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Posted on Wednesday 29th January, 2025
Robert and Gemma are delighted to have provided new audio commentaries for Are You Being Served? The Movie and Two-Way Stretch for the Kino Lober Blu-ray releases.
The Blu-ray’s are now available to pre-order ahead of their releases:
Are You Being Served? The Movie
Screwball shenanigans are served in this feature-length 1977 movie version of Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft’s beloved BBC television series that has become one of the most popular British comedies in PBS history! While London’s Grace Brothers department store undergoes renovations, the staff is treated to a continental holiday in sun-kissed Costa Plonka where they tangle with the local cuisine, swap cheeky lust letters—and are caught in the middle of an armed rebel insurrection. Join Mr. Humphries (John Inman), Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden), Captain Peacock (Frank Thornton), Mr. Lucas (Trevor Bannister), Miss Brahms (Wendy Richard), Mr. Grainger (Arthur Brough), Mr. Rumbold (Nicholas Smith), Mr. Harman (Arthur English) and Young Mr. Grace (Harold Bennett) as the bullets and knickers fly!
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In this caper-comedy classic of 1960s British cinema, the great Peter Sellers (The Ladykillers, The Pink Panther) stars as cocky criminal “mastermind” Dodger Lane, who has been concocting the perfect robbery in prison. With two cellmates he intends to break out of jail, steal a fortune in diamonds from a rich Maharajah, and then break back in. He only has a few days left of his sentence to serve and his alibi couldn’t be any tighter. As long as the operation runs smoothly, what could possibly go wrong? Everything—in one of Sellers’ funniest farces packed with a rib-tickling rogues’ gallery of British comedy legends: Lionel Jeffries as the hilariously humiliated prison officer; Wilfrid Hyde-White as a bogus vicar; David Lodge as the meat-headed muscleman; and Bernard Cribbins in the nice young man part. Riotously directed by Robert Day (The Green Man).
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Posted on Thursday 22nd August, 2024
Coming this Spring a New Collaboration between Jeffrey Holland and Robert Ross
Fondly remembered as Spike Dixon in Hi-De-Hi, Jeffrey Holland is one of our best-loved situation comedy actors. An invaluable member of the repertory company of writer and director David Croft, his many other television credits include Are You Being Served?, Dad’s Army, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Oh, Doctor Beeching!, and You Rang, M’Lord?
Written in collaboration with Britain’s foremost comedy historian, Robert Ross, producer and presenter of the hugely successful touring show Jeffrey Holland: Comedy Friends and Heroes, this unique memoir reveals the hilarious tales from Holland’s long and illustrious career, through the comedy greats that have inspired him, to the comedy colleagues with whom he has worked.
There will be heart-warming stories from his twenty-year association with Paul Shane and Su Pollard: BBC’s comedy ‘A’ Team of sitcom. There will be poignant and deep reflection on his all-time favourite comedian, Stan Laurel, and revealing stories of working with the great and good of variety theatre – from understudying Frankie Howerd in pantomime, to unforgettable encounters with Ben Warriss, the no-nonsense straight man of Jewel and Warriss fame, via many happy years as part of Russ Abbot’s Madhouse.
Not to mention blissful thoughts on the joy of The Goon Show, and the thrill of stepping into the huge shoes of Peter Sellers, when the crazy characters were resurrected for Goon Again!
Filled with the enthusiasm and affection, The First Rule of Comedy..! is a life told through the eyes of one of the true greats of the genre.
Posted on Thursday 25th July, 2024
Coming October 15th 2024
Robert’s latest book Best Sellers celebrates the work of Peter Sellers.
As creative force of The Goon Show, Spike Milligan was the architect of the lunatic style of humour that permeates the best-loved performances of Peter Sellers; a friend and colleague who Milligan considered: “one of the true comedy greats of the 20th century. He can hold his head up with the very best.”
