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The Great McGonagall

The Great McGonagall

Comedy

1h 25m

January 23, 1975 (50 years ago)

Overview

In this high-camp farce, Goons legend Spike Milligan stars as William Topaz McGonagall, an unemployed Scottish weaver and aspiring poet laureate who falls in love with Queen Victoria - a brilliant cameo by Peter Sellers - and thereafter devotes his banal poetry to her. Though McGonagall's solicitations are rejected by the Queen, it doesn't stop the turgid prose, and pathos, from overflowing as McGonagall hilariously attempts to become the greatest poet in the land. The image of the bad poet, trapped by his romanticism and inspired by a muse with a tin ear, appealed mightily to Spike Milligan, and this cult British spoof features the Goons show maestro at his ridiculous, genre-defying best.

ActorAge thenAge now
Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan

William Topaz McGonagall

Birthday: April 16, 1918

56 February 27, 2002 (83)
Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers

Queen Victoria

Birthday: September 8, 1925

49 July 24, 1980 (54)
Julia Foster

Julia Foster

Mrs. McGonagall

Birthday: August 2, 1943

3182
John Bluthal

John Bluthal

various

Birthday: August 12, 1929

45 November 15, 2018 (89)
Victor Spinetti

Victor Spinetti

-

Birthday: September 2, 1933

41 June 19, 2012 (78)
Valentine Dyall

Valentine Dyall

-

Birthday: May 7, 1908

66 June 24, 1985 (77)
Clifton Jones

Clifton Jones

-

Birthday: July 26, 1937

37 June 12, 2025 (87)
Julian Chagrin

Julian Chagrin

-

Birthday: February 22, 1940

3485
Charlie Young Atom

Charlie Young Atom

-

Birthday: -

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Luie Caballero

Luie Caballero

-

Birthday: -

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