A Night of Comic Relief 2 (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Writers:

Release Date:

10 March 1989 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

20 million people across the UK helped to raise £26.9 million on the second Red Nose Day. At night,...

Plot Keywords:

TV Special | Fundraiser | Telethon

Cast

Griff Rhys Jones	...	Himself
Jonathan Ross	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Addison	...	Pedestrian
Clive Anderson	...	Himself
Jane Asher
Rowan Atkinson
Caroline Blakiston
Jean Boht
Peter Bowles	...	Himself
Melvyn Bragg	...	Himself
Rory Bremner	...	Himself
Frank Carson	...	Himself
George Cole	...	Himself
Phil Collins	...	Himself
Robbie Coltrane
Billy Connolly	...	Himself
Sue Cook	...	Herself
Phil Cool	...	Himself
Jimmy Cricket	...	Himself
Sara Dallin	...	Herself (as Bananarama)
Paul Daniels	...	Himself
Les Dennis	...	Himself
Ken Dodd
Jason Donovan	...	Himself
Harry Enfield	...	Stavros / Loadsamoney
Gretchen Franklin	...	Herself
Dawn French	...	Herself
Matt Frewer	...	Max Headroom
Stephen Fry	...	Himself
Mike Gatting	...	Himself
John Gordon Sinclair
Derek Griffiths	...	Himself
Clare Grogan	...	Herself
Gareth Hale	...	Himself
Robert Hardy	...	Russell Spam
Rolf Harris	...	Himself
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Himself
Lenny Henry
Brian Henson	...	The Storyteller's Dog
Jimmy Hill	...	Himself
Peter Howitt	...	Himself
Karl Howman	...	Himself
Nerys Hughes	...	Sandra Hutchinson
Barry Humphries	...	Dame Edna Everage
Celia Imrie	...	Herself
Clive James	...	Himself
Polly James	...	Beryl Hennessey
Melanie Jessop	...	Sharon
Gorden Kaye	...	René Artois
Penelope Keith	...	Herself
Felicity Kendal
Eddie Large	...	Himself
Hugh Laurie	...	Himself
Josie Lawrence	...	Herself
Howard Lew Lewis	...	Himself
Syd Little	...	Himself
Simon Mayo	...	Himself
Linda McCartney
Andy McEwan	...	Cliff
Barry McGuigan	...	Himself
Laurie McMenemy	...	Herself
Paul Merton	...	Himself
Kylie Minogue	...	Herself
Jimmy Nail
Nanette Newman	...	Herself
Paul Nicholas	...	Himself
Barry Norman	...	Himself
Bill Oddie	...	Himself
Jacquie O'Sullivan	...	Herself (as Bananarama)
Bill Owen	...	Himself
Norman Pace	...	Himself
Michael Palin	...	Himself
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Harold Stringer
Jonathan Pryce	...	Hamlet
Kate Robbins	...	Herself
Jennifer Saunders
Phillip Schofield	...	Himself
John Sessions	...	Himself
Carmen Silvera	...	Edith Artois
Mel Smith	...	Himself
Peter Snow
Pamela Stephenson	...	Herself
Emma Thompson
Colin Ward-Lewis	...	(voice)
John Wells	...	Himself
Kim Wilde	...	Herself
Terry Wogan	...	Himself
Keren Woodward	...	Herself (as Bananarama)
Mike Yarwood	...	Himself

Runtime:

390 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Comic Relief

Movie Connections:

References "The Liver Birds" (1969)

Twice as big, twice as many noses

Red Nose day returned a year, a month and five days after the first one. 20 million people took part in 70.000 activities to raise 226.9 million. The nose was basically the same, but the logo on the T-shirt had changed. Instead of one clown face, there were two (the second one being more female with bigger eyes, a smaller nose and pigtails). The team of presenters remained the same: Lenny Henry in his loud suit, the more subdued Griff Rhys Jones, as well as Jonathan Ross and Mike Smith off to the side. This time the British Telecom Tower was manned by the Two Rons (Hale & Pace), though the Joan Collins Fan Club (mega-gay Julian Clary) for some reason failed to show up. The Gunk Tunk manned by Little and Large was reserved for Phillip Schofield, but that annoying Andy Crane also got a second dip in. Then there was a message from the most important people in the world in 1989: Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. Next to a sketch marathon shown throughout the night under the title of 'TV Gaga', there were rundowns of classic sketches from such shows as Monty Python, Not the nine O'Clock news and The Two Ronnies, as well as some of the greatest stand-up performances ever (Dave Allen, Joan Rivers, Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy) all featured in hilarious archive footage.

On the serious side, Billy Connoly reported from Mozanmbiwue, Griff Rhys Jones presented a piece on the 'ability in disability' while Robie Coltrane reports on projects in Northern Island. Comedy specials included "The Last Watlz", a reunion of most of the characters from Carla Lane's sitcoms 'Bread', 'Butterflies' and 'The Liver Birds'. Less predictable was "The Night of the Comic Dead", a Red Nose horror film starred Phil Cool, Frank Carson and Karl Howman and Howard Lew Lewis from 'Brush Strokes'. Bananarama teamed up with Lananeenoonoonoo (French, Saunders and Kathy Burke before anyone knew her name) and reached number 3 in the charts with their Beatles cover "Help!" (raising £26.9 million). Their 'live' performance ended in a pie fight (but it was only 50 per cent live anyway. Guess which three were lip syncing?) Most memorable for many however, was the 7 minute magic act by master magician Paul Daniels that failed miserably. Aided by some 'Bread' cast members (it was the most popular BBC comedy at the time), Paulie tried to get some milk out of Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards' elbow and only managed to get Eddie's head soaked.

A clip from the stage version of 'Allo Allo' (live at the Paladium) shocked Jonathon Ross for it's naughtiness. This was probably the only time a bit of the raunchy material has ever been broadcast, with the plot revolving around a Blow Up Hitler Doll. Barry Norman gave out his very own 'Barry awards' (sort of an Oscar with his craggy old Spitting Image face on top). His rundown to the funniest movie clip of all time included bits from "Airplane!", "Life of Brian", "What's up Doc" and "Some like it Hot". Strangely enough his number one was not from a Woody Allen movie (Barry's hero) but Springtime for Hitler from "The Producers". Who's line is it anyway was already going strong at this time over on Channel 4, and John Sessions and co managed a one time live crossover to BBC 1. Jonathan Pryce played a straight Hamlet to Stavros (Harry Efield forgetting his lines) as his The Prince of Den's dead dad.

Rowan Atkinson hosted "Master Member", asking general knowledge questions to archive footage of politicians giving incoherent answers to hilarious effect. There was another appearance of Clive James on BBC 2 to introduce his favorite Monty Python clip, Bicycle repair man, and after midnight Lenny took on the guise of Theophilus P. Wildebeeste for the Love hour (with Griff as his S & M slave boy). Also, Loudsamoney (Enfield again) made his final appearance ever, (untill the fourth Red Nose day). At the end, Lenny, Griff, Jonathan and the dog from the Storyteller tucked themselves into a giant bed to watch an hour worth of "The Young Ones" and "Monty python's Flying Circus".

9 red noses with funny sayings on them