Allo Allo - classic or dud?

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I think this could be a divisive one, and deserves a thread of its own.

I say classic, but then I haven't seen an episode in about ten years.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:26 (twenty-two years ago)

It is a disgrace that this question is even being asked.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i would say classic for many reasons (herr flick, the fact that helga always seemed to be wearing naughty underwear, i quite fancied yvette...or was it michelle? the fact that the italian guy later turned up on eastenders as tiffany's dad, good moaning...) but in reality it's a mainstream 80s sitcom which makes it dud by default really.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:31 (twenty-two years ago)

no its just classic. no doubt about it

― Bob Shaw (Bob Shaw), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Terry Raymond was the Italian captain as well?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Mainstream 80s sitcoms are the apogee of sitcom minimalism - think of small no. of stock jokes and repeat forever and ever. The results were like beautiful clockwork farce machines (see also Hi-Di-Hi).

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic all the way. "Good moaning, I was just pissing...". "Ze fallen Madonna wiz the big boobiez". Get me the DVD for Christmas.

― Tag (Tag), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:34 (twenty-two years ago)

only if you're very good Tag

why were 70s sitcoms better than 80s sitcoms?

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:36 (twenty-two years ago)

They were different things. If you think that you probably like rock more than dance music: REPETITION REPETITION REPETITION innit?

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Full-on ucking classic mate. Has there ever been a programme to have a greater impact on modern culture while simultaneously being unwatchable for periods longer than ten minutes?

Great moments in Allo Allo:
1) Rene getting hit by a tree during the big storm of 1987 (and recovering, of course - I mean G Kaye no ill will)
2) Good moaning
3) Fallen madonna with the big boobies, in the knockwurst for at least three series
4) Sam Kelly - Klomp!
5) Helga - something for the Dads
6) Von Smallhousen
7) It is I, Leclerc
8) Zee flashing knobs
9) Worst Italian accent ever on TV - Captain Bertorelli. NB wasn't this guy also in Duty Free?
10) HANG ON, ALLO ALLO IS SET DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR - ISN'T THIS ALL A BIT SICK?

― gobemouche, Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:38 (twenty-two years ago)

If you think that you probably like rock more than dance music

haha! tou-bloody-che...

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I seem to remember Allo Allo being incredibly intricately plotted though, despite the repetetive catchphrases... every episode would have at least five or six dastardly rival schemes going on, usually involving having to sneak Nazis/Communists/British soldiers in or out of Rene's cafe, with him utterly powerless in the middle of it.

Actually, when you put it like that, this programme would never get made in this day and age, would it? The very idea wouldn't have made it past the drawing board.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:41 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/images/220/alloallo1.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/images/220/dutyfree1.jpg

― gobemouche, Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:43 (twenty-two years ago)

- The English Policeman. Arthur Bostrum, you should be shot.
- The airmen under Granny's bed (arf arf!)
- The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies (He said Boobies! Titter!)
- The slightly camp German Officer (He might be gay! Laffs galore!)
- Edith doesn't twig Rene is a sexgod. He calls her stupid! (Funny as fuck that one!)
- It is I, Leclerc (Stop, please! No really. Stop)
- I shall say zis only wance (My sides they're-a-splitting!)
- M. Alphonse fancies Edith but she's an old crone!
- The French resistance are run by a gurl! And they keep making mistakes! And they get on with the Germans!

The above displays a worrying level of knowledge. I admit it. I used to love it. I laffed and laffed at all the above jokes. I even bought a spin-off book from the series (The Secret Diairies of Rene Artois). In my defence I was 12 at the time, and the above should be taken as some sort of cathartic abjection of this shameful period of my past. I never liked Hi-de-Hi or Dad's Army either. The one thing that strikes me about the Croft and Perry sitcoms (apart from standard issue BBC laughter track featuring the woman who is middle-aged and is laughing so much that she appears to be in danger of wetting herself and / or expiring) is that they are all gentle and twee and shit.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:45 (twenty-two years ago)

This picture reminds me that we are forgetting the urgent and key aspect of an Allo Allo discussion i.e.

