The Goon Show Depository - User contributions [en]

John Ringham

2023-01-11T11:03:57Z

82.13.186.91: /* Filmography */

{{Short description|English actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2020}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox person
|name = John Ringham
|image = Actor_John_Ringham.jpg
|image_size =
|caption =
|birthname = John Henry Ringham
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1928|2|10}}
|birth_place = [[Cheltenham]], Gloucestershire, England
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2008|10|20|1928|2|10}}
|death_place = London, England
|occupation = Actor
|years_active =
|spouse = {{marriage|[[Elizabeth Shepherd]]|1959|1962}}<br>{{marriage|Hedwig Felizitas Nowacki|1966}}<ref name=independent>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-ringham-actor-best-known-as-pennys-father-in-just-good-friends-1228171.html|title=John Ringham: Actor best known as Penny's father in 'Just Good|website=The Independent}}</ref>
|children = 4<ref name="TelObit"/>
}}
'''John Henry Ringham''' (10 February 1928 – 20 October 2008)<ref name="TelObit">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3374315/John-Ringham.html|title=John Ringham|date=3 November 2008|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=17 November 2008}}</ref> was a British actor who appeared on both television and stage. Among his roles was that of Norman Warrender in the 1980s sitcom ''[[Just Good Friends]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1207605/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Just Good Friends (1983–86) Credits|website=screenonline.org.uk}}</ref><ref name=independent/>

==Early life==
Ringham was born in [[Cheltenham]], where his father was a travelling book salesman. He was educated at the Cheltenham Grammar School for Boys (now called [[Pate's Grammar School]]). As a teenager he was a member of a drama group run by a retired professional actor. He was then called up for [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|National Service]] and served from 1946 until 1948 in [[Mandatory Palestine]].<ref name=independent/>

After leaving the army he spent four years as a member of a touring theatre company called [[John Crockett (director)#Professional_theatre|''The Compass Players'']] based in Gloucestershire.<ref name=guardian>[https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/nov/18/television-television Obituary in ''The Guardian'']. Retrieved 9 September 2014</ref>

==Career==
He appeared throughout BBC Television's Shakespeare adaptation ''[[An Age of Kings]]'' in 1960, most prominently as Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, the brother of Henry the Fifth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7d75d200|title=An Age of Kings Part 6 Uneasy Lies the Head (1960)|website=BFI}}</ref> Other appearances over the years include several parts in ''[[Z-Cars]]''; ''[[Softly, Softly (TV series)|Softly, Softly]]'', and ''[[Barlow at Large]]''; ''[[Flambards (TV series)|Flambards]]''; ''[[Poldark (1975 TV series)|Poldark]]''; the ''[[War and Peace (1972 TV series)|War and Peace]]'' dramatisation in 1972; ''[[Birds of a Feather (TV series)|Birds of a Feather]]''; ''[[The Bill]]''; ''[[Bless Me Father]]''; ''[[Taggart (TV series)|Taggart]]''; ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]''; ''[[The Tripods (TV series)|The Tripods]]''; ''[[Juliet Bravo]]''; ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]''; ''[[All Creatures Great and Small (1978 TV series)|All Creatures Great and Small]]''; ''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]''; ''[[Dad's Army]]''; ''[[Are You Being Served?]]''; ''[[Catweazle]]''; ''[[Up Pompeii!]]''; ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''; ''[[The Piglet Files]]'', ''[[When the Boat Comes In]]'', ''[[London's Burning (TV series)|London's Burning]]'' and ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba1f42f75|title=John Ringham|website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/john-ringham-p124560|title=John Ringham – Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=14692|title=John Ringham|website=aveleyman.com}}</ref>

Ringham played Inspector Lanner in the 1985 [[Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV series)|Sherlock Holmes adaptation]] of ''[[The Adventure of the Resident Patient|The Resident Patient]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/adventures-of-sherlock-holmes-the-resident-patient-v1024/cast-crew|title=Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Resident Patient (1985) – David Carson – Cast and Crew|website=AllMovie}}</ref>
In ''[[Dad's Army]]'' he played two different characters – Private Bracewell in the pilot (he was set to become a major recurring character, but this was later dropped), then Captain Bailey in four later episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7079a58e|title=The Man and the Hour (1968)|website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b89600f4a|title=Don't Fence Me In (1970)|website=BFI}}</ref>

He appeared in the long-running show ''[[Doctor Who]]'' three times, first as the bloodthirsty priest Tlotoxl in the story ''[[The Aztecs (Doctor Who)|The Aztecs]]'' (1964). He returned in the stories ''[[The Smugglers]]'' (1966) and ''[[Colony in Space]]'' (1971).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/39x8tbMVZYXfDyYtcNXY9wF/the-fourth-dimension|title=BBC One – Doctor Who, Season 8, Colony in Space – The Fourth Dimension|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Ringham also appeared as the by-the-book Commander Tri-S in the unsold pilot of [[The Solarnauts]], created by [[Roberta Leigh]] (1967).{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

