First aired on New Years Eve 1975, this pilot episode was to be made into a series at Howerd's behest, but having received nothing bar apathetic reviews; subsequent episodes were canned and only this 40 minute episode was ever made. "A Touch of the Casanovas" is for all intents and purposes the same programme as pretty much all of Frankie Howerd's other sitcoms "Up Pompeii", "Whoops Baghdad" and "Up the Convicts"; only this time moving the location( jokes, scripts and even set, probably) from Ancient Rome, Baghdad and Colonial Australia respectively - to Italy and the time of Casanova. Essentially though, this is just one episode and may not seem worth bothering with. But if you are an avid fan of "Pompeii", then just over 40 mins of this will certainly sate your appetite!
2 Reviews
A Touch of the Casanovas
Prismark101 January 2023
After Up Pompeii and Whoops Baghdad finished. Frankie Howerd found himself at a loose end.
He needed to get back to the television studios pronto so he could sexually assault young men. I kid you not!
ITV took him on in A Touch of the Casanovas. American actor Stuart Damon plays Casanova.
Howerd plays Francesco, a variation of his Lurcio/Lurkalot character. Here he is the put upon and unpaid servant.
While Casanova swans around town chalking up female conquests. Francesco had to wipe up the mess left behind.
Now with Casanova in trouble as someone from Venice is after him. Francesco agrees to swap places under the threat of going back to debtors prisons. Only for servant Casanova to still pull the ladies.
Howerd's shtick had become tired by this point and there is very little to titter here.
The best gag was when a woman tells Francesco how they once spent the summer in Paris swimming nude in the river. We must have been insane was the reply. In Seine! As Howerd emphasises the joke to the audience.
He needed to get back to the television studios pronto so he could sexually assault young men. I kid you not!
ITV took him on in A Touch of the Casanovas. American actor Stuart Damon plays Casanova.
Howerd plays Francesco, a variation of his Lurcio/Lurkalot character. Here he is the put upon and unpaid servant.
While Casanova swans around town chalking up female conquests. Francesco had to wipe up the mess left behind.
Now with Casanova in trouble as someone from Venice is after him. Francesco agrees to swap places under the threat of going back to debtors prisons. Only for servant Casanova to still pull the ladies.
Howerd's shtick had become tired by this point and there is very little to titter here.
The best gag was when a woman tells Francesco how they once spent the summer in Paris swimming nude in the river. We must have been insane was the reply. In Seine! As Howerd emphasises the joke to the audience.
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