RIP Andrew Sachs

[Robert]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3991838/Fawlty-Towers-star-Andrew-Sachs-dies-86-Widow-pays-emotional-farewell-reveals-secret-four-year-battle-dementia-died-caring-him.html

[GUT]

Maybe just gone to Barcelona.

RIP

[Pcdunn]

Thank you for the link. I didn't recognize his name, but I do recall his excessively excitable character, "Manuel"-- "Que? Que?"

Mr. Sachs sounded like he was a true gentleman.

Russell Brand, on the other hand, seems to be as maturity-impaired as many of his characters. Had he and his partner in inanity been drinking when they publicly humiliated Mr. Sachs?

[Mayerling]

Adios Manuel, y su raton!

Loved that series.

[TomTomKent]

I think it's a shame people will only remember him for Fawlty Towers. He was a stalwart of British radio drama, being the quintessential Doctor Watson, and arguably the Father Brown closest to the Chesterton books.

I also note the irony of the Daily Mail placing the headline of his death next to one complaining about the number of immigrants in the country. Perhaps they didn't realise the poor chap was a refugee who escaped the Nazis as a young boy?

[Harry D]

Never understood how Fawlty Towers is considered the finest British comedy. I find the constant shouting and frustrated misunderstandings to be utterly exhausting.

[c.d.]

I once took an acting class in comedy. One of the things the teacher always stressed was that you really can't play comedy. In other words, thinking ok now I am going to say or do something funny. It just doesn't work. You have to be completely serious and the comedy flows from that. I loved Faulty Towers and my favorite episode was when Basil secretly bet on a horse. The scene where he is telling Manuel to forget about placing his bet on the horse "Nitwit" was pure comedy genius on both their parts. It still would have been funny regardless of how they played it but by both of them being completely serious it was hilarious. I also think about how completely serious Jackie Gleason played his scenes in "The Honeymooners." Comedy genius.

c.d.

[GUT]

I once took an acting class in comedy. One of the things the teacher always stressed was that you really can't play comedy. In other words, thinking ok now I am going to say or do something funny. It just doesn't work. You have to be completely serious and the comedy flows from that. I loved Faulty Towers and my favorite episode was when Basil secretly bet on a horse. The scene where he is telling Manuel to forget about placing his bet on the horse "Nitwit" was pure comedy genius on both their parts. It still would have been funny regardless of how they played it but by both of them being completely serious it was hilarious. I also think about how completely serious Jackie Gleason played his scenes in "The Honeymooners." Comedy genius.

c.d.

I know they changed some names etc for different regions, but wasn't the horse "Dragonfly"?

[c.d.]

I know they changed some names etc for different regions, but wasn't the horse "Dragonfly"?

Yep, my mistake. He called Manuel Nitwit.

c.d.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Never understood how Fawlty Towers is considered the finest British comedy. I find the constant shouting and frustrated misunderstandings to be utterly exhausting.

It's the absolute worst of British comedy in my opinion. To call it comedy is stretching the meaning of the word. It's that sort of middle class running 'round with no subtlety 'more tea vicar' type of British comedy that only the middle class would perpetuate and ever understand. 'Same as the other thing John Cleese was prominent in - The Life of Brian - absolute dirge that leaves you scratching your head thinking: "what?"

And, to think this sort of nonsense is viewed abroad and foreigners think this is the best of comedy this country can produce.

[c.d.]

It's the absolute worst of British comedy in my opinion. To call it comedy is stretching the meaning of the word. It's that sort of middle class running 'round with no subtlety 'more tea vicar' type of British comedy that only the middle class would perpetuate and ever understand. 'Same as the other thing John Cleese was prominent in - The Life of Brian - absolute dirge that leaves you scratching your head thinking: "what?"

And, to think this sort of nonsense is viewed abroad and foreigners think this is the best of comedy this country can produce.

Well I guess comedy, just like books and movies, is highly subjective because I found the show very funny. Maybe it has something to do with British humor and being an American.

c.d.

[louisa]

I have to say that I found Fawlty Towers very funny, but I've seen so many repeats that I'm sick of them now.

I think it would be wonderful if they could make another series, starring other actors of course.

RIP Andrew Sachs.

Funnily enough (or should I say NOT funnily enough) I couldn't stand Monty Python or anything else Cleese has been in.

I used to have a shop in London and we had a customer who could recite the entire Monty Python scripts, word for word.