8mm Forum: Dean Martin Celebrity Roast

This is topic Dean Martin Celebrity Roast in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 12, 2013, 06:47 AM:

I came across these shows a month or two ago on Youtube, and wondered why no TV executive thought of buying up these shows for transmission in the UK. Many of the celebrities are as well known here as in the US. I would recommend any film lover in the UK to search for these; I haven't laughed so much for a long time; William Holden, John Wayne, James Stewart, Vincent Price; they were better than the professional comedians. I thought a particularly funny edition was the roast of Bette Davis; she was the last person I thought had a sense of humour.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on July 12, 2013, 06:50 AM:

Those shows were so funny. [Big Grin]

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 12, 2013, 07:26 AM:

Pasquale, every year buyers from the UK used to go to the US to see what shows were on offer, and they would come back with such series as Columbo, Murder she Wrote, Star Treck, The Virginian, and the list goes on and on. These are really funny shows; even Foster Brooks was known to me.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 12, 2013, 01:00 PM:

They were most definitely, funnier than hell! I remember well the roast of Jack Benny, where, his former co-hosts on his radio and TV shows get up and basically say, 'I was once a well adjusted person" ...

Phil Harris was a tee-totaller before Benny, for instance ...

but thanx to Benny, there are who they are today! It was hilarious!

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on July 12, 2013, 01:07 PM:

Robert, one of my favorite tv show is British, it's The Avengers [Smile]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on July 12, 2013, 02:23 PM:

The Dean Martin show, and the Dean Martin Roasts were all really great fun, and Dean was the ultimate Mr. Cool. In fact all the 50's and 60's TV variety shows such as Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Carol Burnett etc. were such great entertainment for the whole family. This kind of comedy is nowhere to be seen today on American TV. All we have are a bunch of foul mouthed, so called stand up comedians on cable TV, where every Juvenile adolescent piece of humor goes for funny. Makes you weep for the past.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 12, 2013, 02:26 PM:

Hello Dominique, not to long back they repeated The New Avengers; it was much better than I remember it, but I preferred the earlier shows, they were very imaginative, and both Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson looked very sexy to a schoolboy.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on July 12, 2013, 03:09 PM:

Yes, I liked Purdey and Gambit (I'm not sure about the spelling) but Emma Peel and Tara King were of course the original ones. Anyway for us, French speaking people because I know that there has been a first partner for Mr Steed. I have even these episodes on dvd but they were never shown on (French speaking)tv channels. I cannot remember Mr Steed's partner's name. Talking about British tv shows, The Prisonner is an other classical one. There are others but I don't know their original title. Anyway, thanks UK for these shows.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 12, 2013, 03:31 PM:

Dominique, the first partner was Cathy Gale, played by Honor Blackman.
Paul, the same can be said for the UK. We had good comedians; I know the US is familiar with Benny Hill, but we had so many, now we have nothing. As a kid I loved a lot of American shows, Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Champion the Wonder Horse: they all had one thing in common, that good overcomes evil. Now children have violent computer games, and some of these have been blamed for real life murders.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on July 12, 2013, 05:20 PM:

Robert

Foster Brooks. The best drunk I have ever seen on TV or anywhere. He was so funny. All he would have to stand there (or try to) and you had to laugh at him.

PatD

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on July 12, 2013, 06:53 PM:

In the early 1960's I was on a business trip to Los Angeles, and one night we headed down the Sunset Strip and saw Dino's bar and restaurant, and we stopped in for a meal. At that time Dean would often pop in for a drink or meal, but unfortunately he was not present that night. Still it was really cool to be at the iconic 77 Sunset Strip. Dean was a class act, and is sorely missed to this day.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on July 12, 2013, 10:40 PM:

Thank you, Robert.

Posted by Trevor Adams (Member # 42) on July 13, 2013, 05:51 AM:

Dean Martin Shows and the Roasts are all available on dvd.Great stuff.Trev

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 13, 2013, 06:10 AM:

Pasquale, Foster Brooks was introduced to UK audiences via a recorded interview, we were told that he was only acting as a drunk, as many people think he is real. I remember Foster Brooks was talking about a trip to the UK, and said 'They have their own version of 'Take it or Leave It', it's called 'Take it or P*** Off'.
It's nice to know so much television work has been preserved for posterity. Last night I was watching the roast of Ronald Reagan, and Ronald told Dean Martin that they had something in common; they had both made a number of films, but he (Ronald) had known when to quit.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 13, 2013, 12:30 PM:

To be quite honest, I did see one with William Shatner, and I didn't find it entertaining in the least. If you want to interrogate
folks, try your politicians, eg; your Presidents & Prime Ministers.
They have a LOT to answer for! Celebs are too easy.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 14, 2013, 10:27 AM:

The only one I couldn't watch was Sammy Davis Jnr. From what I read years ago, the rat pack didn't really like him, but he tolerated abuse because he wanted friends.
Hugh, when have you known a politician to give a straight answer to a straight question.

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