Dinner for One (classic)

[buttsie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One

Dinner for One revolves around the aged Miss Sophy who celebrates her 90th birthday with her best friends, all of whom are actually dead. The result is that her increasingly inebriated butler is obliged to act out each role in turn. Stars Mary Warden and Freddy Frinton. (From Germany, in English) (Special) (Rpt) G CC

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv1VgiDDHt8 10.51min

[goldentaurus2001]

Great buttsie!

But the poster on Youtube is wrong. This is not the German version, this is the Swiss version of this comedy show from 1964/65. The original German live show was produced in 1963 by regional government broadcast NDR (Northern German Television). You will find it on Youtube in two parts there:
Part 1: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=eUbEVg5KNt8&feature=related
Part 2: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GAUFMWaAb5M&feature=related

By the way... this one is the German millenium special edition, digitally colored and remastered for New Years Eve 2000. The original German version is seven minutes longer than buttsie's version from Switzerland.

So now you can decide for yourself which of this two versions is the better one for you.

Greetz
goldentaurus2001

[buttsie]

Thanks for digging that up

The spiel I posted was actually from a TV station sbs.com.au
that always plays it 7.30pm-7.50pm(18 minutes...2 1 minute adverts start /finish)every new years eve

[goldentaurus2001]

Hi buttsie,

New Years eve is the special day for all "Dinner for One" fans. This year it was broadcasted on all regional government tv stations more than 20 times. Mostly the German b/w version first, and a few hours later followed by the Swiss or remastered german color version. Since a few years some regional government broadcasters made their own new versions in german regional colored languages, too. You can see, for Germans, New Years eve without "Dinner for One" is like christmas without any christmas tree.
So I can say, Germans are really "Dinner for One"-junkies. Me too :)

Greetz
goldentaurus2001

[kingcrab]

Classic.

Just curious: is it on TV in any other English-speaking country other than Australia?

[icu]

The Play should have been only a Test, but they played so absolutly famous that this Version was taken.

The laughing Audience : Staff and guests from the canteen, believe me - its true :D

[goldentaurus2001]

If I remember it well, Australia is really the only one. This delightful little gem of British music hall comedy is sadly neglected in Britain, where Freddie Frinton is considered no more than a provincial dilettante actor.
In Norway it's the traditional broadcasted show for christmas eve. Some new countries on New Years eve broadcasting list are Estonia, Bulgaria, China and South Africa. And, in every country "Dinner for One" is broadcasted in original sound - no dubbing or subtiteling!
Btw. "Butler James" actor Freddie Frinton drank its whole life no alcohol.

Greetz
goldentaurus2001

[buttsie]

The station (www.sbs.com.au) in australia that broadcasts it is actually our government sponsored multi-cultural channel.

Might explain why we a predominantly english speaking country run it but others dont

[clowny]

Here is a non split version of this great classic comedy scene in black & white 15:15 minutes long.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5zld2_diner-pour-un-humour-anglais-tres-d_fun

;).

[rockernut]

It's been broadcasted in Sweden every new year in Sweden since 1976, we have a soft spot for alcohol-humour...

[rustler]

It is also broadcast on New Years Eve in Denmark, and has been for many years - however, one year the powers that be decided not to show it and there was a huge public outcry!!!

Freddie Frinton is absolutely brilliant in this!