ED YOU ARE RELATED TO EDITH'S MOTHER????

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Things that would never get made these days.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:49 (twenty-two years ago)

A boiler

http://www.succulent-plant-page.fsworld.co.uk/misc/boiler.gif

A boiler

http://www.coldcut.com/video/aa/images/yvette.gif

― gobemouche, Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

see sitcoms thread for details

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

fear not Dave, i think i bought an 'Allo 'Allo ANNUAL one year ('88?)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 25 September 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

We were not supposed to watch it cos my dad said it was disrespectful to those who died in the war. I have since realised that my dad just didn't like it since my mum took me to see the Allo Allo stage play thing and didn't seem bothered about the war thing and she's Jewish (not that that should make a difference or anything).

― Emma, Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Allo Allo >>>> Duty Free, but I'm not sure that says very much.

One of the British Airmen now works for the company that provides most of my current employer's business. Most disconcerting.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:09 (twenty-two years ago)

now, did you know that herr flick used to work as a freelance sub-editor on newspapers in london - and may well still do. i nearly fell off my fucking chair when i saw him walk into the newsroom of a certain broadsheet i was then working at.

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Jesus how deep do these secret ILX/Allo Allo collections run?

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:20 (twenty-two years ago)

a mate of mine has a bit of a weird thing about vicky michelle, too

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh God. Duty Free. The fear.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

My memories of Duty Free are somewhat vague, but the dread spectre of comedy wife swapping hovers over my recollections of it.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

well, there's a surprise, ricky manages to derail thread onto topic of swingers with one post. pure class ;)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:29 (twenty-two years ago)

it's interesting as an example of a parody that is far better known than what it is pastiching.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:36 (twenty-two years ago)

One of the British Airmen now works for the company that provides most of my current employer's business

which? Fairfax or Carstairs?

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Did you know that Gruber (Guy Siner) reinvented himself in Hollywood? He appeared in "Pirates of the Carribean", David Lynch's "Lost Highway", plus Seinfeld, Enterprise and recently The Agency.

I'm hoping he will be the major bad guy in season three of "24".

― gobemouche, Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought classic at the time. I even picked Yvette as my French name at school. I think I would hate it now, even through a nostalgia aneasthetic, which is a shame.

Michelle of the French Resistance is my current fashion icon. Time to get out the beret.

― Anna (Anna), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)

french resistance chic is a great look anna

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Mmm, but the hat is from a mistaken acid jazz phase when I was 16/17, I went all the way to Birmingham for Kangol.

Michellle - actually a feminist icon. She does not get things wrong because she's a girl, but rather because everyone in the show is inept. Only person not following orders, often knows more than most of the men.

― Anna (Anna), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:01 (twenty-two years ago)

interesting deconstruction...
berets = classic. my mate milo rocks one for the frank spencer look

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Jesus. It appears that ILx is the bastard love-child of Allo-Allo and Sinister.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

And yet you have joined us Dave ....

― Anna (Anna), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:39 (twenty-two years ago)

My Allo Allo confession above makes me know that this is home. I am simply shocked with (self)realisation, rather than commenting objectively in a Donald-Sutherland-at-the-end-of-Invasion-of-the-body-snatchers-'You-are-all-screaming-great-mentalists type way.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Arthur Bostrom is from my home town. I used to go to the same church as his Mum. So, classic.

― Cathy (Cathy), Thursday, 25 September 2003 11:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Ma Mowther met yow win yuuu warnt tu charch in tha herm tarn wur we or berth frarm.

― Arthur Bostrum (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Trying to judge it by today's standards is ultimately pointless. Like old episodes of Last of the Summer Wine or, as mentioned above, Hi-de-Hi, these sitcoms belong in a previous era.

We'll be having the same argument about AbFab and Men Behaving Badly in 20 years time...

