Spike Milligan takes a young look at Australia (1971) | RetroFocus

This program was produced during one of Spike Milligan's many visits to Australia. ABC reporter Jeune Pritchard accompanies Milligan on a rambling, free-wheeling conversation that centres on his ideas on environmental conservation and activism and his writing. Shot in various locations doing different activities including bushwalking, playing piano, reading to school kids, visiting his books in a book shop, feeding kangaroos, riding on the big dipper at Luna Park and performing a surrealist piece on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
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[@alankenney]

I'm in my mid seventies, English and a lover of comedy. I have just seen a side of Spike I never knew existed. A hero in my eyes.

[@stevetilbrook3402]

Alf Garnet down under would have been a good one "Where's your bloody Royalty then ? Cant have a country without a bleeding Queeeeen !

[@rjkral]

GOLD!!! Love the rides on the Big Dipper Rollercoaster!! Rare footage of that beauty and its setting, and the hilarious Milligan hamming it up. Kudos to the interviewer and camera crew hanging on for dear life too!

[@yerbaristo]

Spike was a truly unique & amazing person!!! ❤️

[@davidfildes9826]

Crazy guy..my dad (gunner Fildes) was in the same band and gunnery battery....both gone but not forgotten.

[@LiveDonkeyDeadLion]

David Fildes just seeing your dad’s name made my jaw drop as I was trying to work out which book he was writing and realised it was probably the first war memoir

[@TheDavephillips]

What a lovely surprise to hear from Alf Fildes son. It's a delight to read a comment from a descendant of one of Spike's mates. My family for generations have been gunners, including my dad and me, and have always loved the antics of Spike and his mates. I met Spike many years ago in Ronnie Scott's, I used to go there often. I wish I'd had the chance to meet your dad too. The whole battery, it seems to me, were an incredible bunch and come across in Spike's books to be bloody marvellous. How I would have loved to serve with them! Cheers mate and thanks for commenting.

[@Elitist20]

Fildes! Remember your dad's name from Spike's war autobiographies.

[@middlecovemotors2474]

Philosopher, Genius and Madman in no particular order. Oh my he's in Woy Woy, the worlds only above ground cemetery.

[@anEyePhil]

Thanks for uploading. Great to see and hear Spike in the Central Coast bush with bellbirds, and the University of Sydney. His time with the school kids is pure gold.

[@issyjas3309]

He was an undoubtedly great man and conservationist. He’d no doubt be desperately sad at the state of today’s world.

[@zwarst]

Entertaining guy with a kind soul, loved his books as a kid

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

I never knew he fought for roo conservation. I love him even more now.

[@deanpd3402]

Now we have bloody roos all over the place!

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

@@deanpd3402 Not so much since all the fires. Also, while red roos are certainly commonplace there are more than one species of large marsupial in Australia. There are over 20 different species of roo and wallaby, and many of them are becoming threatened due to ranching and humans taking up more and more of what little livable land Australia has.

[@merekat2k12]

God bless Spike Milligan such a good man xxx

[@BradGryphonn]

Spike Milligan was a legend. I am old enough to have been introduced to his earlier comedy, and had read his books in my early teens. In the late 70s, I auditioned for what was to be an environmentally focussed Kids TV series in Australia that was going to be hosted by Spike. I'm not sure if they made a pilot episode but I didn't get a part. I seem to recall the pilot being shown though. Any Aussies remember something like that in the late 70s?

[@martinjones5965]

Loved this video soooooooooooooooooo much 27:32 Luna Park with bridge in background.

[@parisd0g729]

Why aren't we making Spike Milligan 's anymore?

[@synthonaplinth5980]

The mold may have broken. No one knows how to repair it.

[@DarthPudden]

Spike Milligna, the well known typing error!

[@synthonaplinth5980]

What-what-what-what?

[@richalderson6069]

Ahh the Big Dipper, sadly missed.

[@1gregk1]

Just Brilliant

[@perdbeer6713]

5:30 well didn't that idea get pissed away...

[@hahn-solo]

Brilliant!

[@sid1662]

"We'll get rid of all these trees cos they're a danger to fire"

[@Lily-cn8ut]

💖💖💖

[@GrrumpDaddo56]

one of the best lunatics ever

[@martinjones5965]

29:52 SM "The next station is Woy Wpy" - only Milligna brilliance !!!

[@jondenmark9577]

Comedy aside spike was a very intelligent man

[@MrResiman]

No other comment needed, just enjoy

[@ptrsrrll]

At 6.50..... Well, can we still hear the Bellbird as regularly as 50 years ago???

[@chesucat]

What the difference between the Spike Milligan and Spike Jones?

[@synthonaplinth5980]

About 15 years and a good dose of insanity.

[@szatanowska]

🌙🐰🦊

[@jessepinkman6183]

Retro Aunty Donna

[@DarthPudden]

He influenced so many. :) Monty Python took much from The Goons.

[@jgm_mackmen]

23:40 - Is Milligan basically Thanos?

[@mtaylor8387]

How quaint. Fast forward and we have made the mistakes. Property developer rule.