The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine

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?

Feldman was a genius, and he's working with the best people (e.g. Terry Gilliam, Orson Welles) in this classic series. The funniest thing I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE is the Beard-Straining Contest, an Olympic competition to force out facial hair within a time limit.

I remember watching this show when I was in high school and thinking it was some of the funniest stuff I ever saw. This was about 3 years before Monty Python ever made it to this side of the Atlantic. When they arrived I assumed they were copycats of Marty Feldman! It is a shame that these shows are sitting idle and not being released.

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

I remember Marty Feldman being on the summer replacement show for "The Dean Martin Show". It was called "The Gold Diggers" and aside from the nice looking women, they always had one sketch by Marty Feldman (this was the 1st time I saw his famous veterinarian "thing in the box" routine - a classic.) I always thought Marty Feldman was probably born about 40 years too late, he had the classic silent movie slapstick look and feel about him. He would have rivaled the best from the 20s and 30s, right up there with Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy etc. To me, he was very reminiscent of Buster Keaton. At any rate, they did put on his show "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine" for one season and I still remember many of his skits. What I wouldn't give to have the full collection on DVD. I'd pay good money to be able to see those skits again. Unfortunately, none of his movies (with the obvious exception of "Young Frankenstein") were very good - always too much plot that always seemed to get in the way of the raw slapstick comedy - - - a similar problem with all great classic silent comedians. But this one series called "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine" contains Marty Feldman's best work - without argument it is his best work. Pure, unadulterated, short classic comedy skits that rival the best that Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and the other famed performers of that era produced. I don't think anyone would argue with that fact. Each one "Comedy Machine" shows contained maybe 4 skits and each skit was an equivalent to a 1 or 2 reeler, and they were clearly classics. It is truly a waste that they are not currently available for all to enjoy today.