― Charlie B. (Charlie B.), Thursday, 25 September 2003 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Last of the Summer Wine is shit. To think it's been going 30-odd years with the same jokes. Maybe they'll all be dead soon and they can't make it anymore. I obv. underestimate the power of the BBC to suck everything out of a franchise. Though I thought the spin-off first of the summer wine experiment failed because the basic joke is 'they're all going to be dead soon!' which isn't very funny when they're portrayed as the finest examples of Yorkshire's youthful manhood.

PS - Apologies to all from posting this on the wrong thread. It should be in the special one, but I am busy and can't be bothered to trawl.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 11:57 (twenty-two years ago)

That's why I said "old episodes"... The later stuff is a perfect example of why comedy has a time and a place. It's well out of its time now (and has been for 15 years).

So (watch me deftly leap back on-topic... voila!) Allo Allo would be utter bollocks if they still made it now. :o)

― Charlie B. (Charlie B.), Thursday, 25 September 2003 12:01 (twenty-two years ago)

it seems to me that there are 2 categories of reason why ppl might find "Allo Allo" offensive:

(i) It portrays the Nazis as buffoons when they were dangerous and evil and portrays the Resistence as bumbling idiots when THESE PEOPLE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM ect ect

(ii) its crude stereotypes of women, gay men, ppl of particular nationalities

when the series began in 1982 (i) was more relevant than (ii), whereas today (i) has become less relevant as there are fewer ppl around who can remember the war, but because of changes in society (ii) has become more relevant.

The key fact abt "It Ain't Arf Hot Mum" and "Dad's Army" was that they didn't involve combatants (a concert party and a group of mostly elderly men protecting the country from an invasion that never happened, respectively) so were not subject to the same accusations of bad taste as "Allo Allo" was.

How is Allo Allo regarded in France & Germany? Did the BBC attempt to sell the programme to these countries?

― MarkH (MarkH), Thursday, 25 September 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a vague memory that Allo Allo was popular in France, but this might have been guilt-salving propaganda by the BBC on behalf of the millions who desired guilt-free tittering.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

My gran's second husband was a hero of the French Resistance with medals and everything and we couldn't watch it when she came round because she disapproved. To be honest I don't think he minded though, he'd have preferred to watch something about the railways but that was true of everything on TV.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 25 September 2003 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

its crude stereotypes of women, gay men, ppl of particular nationalities

these are absolutely necassary in british comedy. anything without them is just not funny

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Allo Allo was incredibly popular in France, it was essential viewing when I stayed in french homes in the late 80s and early 90s, stereo type based comedy seems to translate well.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 25 September 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually the French probably came off best in Allo Allo, they had most of the best plans and most of the sex. The Germans, well, you can't make Nazi's look too good can you? And the Brits were just blithering idiots to be led around passively.

― Anna (Anna), Thursday, 25 September 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

you can't make Nazi's look too good can you?

calling leni reifenstahl...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 25 September 2003 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

There was sex!!!! I missed this. I thought Edith stopped them just in the nick of time for the watershed.

― Oh Rene! (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)

You Stupid Woman! CAn you not see this poor girl has blocked ears.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 25 September 2003 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

i dunno about sex but i do seem to recall lots of comedic writhing and general friskiness...

sorry, what are we talking about?

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

ILX

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

gruber was the drunken russian president in the sum of all fears!

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

What exactly was the reason sam kelly went "klop"? I wonder if doing the sieg heil is as popular in the playground now as it used to be. Didn't Bob Holness sign off Blockbusters with a sieg heil every day?

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Klop was surely the 'tler' syllable of H3il H1tler, as the joke was that Sam Kelly joined in later and was always a syllable behind. This was, I expect, expanded into a more humourous 'klop' to make it clear that he was definitively slightly behind everyone else in this crucial aspect.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

i always thought it was because his heart wasnt in being a nazi and he didn't want to pledge allegiance to hitler.... so it was a political statment. hmm.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh, it could be. But most of Germans apart form General von Klinkerhoffen and Herr Flick and Helga look distinctly uninterested in being Nazis.

