The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend

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The True History of the Blackadder: The Unadulterated Tale of the Creation of a Comedy Legend Page 48

by J. F. Roberts


  Arden, Mark 121, 217, 305

  armed forces 301–2

  Armitage, Richard 27, 42, 45, 149, 153, 156, 173, 177, 227, 332, 406

  As Seen on TV 280

  Ash, Leslie 68, 101, 103

  Aston, Mick 357

  Aston Martins 60, 370, 395

  Atkinson, Rowan 18–22

  1st series 102, 105, 106, 115–9, 125, 127

  2nd series 169, 170, 178, 180, 182, 191, 193, 203

  3rd series 224, 231–2, 242–3, 250–2

  4th series 288, 290, 296–8, 305, 307–8, 313, 323, 400

  advertising 355

  agents 26–7

  Atkinson People, The 40–2

  awards 69, 325

  Back and Forth 355, 398

  on Baldrick character 252, 254

  Behind the Screen 297

  Beyond a Joke 31–2

  Blackadder axed 176–8

  on Blackadder character 89–90, 127, 252, 291

  cars and driving 60, 116, 384

  charity work 50–1, 72–3, 167, 216n, 217, 309, 311, 380

  Christmas Carol 270

  Cornes on 243

  on Curtis 22, 31

  Edinburgh 20, 27, 29, 32, 55, 68–9, 152, 224

  on Elton 196

  final episode (Goes Forth) 318–9

  on Fry 301

  Fry on 195, 386

  Goodall and 28

  ideas for Blackadder 81, 87

  Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill 385

  leaving Not 77–8

  on Mayall 196, 197, 307

  on McInnerny 295

  Mr Bean 332, 342

  Never Say Never Again 68

  Not the Nine O’Clock News 57–60, 80

  other work 114, 176, 227, 270, 281, 314, 335, 338

  Oxford University 28–33

  perfectionism 115–6

  potential Blackadders 393, 395, 396–7, 398

  radio 40–2

  relationships 68, 203–4, 326–7

  on Richardson 187

  Royal Family 369–70

  Royal Variety Performances 69, 176, 369–70

  stammer 33, 119, 193, 308

  talent 24–6

  Tall Guy, The 268–9

  Thin Blue Line, The 342–3, 345, 346

  Tiger TV 332

  writing 107

  Atkinson People, The 40

  Atkinson-Wood, Helen 311, 342n, 382, 383, 390, 406

  audiences

  1st series 115, 126, 161

  2nd series 190, 193

  4th series 314

  Back and Forth 360

  lack of studio 126

  live 190, 193, 308, 377, 391

  and sound 247

  warming-up 191–2, 303

  Australia 125, 266, 378

  awards

  Atkinson 69

  BAFTA 81, 246

  International Emmy 128

  Me and My Girl 227

  Perrier Award 152

  Popcorn 342

  Thin Blue Line, The 345

  Yes, Prime Minister 246

  BAFTA 81, 231, 246, 325, 337, 349, 383

  Baker, Tom 198, 199

  Baldrick character 91, 106n, 236–7, 291–2

  Atkinson on 252, 254

  boils 237

  “a cunning plan” 112, 122

  Robinson on 93, 183, 292, 400

  Barber, David 274n

  Barclay, Humphrey 9, 28, 29, 36, 43, 45, 88, 114, 285, 382, 406

  Barclaycard adverts 354–5, 385

  Barker, Ronnie 221

  Barlow, Patrick 119, 355n

  Barrie, Chris 249

  BatAdder 380

  Bathurst, Robert 93, 143, 144, 285, 355n

  BBC 13, 28, 37, 194, 204, 220, 232, 368

  audience tickets 115

  axing Blackadder 176–8

  Bar 221, 237

  Bit of Fry and Laurie, A 349–50

  CBBC 253, 390

  Comic Relief 257

  costumes 98, 230

  Crystal Cube, The 160

  industrial action 96

  Light Entertainment 12, 124, 178

  and Lloyd 9, 11, 12, 13, 47, 325

  and pilots 97

  rehearsal rooms 109

  Scotland 76

  Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie 334

  Beautiful Game, The 379

  ‘Beer’ 200

  Behind the Screen 297

  Bell, Simon 216n

  ‘Bells’ 181, 194, 196

  Bennett, Alan 17, 87

  Bennett-Jones, Peter 30n, 171, 213, 332, 357, 406

  Bentine, Michael 215

  Bergman, Martin 143, 153, 347

  Berkeley, Ballard 53

  Bernard & the Genie 335–7

  Bernards 30, 100, 184

  ‘Between the Lines’ charity script 402–3

  Bevan-Jones, Hilary 97, 111

  Beyond a Joke 31, 32, 35, 41

  Beyond the Fringe 50, 87

  Big Top 391

  Biggins, Christopher 101

  Billingham, Mark 356

  Bird, John 382

  Birkin, John 314

  Birt, John 29

  Bit of Fry and Laurie, A 201, 281, 349, 351

  Black Death 384

  ‘Black Seal, The’ 168

  Blackadder

  American versions 258–9

  axed 176

  Blackadder character 89–90, 127, 252, 291

  Cavalier Years 257, 258

  coat of arms 90, 118

  film 399

  final episode (Goes Forth) 316–21

  ideas for 81–2, 89

  name 92

  pilot 90–3, 96–7, 102

  radio serial 232

  in schools 323

  as a surname 231

  what might have been … 392–6

  Blackadder 5 394

  Blackadder at Oxford 395–6

  Blackadder Back and Forth 353–68

  Blackadder Christmas Carol 121, 232, 243, 270–9, 284

  Blackadder Chronicles 3–4, 65–7, 125, 133–5, 169, 208–9, 256, 264–5, 287, 330, 360 and Lloyd 64–7, 99, 211, 252, 331

