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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 79005" data-attributes="member: 23">As part of my regular Britcom schedule I've opted to rewatch Our House, written by Norman Hudis and starring many Carry On favourites.<img src="http://images.static-bluray.com/products/20/19138_1_front.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ad/Our_House_%281960_tv_series%29_titlecard.jpg/250px-Our_House_%281960_tv_series%29_titlecard.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/cornershop15/Documents/OurHouse-TVTimescover27thNovember1960.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A precursor to the 1975 Carry On Laughing series, it's certainly a curio to see a telly version of the early Carry Ons.Fittingly, I'm watching these episodes in between Constable and Regardless, which is exactly when they would have aired, the first series having aired in the final quarter of 1960. This is reflected in the main cast: Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Norman Rossington would all go on to appear in Regardless. I can't help wondering if the episodic nature of this series influenced Regardless's disparate style with its series of loosely connected stories. Hudis would probably have written the two vehicles practically side-by-side so it's within the realm of possibility. It wouldn't even surprise me to learn that Regardless was compiled out of some excess Our House script ideas.Last night was Simply Simon - the first of the three episodes known to survive. Jacques didn't appear in the episode at all so Hawtrey got top billing; a situation that I can imagine delighted him given his legendary battles with Peter Rogers over billing in the films. He had multiple roles here: in addition to his usual wide eyed "Charlie Muggins" type he played said character's older relatives.Perhaps it's the space that the TV format necessitates, but there were some subtleties to his performance that aren't really seen in the films. Last night I was particularly struck by a moment where, playing an older gentleman, he looked with great sadness at a beautiful young woman, moving an artist to paint them. There was something oddly moving about it. Then within a short time he was dragged up as his character's aunt and revelling in going wildly overboard with his mincing and chuckling, playing the audience for all he was worth. So there were three very different performances.Watching last night it occurred to me that there's a good likelihood these episodes aired live, in which case it serves to show the professionalism and slickness from everyone involved more than the films ever could. It certainly has the kind of undercurrent of excitement that live transmissions frequently have (though I suppose it could be argued that all scenes are "live" for the people involved at the time of filming. And if retakes are frowned upon it's as good as live anyway). There was a moment where Rossington and Sims, their characters having practically fallen on top of one another, seemed to be laughing as they deliver their lines that was most endearing. Another moment had Rossington muddling up Hawtrey's female character's name. In the context of the scene it worked perfectly because there was some confusion going on, but I couldn't tell you if it was written the way Rossington delivered it or ad libbed because of a trip of the tongue. Either way, it was a nice moment for him as an actor.</blockquote>

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