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Just saw for the first time one of the specials that are never shown in the U.S. thanks to the new BBC America release of LOSW '93. I am currently watching the early years the '77 - '79 years, so seeing this 1993 special with the older Foggy (I like the old Foggy much better than the young Foggy) was just like watching one of the episodes from my favorite era of LOSW. First, all the classic bits were in the show that they hadn't done yet in the early years, #1 favorite, Foggy talking war talk to a stranger sitting on a bench trying to read a newspaper. Foggy spots him, and sits down next to him trying to catch his attention. When he gets to the part about the "little people" who worshiped him and imitating them in his high pitched voice, it was hilarious. Reminded me of all the reasons why I first started to watch this show and when I first saw it. It was the 1995 year of the show that I first saw back in 2005, "Welcome To Earth" "special" reminds me of the great years of LOSW. By the way, the program was only 30 minutes, so why was this considered a "special" seems to me it could easily have been added to the regular syndication package since it's the same time length as the average show. At any rate, this was a very funny episode and made the cost of the set worth it, even if I already had the rest of the episodes.
 
I have to say that I like the older Foggy too, and I loved the episode very much.
I think they all worked well in this one and the ending is hilarious ;D
 
I never tire of this episode.

Fantastic.

I like the pub scene where they are taking the Michael out of Paul Bown.

Often there were Christmas specials of half an hour and no Christmas theme, usually lumped in before or after a regular series. bit odd, but that's how they did it. :-\
 
I have told this tale before and no one ever agrees with me. The very first time we watched this episode, I remember that after they had pelted John Cleese with vegetables, Wesley came along the lane from the left with his land rover and picked them up, bike and all. It was only this time, but I do have a very good memory. Possibly it was shortened, or this bit was replaced with another scene somewhere else in the episode. I know that they do this sort of thing, you only need to remember the Keeping Britain Tidy, episode when they introduced Crusher at a late date.
 
Ess said:
I have told this tale before and no one ever agrees with me. The very first time we watched this episode, I remember that after they had pelted John Cleese with vegetables, Wesley came along the lane from the left with his land rover and picked them up, bike and all. It was only this time, but I do have a very good memory. Possibly it was shortened, or this bit was replaced with another scene somewhere else in the episode. I know that they do this sort of thing, you only need to remember the Keeping Britain Tidy, episode when they introduced Crusher at a late date.
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You may well be absolutely right about that.

I can't say for sure either way - but what I do remember on the very first screening is that John Cleese was not credited as John Cleese - he used a pseudonym which was 'Kim Bread'.

I think just about all subsequent repeats had revised titles using 'John Cleese'.

Either way, the episode has been tampered with since it's first transmission in 1993.
 
wstol said:
Ess said:
I have told this tale before and no one ever agrees with me. The very first time we watched this episode, I remember that after they had pelted John Cleese with vegetables, Wesley came along the lane from the left with his land rover and picked them up, bike and all. It was only this time, but I do have a very good memory. Possibly it was shortened, or this bit was replaced with another scene somewhere else in the episode. I know that they do this sort of thing, you only need to remember the Keeping Britain Tidy, episode when they introduced Crusher at a late date.
Click to expand...

You may well be absolutely right about that.

I can't say for sure either way - but what I do remember on the very first screening is that John Cleese was not credited as John Cleese - he used a pseudonym which was 'Kim Bread'.

I think just about all subsequent repeats had revised titles using 'John Cleese'.

Either way, the episode has been tampered with since it's first transmission in 1993.
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Thank you so much. You are the first person who thinks I may be right. Mostly I get told I am imagining it.
 
i'll agree that the opening and end credits are different on the dvd than the original transmission but a mate of mine has that original transmission on video and theres no sign of what u mention on it
 
watched this one last night, it was very funny.

I seem to be disappearing earlier and earlier upstairs to watch my dvd stash, as him indoors, just doesn't appreciate it as much as I do. With any episode and a cup of tea, i am in heaven
 
I'm with you there, Minxie. I seem to be ordering my evening routine around the screenings!
 
Eli Thingy said:
i'll agree that the opening and end credits are different on the dvd than the original transmission but a mate of mine has that original transmission on video and theres no sign of what u mention on it
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Perhaps I have lost my marbles then, or perhaps different regions had different recordings.
 
Ess said:
Eli Thingy said:
i'll agree that the opening and end credits are different on the dvd than the original transmission but a mate of mine has that original transmission on video and theres no sign of what u mention on it
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Perhaps I have lost my marbles then, or perhaps different regions had different recordings.
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i wouldnt say losing marbles, its what u think happened, i doubt different regions had different recordings tho, as far as i know the same tapes are sent 2 different regions or there all transmitted from 1 place in the uk
 
I just did a bit of research. I have all of my old Appreciation Society journals in a box, so I fished them out and found this piece in Journal No7, from Autumn 1995. I comes under the heading 'Did You Know ?'.
I quote.
'Did you know that a sequence in 'Welcome to Earth' was re-filmed in 1994. This was where they they land in a field at the end of the programme, and where Wesley passes by on his bike'.
Hands up, I did remember it slightly differently, but I was so sure that Wesley was there at the end. I have the recording of the original episode, but I would have watched the repeat and seen this version.

At my age (72) I need to be sure my memory has not left me completely.

Also in the same piece they mention that Stan Laurel's daughter Lois is in 'Bicycle Bonanza'. She is the one who passes Nora in the doorway, they are wearing the same hat.

And also, again, that there are three versions of Uncle of the Bride.
 
Rhi said:
Appreciation Society journals? I've never heard of them! Where do I get a set?
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I belonged to the Summer Wine Appreciation, even before I had internet. It was run by a lovely man called Clive Eardley. The Journals were called Deep in the Heart of Yorkshire. For a modest sum and a stamped self addressed envelope, Clive sent you one at least twice a year, sometimes more. They are full of information about the series, quizzes etc. I have not had anything from him for a while, the last being a DVD of locations with a list of the episodes that they came from. I think George is also a member. No one said that the society had closed. Through the society we were invited to a couple of celebrations at Pinewood Studios. I guess since the show finished, Clive thinks it is not worth carrying on.
I would be interested to know if anyone else knows more than me about this.
 
I'm not actually a member,I tried to join but nothing appeared to be happening.It's a shame because there is obviously a solid fan base that would appreciate it.
 
I wonder if they lost a lot of members when they set up the web-site. A lot of the regular contributors were obviously fairly elderly. I had just been given an old computer and was keen to join in, but not everyone is that adventurous. It seemed to limp a bit after that.

Shame.
 
That is interesting info about Summer Wine Appreciation, Ess.

For a completely different direction, I had one question come to mind (and it might be one of those questions I have since I don't have Vine's book YET).

Why was "Kim Beard" used in the credits instead of John Cleese?
 
Do you know, I have no idea. A 'beard' can be a person who covers for someone who wants to be anonymous, but why Kim?
 
Ess said:
Do you know, I have no idea. A 'beard' can be a person who covers for someone who wants to be anonymous, but why Kim?
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I thought it was Kim Bread. Note from Wikipedia page on John Cleese: 'He also had a cameo appearance in the computer game Starship Titanic as "The Bomb" (credited as "Kim Bread"), designed by Douglas Adams.[30]'
 
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