The Odd Job

From The Goon Show Depository

The Odd Job
The OddJob (1978).jpg
Directed byPeter Medak
Written byGraham Chapman
Bernard McKenna
Produced byGraham Chapman
Mark Forstater
Stephen O'Rourke
Tony Stratton-Smith
StarringGraham Chapman
David Jason
Diana Quick
Simon Williams
CinematographyKen Hodges
Edited byBarrie Vince
Music byHoward Blake
Production
company
Charisma Films
Distributed byColumbia-EMI-Warner
Release date
September 1978
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Odd Job is a 1978 British comedy film starring Monty Python member Graham Chapman.[1] It tells the story of a man named Arthur Harris (Chapman) who is recently abandoned by his wife. He becomes so depressed that he hires an "odd job man" to kill him. Once his wife returns, Harris finds himself unable to cancel the contract.[2]

The concept originated as an episode of the London Weekend Television/ITV series Six Dates With Barker in 1971, with Ronnie Barker as Arthur Harris and David Jason as the Odd Job Man (who plays the same role in the feature film).[3][4]

The role of the odd job man was originally intended for Chapman's friend, Keith Moon, but Moon was going through alcohol withdrawal at the time and in no real physical shape to play the part, although he did audition.[5] It was shot at Shepperton Studios with location shooting around London.

Cast

References

  1. ^ "The Odd Job (1978)".
  2. ^ "The Odd Job (1978) - Peter Medak - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  3. ^ Jason, David (7 May 2018). David Jason: My Life. Random House. ISBN 9781780891408 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Webber, Richard (7 October 2010). Remembering Ronnie Barker. Random House. ISBN 9781407089355 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ McCall, Douglas (12 November 2013). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969-2012, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9780786478118 – via Google Books.

External links