Sad Morning

[BillShipton]

Hi

Woke up this morning to find Norman Wisdom has died and somebody has burned down Hastings Pier.

Norman, as you all know, was a true master of slapstick and although his films/songs got a bit over-sentimental, he did a nice line in knockabout comedy. I remember being taken to see Stitch in Time as a child and thinking it the funniest film ever. Now I reckon his best was probably The Early Bird.

Hastings Pier won't bother most of you (except it's almost certainly the end of another fine British pier) but it had a ballroom at the end where all the top bands of the 60s/70s played (including the Rolling Stones) and Syd Barrett did his last gig with Pink Floyd. It was also a well known punk venue in the 80s.

Oh well.

Bill

[Essexgungefan]

Norman was a great actor RIP

I hate it when piers catch fire - Weston Super Mare last year.

Southend pier has caught fire about 4 times since its been built...

[Lizzie_Claymore]

Indeed, on both counts (though I thought the latter was going a bit far just to attract attention to the splosh studios!)

Yet another in the sad list lost from Eugenius Birch.

History and detail of Hastings Pier, specifically, here.

[BillShipton]

Indeed, on both counts (though I thought the latter was going a bit far just to attract attention to the splosh studios!)

How dare you! We are in St Leonards! We had our own pier for a while!

[jon42]

Indeed, Norman was a little before my time really, but still a well known name. He had a good innings though, so perhaps a more positive remembrance is in order?

As for the pier, there seems to be a speight of arsons on the south coast after the Southsea dinosaur last week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-11450430

The pier is slightly worse though, especially as a contractor was apparently invited to tender for redevelopment the day before.

[Smiley]

A couple of links from the bbc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11476466
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11475463

Being nearer the kent side of Lonodn i often went to Hastings and have been to the pier many times. Thats a massive peice of seaside history gone and will be lucky if it will ever be replaced.

Norman Wisdom was always brave enouth to put new comedy on the map, i think he has influenced a lot of other comedy shows, he will also be missed.

[Invicta]

Sad news indeed on both counts- I'd agree with Bill on Norman Wisdom's films- I've always enjoyed 'The Early Bird', it's probably the first one I remember seeing on TV when I was a kid.

A real shame to hear of another pier lost- they're such a characteristic part of the British seaside

[Lizzie_Claymore]

Indeed, on both counts (though I thought the latter was going a bit far just to attract attention to the splosh studios!)

How dare you! We are in St Leonards! We had our own pier for a while!

Ah - I deduce from that comment that St Leonards is to Hastings what 'Hove Actually' is to Brighton!?!

[TottyMcGee]

Again, blub on both counts.
Bill, was Hastings Pier the setting for the legendary "Rhumba Royale" that you told me about?
(not that I'm trying to get you to recount the story or anything!)

[matt2matt2002]

It could have been worse....
Norman could have been on the pier at the time

[SimonW]

Two very sad events.
Sometimes Norman's humour could tend towards maudlin and contrived, but he brought a vast amount of fun and pleasure and clean family humor to many people of all ages, You think that these "old-timers" are going to be around for ever, and it is always sad when one of them "leaves the stage"...and there are few present day comics who have the skills to replace them.
As to the pier, these are also reminders of better and simpler times and will be difficult or impossible to replace....it's sad that so many seem to fall into disrepair, and that mysterious fires then seem to follow.

[BillShipton]

Again, blub on both counts.
Bill, was Hastings Pier the setting for the legendary "Rhumba Royale" that you told me about?
(not that I'm trying to get you to recount the story or anything!)

That was on the end of Eastbourne Pier (the Channel Showbar as it was in 1984). In those days it had a resident Bontempi organ player by the name of Chris Mannion (still going I believe) who modelled himself on a sort of low budget Liberace and was wonderfully camp. His audience, which consisted of about 12 very old ladies gathered round him in a semi-circle, worshipped his every move and utterance, laughing at his terrible jokes and politely applauding his music. Being a lover of terrible acts, I stood at the bar giggling to myself enjoying every minute.

Then came the climax. Chris played a dramatic glissando and announced, "And now, ladies, the Rhumba Royale!" A chorus of elderly "Oooohs" that passed for excitement went round the dozen disciples and he started playing boisterously. Then, very, very, very slowly with a crackling of arthritis louder than Hastings Pier burning down, the ladies stood up and tried to dance. To say they were slow, stiff and completely out of time would be an understatement. A more accurate appraisal would be that it looked like a scene from Night of the Living Dead.

I am afraid that I started laughing uncontrollably at this (you had to be there!) to which the barman turned to me and said, "If you can't take it seriously you'll have to leave!" So I was effectively thrown out of the bar at the end of Eastboure Pier for laughing. Instead, I stood outside looking at the sea still hooting with mirth as the music was still audible and the memory of 'OAPs People' dance troupe lingered on.

Thanks for reminding me of this, Totty (as told in the Royal Victoria Hotel on your last visit - you and you soon-to-be missus must come down again). It's shows like this (and bingo being played in the middle of winter by three people for the grand prize of a big tin of fruit) that piers should be kept alive for!

Bill

PS Claymore - Like Hove and Brighton, St Leonards is a continuation of Hastings but with fewer amusements and more flowers on the prom. It is higher debatable whether it is 'posher' though. Most importantly our end of the seafront does have the best rock pub which is also home to the Fetish Munch - next one Wed 13th Oct!

[Hayley]

As Bill undoubtedly remembers, I once pissed my jeans on the end of Hastings Pier! It was about 10 years ago and we had had a couple in the bar at the end of the pier on a bloody cold windy day (as it usually is in Hastings!). The toilet (as ever) was in no fit state to be used so I decided to wait till we got to the other end where there were much nicer 'facilities'. Unfortunately, a stiff breeze was enough to set me off long before I got there, and once I'd started... Fortunately a long coat hid my soggy predicament.

By the time I got to the toilet, it was very chilly so I changed my knicks but the jeans still showed the tell-tale signs of my naughtiness. And it's a good two miles back to Bill's place from the pier!

Happy if rather squelchy days!

[rubbmuder]

Hi all,
another great comedian passes,my personal favourite has to be Ronnie Barker,and quite a few more besides(as i said to younger intake at work,what is there to laugh at on t.v. these days,all politically correct,nothingness).Yes shame about the pier,part of the local history/identity of the place,maybe someone will come to the rescue,many famous faces have been there,on thier way up to stardom...fingers crossed.
rubbmuder