Bonzo Dog Band - Radio, TV, Films, etc.

• Pathe Pictorial no. 673a - short colour cinema newsreel film made in 1967, with the Bonzos performing Music from the Head Ballet and Jollity Farm.

• Show Time, produced by ATV, transmitted during 1967, featuring the Bonzos.

• 1967-1969 ITV: Do Not Adjust Your Set.

• '67-69 BBC Radio 1 sessions, mostly for John Peel's Top Gear show.

• 1967 Magical Mystery Tour
  featured the Bonzos performing Death Cab for Cutie from Gorilla.

• 21 December 1968 BBC2 TV Colour Me Pop
  40-minute Bonzos set - part of a series celebrating the arrival of colour to British TV. The series gave rise to The Old Grey Whistle Test (this set was repeated on OGWT on 24 April 1974).

• 1968 TV (colour): Bonzos perform I'm The Urban Spaceman
  Clip shown in BBC's The Rock'n'Roll Years: 1968

• 1968(?) German TV: Bonzos appear on Beat Club, performing Spaceman and Canyons of Your Mind - clips shown on VH-1 (UK) in 1996/7.

• ?early 1970 BBC2: Frost On Sunday - late-night appearance by the Bonzos.

• Adventures of the Son of Exploding Sausage, produced by Nigel Lees, written, edited and directed by David Korr, 1969.
  Andrew F Wilson comments: We see the Bonzos set up their equipment in a farm yard and then perform a rather heavy instrumental set. Despite the rather limited production values the film is quite fascinating with a touch of light humour. Well received by the audience both times I have seen it.

• Marty Amok, BBC TV, transmitted 30 March 1970. Vivian Stanshall's biG Grunt performed one song.

• One Man's Week, BBC TV, transmitted 9 April 1975.
  Andrew F Wilson comments: A half-hour documentary about a week in Vivian Stanshall's life. We see him cycling around London, appearing on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme and shopping for 78s in a record shop. A delight.

• 1974 Final season of Monty Python
  Contributed by Annie Sattler:
  Neil wrote and performed the song When Does A Dream Begin? to Gilliam's soon-to-be wife, Maggie Weston.

• 1974 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  Neil played Sir Robin's minstrel

• 1975 BBC2 Rutland Weekend Television
  by Neil & Eric Idle (and featuring George Harrison), which lead on to The Rutles spoof of the Beatles, consisting of The Rutles album and the film The Rutles, a spoof of A Hard Day's Night. RWT ran for two series and a Christmas special.

• Mid-70s BBC Radio 1 John Peel Show: Radio Flashes.
  Vivian performed Rawlinson End items, which lead to the Sir Henry at Rawlinson End album.

• Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC2, 31 May 1977. Neil Innes performed I Want A Catchphrase and Randy Raquel.

• 1977 Terry Gilliam's film Jabberwocky
  Contributed by Annie Sattler:
  Neil had a very small part as the court musician: King Otto smashes a drum over his head - hard to forget!
  Noticed by Bert van der Leije: John Gorman appears as a guard.

• Late-70s BBC2 Innes Book of Records
  Eighteen 30-minute shows of songs and comedy sketches by Neil, with a follow-up album.

• 1980 Book Sir Henry at Rawlinson End And Other Spots by Vivian Stanshall.

• 1980 Film Sir Henry At Rawlinson End
  starring Trevor Howard as Sir Henry, Vivian as Hubert, Denise Coffey as Mrs. E. and Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell had a cameo role as Nigel Nice. On video as Tartan Video TVT 034S (UK, 1993), Island IVA 017 (earlier UK).
  (Credits)
  Availability: UK

• 1982 Opening night of Channel 4
  Contributed by Dan Green:
  On the very first day of Channel 4 back in October 1982, there was a very hastily-prepared-looking show in the evening, and on stage was Roger Ruskin-Spear with sax, during the finale. I can't think why. I doubt there is any way in which this could be verified, but I'm sure I remember thinking 'cor blimey' etc at the time.

• 1987 Vivian's TV ad for Cadbury's Creme Eggs (apparently Mr. Cadbury's Parrot, a variation on Mr. Slater's Parrot) and the comic opera Stinkfoot.

• 1989 Neil provided the music for the film Eric The Viking.

• 1991 Barbican Theatre
  A group which included Vivian, Rodney and the poet Pete Brown.
  Contributed by Giles Booth - extracts from a Rutles chat session on Firefly:
  The RUTLES: Some of us got together with Viv in 91, including Barry Wom...Roger Spear, Rodney Slater, Ollie Halsall. It was for a live show.

• 1991 BBC2 Late Show autobiographical playlet Crank by Vivian.

• Early 1990s: Neil's TV ads for Quality Street
  Contributed by <Afroray@aol.com>:
  "Magic Moments, when two hearts are share-hare-hare-ing!"

• 1992-93 (?) Neil's TV ads for Greene King IPA

• 1993 BBC2 Late Show special The Early Years
  by Vivian, talking about his childhood and featuring Vivian, Rodney and others performing largely autobiographical items.

• 1993/4 Vivian's surreal TV ads for Ruddles Bitter
  based on Rawlinson End and featuring Mel Smith and Dawn French as Sir Henry

• 1994 Neil's TV ads for Legal and General Assurance

• Late 1994: Vivian's BBC Radio 4 show Essex Teenager To Renaissance Man.
  Contributed by Stuart Martin:
  The story of Vivian's early years, featuring appearances by mum, friends and a tour round his native Southend. Quite a melancholic piece, and also practically his own orbituary, given the fire in March. Features songs, whether specially recorded I don't know.

• 1995 BBC2 Late Show obituary special Diamond Geezer
  John Peel reminisced about Vivian and introduced a repeat of The Early Years.

• 1997 BBC Radio 2 Return To Jollity Farm documentary
  Featured members of the Bonzos reminiscing.

Miscellaneous

• Record Collector, issue 100: Bonzos feature and discography
• Bonzo Dog Doo/Dah Band, by Alfred Hebing
• See also Credits

Footnotes

• At that time only BBC2 was capable of colour transmission (UHF/625-lines rather than VHF/405-lines), which is why the first few episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus were transmitted in black and white, till BBC1's transmitters were upgraded.

• 1994 Neil's TV ads for Legal and General Assurance
  I remembered it involved Neil in a suit standing on a railway platform but thanks go to Kev Davis for coming up with the company name.