Eli woods and James Casey........why ???????

MoodyBlue

Dedicated Member
Now I have been thinking.......
we have had so many "stars" on our beloved show.....in fact we have had many posts about our favourites......BUT.....can someone PLEASE explain what Eli and James brought to any of the 5 episodes they were in...we know that they will never eat another banana...and that they take their caps off when a hearse drives past....and that they like a drink and a singsong......but why oh why did Roy write a part for them both ??????........hopefully a Summerwine family member will educate me ????.
All my love,
"Confused of Liverpool".
X!
 
Like many of the stars in Summer Wine, Eli Woods and James Casey were Music Hall stars. They were cousins and appeared with Casey's father "Jimmy James" in his variety act, “Jimmy James and Co”. Casey was a comedy scriptwriter for Morecambe and Wise among others. Casey was also a BBC Radio producer and "discovered" many comics like Jimmy Clitheroe, Les Dawson and Ken Dodd.

I suspect at some time in their professional careers Casey (at least) became acquainted with Roy Clarke, or perhaps Roy wanted to honour Casey and Woods for their very successful careers.

Teetotaller Jimmy James sometimes appeared on stage as a convincing drunk, so casting James Casey and Eli Woods as drunks is a fitting tribute to him.
 
There's lots of 'gag appearances' in LOTSW, such as Stan Laurel's daughter, Jim Bowen, John Cleese.

I don't know if Roy intended that these celebrities should be included - it could be more likely that Alan JW Bell brought these people in.
 
James Casey appeared as a landlord in one episode but I can't remember which one. It was before he played the drunk with Eli Woods.
 
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