Adolf Hitler - My Part In His Downfall

London, 1940. Aspiring jazz musician and future comedy legend Terence "Spike" Milligan reluctantly obeys his call-up and joins the Royal Artillery regiment at Bexhill, where he begins training to take part in the War.

But along the way Spike and his friends get involved in many amusing - and some not-so amusing - scrapes. Based on the first volume of Milligan's war memoirs.

Jim Dale played the part of Spike and Spike was his own father!

cast:

Jim Dale .... Spike Milligan
Arthur Lowe .... Major Drysdale
Bill Maynard .... Sergeant Ellis
Tony Selby .... Bill
Geoffrey Hughes .... Larry
Spike Milligan .... Leo Milligan (Spike's Father)
Pat Coombs .... Mrs. Milligan
Windsor Davies .... Sergeant MacKay
Stephen Yardley .... Lieutenant Martin
Bob Todd .... Referee
Anthony Booth .... Tommy Brettell
Jim Norton .... Pongo
John Forgeham .... Wally
Donald Hewlett .... Prison Officer
Robert Longden .... Heavenly.

Invasion Quartet

What A Whopper

Postman's Knock

The Bed Sitting Room

Digby The Biggest Dog In The World

Puckoon

Cast:

Sean Hughes (Madigan)

Sean Hughes was born in London but moved to Dublin when he was five. In 1987 he started doing stand up comedy. In 1990 he won the prestigious Perrier Award for his one-man show A ONE NIGHT STAND WITH SEAN HUGHES. The comedy show played to capacity crowds in London and toured Australia for the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 1991, Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto and throughout the UK.
In 1992 Sean wrote and starred in SEAN’S SHOW a 7 part situation comedy series for Channel 4 – the show was critically acclaimed and a second series was screened in 1993. He also developed and starred in SEAN’S SHORTS on BBC 2, a six-part comic documentary that was transmitted in 1994. He has most recently appeared in MURDER MOST HORRID on BBC 2 and GORMENGAST and THE GREATEST STORE IN THE WORLD for the BBC. He was until recently team captain of the comedy quiz show NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS. He also hosts his own radio show on Sunday mornings on LONDON LIVE.
His film credits include THE COMMITMENTS, THE BUTCHER BOY, SNAKES AND LADDERS and FAST FOOD.
In 2000 Sean became the first stand up comedian to appear in Yasima Reza’s theatrical blockbuster ART at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End.

Elliot Gould (Dr. Goldstein)

Leonard Maltin eloquently summed up Elliot Gould’s place in the post-studio era when he said “ Few screen actors during the 1960’s and 1970’s personified the changes in the American zeitgeist as did this curly-haired leading man whose engaging portrayals of wry, cynical, and often confused characters made him the counterculture favourite” his Oscar nominated performance in BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE brought him his first big success which was capitalised upon and amplified in Robert Altman’s anti-war landmark MASH. Other works in the same vain followed – GETTING STRAIGHT, MOVE and LITTLE MURDERS before working again with Altman in THE LONG GOODBYE and NASHVILLE, CALIFORNIA SPLIT and THE PLAYER ( as himself).

Other films include BUGSY, AMERICAN HISTORY X, OCEAN’S ELEVEN, THE LADY VANISHES, THE LONG GOODBYE, A BRIDGE TOO FAR, THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY’S. He has recently appeared Dr Jack Geller in the high successful NBC series FRIENDS.


Richard Attenborough (The writer/director/creator)

Richard is one of Britain’s best known film personalities with a professional career as an actor, writer, producer and director spanning over sixty years.
Following his graduation from RADA (he is now Chairman) he appeared in Noel Coward’s IN WHICH WE SERVE. Since then he has appeared in over 70 feature films including LONDON BELONGS TO ME, SÉANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, 10 RILLINGTON PLACE, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, I AM ALRIGHT JACK, THE GUINEA PIG, BRIGHTON ROCK, PRIVATES PROGRESS, LOOT AND OF LATE, JURASSIC PARK and THE MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET.
Following his directorial debut OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR he directed YOUNG WINSTON, A BRIDGE TOO FAR, CRY FREEDOM, CHAPLIN, GREY OWL, A CHORUS LINE. His most successful film as a director GANDHI won many accolades including 8 Oscars, 5 BAFTA’s and 5 Golden Globes.

