Films and Sequels
The show "inspired" three films. The first was also called Up Pompeii (1971) and added such characters as Bilius, Voluptua, Scrubba and Villanus. It ended with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which anachronistically (for AD79) included Nero (who added, "Wait till you see what I've up for Rome!"), and had a brief epilogue in which Howerd played a modern-day museum guide showing the petrified remains of the Pompeiian characters. It was produced by Ned Sherrin and retained only Frankie Howerd from the cast of the original series (Ludicrus, for example, was played by Michael Hordern in the film adaptation, Erotica by Madeline Smith and Nausius by Royce Mills). However, Aubrey Woods appeared in the TV series and the film, playing different roles.
The two sequels were Up the Chastity Belt (1971) and Up the Front (1972), which transported Howerd's servile, cowardly character to Medieval times (as Lurkalot) and World War I (as Private Lurk).
The format of Up Pompeii inspired two later TV series, Whoops Baghdad (1973) and Then Churchill Said to Me, both starring Howerd. The later series was made in 1982, but was transmitted only after Howerd's death,
Read more about this topic: Up Pompeii!
Famous quotes containing the word films:
“If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface: of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There’s nothing behind it.”
—Andy Warhol (c. 1928–1987)