BS: The Black Adder

Subject: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 06:53 PM

How rare it is to see an actor from a series done some ---perhaps 20 yrs ago now become a huge hit here in the U S in another series.

When I first viewed "House" I had no interest in it but kept thinking I had seen that lead actor somewhere--or his double. Hugh Laurie, as it turns out, is the actor in "House"---and played many buffoon like characters on The Black Adder (Rowan Atkinson writer/star).   I loved that show.

Now---all these years later---here is Hugh Laurie (who also did comedy with another Adder cast member) the star of, arguably, one of the largest hits here.   One would never guess he is British--his accent (dialect) is pure U S (generic).   To me---it was his eyes that made me think I saw him somewhere else.

What a strange thing to watch re-reruns of Black Adder on Wed. and see Hugh Laurie as House on Tues.----from crotchety MD to wacko royalty. That's acting.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 06:58 PM

The problem is that I can't stand House, because of the Narcissism of the character.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 07:11 PM

So maybe he's someone you'll love to hate?

My favorite Blackadder episode was the one with Laurie and Fry (together again!) and it had to do with Johnson's Dictionary.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 07:18 PM

With regard to Brits doing an American accent, some 20+ years ago there were some British radio adaptions of Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe) novels. The British cast were uniformly good, as I recall, in affecting believable accents. [In America we'd say, "The British cast 'was' good.]

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 07:51 PM

I agree about the character of HOUSE. It is the hook that keeps the show going.   Pure BS. Just as the Law and Order shows and the like are.   Actually HOUSE takes me back more to a show from a few years back---St Elsewhere.    Love that one---pure hoke. Just great cast and fun

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 08:36 PM

Great show. And Hugh Laurie was on "Inside the Actor's Studio" a few weeks back and was a riot AND insightful as all hell. Karen and I are both hooked on "House."

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 03:46 AM

I love both Blackadder and House.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Stu
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:13 AM

Blackadder was written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, with the exception of the first series whcih was written by Curtis and Atkinson.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:19 AM

That reminds me - I was bought a Ben Elton book some time ago and I still haven't read it.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: GUEST,Neovo
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 09:01 AM

I'm not sure I like fake accents - are there not enough American actors who could have played the part.

PS In England we would say "the cast was", cast being singular. We might say "the members of the cast were" because members is plural.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: clueless don
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 09:12 AM

I've seen a fair number of Black Adder episodes, but I didn't particularly recall Hugh Laurie being in them. But my reaction to House was "Hey, that's Bertie Wooster!"

Don

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Les from Hull
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 09:30 AM

Yes both Hugh Lawrie and Stephen Fry featured as the best Wooster and Jeeves even to grace the screen.

There have been four series of Blackadder (as well as a number of specials) if I remember correctly, each in a different historical setting (mediaeval - the original Black Adder, Elizabethan - Blackadder 2, George III - Blackadder 3 and the Great War - Blackadder Goes Forth). Hugh Lawrie played the Prince Regent in Blackadder 3 and Lieutenant George St Barleigh in Blackadder Goes Forth.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Scrump
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 09:43 AM

The 2nd series is my favourite because of the character of the Queen played by Miranda Richardson. But they were all funny series.

Probably my favourite episode of all is the one where Edmund rashly held a drinking contest at the same time as receiving a visit from his puritanical auntie Lady Whiteadder, played brilliantly by Miriam Margoyles.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Dazbo
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 10:13 AM

I really like house too although it's a bit predictable: Patient almost dead, House almost kills him, House almost kills him again, House comes to the rescue:-)

Hugh Laurie got the part by auditioning for it and whoever did the casting didn't know of his background aparently. He got the job on merit. I did read that HL wished his character to get hit on the head and when he comes around speaks in an English accent.,

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 11:49 AM

Actors either have an ear for accents or they don't. Laurie is pretty good, as is Jane Seymore. And after rifling around in IMDb a little, I've come up with the name Olivia d'Abo, who is also British and did the same thing, tested for a role in The Wonder Years. I never watched that program, but I heard an interview with d'Abo once, talking about how she got the role, then later when she met the director as "herself" he was astonished and a bit taken aback that she is actually English, doing an American accent for the program.

I remember seeing part of a mini-series about Florence Nightingale with a variety of British cast members--and the American actress (I use the term loosely) Jaclyn Smith as Florence. She couldn't do British to save her life, the best she managed was to speak very clear American English and the viewer had to suspend belief to visualize her as British woman with a privileged background.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 12:14 PM

The other Blackadder is also rather nice. The whole area is in fact.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 12:38 PM

This way it comes out larger. Pretty river.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Becca72
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 12:40 PM

I absolutely LOVE Hugh Laurie and House is one of my favorite shows. I've been a fan since the old days and was thrilled to death to see him on American TV.

