Adventures of Lano & Woodley, The

1 9 9 7
6 x 30 minute episodes
1 9 9 9 (Australia)
7 x 30 minute episodes

This comedy series from the Australian ABC featured Aussie stand-up comedians Colin Lane and Frank Wood, relatively fresh from their success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where they had won the 1994 Perrier Comedy Award.

Hailed as “Laurel and Hardy on speed”, the madcap duo – using their schoolday nicknames “Lano” and “Woodley” – brought their stage personas to an inventive weekly situation comedy in September 1997, playing socially and intellectually inept friends who share a pokey inner-suburban flat.

The pair were fired from their latest job at the start of each episode which invariably led to multiple disasters accompanied by extremely funny (laugh out loud) dialogue, spectacular physical comedy and outrageous stunts that would give Jim Carrey a run for his money.

The simplicity of their “stupid” humour was incredibly endearing and heartwarming, and the 13-part series – directed by Bob Spiers (who directed Are You Being Served?, Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous) – was gone before it outstayed its welcome.

They returned in 1999 for another series of seven episodes.

Col and Frank decided to call it a day (for the good of their friendship) in 2006 after over 20 years of performing together. They celebrated their long comedic partnership with a record breaking’Goodbye’ tour.

Colin
Colin Lane
Frank
Frank Wood

Episodes

The Girlfriend | One Simple Task | Star Quest | Tonight You Die | The Wall | The Two Men || The Pool | The Primal Warrior | The Easter Story | Game Show God | Mother | I Love You Baby: Part 1 | I Love You Baby: Part 2