Elstree Calling

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A series of nineteen musical and comedy "vaudeville" sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by Tommy Handley (as himself). There are two "running gags" which connect the s... Read allA series of nineteen musical and comedy "vaudeville" sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by Tommy Handley (as himself). There are two "running gags" which connect the sketches. In one, an actor wants to perform Shakespeare, but he is continually denied air-t... Read allA series of nineteen musical and comedy "vaudeville" sketches presented in the form of a live broadcast hosted by Tommy Handley (as himself). There are two "running gags" which connect the sketches. In one, an actor wants to perform Shakespeare, but he is continually denied air-time. The other gag has an inventor trying to view the broadcast on television. Four of the... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

569

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Trivia
Sir Alfred Hitchcock is credited on-screen with "sketches and other interpolated items". Adrian Brunel, in his autobiography, "Nice Work", described how he originally shot "The Taming of the Shrew" spoof, only to have producer John Maxwell reject it for not being funny enough. Brunel states that Hitchcock was brought in to re-shoot the sketch. Hitchcock is believed to have directed the Gordon Harker sketch, "The Taming of the Shrew" spoof, and the "thriller" sketch with Jameson Thomas.

Alternate versions
Released in the US with the title HELLO EVERYBODY, it was truncated to about half the original running time.

Connections
Featured in Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (1995)

Soundtracks
My Heart Is Saying
(uncredited)
Written by Ivor Novello and Jack Strachey
Performed by Helen Burnell and The Adelphi Girls

User reviews20

Review

Featured review

7/10

charming period piece full of fun

Ellstree Calling is a delightful revue film for those who can appreciate eras other than their own. Some of the highlights are: The Three Eddies, a top African American tap dance team that made a big success in the U.K.; they dance two numbers in this revue. Two numbers also by Lily Morris are great giggle ("Why Am I Always the Bridesmaid" is gem of character comedy.) Cicely Courtneidge closes the movie in a production number in color, doing an amusing song & eccentric dance. And Donald Calthrop interrupts the proceedings a number of times as an actor willing to do anything to get his moment in the spotlight. A couple of color production numbers are campy at best, but the film's strength is the individual 'turns' by its variety stars. Ellstree Calling was one of the most successful early talkies anywhere in the world: it was translated into 11 languages and made a fortune through the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other British outposts around the globe. -- Frank Cullen American Vaudeville Museum and Vaudeville Times quarterly