  ‘Blackadder in Bethlehem’ 270–3

  Blackadder in Colditz 393–4

  Blackadder Rides Again 389, 405

  Blackadder: The Thatcher Years 394–5

  Blair, Jon 162

  Blake, Roger 201

  Blast from the Past 342

  Bleak Old Shop of Stuff 390

  Blessed 378

  Blessed, Brian 104, 107, 113, 114, 119, 126, 185, 186, 355n, 398, 406

  Blick, Hugo 307

  Boat that Rocked, The 97n, 380, 401

  Boden, Richard 275, 291, 319, 320

  Bond, James 68

  Bonneville, Hugh 30n

  books 22, 60, 80, 216, 228

  Boom Boom Out Go the Lights 75

  ‘Born to Be King’ 125

  Bostock-Smith, Colin 57, 130

  Bottom 308

  Bowie, David 72

  Bradbury, Nicola 275

  Brambell, Wilfrid 115, 239

  Branagh, Kenneth 347, 364

  Brett, Simon 9, 10, 37

  Brewis, Peter 59

  Bridget Jones’s Diary 380

  British Comedy Awards 345

  Broadbent, Jim 56, 101, 119, 120, 173, 201, 227, 274, 362, 380, 384

  Brooke-Taylor, Tim 50n

  Brookside 309

  Brown, Gerry 10

  Bundle of Bungles, A 43

  Burkiss Way, The 12, 14, 40, 44n

  Bush, Kate 217

  Byrne, John 251

  Byrne, Patsy 184, 185, 189, 191, 199, 274, 284, 406

  Callow, Simon 53, 54, 281

  Cambridge University 5, 6, 146, 148

  Canter, Jon 10

  ‘Cape and Capability’ 246

  Captain Blood 390

  ‘Captain Cook’ 302

  Carrington, Simon 368

  Carry On franchise 84, 89, 123, 244, 250

  cars 60, 116, 370, 384, 395


  cartoons 334

  Castle, The 390

  Cause Celeb 216

  Cecil, Kevin 355

  Cell Mates 352

  Cellar Tapes, The 149, 150, 151, 153, 154, 347

  Central School of Speech and Drama 95

  Central TV 162

  Central Weekend Live 215

  ‘Chains’ 202, 243

  Chambers, Emma 340

  Channel 4 129, 143, 160, 217, 357

  Chapman, Graham 12, 50n, 53, 113, 148, 217

  charity work 50, 72, 73, 167, 213–5, 254, 282, 372, 376, 402

  Charles, Craig 389

  Charles, HRH Prince 369–73

  Chelmsford 123 285, 286, 363

  Cheltenham Literary Festival 103

  Children in Need 254–6

  children’s television 43, 95, 228, 253, 282–3, 284, 390

  chocolates 388–9

  church organs 22, 28, 114

  Clarke, Warren 246, 406

  Clarke-Jervoise, Sophie 357

  Cleese, John 6, 12, 27, 34, 39, 47–8, 50, 57, 73, 122n

  Clement, Dick 68

  Colin, Sid 86

  Collins, Forbes 283

  Coltrane, Robbie 76n, 103, 128, 155–6, 159, 165–6, 223, 240–3, 274, 384

  Comedy Store 49, 73, 75, 77, 103, 141, 142, 155

  Comic Relief 205, 213–7, 224n, 253, 256–8, 334, 361, 368, 376, 388, 401

  and Curtis 213, 214, 229, 258, 282, 302, 324, 362, 380

  Comic Strip 77, 99, 141, 142, 156, 219n, 384

  Comic Strip Presents, The 143, 238

  comics 324, 360n, 380

  Common Pursuit, The 280

  complaints 228–9, 279, 288

  Complete & Utter History of Britain, The 88

  compliance people 223, 279

  Connolly, Billy 50, 73, 166, 217

  Connor, Kenneth 244

  ‘Constable Savage’ 59

  Cook, Peter 6, 35, 39, 50–2, 113–4, 157, 163, 167, 219n, 227, 282

  Cook, Ron 98n

  Corbett, Ronnie 217, 221, 350

  Cornes, Lee 217, 223, 243, 406

  ‘Corporal Punishment’ 305, 306

  costumes 47, 98, 106, 117, 180, 195, 230, 251, 307

  Cotton, Bill 28, 36

  credits 125, 181, 247, 251, 252, 300, 302, 367–8

  criticism 125–6, 152, 226

  Crocker, Jo 406