I also heard that Stephen Fry will be joining the cast of a popular US crime show, though I honestly can't remember which one.

And I also just recently saw the ad for a new series coming in March on the FX channel starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver, both affecting an American accent.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Teribus
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 12:58 PM

Bunnahabhain, not only lovely to look at, but a very good river for brown trout as well. My father, my brother and myself used to fish it years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: gnomad
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:28 PM

Then there's this version, and folky to boot.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:33 PM

And who can forget the Blackadder take on A Christmas Carol---sidesplitting all the way. Ah, that visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the rather puny little bush Blackadder and Baldrick have for a tree.

I especially liked the scene where the fat boys f rom the orphanage show up for gifts and Blackadder tells them he has one for them---a door in your face (as he slams it on them).   Ahhhh--that good old spirit.


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Alec
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:36 PM

Nice link gnomad,& the name "Baldrick" DOES suggest a Morris/Rapper connection.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 07:00 PM

His first name was "Sodoff".


Sod off Baldrick!

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 07:11 PM

"Probably my favourite episode of all is the one where Edmund rashly held a drinking contest at the same time as receiving a visit from his puritanical auntie Lady Whiteadder, played brilliantly by Miriam Margoyles. "


Sounds like a good plot for "House" - or they could bring in "The Aliens"... oh wait...

(I can't help seeing the promos, you know...)

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Terry Allan Hall
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:06 AM

Go to "YouTube" and check out Hugh Laurie's music...pretty talented, often comedic!

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Grab
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 06:56 AM

Don, he did the whole of the third and fourth series. In the third series he was the Prince Regent, the fourth he was Blackadder's lieutenant. He was also the German spy/assassin in the last episode of the second series.

I can't remember offhand whether he was in the first series, but the first and fourth series sucked anyway. The second and third are the "classic" Blackadders.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 07:08 AM

He was indeed, he played Prince Ludwig and also appeared as Simon Partridge in 'Beer'. He is not in the cast list for the first series. I raved about the first series and found no-one else had watched it. I think it stands on its own merits and is one of those rare things - a series that got better as it continued, rather than falling over itself to be funny as so many other series have.

Few characters around at the time were sexier than the Tudor Edmund Blackadder and his beard.

Guess who got the Complete Blackadder book for her birthday last year... :)

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 07:15 AM

I love Black Adder but have only seen the first series in bits and pieces. The pasty faced Adder is pricelessly disgusting.
I love House but am getting tired of the blank stare at an inocuous comment that sends him running to the OR to prevent a leathal treatment. It needs a shot in the arm.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Dazbo
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 07:44 AM

Grab, how can you say seried four sucked. I reckon it at least as good as three and better than one and two.

Louise Lombard (ex house of elliott) is in CSI: Las Vegas or whatever it's called, not watched it so I don't know if she's playing a Yank or what her accent is.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: jacqui.c
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:02 AM

She's sporting an American accent - not too bad either.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 08:16 AM

I thought all 4 Blackadder series were good, but the first wasn't quite as good as the later three. I think it had a lower budget and different writers/producer from the later three series (I forget the details).

I liked the way they sang words to the closing theme tune in the 2nd series, to reflect the episode contents. Here's the one from my favourite episode mentioned above, entitled "Beer":

Blackadder couldn't hold his beer,
The art of boozing he's not mastered.
And I, your merry balladeer,
am also well and truly plastered.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
A bit like Robin Hood.
Blackadder, Blackadder,
But nothing like as good.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
I thought that he had died,
Blackadder, Blackadder,
The writers must have lied

or this one, from "Potato" (where Blackadder goes to sea in the footsteps of Drake and Raleigh):

Sir Francis and Sir Walter had
Discovered New Worlds and new nations.
And though Blackadder thought them mad,
He tried his hand at navigation.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
He saw the oceans foam.
Blackadder, Blackadder,
He should have stayed at home.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
He heard the New World call.
Blackadder, Blackadder,
Discovered bugger all!

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 10:46 AM

You've inspired us to watch the whole 4 series again... there went OUR weekend of tidying!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Alec
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 12:11 PM

Aaahhh,but you have a WOMAN'S weekend of tidying LTS...

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:24 PM

I don't think the medical profession needs any more 'rude arrogant' role models. Nearly everyone you meet above above footsoldier status spends all day auditioning for the part Sir Lancelot Spratt, as it is.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 05:43 PM

As I said, I can't stand the self centred preening git. had to deal with too many of the bastards, who screwed up my career and life, as it is, to be interested in wasting my now limited "me time" remaining in looking at that crap.

