Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) – Season 1, Episode 5: “That’s how they murder snowballs” – 1969

This is the series I was able to get thrown in with my order of “Please Sir!”. It’s a cute show and I found it fun to watch. Haven’t seen all the episodes yet, but Robin’s is only 5 episodes in. The show is about two guys, Randall and Hopkirk, who are partners (and good friends) in their own detective agency. In the first episode Hopkirk is murdered and comes back as a ghost to help out Randall with all the future cases. I read where it once aired on American TV under the name of “My Partner the Ghost”…I guess to appeal to dumb Americans who need everything spelled right out for us ;)

In Robin’s episode Randall is attending a variety show type performance at a theater. During the mind-reading performance, the performer is shot dead. Randall applies for the job of mind-reader in order to go under cover to figure out who the murderer was. He gets the job, thanks to Hopkirk’s help. Robin has a minor part as an “Act Pageboy” – the guy that runs around backstage at the theater and tells performers when they need to go on. He has a few lines pertaining to that subject, but nothing substantial to the plot. He also has a few scenes of standing around backstage looking puzzled at the goings-on. I kept hoping when police / reporters / detectives were asking questions they’d take him aside to see what he knew and he’d have some brilliant insight into the case. No such luck. He makes the most of the few scenes he was given, though, and acts very enthusiastic.

I liked the two actors who played the title characters. They have very distinct personalities. Kenneth Cope is Hopkirk, the ghost, and was a very youthful looking age 38-39 (born 1931) He’s still alive, and has done quite a bit of acting. But, from looking at more recent photos of him, looks very very old now at age near-80. Mike Pratt, born the same year, seemed much older at the time, had that aging-smoker look. And, unfortunately, died of lung cancer in 1976. Interesting piece of trivia I saw on Wikipedia: his son Guy Pratt was in Pink Floyd for awhile.

Arctic Patrol - 1972

Impossible to find ANY reference to this movie online. Go ahead, I dare you! For this entry I’m going to have to rely on the paragraph Robin writes about it in his book. Before filming “Carry On Girls” he spent a month in Lapland doing this documentary about Arctic survival with fellow actor Jeremy Bulloch. They joined the 42 Commando Unit stationed in Bardufoss in the Arctic Circle, north of Norway. He had a lot of fun and enjoyed it very much. Now…how do you SEE this thing????? And where was it originally shown??

2/3/11 update: Well, as it's impossible to contact Robin over the internet, I attempted to contact the other actor in this film, Jeremy Bulloch, who runs his own website. And he responded! His words:
"The only film that I can remember with a name similar to
Arctic Patrol was a documentary I filmed in Norway.
I wish I had a copy of it as it was the coldest weather I
have ever known. I have no photos of this
apart from a still which I used in my book.
Sadly I can't find it.I remember it was one of a number of armed forces documentaries I did in the seventies. I think all copies would have been lost"

So cool he actually responded, wasn't it!?!

Otley – 1968

This is one of those times where Robin’s role is so small I almost wish I hadn’t bothered with tracking this appearance down! He’s not on screen for more than 10 seconds and has one short sentence to say.

But oh well. It’s a pretty hard film to find, so it’s nice to know that I actually have a copy. Bootlegged of course, from someone I found on the internet. I paid about $10.

It’s about a young guy, Otley, unemployed and evicted from his apartment. He couch-surfs at the homes of various acquaintances until one of the guys he stays with is murdered as he snoozes on the couch. Only he has no idea, since the murderer also knocks HIM out and leaves him to wake up a day later in the middle of an airfield. He then finds himself entangled in a world of espionage! Not to mention also being pursued by the police, who think he’s the murderer!

Robin I think did this film right after “If….” So in my opinion, should’ve really been given a more substantial role. In his book, he mentions he plays a “drug addict”. Which is a bit of a stretch. In reality, he is one of a group of mod-dressed boys being questioned by the police about what is probably pot they have found on them. In the credits he is listed as “The Kid” and his friends listed as “Kid #2” and “Kid #3”. During this time, Otley is trying to get the police’s attention to tell them about a bomb that just blew up down in the subway.

Some humorous parts…the part where Otley takes his driving test was a bit “Confessions of a Driving Instructor”! And the best part of the film was that you get to see a LOT of London! Cool old architecture, Portobello Road: I saw the very stretch of buildings that I took a picture of when I went there in 1990!

Hollyoaks - Jan 5, 2011

STOP THE PRESSES! I actually have a CURRENT Robin appearance to blog about! Hehe. Occasionally I will check into the Twitter website and punch in his name to see if anyone in the world is talking about him. WELL, last time I did that, someone was on saying “Is that Robin Askwith on Hollyoaks?” WTH is Hollyoaks?? I thought, and got to work on searching. Some current UK soap opera revolving around the lives of high schoolers. Hmm! Dashed over to their official website. Typical, they don’t let people outside the UK watch the episodes there. Next stop, YouTube. And some ANGEL of a person actually posts each episode there!

