Death By Ecky-Thump
Tony Goodson posted this interesting story recently about how much bigger The Goodies were in the 70s than Monty Python but how the Pythons have really stood the test of time much better. You watch any Flying Circus today and it is still as subversive as it was 40 years ago. That’s really saying something. Compare it to the other British comedy of the time… The Two Ronnies? Morcambe and Wise? Dad’s Army? Are You Being Served?
HOWEVER… The Goodies have one credit to their name that I don’t think the Pythons have - they killed someone. Seriously.
This is from Wikipedia’s list of “Unusual Deaths”:
On 24 March 1975 Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old bricklayer from King’s Lynn literally died laughing whilst watching an episode of The Goodies. According to his wife, who was a witness, Mitchell was unable to stop laughing whilst watching a sketch in the episode “Kung Fu Kapers” in which Tim Brooke-Taylor, dressed as a kilted Scotsman, used a set of bagpipes to defend himself from a psychopathic black pudding in a demonstration of the Scottish martial art of “Hoots-Toot-ochaye.” After twenty-five minutes of continuous laughter Mitchell finally slumped on the sofa and expired from heart failure.
Can you say… ECKY-THUMP?!
March 24th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
It needs a little context though. The Goodies were incredibly popular in Australia (and still are) due to repeats running almost constantly until about 1990. In the UK though, they were never repeated, and while some over there remember them, it’s nothing like Australia were most ABC-viewing Gen-Xers remember every episode.
Conversely, the Monty Python guys made a lot of money through their movies (have a read of Michael Palin’s diaries), and were able to buy back the rights to their own shows. They were also blessed with repeats in Britain, less in Australia, and had more luck selling their shows and films across the world.
I’ve watched some of both recently. Both have aged a bit; both have bits that were subversive (remember The Goodies “South Africa” episode, which poked fun at Apartheid?); both had some bits that were slapstick, and some that were satirical.
And if it means anything, my kids also enjoy both shows.
March 24th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Whatever happened to “Broaden Your Mind” with Tim Brooke-Taylor & Graham Gardner. I’ve never seen that repeated & it preceeded the Goodies. I used to think it was hilarious.
March 25th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Jan, there’s a few snippets of Broaden Your Mind on the second Goodies DVD set.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
The Goodies was way more popular with kids than Monty Python. Most Gen X viewers watched The Goodies after school.