All very funny if it's happening to someone else, I suppose.

Mr Bean is only just acceptable for me - had one of them too - those bastards get promoted and then some poor bugger has to clean up the mess behind them...

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Gizmo
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 06:03 PM

I agree about the accent thing. I can't stand Renee Zwelleger and her horrible English Rose accent for Bridgit Jones and Beatrice Potter. For some reason the accent cuts through my spine less preferable than hearing nails down a blackboard. That aside I don't think she is a particularly bad actress. She just tries too hard, and there are plenty of English born Bridgit actresses out there.

Blackadder is one of my favourite comedies of all time. I also like the first series on its own merit. It where Edmunds character begins to bloom so that by series 3 it is so utterly vile and creepy, you can't help smile at the bare faced cheek of his actions.

My favourite in series 1 is where Edmund becomes the arch bishop of canterbury.

League of Gentlemen is in fact my number 1 favourite, and has me laughing out loud at inappropriate times.

Are you local?............................



GTS - (about to raid my DVDs too)

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 05:48 AM

'Baaaah'

'Oh Edmund, it's the lying I find so hurtful!'

Nice to see Simon Jones popping up in BA2 'Potato' as Walter Raliegh.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Grab
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 06:07 AM

Dazbo, series 4 certainly had good bits. But either the writers were lazy or no-one had the guts to reel in Rowan Atkinson, because every other exchange goes:-

"...isn't it, sir?"
"No, it's as ... as a .... that's really ...."

Individually, those lines are funny. After half an hour, they get a bit wearing. After a whole series of the same thing, you're about ready to put a foot through the TV.

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 06:18 PM

Graham:   I guess you had to be there---does not seem to make sense. My own feeling was that the 1st season, the middle ages, and the World War were the best ones---except for A Christmas Carol--to me the best of the bunch.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Grab
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 05:15 AM

Bill, what I meant was that every other exchange went:-

"Oh, I love Old Chappers, don't you, Cap?"
"Unfortuately no I don't. I find his films about as funny as getting an arrow through the neck and discovering there's a gas bill tied to it."

"You fancy an evening at a concert party, Blackadder?"
"Well frankly sir, I'd rather spend an evening on top of a stepladder in No Man's Land smoking cigarettes through a luminous balaclava."

Individually, they work. After a while, it gets too much. Whilst it is called "Blackadder", the earlier ones were definitely ensemble pieces. B4 could have been renamed "The Rowan Atkinson Show".

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Alec
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 06:28 AM

See what you mean Grab but in all honesty I consider the final scene of the final episode of Blackadder goes forth to be one of the best in television history.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 09:42 AM

League of Gentlemen is in fact my number 1 favourite, and has me laughing out loud at inappropriate times

Inappropriate? I thought it was a comedy show and that was the idea! :D

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 11:30 AM

I love all 4 series of Blackadder but I do understand your comments about the repetition. If you see them one a week over 6 weeks, it's not so bad, but if you sit and watch all 6 episodes back to back, then tedium sets in.

As a cat-owned person, I've never seen the similarity between cat vomit and custard, but I'm sure I've eaten something very like it!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 02:10 PM

From the first episode:

"Fight you with us on the morrow?"

"I rather thought I'd fight with the enemy!"


Which totally trashes any later attempt to use period idiomatic language. But it's still funny.

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Gizmo
Date: 20 Feb 07 - 03:06 PM

Scrump - I meant inappropriate like when your in a library in a strange town and someone asks you if you're local.

Or when you are in an important meeting (PTA) and it is suggested that instead of taking the kids to a theatre, inviting a theatre company to perform, and no matter how hard you try the smile creeps on your face and the LOG tune starts performing itself out of your own mouth, and you SO really do want to be serious, but the thought of Legz Akimbo sketch just worms itself in your head and you can't remove it.

The same thing happens with Bl-adder too. I met this really lovely man, and after some discussion about Bl-adder (one of those discussions you don't know how it started but you remember what was said about it) it came out, the dreaded, "you have a woman's..........."
I couldn't help it! I had just watched Bl-adder, and it was out before I could stop it. Luckily he liked the shows, and in response invited me to his new years eve party, and conveniently forgot to inform me that his flatmates Gecko is called Gizmo.

Whereby on New Years Eve we had a conversation about The Young Ones.

I love good old British Comedies!

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 08:23 AM

Sorry Gizmo - I misunderstood what you meant. I know what you mean, though :-)

A few years ago I was made redundant and had to sign on at the Job Centre. When I attended there I kept finding it difficult not to think of Pauline and her 'dole scum' (mind you, on a more serious note, that's exactly how they made me feel).

