Ripping Yarns is a British television comedy series, written by two members of the Monty Python team, Michael Palin and Terry Jones. The series ran on the BBC from 1976 to 1979. Each episode had a completely different setting and completely different characters, each looking at a different aspect of British culture. The idea of "ripping yarns" parodied a pre-World War II schoolboy genre.
"Tomkinson's Schooldays" (1913) (repeat of pilot with series title sequence added)
England, 1913. This episode is a parody of Tom Brown's Schooldays. Tomkinson (Palin) is a new boy at Graybridge, a traditional English public school. He tells of the horrors of the school life: beating the headmaster (also Palin), fighting the grizzly bear, being nailed to the wall on St. Tadger’s Day, having to ask permission to breathe out after 10:30 PM, and Grayson (Ian Ogilvy), the school bully, who gets whatever he wants: alcohol, cigarettes and the company of an unmarried Filipina woman. The school bully addresses other pupils with endearing comments such as "you dismally untalented little creep" and "you spotty little oik".
"The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" (1934)
Denley Moor, 1934. Eric Olthwaite (Palin) is interested in precipitation patterns in West Yorkshire, shovels and black pudding (his mother makes pudding so black, that even the white bits are black).
"Escape from Stalag Luft 112 B" (1917)
Germany, 1917. Major Errol Phipps (Palin) is a legend among prisoners of war. He has attempted over five hundred escapes, two hundred of them before he left England. One day, he is transferred to the most infamous prison camp: Stalag Luft 112B. He tries nine escapes en route and one just after arriving, but is stopped by fellow British officers.
"Murder at Moorstones Manor" (1926)
Scotland, 1926. Sir Clive Chiddingfold (Frank Middlemass), the irascible proprietor of Moorstones Manor has his birthday.
"Across the Andes by Frog" (1927)
Peru, 1927. Walter Snetterton (Palin) is an explorer unluckily forgotten. His expedition had been trying to prove that frogs could scale the highest mountains.
"The Curse of the Claw" (1926)
Maidenhead, 1926. In a dark and stormy night, Sir Kevin Orr (Palin) is visited by a bunch of strange men: Captain Merson (Keith Smith) leading an expedition to the Naga Hills of Burma with a few natives in tow.
"Whinfrey's Last Case" (1913)
England, 1913. In the War Office in Whitehall, rumours abound that the Germans will start the war one year early. The British government ask Gerald Whinfrey (Palin) to look into this.
"Golden Gordon" (1935)
Huddersfield, 1935. Barnstoneworth United is a small football club, once playing in the top leagues, now losing every game. One of their fans, Gordon Ottershaw (Palin), who has named his son Barnstoneworth United (John Berlyne), comes home after every lost match and smashes the furniture in fury.
"Roger of the Raj" (1914)
England/India, 1914. Roger Bartlesham (Palin) grows up in a wealthy family. They have a large number of houses, an overflowing breakfast table, even more servants.
I
katy
Jason Pinglaux > 353qp5a356i6zFebruary 23, 2012 at 3:05pm
Replies
Thanks for these I too am looking forward to some ripping yarns.
Bob
Some extra information on the series.
Ripping Yarns is a British television comedy series, written by two members of the Monty Python team, Michael Palin and Terry Jones. The series ran on the BBC from 1976 to 1979. Each episode had a completely different setting and completely different characters, each looking at a different aspect of British culture. The idea of "ripping yarns" parodied a pre-World War II schoolboy genre.
"Tomkinson's Schooldays" (1913) (repeat of pilot with series title sequence added)
England, 1913. This episode is a parody of Tom Brown's Schooldays. Tomkinson (Palin) is a new boy at Graybridge, a traditional English public school. He tells of the horrors of the school life: beating the headmaster (also Palin), fighting the grizzly bear, being nailed to the wall on St. Tadger’s Day, having to ask permission to breathe out after 10:30 PM, and Grayson (Ian Ogilvy), the school bully, who gets whatever he wants: alcohol, cigarettes and the company of an unmarried Filipina woman. The school bully addresses other pupils with endearing comments such as "you dismally untalented little creep" and "you spotty little oik".
"The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" (1934)
Denley Moor, 1934. Eric Olthwaite (Palin) is interested in precipitation patterns in West Yorkshire, shovels and black pudding (his mother makes pudding so black, that even the white bits are black).
"Escape from Stalag Luft 112 B" (1917)
Germany, 1917. Major Errol Phipps (Palin) is a legend among prisoners of war. He has attempted over five hundred escapes, two hundred of them before he left England. One day, he is transferred to the most infamous prison camp: Stalag Luft 112B. He tries nine escapes en route and one just after arriving, but is stopped by fellow British officers.
"Murder at Moorstones Manor" (1926)
Scotland, 1926. Sir Clive Chiddingfold (Frank Middlemass), the irascible proprietor of Moorstones Manor has his birthday.
"Across the Andes by Frog" (1927)
Peru, 1927. Walter Snetterton (Palin) is an explorer unluckily forgotten. His expedition had been trying to prove that frogs could scale the highest mountains.
"The Curse of the Claw" (1926)
Maidenhead, 1926. In a dark and stormy night, Sir Kevin Orr (Palin) is visited by a bunch of strange men: Captain Merson (Keith Smith) leading an expedition to the Naga Hills of Burma with a few natives in tow.
"Whinfrey's Last Case" (1913)
England, 1913. In the War Office in Whitehall, rumours abound that the Germans will start the war one year early. The British government ask Gerald Whinfrey (Palin) to look into this.
"Golden Gordon" (1935)
Huddersfield, 1935. Barnstoneworth United is a small football club, once playing in the top leagues, now losing every game. One of their fans, Gordon Ottershaw (Palin), who has named his son Barnstoneworth United (John Berlyne), comes home after every lost match and smashes the furniture in fury.
"Roger of the Raj" (1914)
England/India, 1914. Roger Bartlesham (Palin) grows up in a wealthy family. They have a large number of houses, an overflowing breakfast table, even more servants.
I
katy
Thanks looking forward to hearing these again
Ripping Yarns - Murder At Moorstones Manor.mp3
Ripping Yarns - Roger Of The Raj.mp3
Ripping Yarns - The Curse Of The Claw.mp3
Ripping Yarns - The Testing Of Eric Olthwaite.mp3
Ripping Yarns - Tomkinson's Schooldays.mp3
Ripping Yarns - Winfrey's Last Case.mp3