I can't believe I've not had to use google once in contributing to this thread. This is A Bad Thing.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

can't believe I've not had to use google once in contributing to this thread. This is A Bad Thing.

Just means that your memory isn't as bad as you thought.

The funniest idea through that show's run was that Rene was actually shaggable and irresistable. The heroes were always the one that got the chicks, weren't they?

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Rene had several chicks lusting after his restaurateur bod. Mimi, Yvette and Michelle all wanted to run away with him, and Edith thought he was very much the Monsieur for her (almost made that rhyme). There was also the one who Mimi replaced who I thought was quite tasty who (no googling kids!) was called Francesca something-or-other.

It does mean my memory is better than I thought (my parents haven't given me BSE by making me eat locally slaughtered beef for the first 18 years of my life! Yay!) but it does mean an alarming amount of utter shite is lodged in there, or which a sizeable amount appear to be a near-photographic recall of a programme I now no longer like. Yet I cannot remember every secodn of the final episode of season 2 of the West Wing, which is my favourite hour of TV ever. For shame.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

my partner was complaining to me yesterday that i can remember the last line of silver streak ("he looks like he's smiling") but still forget to put the toilet seat down every time

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

allo allo is better than the west wing QED

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

No. It can't be. Maybe I was slightly drunk when that was broadcast. I think it might be cos I was giddy with excitment that @$ was about to start on BBC2 followed by k-rub X-files season 9 to wind down. I used to heart Sunday night TV so much.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

allo allo is also better than x-files AND @$ (or €¢ as we hatas like to call it)

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Definitely classic. Just hearing the theme music brings back memories of watching the PBS broadcasts back when I was in high school. I'd probably still laugh at all the (well worn) jokes now, for sheer nostalgia.

Didn't Michelle and Crabtree get it on in the later episodes?

Guy Siner was in Pirates of the Caribbean? I guess I missed him, and I saw that movie twice, too.

― Jasmine U. (Jasmine U.), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I believe it's an urban myth thing that there was a magnum of champagne held in a safe in the BBC marketing department for the clever bugger who managed to sell Allo Allo to German TV. And another bottle for the same person who sells Tenko to Japan.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Saturday, 4 October 2003 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Allo Allo was shown on german TV.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 4 October 2003 11:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I've a nasty feeling its a big dram of dud. However, Michelle was one of my first TV crushes, so I'm pretty much obliged to vote classic.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Saturday, 4 October 2003 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

I got an Allo Allo board game for my birthday! A friend found it in a charity shop, and it's in pretty good nick considering it must be 15 years old or so.

The Herr Flick cards have 'Nasty Nazi' written on them. As opposed to all those really lovely Nazis.

And the Crabtree cards are translated into proper words for REALLY stupid people.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 15 February 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

You are in a room alone with Lieutenant Gruber - back away two spaces.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 15 February 2004 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I demand you bring this game to the next FAP I attend over there (I have never seen Allo Allo).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 15 February 2004 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

'Didn't Bob Holness sign off Blockbusters with a sieg heil every day?'

Ha. My favourite Bob fact, he was the first man to play James Bond, on S. African radio.

Allo Allo was kak. Oh Doctor Beeching, C/D?

― pete s, Sunday, 15 February 2004 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

cool havnt seen it in yrs thoe

― Emma williams (Emma williams), Sunday, 15 February 2004 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

kerlassic. (i) It portrays the Nazis as buffoons when they were dangerous and evil and portrays [but also, often, bufoonish] the Resistence as bumbling idiots when THESE PEOPLE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM ect ect [but, like all of us, were often foolish]

― NERQ, Monday, 17 May 2004 08:43 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Dud

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6431533.stm

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

they should do a new version, but set in iraq.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

"Listen carefully, I shall bomb this only once"

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

'alam wa aleikum 'alam wa aleikum

― RJG, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Fallen Madonna with the big Yashmak.jpg

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Oh good grief. This is a terrible idea.

