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The Comedy Man
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Wikipedia article
'The Comedy Man' is a 1964 British kitchen sink realism drama film directed by Alvin Rakoff and starring Kenneth More, Cecil Parker, Dennis Price and Billie Whitelaw. It depicts the life of a struggling actor in Swinging London.
More later said that when he read the script he "was profoundly struck by its relevance to my own life, and to the lives of so many actors I had known."Kenneth More, 'More or Less', Hodder & Staughton, 1978 p 189 The film was shot in 1962 but not released until two years later. It received limited distribution, being released on a double bill with 'Lord of the Flies' (1963).
Plot
Sacked from his job in provincial rep, actor Chick Byrd moves into digs in London with Julian, a fellow actor. Julian's career soars after a successful screen test, but Chick's meets with continued failure. After the suicide of an actor friend, Jack Lavery, Chick is informed by his widow that just after Jack's death he was offered a job by Tommy Morris, an agent.
Chick contacts Tommy and takes Jack's job for a TV commercial. Chick finally finds fame when the commercial is a hit and he's signed for a series of commercials for breath mints. Confident of his talents for the first time, but fearing he may have sold out, Chick leaves London to return to rep.
Cast
* Kenneth More - Chick Byrd
* Cecil Parker - Thomas Rutherford
* Dennis Price - Tommy Morris
* Billie Whitelaw - Judy
* Norman Rossington - Theodore Littleton
* Angela Douglas - Fay Trubshaw
* Edmund Purdom - Julian Baxter
* Frank Finlay - Prout
* Alan Dobie - Jack Lavery
* J.G. Devlin - Sloppitt
* Valerie Croft - Yvonne
* Leila Croft - Pauline
* Gerald Campion - Gerry
* Jacqueline Hill - Sandy Lavery
* Harold Goodwin - Assistant director
* Penny Morrell - Actress
* Naomi Chance - Bit part
* Guy Deghy - Schuyster
* Derek Francis - Merryweather
* Myrtle Reed - Tommy's secretary
* Edwin Richfield - Commercial director
* Gordon Rollings - Skippy
* Eileen Way - Landlady
* Freddie Mills - Indian Chief/Union steward
* Frank Thornton - Producer
* John Horsley - Co-pilot
* Wally Patch - Bar manager
* Talitha Pol - Actress at Party
* Hamilton Dyce - Burial minister
* Anthony Blackshaw - Bus conductor
* Richard Pearson - Advertising Man
* Maurice Durant - Barman
* Ronald Lacey - Assistant Director
* Jill Adams - Jan Kennedy
* Robert Raglan - Man at Party
* Alan Browning - Actor at audition
Critical reception
'Radio Times' wrote, "written by Peter Yeldham with a nice balance between irony and drama, and directed by Alvin Rakoff with an accurate eye for the dingy environments and brave bonhomie of unemployed actors, this modest British film boasts a superior cast" ; while 'Allmovie' wrote, "matching More's terrific starring performance are such British "regulars" as Dennis Price, Billie Whitelaw, Cecil Parker, Norm Rossington, and Frank Finlay" ; and the 'Sunday Mirror' noted, "Kenneth More in the greatest performance of his career. Brilliantly directed."
References
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