I saw 'Up Sunday!' (I recall an exclamation point in the title) when it was originally transmitted, and I'm apparently the only person who saw it: Auntie Beeb scheduled the episodes late at night, just before the sign-off test card. This programme was meant to be sociopolitical satire in the style of 'TW3', but fell far short of the mark.
The best parts of this very weak series were Willie Rushton's drawings and John Wells's political impersonations, sometimes abetted by Rushton. (Full disclosure: I worked with Rushton later at Auberon Waugh's 'Literary Review'.) Clive James occasionally provided film clips, although the BBC were chary about these. Kenny Everett was a dead loss; I recall being deeply unimpressed by his contributions.
There were one-off guest appearances by some impressive look-ins, including acrobatic comedian Max Wall, and Peter Sellers in a sketch parodying Hercule Poirot (though Sellers didn't play Poirot; Percy Edwards did).
Because the series was transmitted late at night, the writers and cast were allowed much more latitude than usual for ridiculing public figures and institutions. Unfortunately, that artistic freedom was sometimes abused. In one episode (transmitted live!) the actor playing Father Christmas is clearly inebriated: not PLAYING drunk; he IS drunk! (The actor was Vivian Stanshall, now deceased.)
By far the most notable thing about 'Up Sunday' was one of its *worst* points: somebody decided to transmit the performers in bluescreen against psychedelic backgrounds. This shouldn't have been done at all, but was done so very badly that there tended to be a very annoying halo effect round the performers, especially in their hair. Nearly 40 years on, I still get nauseous when I recall those backgrounds.
The best parts of this very weak series were Willie Rushton's drawings and John Wells's political impersonations, sometimes abetted by Rushton. (Full disclosure: I worked with Rushton later at Auberon Waugh's 'Literary Review'.) Clive James occasionally provided film clips, although the BBC were chary about these. Kenny Everett was a dead loss; I recall being deeply unimpressed by his contributions.
There were one-off guest appearances by some impressive look-ins, including acrobatic comedian Max Wall, and Peter Sellers in a sketch parodying Hercule Poirot (though Sellers didn't play Poirot; Percy Edwards did).
Because the series was transmitted late at night, the writers and cast were allowed much more latitude than usual for ridiculing public figures and institutions. Unfortunately, that artistic freedom was sometimes abused. In one episode (transmitted live!) the actor playing Father Christmas is clearly inebriated: not PLAYING drunk; he IS drunk! (The actor was Vivian Stanshall, now deceased.)
By far the most notable thing about 'Up Sunday' was one of its *worst* points: somebody decided to transmit the performers in bluescreen against psychedelic backgrounds. This shouldn't have been done at all, but was done so very badly that there tended to be a very annoying halo effect round the performers, especially in their hair. Nearly 40 years on, I still get nauseous when I recall those backgrounds.
