Movielogr
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982)
Directed by Julien Temple
Overview
Following the success of the 1979 show and the financial benefits accruing to Amnesty from the spin-off movie, TV special and record albums – Cleese, Lewis and Walker planned the next show to be a more spectacular event. Cleese focused on broadening the comedic talent to be presented at the show. In addition to the Amnesty show stalwarts drawn from the Oxbridge/Monty Python/Beyond The Fringe orbit, he invited newcomers such as Rowan Atkinson’s colleagues from the BBC TV show Not the Nine O’Clock News including Pamela Stephenson and Griff Rhys Jones; comedian Victoria Wood and regional comic Jasper Carrott. Lewis secured a return appearance by Billy Connolly and a debut appearance by “alternative” comedian Alexei Sayle who Lewis had recently discovered and was managing. Building on the success of Pete Townshend’s 1979 appearance Lewis recruited other rock musicians to perform at the 1981 show including Sting, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Donovan and Bob Geldof.
Rated R | Length 90 minutes
Actors
Rowan Atkinson | Jeff Beck | Alan Bennett | Graham Chapman | Eric Clapton | John Cleese | Phil Collins | Billy Connolly | Peter Cook | Sheena Easton | Bob Geldof | Barry Humphries | Michael Palin | David Rappaport | Sting | John Bird | Tim Brooke-Taylor | Donovan | Johnnie Fingers | John Fortune | Chris Langham | Griff Rhys Jones | Alexei Sayle | Pamela Stephenson | John Wells | Victoria Wood | Daryl Stuermer | Maynard Williams | Pete Townshend | Jasper Carrott | Doreen Chanter | Criss Cross | Neil Innes | Micky Moody | Midge Ure