FROST REPORT, THE {CLASS} (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy/variety series hosted by David Frost
in which sketches and songs about a central theme are
presented within a news-style format. This program
focuses on the issue of the class system in Britain.
Frost first discusses the different products and
techniques used in advertising to appeal to different
classes. The cast performs a brief sketch showing that
class differences began in the days of the caveman.
Next, sketches about the English court system and
cockney actors becoming celebrities illustrate the
importance of certain class accents. John Cleese,
Ronnie Corbett, and Ronnie Barker, as representatives of
the three classes, then perform a sketch that is
repeated in various forms throughout this series.
Following this, brief sketches involving Lord and Lady
Godiva and Christopher Columbus arriving in America
show that class conflict has many forms. Julie Felix
then performs a song about trade unions, "I'm Sticking
to the Union." Next, Frost interviews English school
children about their impressions of other classes,
followed by a sketch in which John Cleese portrays the
headmaster of an English public school where the
traditions of brutality, honor, and emotional reserve
are taken to extremes. Tom Lehrer then sings a comical
song about National Brotherhood Week during which
different classes try to get along -- albeit for only
seven days. In the program's last sketch, a starving
Englishman wandering in the desert exhibits the utmost
stiff-upper-lip. Frost closes the show by warning that
even in heaven there are classes.
Cataloging of this program has been made possible by the
Bell Atlantic Foundation, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC (United Kingdom)
- DATE: November 30, 0195
- RUNNING TIME: 0:26:04
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T:08976
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: International Collection - United Kingdom
- SERIES RUN: BBC - TV series, 1966-1967
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James Gilbert … Producer
- David Frost … Writer, Writer (Misc.), Theme script by
- John Cleese … Writer
- Barry Cryer … Writer
- Denis Gifford … Writer
- Dick Vosburgh … Writer
- Keith Waterhouse … Writer
- Willis Hall … Writer
- Marty Feldman … Writer
- Graham Chapman … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Terry Jones … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- John Law … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Peter Lewis … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Peter Dobereiner … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- David Nobbs … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Peter Tinniswood … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Dennis Woolf … Writing (Misc.), Additional material by
- Antony Jay … Writing (Misc.), Theme script by
- Dennis Wilson … Composer, Conductor
- David Frost … Host, Interviewer
- Tom Lehrer … Singer, Instrumentalist, Pianist
- Julie Felix … Singer, Instrumentalist, Guitarist
- Ronnie Barker … Cast
- John Cleese … Cast
- Ronnie Corbett … Cast
- Nicky Henson … Cast
- Sheila Staefel … Cast