Regrets

[Foggy Dewhurst]

Hi Guys

I have just watched a few episodes and was reminded again how sad it was that during the episodes where Compo died, from the Last post and pigeon to the funeral, that Foggy did not make even a very brief appearance in at least on of those episodes. I would have loved him to deliver some carefully chosen lines and even a goodbye after the trio of Compo, Clegg and Foggy gave what many people believe to be the finest episodes.

Its a great shame we never got that little touch, even a letter from Him read by Clegg expressing His feelings and closing that area off cleanly would have been greatly appreciated I think, from myself at least.

What are your thoughts guys?

 

[chris]

Thats down to the writer and producer,would have been a nice touch though.

 

[Eli Thingy]

i remember reading or hearing sumwhere that brian wilde was asked to appear in the funeral episode but he turned it down cause he thought that him appearing would take the edge off the tribute 2 bill and compo and would be all "foggy this and foggy that" and he didnt want that out of respect to bill

 

[Pearl]

Yes that would have a nice touch, I feel the same way about Ivy not being in the last episode even if they propped her up on something for 5 minuets.

 

[Rhi]

Don't know about you guys but I find it really hard to watch Last Post, as Bill Owen looked so ill. That jacket which had been pulled so tightly around him in previous series, now loosely hanging from his shoulders. Those deep, knowing blue eyes, so sad.
But the performances by the rest of the cast, especially Mr Sallis, were beautiful.

 

[Chunky Rumblow]

I think if they couldn't get Brian Wilde to appear, then maybe they could have shown a wreath or something that had been sent by Foggy. Or as Foogy Dewhurst (!) suggested, a letter that Clegg could read out. Mind you he read out so many letters over those few episodes...

I found those episodes hard to watch when they were first shown, as Bill Owen had already passed away by then and we knew that Compo didn't long to go. I noticed he seemed to gradually worse with each episode.

 

[Pearl]

Don't know about you guys but I find it really hard to watch Last Post, as Bill Owen looked so ill. That jacket which had been pulled so tightly around him in previous series, now loosely hanging from his shoulders. Those deep, knowing blue eyes, so sad.
But the performances by the rest of the cast, especially Mr Sallis, were beautiful.

I have said the same thing myself, infact I have decided not to watch it again, I have seen it twice and it does not leave me feeling the way I am use to feeling after I watch Summer Wine.

Too sad, the funeral episode is very sad to but it there are some very funny scenes in it so I can watch it through the tears.

 

[minxie]

I love those three episode and i do watch them often, they were beautifully written and beautifully acted, cleggy seemed genuinely sad and upset. marvelous writing

 

[Hector]

I would certainly agree that they were very well written and acted episodes but they arnt ones i watch often,for obvious reasons .

I think it would have been a nice tribute to have had something from Foggy

Hector

 

[Who Is That Then]

Perhaps just to be contrary, but I would have been happy if they had mentioned Compo's death in just one show and left it at that and went on. The orgy of death shows one after another was a bit much, esp. when one considers how the death of every single other major character in the show was totally ignored. Why should Compo get the royal treatment and everyone else nary a mention. I know, he was a major character and died in the middle of a season, but that still no justification and no excuse why every other character that died was never talked about, they just disappeared, as if they never existed. Yes, say something about Compo, but just as equally something should have been said about all other characters that assumed room temperature. And I don't mean there should have been weeping and wailing to address each character, I realize it's supposed to be a comedy, but a little mention would have been nice for everyone and much less over Compo would have been nicer.

 

[wstol]

I was amazed that a whole three episodes concentrated on Compo's death, followed by one focussing on his long lost son. It was the best ever tribute for an actor who died during the making of a series.

I thought the episodes were very appropriate - because of all the years Bill Owen played the part; and because the character was only in half of the series.

The episodes were written under a lot of pressure as the series had to be recorded in time - yet these are some of Roy Clarke's very best work.

Had Bill Owen died between series I don't think there would have been so many episodes concentrating on his death; or even a new series made without him.

I cannot fault the funeral episodes (though perhaps the Reggie Unsworth scenario was out of context).

 

[barmpot]

I think that one possible reason for the three episodes around his death was he died in the middle of filming so they had to create something to complete the series. Thus the three episodes rather than one.