [31:32] Clip ends, DM discusses the Tarzan sketch. [32:34] DM talks about Peter Cook. [33:34] Clip of Peter Cook plays.
[41:09] Clip ends, DM says he didn’t know what influenced Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennett. [41:46] Clip of Pete & Dud on Not Only But Also plays. [52:02] Clip ends, DM talks about Not Only But Also. [52:53] Another clip from Not Only But Also plays. [58:39] Clip ends, DM discusses different sketches.
[59:50] Laughing Matters jingle plays. [01:00:26] DM introduces a clip of Jonathan Winters. [01:02:47] Clip ends, DM discusses his influence on Robin Williams. [01:03:20] Clip of Robin Williams plays. [01:10:44] Clip ends, DM talks about Robin Williams and his interview with Alan King.
[01:11:18] Laughing Matters jingle plays. [01:11:30] Clip of Billy Connolly plays. [01:26:37] Clip ends, DM discusses having lunch in London with Billy Connolly and Robin Williams, and says the two have very similar styles.
[01:27:29] DM discusses the difference between American and English comedy. He says that to the Americans, Bill Connolly’s Scottish accent is more familiar than that of Morecambe & Wise or Bruce Forsyth. [01:28:12] DM talks about how the Brits tolerate the accents of the Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy, WC Fields etc. [01:28:30] DM says we’re used to American accents in films because of the American film industry, and discusses how the Ealing Comedies and other British movies never caught on in the same way.
[01:29:13] DM discusses his movie roles in Arthur & Ten. [01:30:25] DM talks about Arthur being influenced by “stage drunks” [01:30:41] and seeing Max Miller around the same time.
[01:31:03] Clip of Max Miller plays. [01:34:56] Clip ends, DM talks about how people underestimated Max Miller. [01:35:18] DM can’t remember if he saw Max Miller at Bournemouth or Max Wall. [01:35:29] DM talks about seeing Gert & Daisy and The Goon Show.
[01:35:54] Laughing Matters jingle plays. [01:35:59] Spike Jones and His City Slickers, clip plays. [01:39:00] Clip ends, DM discusses. [01:39:12] Stan Freberg, clip plays. [01:42:41] Clip ends, DM talks about seeing Donald O’Connor and Stan Freberg at the Balboa Bay Club.
[01:43:21] Lenny Bruce, DM tells an anecdote about Lenny Bruce. [01:44:11] Clip of Lenny Bruce plays. [01:47:25] Clip ends, DM talks about Peter Cook servicing Lenny Bruce when he visited London.
[01:47:38] Frankie Howerd, DM describes him as being lugubrious in person but very different on-stage. [01:47:48] Clip of Frankie Howerd plays.
[01:51:55] Clip ends, DM talks about Steven Wright. [01:52:40] Clip of Steven Wright plays. [01:54:49] Clip ends, DM discusses his one-liners and how the tradition goes all the way back to Henny Youngman. [01:55:06] Clip of Henny Youngman plays.
[02:00:10] Clip ends, British Airways Radio Jingle plays. [02:00:21] Recording ends
NotesLPCM wave 16 bit 44.1kHz. Digital Audio Tape (DAT) captured using a Mac running MacOS; SPDIF connection via RME PCI card. Digitisation engineer Adrian Finn, Greatbear analogue & digital media ltd. Digital file was topped and tailed.
CategoryAudio recordings
Access conditionsThis recording is available for consultation at the University of Kent's Special Collections & Archives reading room, Templeman Library, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NU for study/research purposes only. Access to audio-visual recordings is through digital listening copies. The University of Kent acknowledges the intellectual property rights of those named as contributors in this recording and the rights of those not identified.
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