The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine

This show was shown here in the states long before Monty Python. Terry Gilliams cartoons and this wild sort of humor was very new at the time this show came out. I found it very very funny and often wondered if someone would someday make these shows available again for viewing/buying.

I first became familiar with the comedy sketches of the late British comedian Marty Feldman as a teenager. During 1970 and 1971 his material was used to bolster "The Golddiggers," a summertime replacement show for the "Dean Martin Show"on NBC. Feldman's, often-silent film shorts rank up there with the funniest material I have ever seen. Although this particular show under consideration here(which actually appeared during the summer of 1972)was not quite as good as the bits seen on the "Golddiggers," it was still a scream.

Feldman finally achieved notoreity for American audiences for his end of 1974 film debut in the role of Igor opposite Gene Wilder's Dr. Frankenstein in Mel Brooks' classic "Young Frankenstein." Feldman went on to appear in and direct a few less-than-memorable films such as "The Remake of Beau Geste" and "In God We Trust." Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack while on location for the 1982 film "Yellowbeard."

With the proliferation of video out there, it's really very surprising that no one has to date put together any sort of video or Dvd collection of Feldman's comedy. If it does ever surface, do yourself a favor and get hold of it, sit back, and prepare to laugh your head off!

This was ITV's attempt to buy itself a Monty Python. Monty Python (BBC) consisted of the Oxford and Cambridge graduates (plus Terry Gilliam) out of two earlier shows that ITV had shown: Do Not Adjust Your Set, a kids show (!) had Jones, Palin, Idle, Gilliam. At Last The 1948 Show had Cleese and Garden. I'm sorry, I'll read that again (BBC radio) also had Cleese and the 3 Goodies. After appearing in the 1948 show, Marty Feldman had his own BBC show that was thought to appeal to a more mainstream audience, partly because he had already scripted Round The Horne and other radio vehicles. This show also featured Tim Brooke-Taylor, who had also been in the 1948 and ISIRTA shows. ITV realised that Feldman's humour was closer to the BBC2 Pythons than the BBC1 Two Ronnies (who had started out with Cleese on David Frosts shows) that he was classified with, and made a big play. Feldman had a big budget, and it showed. I've never understood why this show failed, except that, simply, the ITV demographic wasn't ready. Eventually a Pythonesque series did make it past the first season, Sunday afternoon's "End of Part One", but who remembers that now?

I think Marty Felman was a Genious ,he needed no props not really anyone else on the stage with him, He didn't need the movies, with other people around him, He shined his brightest when alone on a stage. I don't think he ever got the recognition that he deserved, He was the one man I would have dearly to have loved to meet, The world is a lot less bright without him, I quote the words so aptly put on his grave site, YOU MADE US LAUGH YOU TOOK AWAY OUR PAIN WE LOVE YOU

These were the absolute BEST comedy skits WHY DON'T THET RE-RELEASE THESE ? I FOR ONE WOULD BUY AS MANY AS WERE MADE WISH THAT I COULD FIND SO'MEONE WHO HAS THEM FOR SALE, ID BUY THEM IN A SECOND