Aladdin and the Forty Thieves (1984)

Sarah Greene! Floella Benjamin! Brian Cant! Kenneth Williams! Molly Weir! Johnny Morris! Keith Chegwin! Clive Dunn! Terry Nutkins! Todd Carty! Sue Nicholls! John Craven! Jan Francis! Kenneth Connor! Barry Took! Johnny Ball! Mark Curry! Peter Duncan! Jonathan Cohen! Brian Trueman! Janet Ellis! Edward Brayshaw! Ann Emery! Gary Wilmot! Andrew Secombe! Christopher Biggins! Need I say more?

Okay, this was originally broadcast on New Year's Day 1984, and it really is a who's who of British children's television of the era, with most of the Blue Peter, Play Away and Rentaghost casts showing up. Sarah Greene stars as Aladdin, Floella Benjamin and Christopher Biggins back her up as genies, and Johnny Morris is the traditional pantomime dame, Widow Twanky. The story doesn't quite follow the usual route, in that Ali Baba (played by Todd Carty, although his delivery owes more to Mike the Cool One than Tucker Jenkins) and his 40 thieves also put in a appearance, but who's watching it for the plot? In many ways the show is stolen by Kenneth Williams as Mustapha Drink - his rambling, waffling monologue about nothing at all to do with the matter at hand is delivered with absolute comic perfection.

Needless to say, this was made long before the invention of cultural sensitivity and all that, so, you know... Brace yourself, I suppose, and don't be too surprised at how things used to be. There are a few songs, including Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, This Ole House, and There's No Business Like Show Business, and some interesting special effects (including, I think, an ambitious three-deep chroma key shot just after 35:20). Listen out too for some funny references to other kids' television programmes of the day, including mention of the then-recent botched Play School makeover. My favourite gag, though has to be:

Genie appears.
Everyone: Salaam!
Genie: Don't worry - I'm not going to hurt you.
Everyone: False alarm!

Doesn't work written down, does it?

Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording.

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