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Post by Andy Howells on Sept 21, 2015 11:06:49 GMT 12
 Ai It's about time! Thought I'd better create one of these as Mr Laurie doesnt seem to have his own thread! I'll try and add some of the material I've found on him into it as time goes on! In the meantime heres a few images from John's theatrical career...  Twelfth Night (1932)  McAdam & Eve (1950) |
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Post by jonboy on Sept 30, 2015 2:09:54 GMT 12
I can remember him on The Ken Dodd radio show back in the 60s, Talfryn Thomas who played Mr Cheeseman in Dads Army for a few episodes was also in that show along with Judith Chalmers - happy days!
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Post by Andy Howells on Oct 3, 2015 5:09:29 GMT 12
 Day off today so had a few hours spinning some vinyl... as I am currently doing a vinyl challenge on instagram I had to find a 10 inch album in my collection so this little gem from John Laurie fitted the bill... |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 25, 2015 6:24:28 GMT 12
I've never seen this photo before. Obviously from a BBC publicity photo shoot. I cannot quite make out what's written on John Laurie's hand. Is it 'Still Top Secret'? Mainwaring is not impressed with the wrong-arm-salute.   |
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Post by Andy Howells on Oct 26, 2015 0:20:09 GMT 12
Great shot and interesting too! I would doubt they would be John's words - maybe they were for Arthur?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 29, 2015 18:22:57 GMT 12
Maybe it is 'working out' jottings from his newspaper crossword?
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Post by wiwik on Dec 23, 2015 13:19:26 GMT 12
Have to add to this thread, cause I really like John Laurie. Man after my own heart.
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Post by Andy Howells on Dec 30, 2015 10:08:30 GMT 12
An excerpt of the documentary Return To The Edge Of The World which saw John Laurie and cast and crew return to the location where they had made the film The Edge Of The World some 40 years earlier. It captures John Laurie in great spirits and he even gives a lovely introduction of himself to the viewer by namechecking his career highlights including Private Frazer!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 30, 2015 14:18:06 GMT 12
Yes, that's a great film and the revisiting documentary is excellent. John was the main star of The Edge of The World, and he did his own very dangerous stunts too, running around on cliff tops. I love the fact that the poster for this appears in Dad's Army's 'The Lion Has 'Phones" in the cinema ticket office, and John's name is in view! I believe Jimmy and David were big fans of the film.
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Post by wiwik on Jan 3, 2016 13:56:35 GMT 12
Seen both (movie and docu) and loved both.
ETA: Oh! I'm a spiv!
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Post by Andy Howells on Jan 7, 2016 9:29:11 GMT 12
Probably more one to listen to, but great this guy has uploaded this early John Laurie recording Flat footed Jean and a Scotch Wooing...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 8, 2016 15:50:41 GMT 12
Holy smokes, that is both dreadful and brilliant, hahaha It's true, John never turned work down if he wasn't otherwise busy, hahaha. |
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Post by Andy Howells on Jan 9, 2016 20:30:38 GMT 12
I wonder what year its from, he sounds quite young on it, I can imagine listeners in the 1930s been riveted to this LOL
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Post by Col on Feb 26, 2016 6:22:49 GMT 12
Looks like John always loved to tell stories of doom even back in the early days. He had a really strong Scottish accent and I would've thought some movie goers / TV viewers might have struggled to pick up the odd word or phrase on occasions. I'm used to the lingo, just wondered how others felt about John's accent? |
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Post by Andy Howells on Feb 26, 2016 8:26:50 GMT 12
I love it, I've come to appreciate John more over the years and love his performances on and off Dad's Army, certainly very underrated and long overdue his own tribute special and career overview
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2016 11:11:37 GMT 12
John's accent was from the Borders where he said himself it was the harshest accent of anywhere in Scotland. When he joined the Army in London no-one could understand him. When he became an actor he had the same problem and he worked hard to make his accent a bit more universal but without losing the Scottish charm. He'd go on to become known for his poetry recitals on radio, record and live performances, plus for his parts on stage and screen in Shakespeare and other classics, and he personally taught Olivier how to play Shakespeare properly after Laurence had been crushed by bad reviews, so I reckon there was nowt wrong with John's speech in the end. That film, The Ghost of St Michael's, played a big role in the character development of Frazer. It had been a firm favourite film of Jimmy and David'sand they recalled John's wild and haunting performance, so wrote similar lines for him in Dad's Army. |
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Post by Andy Howells on Feb 27, 2016 22:58:59 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 8, 2016 0:35:17 GMT 12
I'd wanted to watch Ships With Wings for years as John Laurie is in it. I just found it on Youtube and watched it. Some great footage of Sea Gladiators, Fulmars, Swordfish ad Skuas as well as HMS Ark Royal playing HMS Invincible. And a surprisingly good battle scene, the culmination of which must have been of intense interest to Barnes Wallis. Also some dreary sub-plot and dreadful Cholmondeley-Warner style acting, as expected. John Laurie was his usual brilliant self. Well worth a watch.
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Post by mingwalton on Jul 10, 2016 5:31:04 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 10, 2016 9:33:45 GMT 12
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