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<<<<   1716   >>>>

Topic: So, just how big WAS Derek Nimmo in the Colonies?

Message 1 / 3
lapsedcatJan 10, 2008
 

 
Question for Dean (who I understand hails from the Antipodes): Was
Nimmon as popular a celebrity in NZ & Oz as he made out? I grew up in
Greymouth and have vague fuzzy memories of him appearing on a Telethon
in the late seventies or early eighties, but that's about it. I better
recall the seventies series of The Rag Trade than I do All Gas &
Gaiters. Was it just an example of that now dwindling national
phenomenon: a Kiwi affection for comedians from the Old Country? (see
also: Spike Milligan, Tommy Cooper, and, er, Gorden Kaye)

 
<<<<   1717   >>>>

Topic: Re: So, just how big WAS Derek Nimmo in the Colonies?

Message 2 / 3
Dean BedfordJan 10, 2008
 

 
On Friday, January 11, 2008, at 10:07 AM, lapsedcat wrote:

> Question for Dean (who I understand hails from the Antipodes): Was
> Nimmon as popular a celebrity in NZ & Oz as he made out? I grew up in
> Greymouth and have vague fuzzy memories of him appearing on a Telethon
> in the late seventies or early eighties, but that's about it. I better
> recall the seventies series of The Rag Trade than I do All Gas &
> Gaiters. Was it just an example of that now dwindling national
> phenomenon: a Kiwi affection for comedians from the Old Country? (see
> also: Spike Milligan, Tommy Cooper, and, er, Gorden Kaye)
>

I suspect we are about the same age! All Gas And Gaiters was prime-time
here in the days when there was just one TV channel which everybody
watched (late 60s, early 70s) as I think were some of Nimmo's other
comedies of that period. And of course Just A Minute in those days had a
prominent place on the National Programme schedule. So he would have
been a well-known name. And I think in those days any overseas telly
star who was here was treated like royalty. I remember Diana Coupland
coming onto a Telethon in a limousine - I expect most on this list won't
even remember her as a C-list sitcom actress of the late 70s.

Having said that he wouldn't have been as revered as say a star of
Coronation Street - then and now, number one in the TV ratings.

I can remember when Derek died, (it doesn't seem almost nine years ago,
does it) most of the papers ran obituaries. But not long ones. One of
the papers mentioned briefly his long-running dispute with the NZ Tax
Department - he mentions in one of his books that when he arrived here
for the Telethon, a tax inspector was waiting for him. Anyway the tax
inspector involved wrote to the paper disputing some of the claims Derek
had made that the paper had quoted, and giving a rather scathing
assessment of Derek's character. He said Nimmo was the rudest, most
arrogant person he'd ever had to deal with. I wish I'd kept the letter,
it was a well-crafted piece of abuse!

I would say Derek was better known than Peter Jones - but not as
well-known as Kenny... But of course Paul Merton would not be widely
known here either. HIGNFY doesn't play here and it's been much more than
a decade since Paul's Whose Line appearances would have been prime-time
fare.

 
<<<<   1718   >>>>

Topic: Re: So, just how big WAS Derek Nimmo in the Colonies?

Message 3 / 3
jeremy_keensJan 10, 2008
 

 
To add an australian note, I also have fairly strong memories of Nimmo
being popular out here. And that relatively minor celeb's got big
publicity then - and still do. Minor OS stars/starlets are de rigeur
at our TV 'awards' night, the Logies.

Though the panels australian references aren't always right (was it
derek or clement who wasn't belived that melbourne cupis run on a
tuesday, or something like that; and someone wasn't belived about a
quinella or quaddie

And Spike became an honorary australian after his family moved to Woy Woy.

--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...> wrote:
>
>
> On Friday, January 11, 2008, at 10:07 AM, lapsedcat wrote:
>
> > Question for Dean (who I understand hails from the Antipodes): Was
> > Nimmon as popular a celebrity in NZ & Oz as he made out? I grew up in
> > Greymouth and have vague fuzzy memories of him appearing on a Telethon
> > in the late seventies or early eighties, but that's about it. I better
> > recall the seventies series of The Rag Trade than I do All Gas &
> > Gaiters. Was it just an example of that now dwindling national
> > phenomenon: a Kiwi affection for comedians from the Old Country? (see
> > also: Spike Milligan, Tommy Cooper, and, er, Gorden Kaye)
> >