Confessions of a Pop Performer ** (1975, Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth, Bill Maynard, Sheila White, Doris Hare, Bob Todd, Jill Gascoine) – Classic Movie Review 6874

Robin Askwith cheerfully returns to give another cheeky performance as the randy young Timothy Lea in the 1975 comedy sequel Confessions of a Pop Performer.

‘What a Performer!’

In the follow-up to the 1974 hit Confessions of a Window Cleaner, Robin Askwith cheerfully returns to give another cheeky performance as the randy young Timothy Lea, now a pop performer whose group, despite a lack of any noticeable talent, end up at performing at the London Palladium.

The 1975 British comedy sequel film Confessions of a Pop Performer is the second of this incredibly though perhaps undeservedly popular Seventies sex comedy series that tried to step into the breach when the Carry On films were flagging.

Like the original, Confessions of a Pop Performer is more crude and vulgar than amusingly saucy, but the rich crop of British comedy worthy performers, many of them from TV, are appealing and try very hard to keep it entertaining, though they have their work cut out with this drossy material. But time has made it kitsch and campy, and maybe even good for many a laugh.

It co-stars Bill Maynard as Mr Lea, Sheila White as Rosie Noggett, and Doris Hare as Mrs Lea, Playing the members of the band Kipper are Peter Cleall as Nutter Normington, Richard Warwick as Petal, David Auker as Zombie, Maynard Williams as Eric, and Mike King as Blow. (Maynard Williams is Bill Maynard’s real-life son.)

Also in the cast are Lin Harris as Jason Noggett, Bob Todd (as Mr Barnwell), Jill Gascoine (as Mrs Barnwell), Peter Jones (as Maxy Naus), Carol Hawkins (as Jill Brown), Diane Langton (as Ruby Climax), Linda Regan (as Brenda Climax), Ian Lavender, Rita Webb, Bill Pertwee, Maggie Wright, David Hamilton, Robert Dorning, Rula Lenska, Sally Harrison, Andee Cromarty, Helli Louise, and Dave Prowse. Young starlets in the film include Linda Hayden, Andee Cromarty, Margaret Heald, Anita Kay, and Linda Regan.

Christopher Wood’s screenplay is based on his own novel Confessions from the Pop Scene, supposedly written by Timothy Lea. It was later re-published under the film’s title.

Confessions of a Pop Performer is directed by Norman Cohen, runs 90 minutes, is produced by Swiftdown, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Christopher Wood, is shot by Alan Hume, is produced by Michael Klinger (executive producer) and Greg Smith, and is scored by Bugati Musker.

Juvenile it may be but in the UK it is rated suitable for 18 years and over (originally an X), thanks to young starlets posing full-frontal nude and Askwith showing his bottom in several nude scenes. Of course the sex implied throughout the film is never actually shown. No sex, please, we’re British!

Rather harshly, it was was voted joint Worst British Film of 1975 by the BFI’s Sight & Sound magazine, tying with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It is the only film in the series to spawn a soundtrack album. It was released by Polydor, with musical numbers produced by Ed Welch, and credited to the film’s fictional groups Kipper and The Climax Sisters (played by Diane Langton and Linda Regan, with Sue Martine providing Regan’s singing voice). The album also includes music from Confessions of a Window Cleaner and ‘Timmy Chat’ from Robin Askwith.

Two other films in the Confessions series followed: Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976) and Confessions from a Holiday Camp (1977), with Askwith and Anthony [Tony] Booth.

Christopher Wood (5 November 1935 – 9 May 2015), best known for the Confessions series of novels and films which he wrote as Timothy Lea, also adapted two James Bond novels for the screen: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977, with Richard Maibaum) and Moonraker (1979).

The high-tech hardware in the record shop seduction scene includes props from Gerry Anderson’s UFO TV series (1970).

RIP Anthony Booth (9 October 1931 – 25 September 2017), best known for his role as Mike Rawlins in the BBC TV series Till Death Us Do Part, who stars as Sidney Noggett alongside Askwith in the Confessions series.

RIP Bill Maynard (8 October 1928 – 30 March 2018), who co-stars as Mr Lea in the Confessions series.

Jill Gascoine (1937–2020).

RIP Jill Gascoine, The Gentle Touch star, who died of Alzheimer’s disease on April 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, aged 83. She was married to Alfred Molina.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6874

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

Robin Askwith and Liz Fraser in Confessions of a Driving Instructor.