==Playwright and author==
He was also a playwright and the author of three books, including a biography of the composer [[George Frideric Handel]].<ref name=guardian/>

==Death==
Ringham died of cancer in 2008 aged 80.<ref name=guardian/>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1959|| ''Ivy League Killers'' || Inspector ||
|-
|1961|| ''[[Very Important Person (film)|Very Important Person]]'' || P / O G S 'Plum' Pouding ||
|-
|1964|| "Doctor Who - The Aztecs" || Tlotoxl ||
|-
|1973|| ''The Zoo Robbery'' || Smythe's associate || Uncredited
|-
|1976|| ''[[The Twelve Tasks of Asterix]]'' || Julius Caesar/Various || Voice, English version
|-
|2005|| ''[[V for Vendetta (film)|V for Vendetta]]'' || Old Man ||
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0727612}}
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-ringham-actor-best-known-as-pennys-father-in-just-good-friends-1228171.html Obituary in ''The Independent'']
* [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=14692 John Ringham](Aveleyman)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ringham, John}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century British Army personnel]]
[[Category:British male television actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:People educated at Pate's Grammar School]]
[[Category:People from Cheltenham]]

Mechocracy

2022-06-27T20:36:15Z

82.13.186.91: /* Production */

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Red Dwarf]]
| image = Mechocracy.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Running for machine president, Kryten and Rimmer participate in a [[leaders' debate]]
| series_no = 12
| episode = 4
| director = [[Doug Naylor]]
| writer = [[Doug Naylor]]
| airdate = {{Start date|2017|11|02|df=yes}}
| guests =
* Daniel Barker as Dispensing Machine 402 & Other Voices
* Penelope Freeman as Dispensing Machine 403
* [[Oliver Maltman]] as Other Dispensing Machines
* [[David Ross (actor)|David Ross]] as Talkie Toaster
| prev = [[Timewave (Red Dwarf)|Timewave]]
| next = [[M-Corp (Red Dwarf)|M-Corp]]
| episode_list = List of Red Dwarf episodes
}}
"'''Mechocracy'''" is the fourth episode of ''[[Red Dwarf|Red Dwarf XII]]'' and the 71st in the series run. Originally broadcast on the British television channel [[Dave (channel)|Dave]] on 2 November 2017, it was made available early on 26 October 2017 on [[UKTV Play]].

The machines aboard ''Red Dwarf'' grow concerned nobody has their interest in mind, and an election is held between Rimmer and Kryten to determine their new representative.

==Synopsis==
''Red Dwarf'' goes into yellow alert, a personal favorite of Rimmer's, where the ship has to respond to an SOS call from another ship. Lister downloads the other ship's data; however, it turns out to really be an "SOS virus" and, due to Lister not downloading it onto a quarantined drive, it has infected the ''Red Dwarf'' computer system with harmful [[malware]], forcing the crew to abandon the ship, which has started drifting towards a [[black hole]]. As the crew pack their supplies before escaping in ''Starbug'', nearby vending machines question who'll be taking them to escape as well, before they list their importance. However, the crew explain they have no intention of bringing them along, so the machines combine their total power to defeat the malware infecting ''Red Dwarf''.

Due to the machines feeling they have no one on ship with them in mind, they go on [[general strike|strike]] until the crew come up with a plan. Rimmer initially intends to appoint himself as their new leader, mainly for the power the position would bring, so Kryten decides to run against him in a democratic election held by the machines. Rimmer runs as a member of the "Lovely Fluffy Liberal Alliance Party" alongside Cat, who he's blackmailing with the information that he needs [[reading glasses]], whilst Kryten runs as a member of the "Independent Future Party" with Lister, not wanting Rimmer to take control of the ship, as his voluntary running mate.

The election gets dirty as Rimmer decides to run a [[smear campaign]] on Kryten, airing [[attack ads]] on Kryten's mental health concerning his time [[Kryten (Red Dwarf)|taking care of the dead crew of the ''Nova 5''.]] Kryten fires back, airing similar attack ads calling into account Rimmer [[The End (Red Dwarf)|having killed himself]], [[Timeslides|twice]]. After some debates, the election is tied; to put the odds in their favour, Kryten and a begrudging Lister travel to the garbage hold where Talkie Toaster has been residing for the last [[White Hole (Red Dwarf)|25 years.]] After agreeing to Talkie's demands to be put in the sleeping quarters and Lister eating a specified amount of toasted bread products each morning, they win his vote, which puts them over the edge, and Kryten wins the election for machine president. By next morning the crew are enjoying themselves, except for Rimmer, who Cat locked in the garbage hold alongside Talkie (who Lister has refused to take out of the garbage hold, despite getting his vote) until next week, as payback for blackmailing him to be his running mate. True to form, Talkie quickly drives Rimmer to insanity by constantly asking "Would you like some toast?"

