The Odd Job

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The Odd Job
TheOddJob1978.jpg
Directed by Peter Medak
Written byGraham Chapman
Bernard McKenna
Produced byGraham Chapman
Mark Forstater
Stephen O'Rourke
Tony Stratton Smith
Starring Graham Chapman
David Jason
Diana Quick
Simon Williams
Cinematography Ken Hodges
Edited by Barrie Vince
Music by Howard Blake
Production
company
Charisma Films
Distributed by Columbia-EMI-Warner
Release date
September 1978
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Odd Job is a 1978 British comedy film starring Monty Python member Graham Chapman. [1] It tells the story of a man named Arthur Harris (Chapman) who is recently abandoned by his wife. He becomes so depressed that he hires an "odd job man" to kill him. Once his wife returns, Harris finds himself unable to cancel the contract. [2]

Contents

The concept originated as an episode of the London Weekend Television/ITV series Six Dates With Barker in 1971, with Ronnie Barker as Arthur Harris and David Jason as the Odd Job Man (who plays the same role in the feature film). [3] [4]

The role of the odd job man was originally intended for Chapman's friend, Keith Moon, but Moon was going through alcohol withdrawal at the time and in no real physical shape to play the part, although he did audition. [5] It was shot at Shepperton Studios with location shooting around London.

Cast

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References

  1. "The Odd Job (1978)".
  2. "The Odd Job (1978) - Peter Medak - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  3. Jason, David (7 May 2018). David Jason: My Life. Random House. ISBN   9781780891408 via Google Books.
  4. Webber, Richard (7 October 2010). Remembering Ronnie Barker. Random House. ISBN   9781407089355 via Google Books.
  5. McCall, Douglas (12 November 2013). Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969-2012, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN   9780786478118 via Google Books.