Freddie Starr first gained regular exposure as a comedian when he appeared on London Weekend Television's 'Who Do You Do?' which saw the rubber faced comic pull off impersonations such as Adam Faith and James Cagney. By 1979, he was held in enough regard to be given his own weekly series - 'Freddie Starr's Variety Madhouse'- with Russ Abbot, Bella Emberg, Toni Palmer, Mike Newman and Norman Collier appearing alongside him as support. Unfortunately, it was not very good. The whole thing looked more like a televised pantomime. There were no sets, just backdrops used as scenery and despite some mildly amusing jokes, the show overall just could not amount beyond the status of mediocre.
Freddie Starr is great, but the 'Madhouse' series did not do him very many favours. Rumour has it that prior to production, Freddie would cause a rumpus as he was unhappy with the material he was given to work off of. The show also suffered from the friction between Starr and producer David Bell, who also earlier worked with Freddie on the dreadful 'Ready Freddie Starr'.
Sensing the show was not working, Freddie packed it in after the first series, where it was remade the following year as the much funnier and long running 'Russ Abbot's Saturday Madhouse'.
Freddie Starr is great, but the 'Madhouse' series did not do him very many favours. Rumour has it that prior to production, Freddie would cause a rumpus as he was unhappy with the material he was given to work off of. The show also suffered from the friction between Starr and producer David Bell, who also earlier worked with Freddie on the dreadful 'Ready Freddie Starr'.
Sensing the show was not working, Freddie packed it in after the first series, where it was remade the following year as the much funnier and long running 'Russ Abbot's Saturday Madhouse'.