i’m gonna start reading one leg too few by william cook again (which i had to put down for a while by whatever distraction i got) and this is just the introduction bit:
“And we loved them all the more because we could tell that their partnership couldn’t last” okay this one really got me
“Sixty years ago, a dazzling, young Peter Cook recruited Barry Humphries for his new comedy club - and it was a disaster.”
Recounted by Barry Humphries himself, in the Spring 2021 issue (no. 399) of The Oldie! He paints a fascinating - and funny, of course - picture of the early days of the Establishment.
(Sorry for the small-ish screenshot - but it’s worth a zoom-in!!)
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore behind the scenes of Not Only But Also in Australia
Now that’s some precision ‘stache application! Cool stuff - behind the scenes of a Not Only But Also in Australia sketch from 1971! :)
You can see more behind the scenes shots (well really only a few brief ones, but anything is welcome!) at about 26 minutes in on this YouTube copyofPeter Cook & Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches (a 2016 Channel 4 broadcast)!
Peter CookandDudley MooreinNot Only But Also in Australia in 1971
Dud serving some lewks here, in excellent gif form! :) The sketch itself can be seen on this YouTube copy of the 2016 Channel 4 doc/compilation, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches! The skit (about 28 minutes 30 seconds in) also features the always delightful Barry Humphries!
Spotted! (Spotted, that is, not Spotty.) A Peter Cook name-check in Paul McCartney’s fab New Yorker piece from October 18 (and the October 25 issue), “Writing ‘Eleanor Rigby’”. (I think the article goes behind a paywall after you’ve read a few articles?)
Here’s what Paul McCartney recalls about the naming of the haunting Beatles classic:
“When I started working on the words in earnest, 'Eleanor’ was always part of the equation, I think, because we had worked with Eleanor Bron on the film Help! and we knew her from the Establishment, Peter Cook’s club, on Greek Street. I think John might have dated her for a short while, too, and I liked the name very much.”
It’s only a very brief reference but what a neat little passage that paints a picture of the creative connections of that time!
Peter Cook, John Cleese, and Ronnie Corbett are interviewed by Donald Zec at The Savoy Hotel in London on November 19, 1970; photographed by Ron Burton
Peter, Dudley, and Bette Midler with their awards at the 28th Tony Awards in 1974. The boys’ Tony awards were for “A Unique Contribution to the Theater of Comedy” for their two-man show, “Goodbye Again” (earlier known as “Behind the Fridge” in Australia and the UK). Midler’s award was for “Superior Concert Entertainment on Broadway Stage" for “Clams on the Half Shell Revue”.
I believe the name of the Broadway show was actually ‘Good Evening’.
Ooh, true! Reblogging for this helpful note! :)
I saw “Good Evening” as a teenager and have kept the program ever since. I went backstage and met both of them! Dudley Moore was adorable. He entertained me and some other people until Peter came down. Not only were they both lovely, they both kissed me! Dudley had to jump up to do so. Recently I had the program framed after it lived in various drawers. A great night!
Ah so cool!! Now reblogging for this awesome Cook ‘n’ Moore meet 'n’ greet memory from @cuddyclothes!! Thank you so much for sharing - how amazing is that!!! :)
Ok, I found some more photos from this sketch and I feel pretty comfortable saying it’s probably “The Psychiatrist” from the 1966 series of Not Only… But Also… It’s sad that these photos are the closest we’ll ever get to seeing this sketch. At least we can listen to it!
It’s actually a parody of a technique in psychotherapy called “unconditional positive regard” in which the therapist accepts the person’s behaviour, experiences and emotions, good or bad, without judging the person’s core value as a human being.
This was originally developed by psychologist Carl Rogers as part of a humanistic or person-centred approach to psychotherapy.
It’s unsurprising that Peter would choose to write a sketch poking fun at psychotherapy, something which Dudley was heavily involved with and which Peter never put much stock in.
Peter, Dudley, and Bette Midler with their awards at the 28th Tony Awards in 1974. The boys’ Tony awards were for “A Unique Contribution to the Theater of Comedy” for their two-man show, “Goodbye Again” (earlier known as “Behind the Fridge” in Australia and the UK). Midler’s award was for “Superior Concert Entertainment on Broadway Stage" for “Clams on the Half Shell Revue”.
I believe the name of the Broadway show was actually ‘Good Evening’.
Peter, Dudley, and Bette Midler with their awards at the 28th Tony Awards in 1974. The boys’ Tony awards were for “A Unique Contribution to the Theater of Comedy” for their two-man show, “Goodbye Again” (earlier known as “Behind the Fridge” in Australia and the UK). Midler’s award was for “Superior Concert Entertainment on Broadway Stage" for “Clams on the Half Shell Revue”.
Eleanor Bron looking SO glam in the middle of these silly boys (from the 1979 Secret Policeman’s Ball)
Eleanor Bron - front and center and stunning indeed - and her glam squad: there’s John Fortune, Michael Palin, and Rob Buckman in the top “row” - then Chris Beetles, John Cleese, Peter Cook, and Neil Innes (peeking through) - and finally guitarist John Williams, Terry Jones, and Rowan Atkinson. What a group!!
