John Mortimer South bank Show

Here's the great John Mortimer being profiled on The South Bank Show in 1986 with the superb Melvyn Bragg presenting.

[@patriciawond4382]

In today's Britain, we miss the John Mortimers and Melvyn Braggs, they are unique and no one has been able to take their place. British TV has been dumbed down

[@kc1973able]

Can’t believe that this great British tv show from back over home is now no more. The music intro so reminds me of my child hood. I left the UK 🇬🇧 for Canada 🇨🇦 in 2000.

[@jamestheposh]

The programme still exists on Sky Arts channel in the UK. They’ve been re-visiting old editions plus new ones are still being made. ITV didn’t want it, so Bragg went to Sky.

[@oldgit4260]

What a lovely man he was, and such understated but powerful wit and observations

[@csfan65]

Thanks for sharing this. Have been a fan of John Mortimer's since I first saw Rumpole years ago.

[@mikefuller6959]

+Johnny Buck I think John Mortimer was perhaps as brilliant as me! He succeeded in 2 different fields! I am Very Clever! The difference is I am not known to the world and John Mortimer is!

[@MrDavey2010]

Mortimer was unique.

[@MrDavey2010]

Wonderful raconteur & playwright. Champagne socialist & bohemian too! Great stuff!

[@peterbradshaw8018]

Oh god when the judge used the legal latinism and Rumpole's response is just priceless. Mortimer does have a point sometimes having read a case you are left to wonder how the judge has ruled. The language is simply alien to any normal person. I have fallen asleep on many a ICLR document.

[@mikefuller6959]

+Peter Bradshaw Are you a legal worker, Peter?! I love the well to do, confident, intellectual types! I was an academic failure and got a D in GCE English at College as my best grade. I am a member of the Callidus High I.Q. Society. Member number 245. I do not consider myself in the same league as John Mortimer though!

[@mikefuller6959]

+Peter Bradshaw When I Went To The Bar When I went to the bar as a very young man, Said I to myself said I, I'll work on a new and original plan, Said I to myself said I, I'll never assume that a rogue or a thief Is a gentleman worthy impliceit belief Because his attorney as sent him a brief Said I to myself said I. When I get into court I will read my brief through, Said I to myself said I, And I'll not take on work I'm unable to do, Said I to myself said I, My learned profession I'll never disgrace By taking a fee with a grin on my face When I have not been there to attend to the case, Said I to myself said I. I'll never throw dust in a juryman's eyes, Said I to myself said I, Or hoodwink a judge who is not over-wise, Said I to myself said I, Or assume that the witness is summoned in force In Exchequers, Queen's Bench, Common Pleas or Divorce, Have purged themselves as a matter of course, Said I to myself said I. In other professions in which men engage, Said I to myself said I, The army, the navy, the church and the stage, Said I to myself said I, Professional licence if carried to far, Your chance of promotion will certainly mar, And I fancy the rule might apply to the bar, Said I to myself said I. From the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta 'Iolanthe' ( 1882 ) WS Gilbert ( 18 / 11 / 1836 - 29 / 5 / 1911 ) WS Gilbert was a British Librettist, Playwright, Poet, and Cartoonist, who had a short and unsuccessful career as a Barrister.

[@peterbradshaw8018]

+Mike Fuller Not at all I am an autodidact of sorts who studied the Law as an academic discipline. Due to my impecuniosity I was unable to complete the process of becoming a lawyer. I am making an attempt at asset management. I plan on completing an Bsc with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Economics from the University of London International Programmes while doing the CFA. I still read cases that get my attention and I have been known to travel with my Cheshire Fifoot and Furmston to pass the time on public transport. Among other tomes of that type. My all time favourite is Simester and Sullivan Criminal Law Theory and Doctrine some other gentleman has joined that team in writing the current edition. I love philosophy. I dislike going to schools of any sort. I love learning on my own. I actually did five of my GCEs in the fourth form while studiously avoiding attending classes. UOL was made for folk like me. Turn up on exam days and pass the exam is all they ask. The same with the CFA. Because the average person despises learning anything most of the CFA candidates fail in any given year. I can sit at home and learn. As for academic failures I think the Duke of Westminster only has one GCE O level I may be wrong. Some of the Sloane rangers had none. Quite a few have done pretty well for themselves as I am sure you have done yourself.

[@mikefuller6959]

+Peter Bradshaw 'Thank You', Peter! I have the ability to be able to tell about 90% of towns and cities in the UK with a population of about 50,000 or more by the shape of the built up area. I don't consider this as truly great as it may sound though! How does a farmer tell his cows by the shape of the splodges on them? - Easily! A famous autodidact is Chris Langan ( b.1952 ), the person often believed to be the smartest person in America! who created is 'CTMU' ( Cognitive Theoretical Model of the Universe ) So you are in good company! I think schooling can be detrimental to a person's learning ability and enjoyment of intellectual subjects! Schools are stressful places filled with aggression, arrogance, intolerance, ignorance, and stupidity, - Ha, ha, ha! and that is just the teachers! Johnny Ball only had 2 O Levels from school, and became a television presenter and became known as a science intellectual! Winston Churchill failed O Level English at school! 'All The Best' with your fruitful career! Keep Truckin' Cheers - Mike

[@peterbradshaw8018]

Thanks mike. When I tell my students that you can take exams without a teacher they think me crazy. I did it and continue to do it and I am not that smart. I would dare say anyone can do it.

[@videocurios]

[@timothylayzell2818]

Great

[@davidcourt238]

The real great John Mortimer played for Chelsea.

[@edmund184]

He was the worst sort of libertarian. He just wanted to do his own thing.

[@Dreadtower]

edmund184 No, what you describe is anarchy. On the contrary, Mortimer was firmly in the Hobbesian tradition.