  Cross, John Keir 232

  Crossing, Peter 213

  Cryer, Barry 215, 405

  Crystal Cube, The 160, 280

  Cumming, Alan 30n, 335

  Curse of Fatal Death, The 361

  Curtis, Richard 14–8

  1st series 102–3, 106, 112, 124–5, 127, 128

  2nd series 168–9, 170, 180–1, 186, 202

  3rd series 202, 224, 230, 235, 241, 247

  4th series 287, 289, 291, 296, 298, 305, 312, 318, 321

  acting 72, 269

  on Atkinson 20, 245, 268

  Atkinson on 22, 31–2

  Back and Forth 354–5, 357, 358, 361, 364

  on Baldrick character 183, 292

  Bernard & the Genie 335–7

  on Blackadder 403–4

  ‘Blackadder in Bethlehem’ 271, 273

  Blackadder in schools 323, 404

  charity work 167, 213–6, 256–8, 324

  Christmas Carol 273, 279

  Comic Relief 213, 214, 229, 258, 282, 302, 324, 361, 362, 380

  Doctor Who 361–2

  Edinburgh 55

  on Elton 174–5, 241, 387

  honours 375

  ideas for Blackadder 81, 89, 90

  an involved writer 299

  on Laurie 234

  ‘Between the Lines’ charity script 402–3

  Madness 167–8

  on Mayall 194, 195

  and McInnerny 92, 318

  McInnerny on 241

  movies 267, 325, 335, 337–8, 362, 380

  Mr Bean 333

  Not the Nine O’Clock News 58, 79

  Oxford University 28–30

  pilot 99

  potential Blackadders 389, 391, 392, 394, 399

  radio 40

  relationships 24, 28, 216, 337

  on Richardson 187

  Robinson on 300

  Royal Family 370

  and Shakespeare 41, 82

  ‘Shakespeare Sketch, The’ 309, 311

  Tall Guy, The 267–8

  tension on Blackadder 296–9

  Vicar of Dibley, The 338–9

  warming-up 302–3

  writing 17, 57–8, 72, 128, 161–4

  writing with Elton 163–4, 174–6, 241, 297–8, 341, 401

  writing with Robinson 228, 282–3

  Young Ones, The 103

  Curtis, Tony 23

  Dad’s Army 87, 163, 257, 288, 305, 342, 343, 394, 400

  Daily Mail 69, 226, 373

  Dale, Michael 69

  Dance with a Stranger 187, 188

  Dangerous Brothers 217, 219

  Dark Ages 389

  Darling character 294–6

  Davies, John Howard 332

  Dawkins, Patricia 345

  Dawson, Les 247

  de la Tour, Andy 171

  Dead Famous 267

  Dead on Time 100

  Death on the Toilet 74

  Deayton, Angus 22, 30, 31, 59, 224, 227, 268, 285–6, 326, 326n

  Delve Special 227

  Desert Island Discs 58, 150

  Devil’s Whore, The 384

  Dickens, Charles 275, 390

  Dicks-Mireaux, Odile 117

  ‘Dictionary’ 240–1

  Didn’t You Kill My Mother-in-Law? 76–7

  dinnerladies 377

  directing 178, 188, 202, 275–6

  ‘Dish and Dishonesty’ 245, 274

  ‘Divorce service’ sketch 73

  Do Not Adjust Your Set 88

  Doctor Who 37, 361

  Dodd, Ken 257

  Dogs, Les 384

  Double Take 53

  Dr Snuggles 37

  Dreyfus, James 345, 355n

  Dudley, Anne 349

  ‘Duel’ 240

  Dundee University Theatre Group 21, 29

  Dungeons and Dragons 37

  Dwyer, Penny 150

  Dyall, Valentine 115

  East, Robert 104, 107, 109, 113, 406

  Eastman, Brian 348

  Eddington, Paul 53

  Edge of Darkness 233

  Edinburgh Fringe Festival

  Atkinson and 20, 27, 29, 32, 55, 68–9, 152, 224

  Cellar Tapes, The 151–2

  Lloyd and 9, 13–4, 32

  Mayall and Edmondson 74

  Nightcap 144

  Radio Active Roadshow 238n

  editing 124, 319, 320

  Edmonds, Mike 284n

  Edmonds, Noel 214, 253

  Edmondson, Adrian (Ade)

