UK Humor (Humour) Fest at archive.org

Arthur Askey

Will Hay

Archive.org has started to list Arthur Askey and Will Hay films. Both are great and the kind of films that beg the question of "Why no US distribution?" It's not like there's a wealth of exclusively understood-only-by-the-British references. I will say that for once when I went to archive-org to look them up, (ex: Askey and ex: Hay)I was not presented with endless garbage occluding my search as is so often the case. So, yay.



Will Hay in Windbag the Sailor


Arthur Askey in Back Room Boy



Will Hay in Convict 99


Arthur Askey in Bees in Paradise




Arthur Askey in Ghost Train

I'd prattle on about their history and careers, but resources for that will hopefully be evident through the links provided. Instead just enjoy the comedy, IMHO underappreciated in their own country. We tend to rhapsodize about the Marx Brothers and W.C Fields, but Hay and Askey (along with Formby and others)were providing top notch comedy for the era that just never made it over here. Well, now, over here is the world.

Gramps, Why the Hand Cream and Tissues?

Musical interlude re showering from Meet the Baron starring Jack Pearl, Jimmy Durante (who I met when I was 11), Zazu Pitts and Ted Healy and his Three Stooges. None of them are in this scene, actually, as it is reservee' pour Gateau de Fromage.
Et quelle fromage!!