Daragh O’Malley (Father Rudden)

Daragh is a native of Ireland but spends much of his time in LA where he has persuded a successful film and television career for many years. His film and TV credits include CAL, THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY, WITHNAIL AND I, REBEL HEART, LONGITUDE, SHARPE, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, CLEOPATRA etc.

The cast is brimming over with well known faces all who were keen to be associated with Spike Milligan, many of whom had grown up with the book as a favourite read. They include –

John Lynch ( CAL, SLIDING DOORS, BEST), Griff Rhys Jones ( UP “N” UNDER, STAGGERED, WILT, NOT THE NINE O’CLOCK NEWS),Nickolas Grace ( BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, HEAT & DUST, AN IDEAL HUSBAND), David Kelley ( WAKING NED, GREENFINGERS), Milo O’Shea ( THE VERDICT, THE BUTCHER BOY, THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO), Freddie Jones ( THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, COLD COMFORT FARM, THE ELEPHANT MAN), Joe McGann ( THE UPPER HAND, NIGHT & DAY), John Michie (TAGGART), Charles Lawson ( CORONATION STREET) Richard Riddings ( UP “N” UNDER, AUF WIEDERSHEN PET), Paul Loughran (EMMERDALE) Frankie McCafferty (BALLYKISSANGEL)., John Kavanagh (BRAVEHEART, CIRCLE OF FRIENDS).

From the Manchester Evening News - Tuesday 1st April 2003

Odeon passes the Puck as Spike's film gets debut

MANCHESTER'S Odeon cinema came into its own again as it rolled out the red carpet to host the premiere of British film Puckoon.

The venue, which in the past has screened the UK debuts of such films as Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman, was back in the limelight as stars Sean Hughes, Jane Milligan and Milo O'Shea rolled up in black tie.

The movie, based on Spike Milligan's comic novel of the same name about the boundaries between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, also stars Elliot Gould, and Richard Attenborough in the part of narrator - at one point pencilled-in for the late Milligan to take.

But his actress daughter Jane, who was at the cinema with her aunt and uncle, kept it in the family, with a small part playing the wife of Sean Hughes' character, Madigan.

"I was very lucky to get this part and it's the only one I've ever had through influence," she laughs. "I think my father's humour shines through the film and I'm very pleased and very proud to be part of it.

"It's early days yet, because it's only a year since my father passed away, but it would be very sad if his work didn't get out there in the world. It would be a tragedy if all the books he had written were lost."

Only Fools And Horses star John Challis, who plays Boycie in the BBC sitcom, was among the celebrity faces in the audience for the charity premiere in aid of Barnardos, while Coronation Street's Angela Lonsdale, who had bought a silk tangerine outfit from Fabric Fashion for the occasion, arrived with good friend and former Rovers Return landlady Denise Welch.

The party continued afterwards with a traditional Irish "Hooley" and bangers and mash supper at Life Cafe on Peter Street.

And Coronation Street's Bruce Jones (Les Battersby), who joined the celebrations late, after a night shoot on the soap, proved that even celebrities aren't immune to being star-struck.

For, he dashed excitedly to tell pals: "I can't believe I've just been talking to Milo O'Shea - I used to love him when I was a kid."

One figure notable by his absence at last night’s bash was Puckoon’s Hollywood name, Elliot Gould.

The acclaimed star of The Long Goodbye, M*A*S*H and Ocean’s Eleven was due to make a special guest appearance alongside his fellow cast members – but got last-minute nerves.

Says one rankled insider: “We turned up to collect Elliot from Heathrow and he didn’t get off the plane. It turns out he was afraid to fly because of the international situation.

"We would have liked to have known in advance, though – we spent £8,000 on a first class ticket and ten per cent of that is definitely lost.”

Still, perhaps Gould was method acting. One of the last lines quoted by his character, Dr Goldstein, is: “I wouldn’t have come here from America if I’d known something like this was going to happen.”

Or maybe he was just a wuss – after all, veteran actor Milo O’Shea made the journey over from New York.

Spike Milligan and the chocolate factory - apparently Roald Dahl wanted Spike to play the part of the candymaker, but was over ruled by the film makers and Gene Wilder was given the part.

I can imagine Spike in the film and think it's a shame that he never got the chance to show the world his talents in what would have been a major role. Dahl never liked the film which is the same for a number of Dahl purists.

What do you think? Are there any other parts you could have seen Spike take on? Dr Who perhaps? He would have been better than a certain Sylvester McCoy.

Let me know your ideas. [email protected]