==Production==
Even though Talkie's voice actor, David Ross, had since retired from acting, he still lent his voice to the character he last played in 1991, recording his lines at a sound studio in his native [[Lancashire]]. "Mechocracy" marks the fifth time Daniel Barker has voiced a distinct character in an episode, putting him at equal standing with ''Red Dwarf'' alumni, [[Tony Hawks]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?sectionID=episodes&seriesID=12&episodeID=mechocracy#|website=reddwarf.co.uk|title=Mechocracy}}</ref>

Doug Naylor had initial concerns bringing back vending machine-centric plots after Series X, but ultimately decided in favour of it as it aided the overall plot and humour of the episode.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?sectionID=writing&seriesID=12|website=reddwarf.co.uk|title=Series XII Writing}}</ref>

==Reception==
"Mechocracy" received positive reviews from critics<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/tv/red-dwarf-xii/52872/red-dwarf-xii-episode-4-review-mechocracy|title=Red Dwarf XII episode 4 review: Mechocracy|author=Mark Harrison|publisher=Den of Geek|date=2 November 2017}}</ref> and fans.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.ganymede.tv/2017/11/red-dwarf-xii-mechocracy-review/|title=Red Dwarf XII: Mechocracy Review|author=Jonathan Capps|date=1 November 2017|publisher=Ganymede & Titan}}</ref> Writing for ''[[Den of Geek]]'', Mark Harrison referred to the episode as, "the first bonafide classic episode of the Dave era."

Sophie Davies of ''Cultbox'' praised the episode as a strong comeback from prior episode ''[[Timewave (Red Dwarf)|Timewave]]'', "[It] could have easily been plucked from a much earlier series, ‘Mechocracy’ is the best episode of Red Dwarf XII so far and one of the best of the show’s Dave era."<ref>{{citation|url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/red-dwarf-xii-episode-4-review-mechocracy|title=Red Dwarf XII episode 4 review: Mechocracy|author=Sophie Davies|date=3 November 2017|publisher=Cultbox}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Red_Dwarf#Mechocracy|Mechocracy}}
*{{IMDb episode|5218456|Mechocracy}}
*[http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=12 Series XII episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk]

{{Red Dwarf episodes}}

[[Category:Red Dwarf XII episodes]]
[[Category:2017 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes about elections]]

The Telegoons

2022-04-12T14:18:59Z

82.13.186.91: /* Episodes */

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| name = The Telegoons
| image = The_Telegoons_(TV_series).jpg
| caption = Opening title card
| runtime = 15 minutes per episode
| creator = [[Grosvenor Films]]
| starring = Voices of [[Peter Sellers]], [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Spike Milligan]]
| music = [[Edward White (composer)|Edward White]]
| country = United Kingdom
| network = [[BBC]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1963|10|5|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1964|8|1|df=y}}
| num_episodes = 26
}}
'''''The Telegoons''''' is a comedy puppet show, adapted from the highly successful BBC radio comedy show of the 1950s, ''[[The Goon Show]]'' produced for BBC television and first shown during 1963 and 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roxburgh.org/telegoons/goonography.htm|title=GOONOGRAPHY|website=roxburgh.org}}</ref> Two series of 13 episodes were made.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epguides.com/Telegoons/|title=The Telegoons (a Titles & Air Dates Guide)|website=epguides.com}}</ref> The series was briefly repeated immediately after its original run, and all episodes are known to have survived. [[Harry Secombe]], [[Peter Sellers]] and [[Spike Milligan]] reprised their original voice roles from the radio series and appeared in promotional photos with some of the puppets from the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.telegoons.org/photo_gallery.htm|title=Gallery}}</ref> Among the puppeteers were Ann Field, John Dudley, and [[Violet Philpott|Violet Phelan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roxburgh.org/telegoons/people.htm|title=People|website=roxburgh.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://annperrin.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/the-anniversary-of-the-first-showing-of-the-telegoons/|title=The anniversary of the first showing of 'The Telegoons'|date=6 October 2013}}</ref> The original radio scripts were adapted by Maurice Wiltshire, who had previously co-written a number of radio episodes with [[Larry Stephens]].