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 08:35 AM

Ah - the good old 'dole scum' -

we had a hard line right wing pollie here in Oz who was rather loud mouthed about that - so one of the current affairs national TV shows followed him around with a camera for a few days - he was astounded just how quick the dole (he had of course loudly claimed that the dole was MORE than enough to live on and look for work...) amount ran out when catching taxis, and eating restaurant meals....

Went rather quiet after that...

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Gizmo
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 02:36 PM

The worst is when you walk into somewhere like WHSmiths and see the pens, and you can't help but think of "Pauline's pens" - and you start snorting aloud in the shop! Or maybe it's just me.

I discovered today, that I only have a maximum time limit of 1 1/2 hrs being serious before I start laughing or giggling or smirking. It's too hard. Either that or I go a bit depressed, I would rather laugh!

Todays incident was when I was having a meeting at the kids school, in the basement, and music assembly started. The kids started singing "Don't stop me now" by Queen. That was it, Shaun of The Dead images and phrases leapt into my head, only made worse by one of my colleagues having the same thought of wanting to grab a snooker cue and hit someone rythmically with it.

....................I need help!

Hehehehehehehehehehhhehehhehheheheh

GTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Desdemona
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:40 PM

It's well nigh impossible to pick a favourite "Blackadder," although it's very true that Miranda Richardson was *born* to play QEI, which gives the 2nd series an edge. Then again, "Ink and Incapability," the epsiode about Dr Johnson's dictionary, is a serious contender...

Johnson: (places two manuscripts on the table, but picks up the top one)
   Here it is, sir: the very cornerstone of English scholarship. This book,
   sir, contains every word in our beloved language.

Blackadder: Every single one, sir?

J: (confidently) Every single word, sir!

B: (to Prince) Oh, well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if
   I also offer the Doctor my most enthusiastic contrafribblarities.

J: What?

B: `Contrafribblarites', sir? It is a common word down our way.

J: Damn! (writes in the book)

B: Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I'm anus-peptic, phrasmotic, even compunctious to have
   caused you such pericombobulation.

J: What? What? WHAT?

Pure genius.

~D

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 08:06 PM

ANd tonight Blackadder once again graces my boob tube with the only clever bit of content available here----10,00o channels not withstanding. JOn Stewart is on hiatus and Law & Order and its clones are like watching a printed form---check the time ---you will know the line. No Bail.   It was good at first--who knows how many years back--Blackadder is timeless.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 03:08 AM

Giz - I have only one thing to say....


All you hear is Radio Ga Ga...

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Gizmo
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 02:40 PM

hehehehhehehehhehehe

roflmao pimp and now my tummy hurts.

(PIMP - peeing in my pants)

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Joybell
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 05:14 PM

A brief skip back to the accent thing. Hugh Laurie excepted there are few British actors who are able to do American body language well. It's the same with American actors doing British. The accent can be perfect but the movements are not right. I can spot my American husband in a distant group of Aussies by the way he uses his body while he's talking. It was a weird experience losing him in the crowd while visiting his home country.
I's not just about the sounds we make.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Scrump
Date: 23 Feb 07 - 11:08 AM

Yes, the Dr Johnson episode was a classic. Maybe I liked the 'Beer' episode partly because of the subject matter of the title - but partly because it contained a lot of visual gags alongside the amusing more wordy bits. In a visual medium like the telly, there can be a shortage of visual comedy sometimes.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: GUEST,markyboy
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 07:38 AM

blackadder is one of the best comedys ever made and rowan atkinson is a genius .I love all episodes but probably series 2 and 3 are the best

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 09:18 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e6mfXqrpEg

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Alice
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 09:34 AM

Loved Wooster and Jeeves and the show Fry and Laurie, but find it hard to watch House, even though I like Hugh Laurie. He also played a policeman in the movie The Borrowers. Fun, musical guy.

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 24 Apr 07 - 06:17 PM

HOUSE is formulaic as is Law/Order and all its clones.   What impresses me is Hugh Laurie's acting ability----total polar opposite of Black Adder characters. He pulls it off.

Would I wish that he and Atkinson and Fry resurrected Black Adder. Sure!   I never, by the way, cared for Mr. Bean

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: The Black Adder
From: Gurney
Date: 25 Apr 07 - 03:38 AM

Becca72, I've seen Stephen Fry in the last couple of episodes of 'Bones' showing here. He plays a psychiatrist, with a lah-di-dah English accent.

I'v wondered if English actors 'make it' just by talent, as so few of them are very handsome. There are actors everywhere who use this system, of course, but a lot of Hollywood 'stars' have never seemed convincing to me.

The guy who played the butler in 'Magnum P.I.'(remember that?) had a convincing English accent, but some of his phrasing and pronunciation let him down, to my ear.