''Ramsbottom Rides Again'' is a 1956 British

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

film produced and directed by John Baxter. The film features radio, film and stage star

Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey, (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation ...

in the lead role of Bill Ramsbottom, with

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series. Born to a mid ...

Shani Wallis Shani Wallis (born 14 April 1933) is a British actress and singer, who has worked in theatre, film, and television in both her native United Kingdom and in the United States. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she is perhaps best ...

Betty Marsden Betty Marsden (24 February 1919 – 18 July 1998) was an English comedy actress. She is particularly remembered as a cast member of the radio series '' Beyond Our Ken'' and ''Round the Horne''. Marsden also appeared in two Carry On films, ''Carr ...

and

Jerry Desmonde Jerry Desmonde (born James Robert Sadler; 20 July 1908 – 11 February 1967) was an English actor and presenter. He is perhaps best known for his work as a comedic foil in duos with Norman Wisdom and Sid Field. Early life Jerry Desmonde was ...

in supporting roles. Pop singer

Frankie Vaughan Frankie Vaughan (born Frank Fruim Abelson; 3 February 1928 – 17 September 1999) was an English singer and actor who recorded more than 80 easy listening and traditional pop singles in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after his ...

, in his film debut, sings "This is the Night" and "Ride, Ride, Ride Again."

Anthea Askey Anthea Shirley Askey (2 March 1933 – 28 February 1999) was an English actress, particularly prominent on television in the 1950s. Anthea Askey was born in Golders Green, north London, to the comedian and actor Arthur Askey, and his wife Elizab ...

, Arthur's daughter has a minor role. In his book, ''Great Hollywood Westerns'', author John Howard Reid included ''Ramsbottom Rides Again''.

Plot

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

owner Bill Ramsbottom (

) is finding the introduction of the " telly" has ruined his business at the "Bull & Cow". When he receives a cable from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, and learns that his grandfather "Wild Bill" Ramsbottom has left his estate to him, he confers with his family before deciding to set off for the frontier town of Lonesome in Canada to claim his inheritance. When all the family fortune is gathered together, there is not enough money to pay for tickets on a steamship for everyone. Ramsbottom and his mate, Charlie Watson (Glen Melvyn), stow away in big steamer trunks but are discovered by the crew. Made to work their passage, Charlie and Ramsbottom end up as culinary servers on the voyage. When the captain realizes that "Wild Bill" Ramsbottom's grandson is aboard, he allows him to travel as a passenger. Arriving at Lonesome, Ramsbottom learns that part of his bequeathment, is that he is the new proprietor of the saloon, which also comes with the job of deputy sheriff in the lawless town. The feared outlaw Black Jake (

) also claims he owns the saloon, but more importantly, wants to locate a hidden map that points the way to a uranium mine on Indian territory. Ramsbottom and Black Jake have a confrontation at the saloon where the outlaw is arrested, but is later set free. When the map turns up, Charlie and Ramsbottom head off into Indian lands to locate the uranium mine. They run into Indian chief Blue Eagle (

), and the local tribe. When Black Jake rounds up his gang, a shootout takes place at the saloon. With the help of townspeople and the

RCMP The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...

, Ramsbotttom is successful in defeating the outlaws and establishing peace in the town.

Cast

as Bill Ramsbottom * Glenn Melvyn as Charlie Watson *

as Florrie Ramsbottom *

as Joan Ramsbottom * Danny Ross as Danny *

as Susie * Sidney James as Black Jake *

as Elmer *

as Blue Eagle *

Sabrina Sabrina may refer to: * Sabrina (given name), a feminine given name, including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name People * Sabrina (actress), stage name of Norma Ann Sykes (1936–2016), a British glamour model and actres ...

as Attractive Girl *

Dennis Wyndham Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he marrie ...

as Dan * Gary Wayne as Tombstone * Billy Percy as Reuben

Production

''Ramsbottom Rides Again'' was filmed in

Beaconsfield Film Studios Beaconsfield Film Studios is a British television and film studio in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. The studios were operational as a production site for films in 1922, and continued producing films - and, later, TV shows - until the 1960s. Bri ...

Beaconsfield Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

, England. The animated opening scene shows a Yorkshire landscape of homes with television aerials popping up, setting up the initial conundrum for the Bull & Cow pub.

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' gave ''Ramsbottom Rides Again'' one out of four stars, calling it "A barely funny British parody of the American western." ''Britmovie'' called it " laboured and overlong." ''

Sky Movies Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema ...

'' rated it three out of five stars, and wrote, "There are quite a few laughs in this broad English version of ''

Destry Rides Again ''Destry Rides Again'' is a 1939 American Western comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. The supporting cast includes Mischa Auer, Charles Winninger, Brian Donlevy, Allen Jenkins, Irene Hervey ...

''... Lots of good-natured, juvenile fun ... with Sidney James getting in some practice for his Rumpo Kid in ''

Carry On Cowboy ''Carry On Cowboy'' is a 1965 British comedy Western film, the eleventh in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It was the first film to feature series regulars Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw. Series regulars Sid James, Ken ...

'' by playing Black Jake.

Norman Wisdom Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...

's sidekick Jerry Desmonde is very funny as an Indian named Blue Eagle, and a starry cast also includes Shani Wallis and Frankie Vaughan.""Review: 'Ramsbottom Rides Again'."
''sky.com'', 2016. Retrieved: 31 August 2016.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Larkin, Colin. ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of 50s Music''. London: Virgin, 2002. . * Reid, John Howard. ''Great Hollywood Westerns: Classic Pictures, Must-See Movies and 'B' Films''. Raleigh, North Carolina: Lulu.com, 2006. .

External links

* {{John Baxter 1956 films Royal Canadian Mounted Police in fiction Films set in Canada 1950s Western (genre) comedy films British Western (genre) comedy films 1956 comedy films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films