barbara1926

I'd guess that Blunder was David Mitchell's equivalent of the first Genesis album in that both had to start somewhere despite the results. Much better was to come from both! Karate Johnson was the best-loved character in our house, though Emperor Boswellox came close. I know someone who's just like Emperor Boswellox in that they make a big deal of getting the orders in!

I first got to know of Tony Way here as the father who keeps telling his son to shut up. Way is one of those performers whose face is recognisable whatever role he plays, though he's never had a major leading role. When I first saw him as Gary in 'Mongrels', I said to myself 'That's Emperor Boswellox'!

Nina Conti, who operated the singing cat, is another person who's done all sorts since as was Simon Farnaby, who's best known to me as George IV in Horrible Histories!

I remember the scene with the budgerigar act - Don Crown & His Busking Budgies! I would have seen the film as a child in the early seventies and in hindsight I think Sellers was also paying homage to his dad's time as a music hall performer. My mother was conscious of Sellers wearing a prosthetic nose as Sam, but it was a hell of a lot better than the one he had for the sailor guise (as Clouseau) in one of the Pink Panther films! My sister had the book that inspired the film and the depiction of the death of Sam's dog Bella was quite upsetting.

A shame the DVD version's sound is poor and subtitles aren't available. I can recall a documentary being on TV about it and this could have done to be on the DVD.