Sunday, January 04, 2009

The Royal: Wendy Craig and Ian Carmichael

It's not the most inspiring viewing, but this evening's episode has just contained a treat for anyone with an in British films. A scene between Wendy Craig (aged 74) and Ian Carmichael (aged 88).

Craig is probably best remembered for playing dizzy housewives in sit coms, but she began acting in significant films like The Servant and The Nanny.

Carmichael's long career was celebrated a couple of years ago by Paul Walter. He is best remembered for appearing in the Boulting Brothers films of the 1950s - though I always find him a little irritating in them - and was a stalwart of television for years after that.

One sad thing about The Royal is that though it uses the Spencer Davis Group's "Somebody Help Me" (number one in 1966) as its theme song, it is a version recorded by another group.

Enjoy the original here.

1 comment:

Paul Walter said...

Indeed, Jonathan, it was a treat. And both looking very well, and with the great Susan Hampshire also as Mrs Middleditch. I sense a little retirement plan for Wendy Craig - headaches, falling "asleep" etc. Ian Carmichael lives up there on the North Yorkshire Moors not far from Whitby, so hopefully did not have far to travel for that appearance. It is wonderful how they give him the occasional re-appearance. His wife is a novelist - Kate Fenton. She is 54, so presumably keeps him young!