Author: Simon Dunn
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Anderson Versus Stallone
This is the story of Timothy Burton Anderson, who in 1986 sued Sylvester Stallone and MGM/UA because, he argued, they had stolen his idea for Rocky IV, and then failed to compensate him for it. A Utah screenwriter has filed a $105 million suit against Sylvester Stallone and officials of MGM/UA studios, claiming they stole…
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A Story About Nothing, In 3 Parts
Here’s a story about the analysis powers of industry insiders, presented in three parts. Look at just how many sitcoms were being made. And here’s the coda …
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When Giftbusters Invented NTV
Before his House Party, Noel did a Saturday Roadshow. It introduced a number of segments and items that would later be developed and refined in his Crinkley Bottom. The Gotchas, Wait Till I Get You Home, and the gunge tank all appeared on the Roadshow, and so did Giftbusters. This was clearly where the idea…
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Could These Be Your Neighbours?
It’s hard to overstate the way Sylvania Waters changed the landscape of British television, so I won’t. What’s interesting is how the show was received in Australia compared to how it was received here in the UK. Sylvania Waters exploded on to Australian TV on 21 July 1992. The link to the fictional soap that…
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Bite The Wax
If you imagine the phrase ‘Bite The Wax’ as spoken by Armando Iannucci, then your day will be all the better for it. But before we get to that, let’s talk about No’ The Archie Macpherson Show. It’s Wednesday 6th July 1988, and BBC Radio Scotland is about to debut a new youth oriented show…