The only official broadcasts of any ''Telegoons'' material since the 1960s were a short excerpt, claimed to have been newly printed from the original negative, shown on the 1980s BBC archive series ''[[Windmill (TV series)|Windmill]]'', and a brief excerpt during the quiz programme ''[[Telly Addicts]]''. However DVD compilations of all episodes (from unknown sources) are available on [[eBay]] and other outlets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://store.earthstation1.com/the-telegoons-2-dual-layer-dvds-goon-show-puppet-tv-serie2.html|title=The Telegoons 4 Dual Layer DVDs Goon Show Puppet TV Series|website=store.earthstation1.com}}</ref>

A lengthy excerpt from a cast recording for the episode "The Lost Colony" is included on ''The Goon Show Compendium Volume 11'' CD box set. The recording, made at Olympic Studios, is taken from a tape kept by the studio's former owner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1109765/the-goon-show-compendium-volume-11-series-9-pt-2-series-10/|title=The Goon Show Compendium: Volume 11 (Series 9, Pt 2 & Series 10), Twenty episodes of the classic BBC radio comedy series by Spike Milligan|website=penguin.co.uk}}</ref>

==Comic book adaptation==

A ''Telegoons'' comic strip appeared in ''[[TV Comic]]'', drawn by [[Bill Titcombe]] and was published in 1963-1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/t/titcombe_bill.htm|title=Bill Titcombe|website=lambiek.net}}</ref>

==Episodes==

1st Series (1963):

1. ''The Ascent of Mount Everest'' - 5 October
Based on part of ''The Goon Show'' series 3 episode 24

2. ''The Lost Colony'' - 12 October
Based on ''The Sale of Manhattan'', series 6 episode 11

3. ''The Fear of Wages'' - 19 October
Based on series 6 episode 25

4. ''Napoleon's Piano'' - 26 October
Based on series 6 episode 4

5. ''The Last Tram'' - 2 November
Based on series 5 episode 9

6. ''The China Story'' - 16 November
Based on ''China Story'', series 5 episode 17

7. ''The Canal'' - 23 November
Based on series 5 episode 6

8. ''The Choking Horror'' - scheduled for 30 November; postponed due to repeat of ''[[Doctor Who]]: [[An Unearthly Child]]'', Episode 1; broadcast 28 December
Based on series 6 episode 22

9. ''The Hastings Flyer'' - 7 December
Based on ''The Pevensey Bay Disaster'', series 6 episode 10, remade as ''The Hastings Flyer - Robbed'', series 6 episode 15

10. ''The Mystery of the Marie'' (sic) ''Celeste Solved?'' - 14 December
Based on ''The Mystery of the Marie Celeste (Solved)'' series 5 episode 8

11. ''The International Christmas Pudding'' - 21 December
Based on series 6 episode 9

2nd Series (1964):

12. ''Scradje'' - 28 March
Based on series 6 episode 26

13. ''The Booted Gorilla'' - 4 April
Based on series 5 episode 10

14. ''The Underwater Mountain'' - 11 April
Based on ''The Greatest Mountain in the World'' series 4 episode 23, remade as ''Vintage Goons'' episode 2

15. ''The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea'' - 18 April
Based on series 5 episode 3

16. ''Tales of Old Dartmoor'' - 25 April
Based on series 6 episode 21

17. ''Lurgi Strikes Britain'' - 2 May
Based on series 5 episode 7

18. ''Captain Seagoon R.N.'' - 9 May
Based on ''Personal Narrative'', series 7 episode 8

19. ''The First Albert Memorial to the Moon'' - 16 May
Based on series 4 episode 7, remade as ''The Albert Memorial'', ''Vintage Goons'' episode 14

20. ''The Whistling Spy Enigma'' - 23 May
Based on series 5 episode 1

21. ''Tales of Montmartre'' - 30 May
Based on series 6 episode 21

22. ''The Africa Ship Canal'' - 6 June
Based on series 7 episode 22

23. ''The Affair of the Lone Banana'' - 13 June
Based on series 5 episode 5

24. ''The Terrible Revenge of Fred Fu-Manchu'' - scheduled for 20 June; postponed due to overrunning coverage of cricket from [[Lord's]]; broadcast 1 August
Based on Series 6 episode 12

25. ''The Nadger Plague'' - 27 June
Based on series 7 episode 3

26. ''The Siege of Fort Knight'', or, ''The Underwater Gas-Stove'' - 18 July
Based on series 4 episode 30, remade as ''Vintage Goons'' episode 13

==Sources==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0056787|title=The Telegoons}}
* [http://roxburgh.org/telegoons The Official G.S.P.S. Telegoons tribute site]
* [http://raretv.blogspot.com/2006/03/telegoons-canal.html Rare British Television Reviews — The Telegoons]

{{Goons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Telegoons}}
[[Category:BBC television comedy]]
[[Category:British television shows featuring puppetry]]
[[Category:1963 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:1964 British television series endings]]
[[Category:The Goon Show]]
[[Category:Television shows adapted into comics]]
[[Category:1960s British comedy television series]]