And it is the comic genius of Peter Sellers that is the driving passion of this book. A labour of love by Robert Ross, Britain’s Comedy Historian, in which the well-documented wealth, wives, and weirdness of Peter’s personal life is referenced only when it fully impacts his happiest place: as an interpretive, dedicated, truthful actor.
Whether it is Doctor Strangelove; Inspector Clouseau; or Chance the Gardener, Sellers had the conviction and the control to become his characters.
It’s a legacy of laughter which still holds the world bewitched and enthralled; a legacy here put into historical and comical context.
Posted on Wednesday 24th May, 2023
Celebrating the women who shaped British Comedy
Whether it is the seaside postcard bubbly blondes of Barbara Windsor, or the hysterically historical leading ladies of Joan Sims; the coquettish authoritarians of Hattie Jacques, or the statuesque confidence of Valerie Leon; the Carry On Girls are stoic, sexy, and fiercely independent.
In this lavish celebration of a pioneering generation of comedy actresses who continue to radiate charm and contemporary relevance, a few home truths are revealed, some myths are debunked, but above all some of the best-loved icons of British entertainment are given fitting affection and respect.
Written by Gemma and Robert Ross this is their first book collaboration together.
We are grateful to Valerie Leon for writing the wonderful forward for the book.
The book is now available to order from all good book shops and will be released on 23rd November 2023. Please subscribe the newsletter to keep up-to-date with all our latest news about the book.
Posted on Saturday 16th April, 2022
We are delighted to launch, Write On Comedy, an association for writers and lovers of comedy.
The aim of the association is to celebrate writers of comedy, writers on comedy, comedy folk who write, and those who simply love comedy. We are a community of writers and readers. A place to share ideas, tips, and laughter.
For published authors and professional performers we aim to celebrate and promote your work to a wide audience. We also offer the opportunity to collaborate and connect with your peers, and build a stronger, better community.
For associates we will bring you the most up-to-date news on some of your favourite names in comedy, keep you informed of our up-coming events, created especially for you, and allow you priority places at our Book Festivals.
Find out more by visiting www.writeoncomedy.co.uk
Posted on Thursday 28th October, 2021
To mark the official publication of the Unbound tome dedicated to the Forgotten Heroes of Comedy, I was in conversation with Gemma over on the Comedy Historian Facebook page for a live and free and totally interactive chat about the book. It was just like old times!
Posted on Thursday 21st October, 2021
What a glorious book launch for the Forgotten Heroes of Comedy. The late Terry Jones and I were always determined to whet the book’s head at the Museum of Comedy, Bloomsbury, and it proved to be the perfect location. Unbound, who have published the book, were represented on stage by Justine Pollard who nursed the project through its infancy. And what a delight to have so many comedy chums in attendance, including Tyler Butterworth, David Barry, Francoise Pascal, George Camiller, Paul Cole, Nick Revell, Steve Nallon and Jessica Martin.
Posted on Sunday 3rd October, 2021
So that is it for this year’s very first Festival of Comedy at the Waterloo East Theatre. What a glorious way to return to theatre. Such fun to hear the laughter and applause that greeted the choice clips in my three stand-up comedy historian shows: Oh, What a Carry On!, Forgotten Heroes of Comedy and yet another slab of Forgotten Heroes, this time with a comedy horror theme. It was also a joy to present a rehearsed reading of a brand new, hour-long festival-friendly version of Jeepers Creepers – Through the Eyes of Marty Feldman. Jessica Martin and Nick Revell starred as Lauretta and Marty Feldman. The Festival also saw the world stage premiere of Screaming Queens!, starring Steve Nallon as Kenneth Williams and Jessica Martin as Fenella Fielding. Here’s to the next time…
Posted on Monday 19th April, 2021
Hello Chums,
I’m thrilled to be sharing with you, the book cover for Forgotten Heroes of Comedy. Designed by Dan Mogford. It’s evocative, clever and just perfect! You can still pre-order the book before its publication in September 2021. Click here to learn more.
Much love, Robert xx
Posted on Tuesday 22nd December, 2020