So, quick as that, I got to see the episode with Robin in it! I was never one for soap operas, too overacted and wallowing in heavy drama for my liking. This one seems as dumb as any. But, the kids do wear really cool, super-British school uniforms! Can’t get more British than maroon blazers, gray sweater vests and cute little striped ties. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help me tolerate the modern-day teenaged angst though. Please, I’ll take the Bless This House kids back! Now we have to deal with transgender storylines? OK, back on track: One of the teen girls, Texas, has a mom that had promised to hook up one of her friends (who has some sort of band) with her “old agent friend, Earl”. Bingo, Robin! He comes in, leather jacket and shades clad, all smiles and hair. Lookin’ good! (I dragged my husband over to see and asked, “What do you think?” to which he replied, “Can’t tell, with him hiding behind all that hair!” hehe)

So he meets up with the characters at a pub and after the young guy talks about his band, we find out that the mom and “Earl” had a fling in Texas back around the time the daughter, Texas, was conceived. Daughter gets worried, thinking this may be her…dad? “Earl” makes a joke about it, telling her he can really see himself in her. Which is obviously ridiculous…she has very dark hair and features. Actually, she resembles “Carol” in “Cool it Carol”! At the end of the episode, he comes to their apartment to suggest the mom make her comeback as a singer, then they fall into each others’ arms, much to the girl’s dismay.

I watched the episode after this one and no reappearance of Robin yet. It feels like his part should be back, though. As of this writing, no new episodes have been posted. I will keep checking back there and edit this entry if needed!

GREAT to see something current from him!!!!

1/21/11 Update: Just watched the Jan 7 episode. No more Robin yet. The "Texas" character is busy with her friend's wedding, and her mom wasn't there.

Asylum – 2000

Some force out there did not want me to see this film! It is one of those rare Robin movies available on Netflix – so I ordered it. It arrived cracked. Which almost never happens. Maybe 4 previous discs arrived damaged in the 8+ years we’ve been subscribers. So I login to the site and tried to report it damaged, but they had this quirk in their system where, as it arrived at my house before it was actually DUE to arrive, they didn’t allow me to report it yet…thus slowing down their delivery of a replacement disc. Sneaky. I sent it back and reported it a couple days later. Finally my replacement arrives. ALSO cracked! What the …? Repeat process. 3rd disc arrives. Before I open it I joke to my husband that if this one is also cracked there is something weird going on here trying to prevent me from seeing this movie. Guess what? Yep. I sighed and gave up. I sent it back, but did not report it, worrying Netflix would start suspecting ME of something! I did not re-order it, deciding to lay low a few months and hope my luck will turn next time.

What was it with this movie? Put out on cheaply made discs? I looked through the member reviews and one other person had put down a complaint about how this was the 2nd time they received this disc cracked. Hmmm. Maybe it’s not just me. I wonder if at least a little bit of good will come out of it and Robin will make a few extra cents from each new disc Netlfix has to buy!

But wait….now Netflix has stopped carrying the physical disc altogether. Figures. But they do have it on their “Play it Now” feature! Which is definitely a handy thing for me!


The story: A young couple visit the abandoned mental hospital where the woman’s father used to work as a psychiatrist. Her family had lived in a house on the premises. Now she’s having nightmares of her time there and must go back to investigate. Lots of long scenes of them wandering around the halls, etc. Shades of Horror Hospital! But alas, the young guy is not Robin and thus the first half is pretty dull. Robin makes a mysterious appearance 18 minutes in to the film, but it is not explained who his character exactly is.
He’s a junkie who wakes up, realizes something, and goes out to do something.
Where exactly is he? On the grounds of the Asylum? It was very confusing. Anyway, once the young couple arrive, the murder starts. The old caretaker is killed, then the young man. We don’t see Robin again until an hour and 5 minutes into the film,
then he happily gets quite a bit of screentime.
Turns out 3 former hospital inmates (of whom he is one) have all been inexplicably drawn back there this night as well. They have been having the same nightmares as the daughter their whole lives, nightmares in which they have killed the daughter’s mom so long ago. Only we find out that these memories have been planted…by the girl’s father…the doctor! Who shows up himself at this point to explain…but goes on to say that he is NOT the killer either, and doesn’t know who is. Until….one more person shows up…could they be the killer? Hmmm…


Nice psychological thriller. Like I said, the first part is slow-going, but the end really has you thinking and re-thinking after you think you have it figured out. Robin does well in the role of a haggard mental patient-turned-heroin addict.
The other characters were pretty dull but he was fun to watch, brought a little bit of humor to his otherwise dark role.

