Whitbread - Best Bitter - Abdul La BulBul - 1982 - UK Advert

[rhianbimble]

Tim mcinnerny :-)

Love him!

[bluenose1malcolm]

Abdul is played by Anthony O'Donnell

[MrCuddy2977]

Think the minstrel’s Tony Slattery.  Or Tim McInnery …

[killamist666]

This advert has been with me since I was a kid, and it's taken years to track down Abdul la bulbul lamear

[unhinged310]

Brilliant adaptation of the original song - had no idea it was our dear Lord Fry of Comedyshire until, like many of you, I was directed to this place by the Fry Chronicles. Fantastic., bhheeerr.

[svensandrasagra]

You'll actually find both kill each other. Which shows the futility of the Russo-Turk wars - that's the point.

The song was written by an Irishman.

[Tiwaz81]

@cantleysugar

its based on an old English folk song about an arab prince and a German count that hate each other. The Arab wins though.

[boogieboy1974]

ha ha class in a glass

[mariehilda]

I'm trying to find a (possible beer) advert from the early eighties. Some football fans are trying to persuade their friend to come to the pub. He says no, because of Sonia, but later changes his mind and you see them all doing the conga to the strains of "Shame about poor Sonia!"

Can anyone help?

[Ninevah77]

@mariehilda We are searching for that one!!!! This is my favourite ad of all time, although have to say, sorry advertisers, couldn't remember which beer it was advertising. 'We're on our way to Wembley/the lads are on the telly/Hello Sonia.... hello...Sonia...Sorry about that ,Terry/ we'll watch the match at Harry's/Come on, you reds, come on you reds!' SO FUNNY! My friend, Marc Court, who I met years after the ad, was in it. Having no luck finding it, though, sorry.

[peejoui]

By Christ i ove YouTube. This ad was a favourite of mine and i used to pop into a boozer in King's Cross on the way home. The landlord gave me the Abdull/Ivan poster but i never thought i'd see this magnficent advert aain.

Thank you so much Nina :-)

[evilwillhunting]

Brilliant. This is the difference between British advertising (cultured, witty, literate) and American advertising (big boobs and dumb catchphrases).

I mean mind you, the end result is the same -- dead brain cells from drinking yourself stupid on brew, but hey.

[billybascomb]

I am pretty sure the singer is Neil Innes, formerly a member of the bonzo dog doodah band

[ogdroadsong]

God bless NinaOperez and YT! golden memory from childhood I never expected to ever see again.

Was my fave ad ever (above the lemonade drinker!) tho the best line went over my head at the time:

"now that snake in the grass

was a pain in the neck"!

[ebben59]

been looking for this for yunks.....great to see it agaIN...NOW I CAN TELL ME MATES WHERE TO FIND IT ....THANKS NINA

[adeworks]

I think tim McEnnery (Lord Percy / Captain Darling) is the 'singer'

[raherecolston]

Ade, I think your right, looks very like Tim Mc. When the russian soldiers press their HIT buttons at 0:51, the middle guy looks like the late Roy Castle. Have you any idea who played Abdul? I thought Tony Cosmo but not so sure now.

[BoutroBoutros]

Tony Cosmo

[cmcbride]

@adeworks It is indeed Tim McInnerny as the singer, it's mentioned in The Fry Chronicles.

[PickleoBrine]

Heh heh, I like this adaption of the classic song.

[cwwdrc]

It's one of those catchy tunes that stick with you years afer you first heard it. Nice to see the ad again. Thanks.

[raherecolston]

Thanx Ninoperez,I've been searching the net for this ad for a couple of years now. Great to see it again. I think Ivan is played by Steven Fry, and Abdul may be Tony Cosmo. Pretty sure I've seen Roy Castle in there too!? Anyone else know for sure who these actors are? Yet another case of the ads being better than the progs!

[fynster999]

Awesome!