  4th series 307

  20th Century Coyote 74–5, 77, 141

  Manchester University74, 137–8

  other work 101, 172, 217, 219–20, 308

  writing 219

  Young Ones, The 160, 219

  Edward, HRH Prince 370

  Edwards, Gareth 390

  Elgood, Richard 20

  Elliott, Paul Mark 217

  Elton, Ben 138–43

  1st series 161

  2nd series 169, 170, 173–4, 180, 194, 202

  3rd series 224, 229–30, 238, 240, 247

  4th series 287, 289, 294, 316, 323

  Alfresco 155–6, 158, 161, 165

  Atkinson on 196

  audience warm-ups 191–2

  Back and Forth 354–5

  Blackadder axed 177

  cameo 244

  charity work 215

  Curtis on 174–5, 241, 387

  Filthy, Rich & Catflap 220–1

  Girls on Top 171–2

  Happy Families 171, 173

  on Laurie 234

  Laurie on 155

  Lloyd on 173

  music 163–4, 394


  novels 342, 354

  other work 162, 167–8, 215, 266–7, 302, 325, 342, 354, 377–9, 378n

  potential Blackadders 392–4, 396, 404

  Robinson on 183

  Royal Family 373

  Saturday Live 218–9, 222–3

  Thin Blue Line, The 341, 343, 345

  touring 171, 238n

  uncle Geoffrey 315

  writing 103, 138, 140, 143

  writing with Curtis 163–4, 174–6, 241, 297–8, 341, 401

  Elton, Geoffrey 170, 315

  Emmett, Chris 48

  Emmy, International 128, 246

  End of Part One 44n

  Enfield, Harry 218, 227, 257n, 274n, 326n, 388n

  English, Johnny 385

  ‘Eric Swannage of Liverpool’ 57

  Evans, Mark 390

  Everett, Rupert 101

  Every Packet Carries a Government Health Warning 6

  Express 224

  external sequences 98

  Exton, Clive 348, 349

  Fable 390

  Fact or Fiction – Richard III 63

  fans 205, 254, 303, 318, 387

  Fast Show 350

  Fat Chance 352

  Fatal Attraction 187

  ‘Fatal Beatings’ 224

  Fawlty Towers 47–8, 81, 192, 403

  Feldman, Marty 50n

  Fenton, Ann 236

  Fenton Stevens, Michael 22

  Ferguson, Craig 311

  Fielding, Helen 24, 216, 239, 337, 380

  Film 89 268

  Filthy, Rich & Catflap 220, 221

  Fincham, Peter 30, 216

  Finlay, Frank 111, 116

  First Casualty, The 379

  Firth, Colin 364

  Fisher, Bert 11

  Flash Gordon 104

  Fletcher, Mandie 178–81, 191, 195, 201, 202, 238, 275, 275n, 406

  Fluck, Peter 47, 162

  Footlights 6–10, 13, 30–1, 38, 53, 73, 93, 144, 148, 149, 152, 165

  ‘Foretelling, The’ 117, 302

  Four Weddings and a Funeral 30n, 335, 337

  ‘Four Yorkshiremen’ sketch 50

  Fox, Philip 96

  Franklyn, Gretchen 120

  French, Dawn 275n, 282, 284

  Christmas Carol 270

  French & Saunders 280, 338

  Girls on Top 171, 172n

  other work 227, 342, 389

  Vicar of Dibley, The 340

  French, the 248–9, 286, 365, 375, 385

  French & Saunders 280, 338

  Freud, Emma 311, 337

  Friday Night Live 279

  Friday Night, Saturday Morning 154

  Frost, Stephen 6, 121, 217, 305

  Fry, Stephen 143, 145–7, 218n

  1st series 161

  2nd series 174, 184, 194, 205

  3rd series 230, 237, 249–50

  4th series 288, 291, 293–7, 303

  advertising 157

  Alfresco 155–6, 159–60, 165

  on Atkinson 195, 386

  Atkinson’s wedding 326

  Back and Forth 354, 359, 363

  Bit of Fry and Laurie, A 281, 349–51

  ‘Blackadder in Bethlehem’ 271

  on Blackadder’s legacy 391, 400

  Bruges episode 352

  Cavalier Years 257–8

  Cellar Tapes, The 149–54

  charity work 282, 311

  Christmas Carol 276

  Crystal Cube, The 160

 

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