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

You mean 'Allo 'Allo, yes?

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

it would be edgy, matt!

james lance could play someone.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

With the original cast, at least four of whom are now dead.

Maybe we'll get Dad's Army back in the form of Ian Lavender wandering about wondering where everyone else has gone.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

screw you guys, i'm calling dog latin.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

Kenneth Connor was dead whilst he was in it, I believe.

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

Clive Dunn and Bill Perwee are still alive! The latter was part of the Sun's "Bash the Bosch" or whatever it was called campaign in the last World Cup.

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

I think it was called "Let's Firebomb Dresden".

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:41 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting Clive Dunn is still with us, ditto Bill Pertwee and the guy who played the vicar.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

Always worth reposting:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Lemesurier.png

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

I used to think it was a classic, but when watching it the other week, realised it was a massive Dud. On so many levels. For starters, Mimi La Bonk (arf!) was not remotely sexy, and Yvette was a bit of a boiler TBH. Not to mention the world's most unfunny running jokes:

- The English Policeman. Arthur Bostrum, you should be shot.
- The airmen under Granny's bed (arf arf!)
- The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies (He said Boobies! Titter!)
- The slightly camp German Officer (He might be gay! Laffs galore!)
- Edith doesn't twig Rene is a sexgod. He calls her stupid! (Funny as fuck that one!)
- It is I, Leclerc (Stop, please! No really. Stop)
- I shall say zis only wance (My sides they're-a-splitting!)
- M. Alphonse fancies Edith but she's an old crone!
- The French resistance are run by a gurl! And they keep making mistakes! And they get on with the Germans!

The above displays a worrying level of knowledge. I admit it. I used to love it. I laffed and laffed at all the above jokes. I even bought a spin-off book from the series (The Secret Diairies of Rene Artois). In my defence I was 12 at the time, and the above should be taken as some sort of cathartic abjection of this shameful period of my past. I never liked Hi-de-Hi or Dad's Army either.

Dave B (daveb) on Thursday, 25 September 2003 09:45 (3 years ago)[/i]

So OTM ;_; I was given the DVDs for xmas. Unwatchable! I also had the Secret Diaries on tape. That said as a kid this was fookin' class.

now, did you know that herr flick used to work as a freelance sub-editor on newspapers in london - and may well still do. i nearly fell off my fucking chair when i saw him walk into the newsroom of a certain broadsheet i was then working at.

He's based in Ireland now, fair freaked out when I saw him on the cover of some lifestyle mag discussing life in Ireland! Actually I think it might have been the mag in the Examiner but still!

Jesus how deep do these secret ILX/Allo Allo collections run?

Fear the illum1nat1!!!

I liked Guy Siner though: "It was so cold on the Russian front..." Glad to hear that he's doing well for himself.

― kv_nol, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

FFS I meant to italicise all of Dave B's post there. Sorry all!

― kv_nol, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

"It is I, Leclerc"

that one is funny.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

As far as Secret Army parodies go Allo Allo comes a poor second to David Nobbs' Fairly Secret Army starring Geoffrey Palmer with a different character name but essentially it's Jimmy Out Of Reggie Perrin.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

I used to think it was a classic, but when watching it the other week, realised it was a massive Dud
Hmm. I was fairly sure it must be awful (see, when I was 12 I thought the Brittas Empire was classic, and I hope I never find myself watching that again) but found myself in front of it last year and was unexpectedly amused. There was even nearly some kind of plot, which I didn't remember at all among all yr "good moaning"s. Not enough for it to need to run for nearly as many series as it did, I grant you.

The reunion is still a terrible idea though.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

REVIVE!

So who else stayed in on Saturday night and watched the Allo Allo reunion? Got a lump in my throat at Survivor Gordon Mackay - and Mimi marrying Leclerc, and some great stuff on how they translated the British Policeman into other languages!

Also I don't recall seeing Mimi's introduction to the cafe before, when she was a psychotic gang leader from Paris!! Mimi = k-classic AS ANY FULE KNO.

