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Harold Lloyd, The World of

"Watch out Harold! Erk!"STITCHED-TOGETHER SILENT shorts repackaged in 1980s to fill television half-hour, narrated by the redoubtable Pete Smith in jocular style. “A pair of glasses and a smile.” Harry a) walks into sheet glass being carried by two dopey workmen b) walks into brick wall c) hangs off clock face d) does all of the above simulataneously while eating a bunch of tulips.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Arthur Nibble

    July 18, 2009 at 12:45 am

    Does anyone else remember ‘Golden Silents’, an early 1970’s programme on BBC1, Friday nights at 8.30? Made at the National Film Theatre and hosted by Michael Bentine, who loosely lectured on a different theme of silent comedy, ably assisted by copious clips of Buster Keaton, Ben Turpin et al. Then, of course, there was the similar top-drawer ‘Mad Movies’ on ITV, hosted by Sir Bob of Monkhouse and featuring much of his own private collection of silent classics.

  2. Rob Williams

    July 19, 2009 at 6:12 pm

    And not forgetting Paul Merton’s series for BBC Four as well… Though Mr Lloyd always was on at 6pm on BBC2 for some reason in the mid eighties….

  3. Paul

    September 28, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    I DO remember Mad Movies with his Lordship Monk of the House. Sunday afternoons wasn’t it?

  4. Arthur Nibble

    September 28, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    “Mad Movies” was also on in the early morning school hols slot, vying with BBC1’s “Casey Jones” for young squared-eyed types.

  5. Guster Flannegan

    January 21, 2015 at 8:49 am

    I’m pretty sure the narrator was Henry Cordon on the compilation series that was shown on BBC2. He is mentioned in the credits during the “Horay for Harold Lloyd” theme, and listening to his voice I know it’s definitely him I remember, from when I used to watch it on BBC2 as a kid. Not sure who Pete Smith is.

  6. Droogie

    January 22, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    Sounds like TV Cream are getting confused with their facts (again). Pete Smith was responsible for the Pete Smith Speciality series of his own comedy shorts from the 40’s screened on Channel 4 in the 80’s. He had nothing to do as a narrator for the World Of Harold Lloyd.

  7. richardpd

    October 9, 2019 at 7:06 pm

    Make Em’ Laugh was another silent movie show, with links by Mark Curry.

    Supposedly Harold Lloyd’s films were hardly shown for a time as he retained the rights to them & wanted too much money for them to be screened.

    A lot of other silents had lapsed into the pubic domain or else available cheaply on a studio deal.

  8. Tom Ronson

    October 24, 2022 at 3:44 am

    Stan Laurel once said that whilst Harold Lloyd’s comedy was very clever and accomplished, it didn’t make him laugh. That just about sums it up for me as well, but let’s be honest, the theme song for this series was an absolute banger.

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