Exclusive: this is a “major cause for celebration” says the BFI as material from the sketch series Not Only, But Also comes to light after 50 years
A number of previously lost sketches featuring comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore have been recovered by film archivists, RadioTimes.com can reveal.
The material, most of which was filmed for Cook and Moore’s series Not Only, But Also, has not been seen in more than half a century and will be be screened as part of a Channel 4 special later this month, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches.
The haul includes a skit of Dudley Moore performing on the piano and two sketches from Moore and Cook performances in Australia that haven’t been on UK television since the 1970s.
The discovery is being announced just weeks after the airing of The Undiscovered Peter Cook which showcased lost Peter Cook material unearthed by journalist and filmmaker Victor Lewis Smith.
The new one-off documentary will include contributions from Not Only, But Also producer Dick Clement, Pete & Dud collaborator Barry Humphries and long-time fans including Richard Ayoade, Josie Lawrence and Ronnie Wood as they sit down to enjoy the sketches and reflect on the career of one of Britain’s best-loved comedy partnerships.
Producer/director Richard Dean said: “It’s testament to their writing that these sketches have stood the test of time and I hope this documentary inspires a new generation of Peter Cook & Dudley Moore fans.”
Helen Cooke, Commissioning Editor, Features, at Channel 4 added: “Channel 4 is hugely proud to be able to showcase and celebrate these precious finds and rediscover what made Pete and Dud so brilliant. The programme promises to be a celebratory look back at two irrepressible British comedy icons at the top of their game.”
Commenting on the discovery of the sketches, Dick Fiddy, TV archivist for the British Film Institute, said: “Pete and Dud are British comedy royalty. Any recovered material from them is a major cause of celebration.”