― Sarah, Monday, 30 April 2007 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

good moaning

― RJG, Monday, 30 April 2007 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

was it alright then? i didn't even know it was on

― blueski, Monday, 30 April 2007 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Who was the 'second waitress' in the first series' that got replaced?

I liked her.

― Mark G, Monday, 30 April 2007 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Crabtree's fake gendarme getting crushed under the tracks of a tank while in a pissoir = classic!!

The reunion without Herr Flick and Helga though = dud.

― DavidM, Monday, 30 April 2007 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

There should be some kind of David Croft poll...

Oh, Doctor Beeching!
You Rang, M'Lord?
Grace and Favour
Hi-De-Hi!
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
Dad's Army

I may have not got the right exclamation marks.

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

Ooops I missed Allo' Allo'...

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:31 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, fuck it, I missed Are You being Served As Well...

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:32 (nineteen years ago)

I would say:

Dad's Army>Allo Allo>You Rang M'Lord>Are You being served>it ain't half hot mum>the rest

― Ed, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:35 (nineteen years ago)

He has played a wide variety of roles on stage and the TV screen and in 2006 was a regular guest on The Daily Telegraph's World Cup Pubcast, where he usually took the role of Herr Flick, providing a more biased view of the proceedings.

― Dom Passantino, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:40 (nineteen years ago)

Take it over to the poll [Removed Illegal Link]!

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, i give up...it's past my bedtime...

― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 30 April 2007 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

Watched it, enjoyed it. Wouldn't revisit any of the past episodes (see above) but it was great seeing the cast again. I was amazed LeClerc was alive! The sketch with Guy Siner wasn't so good but it was great seeing the Colenel and Geering again. I never knew the history of it and was amazed at how long it lasted. Nine series! 86 episodes? I mean WTF?!

― kv_nol, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 09:44 (nineteen years ago)

Guy Siner in Pirates of the Caribbean, as the Harbour Master:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Guy-potc.jpg

― Grandpont Genie, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 09:52 (nineteen years ago)

"what a mistake-a to make-a" is the funniest catchphrase ever. ever.

― Alan, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

mimi replaed maria

― Alan, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

I was roffling w/ adorability at Gruber's "little tank", I was hoping they would actually identify CLARENCE but the mystery lives on!

― Sarah, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

(I also want a little tank)

― Sarah, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:06 (nineteen years ago)

Needed more Gruber & Flick I thought but I liked the big "You have been watching..." banner dropping in front of the cast at the end.

― robster, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

Actually yeah, I really thought that was a lovely touch as well! So much love in that room though, scary stuff!

Did anyone ever see the play?

― kv_nol, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 10:46 (nineteen years ago)

i am married to someone who did.

― Alan, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Did anyone put this on a dvd by any chance? It's not for me you understand...

― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

potentially dumb-assed question: why was Herr Flick only a Herr?

― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

he was demoted to hilarious puns division

― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

Simple but dull answer - the Gestapo weren't, strictly speaking, a military organisation so they didn't adopt what we think of as the German rank structure. They had a pretty flat structure below a local Inspector, and so had no rank to speak of beyond 'Mr'.

― aldo, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

ah, thanks! had no idea. and for a German and history scholar, that's a bit frickin' embarrassing...

― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

ten months pass...

Blimey.

German TV firm snaps up 'Allo 'Allo

12 hours ago

Second World War sitcom 'Allo 'Allo has been sold to the Germans.

The hit show - which was set in Nazi-occupied France and poked fun at the Gestapo - will be broadcast to German audiences for the first time.

But the comedy accents could end up lost in translation as the whole show will be dubbed into German.

BBC Worldwide struck the unlikely deal with broadcaster ProSiebenSat1, which will show all eight series (83 episodes).

A BBC spokeswoman said: "Both BBC Worldwide and ProSiebenSat1 are very happy about the deal. 'Allo 'Allo is a high quality programme which had not been picked up in Germany until now due to the subject matter."

