by Mark Cousins
Originally published – September 2020
As this is a ‘special issue’ we present a special focus on Peter Sellers specially, followed by the usual suspects.
Below, you’ll find a selection of material from the last 40 years of PS. But to start on a lighter note, here are some other interesting pieces…
The hot news this time around is the availability (in the USA only) of The Ghost Of Peter Sellers on DVD. The producer tells me that he hopes that the film will be picked up for release in Europe soon.
Reviews of the recent DVD release of The Ghost Of Peter Sellers
Saturday Evening Post – International Policy Digest – Spectrum Culture – Pop Matters – Deadline.com – variety.com
The Ghost of Peter Sellers: Livestream movie discussion with Jeff Yanc
An interview with The Ghost of Peter Sellers director Peter Medak
at Letterboxd
The Best of British is a monthly magazine. The July issue features a four page piece on Peter Sellers, complete with a backwards photo and some glaring mistakes (who is Anne Rudolph? – should be Hayes!) but it also has an interview with Burt Kwouk. Single copies may be purchased from the magazine’s website.
The latest edition of The Oldie also has Sellers on the cover with a two page feature. Roger Lewis calls him, ‘a sinister genius’ and a ‘mad magician’, but the article does have a good focus on Sellers the performer with reference to his films being ‘full of delicate touches and detail’, …you decide!
on theoldie.co.uk
Philippa Brownsword’s book on Sellers’ years in The Gang Show, Bluebottle Goes To War, is now available. at amazon.co.uk
The Lost Peter Sellers Shorts The big news currently, is the plan to fund the
restoration and Blu-ray release of three lost films by Peter Sellers.
Insomnia Is Good For You and Dearth Of A Salesman were found in a skip (a dumpster) and in 2013 they were shown at a few select film festivals along with the other film in the series, Cold Comfort. This project is being masterminded by Tony Watts via Kickstarter, the fundraising website. The target is to raise £4,000 and the project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by 29 September 2020. The website explains how you can contribute to this
worthwhile and exciting Sellers project.
at Kickstarter.com
Inside Peter Sellers – Esquire 1970
Radio interview with Herbert Lom from 2008
– at bbc.co.uk
Information on Sellers’ recording of New York Girls with folk group Steeleye Span. Despite what they say, I’m fairly convinced that Sellers DIDN’T perform with them on stage – at steeleyespanfan.co.uk
Joe Daniels & His Hot Shots – Abbey Road Hop. Recorded at the famous studio before it was known by that name by the drummer whose empty kit got Sellers drumming in Ilfracombe in the 1940s!
Gareth Marks, son of Alfred, includes some fascinating photos including one of Peter Sellers on holiday in France in 1953 and one of the Marks family using their private cinema, which was probably the same as one built for and used by Peter Sellers at St Fred’s! at garethmarks.com
The death was announced of comedy legend Carl Reiner. With Mel Brooks he created some hilarious improvised two-handers, most famously The 2,000 Year Old Man. Reiner worked with Peter Sellers on some funny radio broadcasts in 1971. – at bbc.co.uk
In September the BFI are to add After The Fox to their Peter Sellers DVD / Blu-Ray releases. Among the extras are After the Fox: A Socially-Distanced Interview (2020): Britt Ekland and Peter Sellers: A Master of Disguise (2020,
10 mins): Vic Pratt revisits the enigma of Peter Sellers.
at shop.bfi.org.uk – at amazon.co.uk
The Many Cars Of Peter Sellers – at www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk
A German article on Peter Sellers’ Ferarri 500 Superfast – at octane-magazin.de
1962 Interview with Sue Lyon while touring with Lolita
Peter Sellers’ Instagram posts – at picuki.com
This month, the BBC have been broadcasting editions of Ray’s A Laugh
– at bbc.co.uk
Bobbie Wygant – at UNT Digital Library
Here’s a picture of Peter Sellers with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison that I’ve never seen before. The info says that it was 1961, but it clearly wasn’t.
Any ideas? 1968? at asianculturevulture.com
On Thursday 24 July 1980 Peter Sellers died in London aged 54. Here is just some of the media coverage.
Various US TV coverage of Sellers’ death
CBS Radio coverage
British radio coverage (23 minutes!)
Roger Ebert at rogerebert.com
Haaretz – at haaretz.com
The Harvard Crimson – at thecrimson.com
Weekly World News – at books.google.co.uk
New York Daily News – at worthpoint.com
The New York Times – at nytimes.com
Los Angeles coverage – at www.rarenewspapers.com
The LA Times – at latimes.com
Bradeord Timeline – at flickr.com
Spike Milligan
Cat Stevens’ Moonshadow 1977, narrated by Spike
Milligan. This superb animated short featuring the song was part of the Fantastic Animation Festival feature film released in 1977.
The Ratties is a British cartoon series that ran in 1987 with 26 episodes narrated by Spike Milligan and written by his daughter Laura. [These are definitely worth a view – the narration is hilarious -for all ages!] Here’s just a few…
Raving Time – Jumping Bean
An Evening With Spike Milligan
Picture Parade 1960 – Spike talks about his film Invasion Quartet
– at www.bbc.co.uk
Behind the scenes programme featuring Spike Milligan (and others) in the film ‘Yellowbeard’
Grand Waltz for Brisbane Waters – an orchestral piece written by Spike Milligan Milligan for Symphony Central Coast, while visiting his family at Woy Woy, on New South Wales’ Central Coast.
When The Sun Goes In – a jaunty beach song with cameo performance by Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan on Irish TV with Gaye Byrne – on facebook.com
Famous Last Words – 1986 – on facebook.com
The Friday Documentary – The Mini Is 30 1989
at bbc.co.uk/iplayer
Michael Bentine
A rare glimpse of The Bumblies from 1954
Michael Bentine’s Potty Time ran from 1973 to 1980. Here’s Farmers vs Moles (1974) – hilarious!
Patrick MacNee This Is Your Life with Michael Bentine
on YouTube
Harry Secombe
Harry Secombe on Good Morning with Eamonn Holmes
Loads of great pictures of Sir Harry – at Getty Images
There are several editions of Highway with Harry Secombe on the internet. Here’s one from 1989
Radio Show – Colour TV Exhibition. Harry talks about colour TV (in black and white!) – at facebook.com
This site contains details of just some of Harry Secombe’s broadcasts
at morristonorpheus.com
Sunstruck is an often forgotten Harry Secombefilm…here’s the trailer
Royal Humanitarian 1966 – at britishpathe.com
The Goons
How Peter Sellers and ‘The Goon Show’ paved the way for the comedy podcast
at filmschoolrejects.com
1958: News: Tiddlywinks – The famous match of The Goons vs Cambridge University – at facebook.com
Movietone News report on the same event
The Goon Show Preservation Society 