Dick Emery’s Comedy Hour

1 9 7 9 (UK)
1 x 60 minute episode

Dick Emery’s Comedy Hour aired on ITV on Wednesday 6 June at 8.00 pm. It wasn’t comedy exactly, but it was a very long hour, and it was certainly Dick Emery’s.

Following his move to Thames, he was duly provided with pleasant, shiny packaging, though Lulu‘s deliciously erotic disco number was the only really memorable element.

Dick Emery bravely killed off his old safe characters – they appeared in shadowy form here and there, giving a nicely-judged little echo of good times past. But for all his “new” material, his writers gave him the recipe as before.

And that, alas, meant jokes which were simple and seldom new, plus characters which were instant and disposable.

For the quick, one-joke sketches, that was fine, but the longer sketches were just as empty and it showed.

There were none of the small touches, the changes of expression which make comedy funny. You’d have lost nothing by seeing them at a distance of 200 yards.

His audience no doubt loved having their old friend back on the screen

Dick Emery
Beryl Reid
Lulu
Tim Barrett
John Rutland
Brooks
Frank Coda
Fay Hillier
Jan Fleming
Debbie Linden