The show ran on BBC1 from 1982-1991 and remains one of Britain's best-loved sitcoms.

Gorden Kaye starred as harassed cafe owner Renee Artois, who risked his neck to aid the Resistance and stay out of trouble with the Nazis, with Carmen Silvera as his wife Edith and Richard Gibson as Gestapo officer Herr Flick.

Other characters included Officer Crabtree (Arthur Bostrom), whose mangled vowels led him to adopt the greeting: "Good moaning."

Isabelle Helle, head of German-speaking territories at BBC Worldwide said: "'Allo 'Allo is one of the most successful BBC comedies ever made and is already loved in over 50 countries.

"We're really excited that ProSiebenSat1 has decided to take all series - now German viewers will be able to follow the daily cafe antics of Renee, Edith and the Gestapo and might even pick up on some of those famous catchphrases, 'Listen very carefully, I shall say zis only once...'."

― Matt DC, Monday, 10 March 2008 10:16 (eighteen years ago)

the whole show will be dubbed into German.

o_O

― StanM, Monday, 10 March 2008 10:27 (eighteen years ago)

eight years pass...

RIP Rene :(
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38718282

― Cosmic Slop, Monday, 23 January 2017 16:22 (nine years ago)

Dud.

― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Monday, 23 January 2017 16:30 (nine years ago)

rene dying is dud but the show was great at the time as a kid. still enjoy it now if i ever see it

the good moaning policeman was in an episode of father brown last week

― Cosmic Slop, Monday, 23 January 2017 17:08 (nine years ago)

The actor who played Herr Flick went on to a career as a freelance sub-editor, or so a freelance magazine designer once told me.

― Dysphagia Nutrition Solutions (stevie), Monday, 23 January 2017 17:10 (nine years ago)

Loved this show when I was a kid. Remember they cancelled an episode because yer man Rene was in a car crash irl, I was disappointed.

The show us ludicrously shite though. Rip to mad Rene anyway

― harold melvin and the bluetones (jim in vancouver), Monday, 23 January 2017 17:40 (nine years ago)

herr flick doing the hokey cokey is all-time

― Cosmic Slop, Monday, 23 January 2017 17:44 (nine years ago)

this is my fave moment of allo allo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0j_ffeCM0M

― Cosmic Slop, Monday, 23 January 2017 17:45 (nine years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duX4tIFocvY

― Cosmic Slop, Monday, 23 January 2017 17:46 (nine years ago)

Was this the first funny (okay, "funny") treatment of the Nazis? There's the Producers and Dr. Strangelove, but they're both a distance from "Hello, I am a funny member of the Gestapo"

― Andrew Farrell, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 08:16 (nine years ago)

Hogan's Heroes

― "I must believe that my charm was not in my ass." (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 08:26 (nine years ago)

Wow - 1965! And with all emigrated Germans as the Nazis - that's pretty wild.

― Andrew Farrell, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 08:56 (nine years ago)

Monty Python iirc? that would've been after 1965 tho

― Transform All Suffering Into Poo (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 09:01 (nine years ago)

This even has a funny Hitler in it:

http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p520/ottermole/which-way-to-the-front-poster.jpg

Nazis and Hitler got plenty of funny treatment during the war, of course.

― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Tuesday, 24 January 2017 10:52 (nine years ago)

not one of their comedies but Ealing's Went The Day Well from '42 is so classic it has to be mentioned.

― calzino, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 11:50 (nine years ago)

"funny Nazi" films produced by Nazi Germany:

Tran and Helle (German: Tran und Helle) were a comedy duo of the Third Reich era, played by Ludwig Schmitz (Tran) (1884-1954) and Joseph "Jupp" Hussels (Helle) (1901-1984). From September 1939 the pair appeared in a number of weekly 2–3 minute short films, which usually accompanied Die Deutsche Wochenschau newsreels or feature films screened in cinema.

