Arthur Smith

The Taxidermist

True love lasts forever...

Arthur Smith: My 75 Years at the Edinburgh Fringe

Arthur Smith's love letter to the playground of the imagination that is the Edinburgh Fringe on its 75th birthday. Recalling some of the triumphs, disasters, love affairs and arrests of his many Augusts in Auld Reekie. Hamlet, Colditz, Leonard Cohen, Dante, dementia, Arthur's Seat, Gary Lineker and the Leith Police all feature in this moving hour of revelations, songs, poems, gags and bad costumes. This is Arthur's last-ever Edinburgh show so you had better be there.

How The Young Ones Changed Comedy

This documentary explores the legacy of one of the most notorious British sitcoms of all time. Launching alternative comedy onto our screens, the show made household names of its performers and writers and proved to be a huge influence, despite the BBC reportedly being baffled by what they'd commissioned back in 1982. Never before had a flagship comedy show contained so much violence, depravity and anarchy - it was a shot across the bow to mainstream comedians that things would never be the same again.

Gaga for Dada: The Original Art Rebels

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the surreal art movement, comedian Jim Moir (a.k.a. Vic Reeves) presents this documentary exploring the history of Dadism and the lasting influence it has had on himself and others.

Are you Being Served

Picking up where Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft's classic comedy left off, it's 1988 and Young Mr Grace is determined to drag Grace Brothers into, well 1988, but he has a problem on his hands. Mr Humphries, Captain Peacock, Mr Rumbold and Mrs Slocombe all seem to be stuck in another era. A new member of staff, Mr Conway, joins the team but will he help shake things up or will he just put a cat amongst the pigeons?

Chas & Dave Last Orders

Documentary which highlights cockney duo Chas & Dave's rich, unsung pedigree in the music world and a career spanning 50 years, almost the entire history of UK pop. They played with everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to Gene Vincent, toured with The Beatles, opened for Led Zeppelin at Knebworth - and yet are known mainly just for their cheery singalongs and novelty records about snooker and Spurs. The film also looks at the pair's place among the great musical commentators on London life - and in particular the influence of music hall on their songs and lyrics. The film crew followed Chas & Dave on their final tour, having called it a day after the death of Dave's wife, and blends live concert footage with archive backstory, including some astonishing early performances and duets with the likes of Eric Clapton. Among the experts and zealous fans talking about their love of the duo are Pete Doherty, Jools Holland and Phill Jupitus. Narrated by Arthur Smith.

Evidently... John Cooper Clarke

A look at the life of John Cooper Clarke. From his rise as a 'punk poet', through his heroin addiction, and finally to his comeback.

Eric & Ernie: Behind the Scenes

A history of the British television comedy double act Morecambe & Wise to coincide with the BBC drama about their early lives.

The Tunnel

Short documentary about Malcolm Hardee's comedy club 'Sunday Night at the Tunnel Palladium'. The feared comedy venue in Greenwich, London of the 1980s alternative comedy scene.

A Lump In My Throat

Docudrama about the life of John Diamond - Author, jounalist and husband of food writer Nigella Lawson. Who wrote about the 'Stuff of life' in his weekly column in the Times. He then was diagnosed with cancer and this then became the backdrop to his writings. This programme was adapted fom the stage play by his friend Victoria Coren about his life and writings.

Fisted

Two friends try to track down their old nemesis Richard Herring to try to find out why on earth he is successful when they are not. The film is set against the madness of the 1995 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was shot entirely on Super 8 film and was inspired by the films of Chris Marker and Nick Broomfield.

Solitaire for 2

Katie can read minds. Being desirable, the male minds she reads are all thinking of one thing. She always responds by hitting them and storming off without explanation. Daniel is an expert in body language and interprets this as a sign she wants to be pursued. Since Daniel spends most of his time, when not terrorizing his students, pursuing women, Katie gets ever more exasperated that he is treating her exactly as he treats every presentable female from the motorcycle cop to the squeegee girl. She cannot read minds when her eyes are covered, or when minds are thinking in a foreign language, so she misinterprets Sandip's desire for hunger. She also holds Daniel responsible for his subconscious desire for his friend's wife (Caroline).

An Evening With Gary Lineker

From their 1991 stageplay An Evening with Gary Lineker was adapted for television in 1994 by Arthur Smith and Chris England. The action takes place against the backdrop of the 1990 Football World Cup semi-final, between England and West Germany, which is taking place in Italy while Monica and Bill are on holiday in Ibiza. Bill desperately wants to watch the match; Monica wants to talk about their relationship.

Filth!

In the late Eighties, there had been a series of comedy concerts (modelled on the Amnesty International “Secret Policeman’s Ball series”) to raise both awareness and raw cash for HIV/AIDS charities. The series was called Hysteria to reflect the hysteria (and downright untruths) surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS. The last one of these had been in 1989, so in 1994, Pozzitive set out to revive the idea of a fundraiser with “Filth!” a night of comedy and music at the Sadlers Wells theatre, on Sunday 24 April. In fact, so many comedians and writers said “yes” to the idea, that we hit on the notion of doing two shows in one evening back to back. The first show was hosted by Lynn Ferguson and Arthur Smith, the second show by Mark Lamarr. Artists involved in the show included Tom Robinson, Steve Coogan, Spitting Image, Eddie Izzard, Jo Brand, Jeremy Hardy and Ben Elton.

Seriously Seeking Sid

A study of the life and career of the actor Sid James, best known for the long-running Carry On series of bawdy British film comedies.

Ident

Explores the nature of man, not only with feet of clay, but with a face of clay as well. Within a colourless city of walls, corridors, and small rooms, a man makes his way from home to work, then to a bar, and then, by a stroke of luck, into an outdoors of space, fresh air, and colour. Along the way, he changes his face to fit his surroundings, interacts with his dog, argues with co-workers, and gossips at a bar. His altering of his visage suggests a two-faced nature, and his stepping into the outdoors provides the ultimate test of his real identity.