The Fast Show - Arthur Atkinson Complete Part 8

[@glynhorton4923]

Footage from the only surviving episode of Blame Arthur. The rest were wiped by the BBC as part of their standard policy of reusing tapes in the 50s. This tape survived as it was found propping up the leg of a table in Lime Grove studios during a clear out in the 1980s. It now props up the leg of a table at the BFI

[@maryoleary5044]

I love the kitchen table 😉

[@antster1983]

Chester Drawers going to the wrong door when the doorbell rang. He should put _his_ glasses on 😂

[@norristerse]

"blame arthur" may not have been very popular at the time but it paved the way for later classics like "up the buses" and "mind your neighbour"

[@lordsnooty4138]

It has a lot to answer for!

[@imanihekima1659]

Not forgetting of course Bless This Damp.

[@alanhamburgers9980]

@@imanihekima1659🤣 Laughed out loud at this.

[@KaydeyRai]

Tommy Cockles is such an underrated Fast Show Character, he’s one of my absolute favourites - his simmering contempt for Arthur and his droll piss taking of Arthur’s bad career choices - hilarious! , doesn’t the set for Blame Arthur look like it was based on the set for Hancock’s Half Hour?

[@thephilpott2194]

Yeah, some rather subtle pops at the cardboard comedy of On The Buses, also a nudge at Hancock's attitude i feel!

[@bennyblanco936]

I love Tommy cockles, with his pointless old movie trivia- like "watch out for the table - it later made an appearance in the onedine line!?😂😂...+ I always got a subtle bitter vibe off Tommy, prob bitter at Arthur + his overlooked talent.... 👏👏BRAVO TOMMY COCKLES entertainment hero. (I loved his portrayal as 3rd nazi - a role which he made his own )

[@aeonlinear]

Haha I love the bit where he motions for the cue cards and gestures violently, for making him flub his lines.

[@antster1983]

"Really, Chester! How dare you impart such base motives! She is merely a..." _[motions for the cue card operator to change cards]_ "...friend." _[points and mouths threateningly at said cue card operator]_

[@SAMagic]

"Oh Arthur."

[@GinolasSon]

'We're now going to see an episode of Arthur Atkinsons unpopular sitcom 'Blame Arthur'' - Tommy Cockles is the real star of these sketches, so funny with his sheer loathing of Arthur

[@rchdb]

Nah, you're doing Paul Whitehouse short.

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

@@rchdb I like Chester Drawers

[@TomthatiscalledTom]

Arthur's career in the 1950s was on the slide after he said 'shit' in his routine.

[@ian_b]

That's right, blame Arthur!

[@QuackersAhoy]

Now sir, yes you sir, what's that on yer top lip, is it a moustache or is it shit..........

[@maryoleary5044]

😂​@@ian_b

[@johnafirth]

That ending is fantastic.

[@grimTales1]

I like how when Arthur puts his glasses on, he completely breaks character and knows he's in a "show" xD

[@antster1983]

"Write my words up on a board for tomorrow!"

[@roboi2241]

Shame our fading memories of Arthur have been sullied by all the dirt dug up on him since he died, nobody's perfect!

[@HooDatDonDar]

O:33 That music is from mid 50’s cartoon “Spunky and Tadpole”.

[@slacknhash]

It was indeed. The tune's one of those that made its way into the comedy / cartoon library, like Raymond Scott's various pieces. It's 'The Toy Shop Window' by Roger Roger. Released in 1954, four years or so before Spunky and Tadpole.

[@josephinebennington7247]

This character is an acquired taste. Never heard of it until YT offered it to me in 2020. But, being well English, (that’s Well English, not Well, English!) I’m starting to appreciate it.

[@theculturedthug6609]

Have you seen it Sir?

[@josephinebennington7247]

@@theculturedthug6609 . Sir? Fwiw, I have acquired the taste since watching more. They are the subtlest of comic characters.

[@theculturedthug6609]

@@josephinebennington7247 Where's me washboard? I've seen you eating Mutton on shrove day.

[@shipyard6276]

I’ve seen you griddling eggs like there’s no tomorra

[@antster1983]

I've seen you wrapping presents when it's nobody's birthday.

[@sausagedogandmrv]

That's right, blame Arthur.

[@norristerse]

you're right, although the spin-off film of "up your neighbour" remains a classic with its famous line: "infamy infamy infamy infamy ooooh matron"

[@jamesfield1674]

Ohh Arthur

[@cymro6537]

To camera : "Oh , that's right - blame Arthur......." 😂😂

[@danielwilliamson6180]

1:20 I like how Arthur looks all pissed off and mouths "I'm gonna kill you, Chester!"

[@antster1983]

He's not pointing at Chester, he's pointing at someone off-camera, probably a now-frightened production assistant holding up his cue cards.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

@@antster1983 No. He's pointing at Chester.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

@@antster1983 Pause at 1:21.

[@antster1983]

@@danielwilliamson6180 He's not even looking at Chester. Watch his eyes when he says "She is merely a..." as his eyes shift focus from Chester to the cue card. He then aggressively motions for the aforementioned assistant to change cards. It's very subtle, but if you've ever seen the _Hancock_ episode "The Blood Donor" where Tony Hancock uses cue cards then you'll see what I mean, though Hancock was less than subtle about that. (Hancock had been in a car accident immediately following an episode recording the week before, necessitating the use of him reading from cue cards rather than delay production so he could learn all his lines, leading him to use cue cards for most of his television work for the rest of his life)

[@davefisher8356]

That's a good point well made, although this is funny and they aint!

[@AngelArtists]

I wonder if this was based on Tony Hancock?

[@maryhadfad]

AngelArtists Nah, Max Miller mostly.

[@doubledeckers]

Recently the BFI uploaded an interview with the people behind The Young Ones. Well worth watching. In it Alexei Sayle recalls how Arthur Askey blanked him at Bill Cotton's wine and cheese party at TV Centre after Sayle said he was an alternative comedian. If Arthur Askey was in the habit of doing that to the new generation of comedians then perhaps Arthur Atkinson was revenge? Having said that, Arthur Askey died in 1982, a while before The Fast Show.

[@gdj6298]

Probably the "forgetting lines' thing refers to Hancock being unable to learn lines after a car crash in the early 60's. It was probably only due to temporary concussion, but, having had to use cue cards once, he never went back to learning scripts.

[@antster1983]

@@gdj6298 And do you know what episode Tony Hancock started using cue cards for? Only "The Blood Donor"! All those cue cards? They're quite an armful!

[@gdj6298]

@@antster1983 Stone me ! :-)