"Mission Improbable: Confessions of an Astronaut" - 2001

Did a little internet search and came up with this description of this game show, on which Robin was once a contestant:
http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Mission_Improbable
Mission Improbable...challenges two teams of celebs you've heard of somewhere before to make movie magic (or something) on a budget of £750 given 48 hours, a title, a few production-y type people and three bizarre and random things to try and include in the film for extra bonus points...The films are judged out of 50 by the B-list celebrity judge.
Go look at the page...there's a couple more pix of Robin on it. Short-haired this year, must've been just after filming "U-571". Sounds like a lot of fun, I'd love to see how his film turned out!

Alladin, 2010

All you lucky fans in the U.K. have a chance to see Robin this holiday season in a play! http://www.lincolntheatreroyal.com/

ID Pantomimes Limited presents
In association with Lincoln Theatre Royal
Aladdin
Back by popular demand CANNON & BALL as

Wednesday 15 December 2010 to Sunday 16 January 2011

The story of Aladdin and his wonderful lamp is one of the most popular tales of all time.
Cannon and Ball will be returning to Lincoln Theatre Royal with their wonderful brand of anarchic banter and knock-about humour to play the Chinese Policemen. Joining them is Robin Askwith (Gary in Benidorm), one of the best ‘baddies’ ever to appear in pantomime. Also starring is Michelle Hardwick (Lizzie Hopkirk in The Royal) and Lincoln’s very own Steve Barclay as Widow Twankey.

I feel like just ordering tickets for one of the shows and be content in the fact that there's an empty seat for me there, watching the show for me. Sniff sniff.

He does seem to be in a lot of these type of plays, though, so maybe one day I'll get lucky. These are called "Pantomime" shows, which aren't what we in America think of pantomime. From what I've gathered, they're family friendly shows featuring a well-known story, usually performed around the holidays. Audiences can participate in some parts, like booing the bad guy. Sounds like fun. Actually, we have one that is sort of like that here in my town of Astoria, Oregon called "Shanghaied in Astoria". It really fits the mold of an English Pantomime show, with the comedy and singing and flamboyant characters and a big bad guy to hiss at. Robin would be just perfect in it, hint hint ;)

Stagg’s Night – 1983

Another film I can’t find! I also barely can even find any info about it!

Here’s the summary the British Film Institute website had on it:

“Slapstick comedy based on the stag night of a chef.”

And Robin does get top billing, from the list of castmembers:

Cast Member ASKWITH, Robin
Cast Member AUKER, David
Cast Member SAVAGE, Mike
Cast Member ANDREWS, Joanna

So hmmm! Anyone out there see it? Want to give us a little review of it?? Was it a theater release? A made-for-TV movie? Why is this one so elusive??

Robin's a Tintin fan!

Found another page from someone who attended that "Memoribilia Show" I mentioned a couple weeks back - and here's a short interview he did with Robin, as well as another pic! http://www.worldofsuperheroes.com/blog/interviews/confessions-of-robin-askwith/ My fave part is that Robin mentions his fave superhero is Tintin! Wow! Mine too! Ever since I was in 3rd grade and discovered the Tintin books at our local library. Only me and one other kid in class really loved him. Most American kids then just had no clue. Tintin "stuff" was very hard to find here, especially in those pre-internet days. So imagine my happiness when I got over to London at age 19 and found all kinds of cool Tintin collectibles to buy! Ah, Robin, we again think alike!

The Fenn Street Gang – 1971

This is the spin-off of the Please, Sir! series reviewed last time. It focuses on the lives of the 5C class who graduated from Fenn Street school at the end of the 3rd season and their jobs in the real world. The 4th season of Please Sir! was on the air at the same time as the 1st season of Fenn Street Gang, so stories sometimes entertwined. Like when Sir decides to quit Fenn Street school and no longer appears on that show…a few of the episodes of FSG will show what he’s up to.

So that brings us to Robin’s episode. It aired a week before his episode of Please Sir! Aired, and he plays the same character. In this, he is sitting in the unemployment office chatting with one of the former 5C class members when Sir walks in, also in need of a job. He looks amazing. I think 1971 was his best “hair” year. His part is not that big though, they really could’ve had anyone in that role. Later on in the episode he gets a job as an in-store demonstration salesman for a juicer named “The Wizard”. Funny, as we were just in Costco a few weeks back watching a similar demonstration, minus the hot ‘70s guy. While he is making his presentation, unfortunately the camera is focused on the Sir character yakking to other people, while you barely see Robin in the background. Until near the end when Sir comes over and asks him something. Hilariously, Robin tries to turn off the juicer and it explodes and the power goes out. So anyway, yeah, this is loosely the same character of “Eddie” that he plays in Please Sir. And this one aired first, so when in Please Sir he is hanging out in the pool hall boasting that he’s a man of the world because he “had a job”, this is probably what he is referring to.

Happily, the guy I found who was selling this series was happy to negotiate and let me purchase only season 1 (containing the Robin episode) for a reduced price. I’m willing to accept that there were no surprise Robin appearances in any later episodes (there were 2 more seasons), but feel free to let me know otherwise if you know differently! I did get through all the episodes of this season but don’t feel any need to learn what happens further to these characters.