Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: Graham McCann
ISBN:
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 24
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Book Description
"The Adventures of Sir Quillan Quokka: The Quest for Harmony in Quokkaland" is a captivating children's tale that takes young readers on an enchanting journey through the mystical land of Quokkaland. Join Sir Quillan Quokka, the tiny but brave knight, and his wise friend Ellie Echidna, as they embark on a quest to restore harmony to their beloved land. Along the way, they encounter magical creatures, face various challenges, and uncover the true meaning of bravery, friendship, and the power of unity. This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for young readers aged 6 to 9, inviting them into a world where every heart is brave, every mind is wise, and every soul is kind. Dive into the adventure and discover how even the smallest heroes can make a big difference.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group USA
ISBN: 1781313229
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 332
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Book Description
A behind-the-scenes history of one of the most successful and admired British sitcoms of the 1980s. In 1977 the BBC commissioned a new satirical sitcom set in Whitehall. Production of its first series was stalled, however, by the death throes of Jim Callaghan’s Labour government and the ‘Winter of Discontent’; Auntie being unwilling to broadcast such an overtly political comedy until after the general election of 1979. That Yes Minister should have been delayed by the very events that helped bring Margaret Thatcher to power is, perhaps, fitting. Over three series from 1980—and two more as Yes, Prime Minister until 1988—the show mercilessly lampooned the vanity, self-interest and incompetence of our so-called public servants, making its hapless minister Jim Hacker and his scheming Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey two of the most memorable characters British comedy has ever produced. The new prime minister professed it her favourite television programme—a ‘textbook’ on the State in inaction—and millions of British viewers agreed. In the years since Yes Minister has become a national treasure: Sir Humphrey’s slippery circumlocutions have entered the lexicon, regularly quoted by political commentators, and the series’ cynical vision of government seems as credible now as it did thirty years ago. Much of this success can be credited to its writers, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, who drew on their contacts in Westminster to rework genuine political folly as situation comedy. Storylines that seemed absurd to the public were often rooted in actual events—so much so that they occasionally attracted the scrutiny of Whitehall mandarins. In A Very Courageous Decision acclaimed entertainment historian Graham McCann goes in search of the real political fiascos that inspired Yes Minister. Drawing on fresh interviews with cast, crew, politicians and admirers, he reveals how a subversive satire captured the mood of its time to become one of the most cherished sitcoms of Thatcher’s Britain.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1448142849
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 238
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Book Description
From its first episode in 1973, Open All Hours was an instant hit. Audiences around Britain loved its familiar setting, good natured humour, and the hilarious partnership of Ronnie Barker and David Jason. Whilst it only ran for 26 episodes, it firmly cemented itself as a British comedy classic. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the show in 2014, the BBC revived it for a one-off Christmas Special. Still Open All Hours was swamped by a tsunami of audience affection and the BBC promptly commissioned a full series. The first episode of the fifth series is expected to air in late 2014. With recollections from David Jason, his fellow cast members, and from the scriptwriter Roy Clarke, plus never before seen BBC archive material, acclaimed popular TV historian Graham McCann tells the inside story of this very British sitcom, with wit, insight and affection.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: HarperCollins (UK)
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 408
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Book Description
"In a glittering 50-year career that stretched from the demise of the music-hall and the rise of radio to the supremacy of television and the emergence of home video, Frankie Howerd established himself as one of Britain's greatest ever comics. But, since his death in 1992, he has often been portrayed as little more than a 'camp' icon who bequeathed us a few quaint catchphrases, some 'saucy TV shows', and a dubious collection of double entendres." "Through close examination of his public career, and original research into the secrets and insecurities of Howerd's precarious private life, Graham McCann - bestselling author of Dad's Army and Morecambe and Wise - celebrates the real Frankie Howerd; a brilliantly original, highly skilful and wonderfully funny stand-up comedian whose talent and impact were as profound as those of Bob Hope, Jack Benny or any of the other internationally recognised greats."--BOOK JACKET.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 9780231108850
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 380
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Book Description
More than a biography, this is a savvy portrait of how Archie Leach, born to a poor working-class family in Bristol, England became Cary Grant, one of Hollywood's most irresistible and admired celebrities of all time.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: 4th Estate, Limited
ISBN: 9781841153094
Category : Dad's Army (Television program)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
When we laugh at Dad's Army we laugh at ourselves, and more than 30 years after it was first broadcast, millions of us are still laughing - whenever and wherever it is repeated. With contributions from the people who planned, produced and performed the programme, and material drawn from the BBC archives, acclaimed author Graham McCann has written was should prove to be the definitive story of a very British comedy. This is the story of a classic British sit-com and its enduring appeal.
Author: Graham Mccann
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1444717766
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 214
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Book Description
When Dave Allen passed away in March 2005, we lost a true comedy great. Sitting cross-legged on a high stool, whiskey in one hand, cigarette in the other, Dave Allen's exasperated commentaries on the absurdities of modern life struck a chord with millions of fans in Britain, Ireland and Australia for over four decades. He was a compelling storyteller - able to spin shaggy dog stories out of the almost any subject, including the missing tip of his fourth finger of his left hand, for which he provided various unlikely explanations. But his gentle, laconic wit could also give way to ferocious attacks on the media, the state and, most famously, the Catholic Church. He was a unique talent - a comic who could make his audiences laugh, cry, and be shocked, all in one. This official celebration of Dave Allen's comedy has been drawn together by Graham McCann - Britain's best-loved entertainment writer. It is a treasure trove of stories, stand-up routines, sketches, interviews and photos, which takes us on a journey from the cradle to the grave. It will delight Dave Allen's million of fans, old and new alike. 'Dave Allen was our greatest storyteller and nobody ever came close to his ability to spin a yarn. He was unique, right up there with the greats.' Jack Dee
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher: Aurum Press
ISBN: 9781845137908
Category : Motion picture actors and actresses
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Best known for Dads Army in which his Sergeant Wilson played the languid rakish foil to Arthur Lowes pompous chippy Captain Mainwaring, John Le Mesurier was one of Britains favourite and most recognisable character actors.
Author: Graham McCann
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813519531
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, and James Dean were very likely the three most influential and gifted male movie stars of the 1950s. They were also, as Graham McCann shows in Rebel Males, highly aware of the connection they shared. All came out of the midwest; all clashed with their fathers when they announced that they were going to pursue a career as "frivolous" and "effeminate" as acting; all were obsessed with their mothers; and all felt themselves to be bisexual and therefore well suited to roles in which gender boundaries were fluid. It is the Hollywood model of male identity that McCann looks to in this book. First, at what the pre-war and pre-McCarthy era gave us in Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and others, and at John Garfield as a transitional figure. Then at the anti-hero male type that his main three figures embody. He looks at the cultural climate (the HUAC witch hunts and Eisenhower era conformity, the publication of the Kinsey reports) in which they rose to fame, the acting methods they employed, their idolization of and competition with each other, romantic links (especially Brando and Clift) that brought them very close, and the ways in which they completely revolutionized the male ideal in this country and across the world, giving rise to Elvis Presley and dozens of copy cat juvenile delinquents and rebels. Rebel Males explores the professional careers of Dean, Brando, and Clift in order to appraise the images of sexuality, individualism, and masculinity they evoke.
Author: Mary Meinking
Publisher: Pebble
ISBN: 197712884X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 33
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Book Description
Open wide! Dentists care for people's teeth. Give readers the inside scoop on what it's like to be a dentist. Readers will learn what dentists do, the tools they use, and how people get this exciting job.