Tran was a bald, conniving and dim-witted character whose frequent transgressions would run counter to the German war effort or security. In different episodes Tran would listen to the BBC, refuse to donate his accumulated kitsch scrap metal, or engage in black market activities. His friend Helle—taller, handsome and appearing to be more considered in judgement—served as the foil who would ultimately show his fellow Rhinelander the error of his ways.[1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJv-zqVUGAw

― soref, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 12:09 (nine years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdJpDxlI8H0

― everything, Tuesday, 24 January 2017 18:16 (nine years ago)

three years pass...

Been down a very long and twisty wormhole:

https://img.discogs.com/ioplJ9T2u8mtIPOhJgZcq-gc7Vo=/fit-in/600x607/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4990713-1480867240-1066.jpeg.jpg https://img.discogs.com/jCnHTorCE41NG2t4zDO4gM_0euk=/fit-in/600x597/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4990713-1480867239-6624.jpeg.jpg

That is Gorden Kaye, better known as Rene in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo, on the cover of the 1980 solo album by Albertos Y Lost Trios Paranoias singer/guitarist, Jimmy Hibbert. A solo album where Jimmy Hibbert's backing band is Queen! All four members of Queen! That's Jimmy Hibbert, later involved in Cosgrove Hall Films, providing voices for Danger Mouse and Count Duckula et al. Jimmy Hibbert, whose younger brother was Tom Hibbert, the music journalist who did the "Who the Hell..." interview series for the recently closed Q magazine, and whose father was Christopher Hibbert, "probably the most widely-read popular historian of our time and undoubtedly one of the most prolific".

― Sonny Shamrock (Tom D.), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 19:27 (five years ago)

seven months pass...

Let's take some time to fondly recall Rene & Yvette's boundary-breaking rap single René D. M. C. (Devastating Macho Charisma). Same year as Walk This Way, and no less influential.

― grab bag cum trash bag (sic), Friday, 26 February 2021 09:41 (five years ago)

woah

― nxd, Friday, 26 February 2021 11:42 (five years ago)

love the previous post too!

― nxd, Friday, 26 February 2021 11:50 (five years ago)

René D. M. C.

― grab bag cum trash bag (sic), Friday, 26 February 2021 18:52 (five years ago)

One of the British Airmen now works for the company that provides most of my current employer's business

which? Fairfax or Carstairs?

A queston left hanging. One of these was occasionally a supply teacher at my secondary school when series 1 would recently have aired.

― Noel Emits, Friday, 26 February 2021 19:00 (five years ago)

rene dmc

― himpathy with the devil (jim in vancouver), Friday, 26 February 2021 19:08 (five years ago)

two years pass...

live theatre versions of old sitcoms - it seems like it's mostly Only Fools And Horses, Fawlty Towers or 'Allo 'Allo, occasionally Are You Being Served or Blackadder - do people ever do this kind of thing in the USA?

https://stjamesplayers.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/allo01.jpg

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/images-o.jpimedia.uk/imagefetch/http://www.chichester.co.uk/webimage/Prestige.Item.1.105524634!image/image.jpg?width=1200&enable=upscale

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63497c3c75c2a80d7dbc5d6b/1672444725475-N1BSY56GLTLXHJNJ8M4R/allo%2Ballo%2B-%2B017.jpg

http://m.ticketline.co.uk/images/artist/allo-allo-the-comedy-dinner-show/allo-allo-the-comedy-dinner-show.jpg?v=1670950515

http://www.oxfordshiredramareviews.org.uk/uploads/3/7/6/8/37685075/published/rene-yvette-mimi.jpg?1562332102

https://everymantheatre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/alloallo780px_0010.jpg

― soref, Thursday, 2 March 2023 11:58 (three years ago)

has anyone here ever been to one of these things? what was it like?

https://northwestend.co.uk/images/Allo_Allo.jpg

https://hblt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/untitled-shoot-5340.jpg

https://www.richmondplayers.com.au/uploads/1/2/5/8/125861844/2021-allo-allo-group-72_orig.jpg

― soref, Thursday, 2 March 2023 12:03 (three years ago)