Bernard McKenna (Writer)

Life of Brian

Brian Cohen is an average young Jewish man, but through a series of ridiculous events, he gains a reputation as the Messiah. When he's not dodging his followers or being scolded by his shrill mother, the hapless Brian has to contend with the pompous Pontius Pilate and acronym-obsessed members of a separatist movement. Rife with Monty Python's signature absurdity, the tale finds Brian's life paralleling Biblical lore, albeit with many more laughs.

Release Date1979-08-17

Charactersd Parvus / Official Stoners Helper / Giggling Guard

Vote Count4743

My Childhood

The first part of Bill Douglas' influential trilogy harks back to his impoverished upbringing in early-'40s Scotland. Cinema was his only escape - he paid for it with the money he made from returning empty jam jars - and this escape is reflected most closely at this time of his life as an eight-year-old living on the breadline with his half-brother and sick grandmother in a poor mining village.

Release Date1972-06-05

Charactersd Tommy's father

Vote Count50

Yellowbeard

For years Yellowbeard had looted the Spanish Main, making men eat their lips and swallow their hearts. Caught and convicted for tax evasion, he's sentenced to 20 years in St. Victim's Prison for the Extremely Naughty. In a scheme to confiscate his fabulous treasure, the Royal Navy allows him to escape and follows him, where saucy tarts, lisping demigods and some awful puns and punishments await.

Release Date1983-06-24

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Charactersd Askey

Vote Count151

My Ain Folk

When Jamie's maternal grandmother dies, he and his brother Tommy are separated - Tommy is taken off to a welfare home and Jamie goes to live with his other grandmother and uncle. His life is far from happy, filled with silence, rejection and bouts of violence.

Release Date1973-12-01

Charactersd Tommy's father

Vote Count34

Effects

Some crew members of a company shooting a horror film begin to suspect that the "killings" in the movie are real, and that they are actually making a "snuff" film.

Release Date1979-04-01

Charactersd Barney

Vote Count32

What the Pythons Did Next...

A look at the careers of John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam in the years after Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969).

Release Date2007-01-01

Charactersd Self

Group Madness

A behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of 1983's Yellowbeard

Release Date1983-06-11

Charactersd Self

After Effects: Memories of Pittsburgh Filmmaking

A documentary that looks back at the making of a "lost" movie made by an enterprising group of Pittsburgh filmmakers.

Release Date2005-10-25

Charactersd Self

Vote Count1

Peter Cook & Co.

Peter Cook & Co. is a one-off sketch show special starring Peter Cook, with guest appearances from fellow comedians.

Release Date1980-11-14

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Vote Count3

Comedy Playhouse

Comedy Playhouse is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, All Gas and Gaiters, The Liver Birds, Are You Being Served? and Last of the Summer Wine, which is the world's longest running sitcom, having run from January 1973 to August 2010.

Release Date1961-12-15

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count1

Vote Count2

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest is a British sitcom, a spin-off from Man About the House, focusing on Richard O'Sullivan as Robin Tripp. It aired for six series from 11 January 1977 to 31 March 1981, and co-starred Tessa Wyatt as Robin's girlfriend – and later wife – Vicky, and Tony Britton as her father.

Release Date1977-01-11

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count4

Vote Count9

Six Dates with Barker

Six Dates with Barker is a series of six one-off, half hour situation comedies showcasing the talents of Ronnie Barker. All were broadcast by London Weekend Television early in 1971. Writers on the series included John Cleese and Spike Milligan. The producer was Humphrey Barclay.

Release Date1971-01-08

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count1

Vote Count4

Out of the Trees

Sketch comedy pilot from Douglas Adams and Graham Chapman.

Release Date1976-01-10

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Me and My Girl

A British television situation comedy broadcast on ITV between 1984 and 1988 starring Richard O'Sullivan, which centred on the challenges faced by a widower raising his adolescent daughter.

Release Date1984-08-31

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count9

Vote Count4

Doctor at Large

Doctor at Large is a British television comedy series based on a set of books by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of newly qualified doctors. The series follows directly from its predecessor Doctor in the House, and was produced by London Weekend Television in 1971. Writers for the Doctor at Large episodes were Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Bernard McKenna, Geoff Rowley, Andy Baker, Jonathan Lynn and David Yallop, as well as George Layton.

Release Date1971-02-28

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count1

Vote Count3

Pilgrim's Rest

Bob Payne (Gary Olsen) used to work as a 'roadie' for a rock band. He decided to buy a roadside cafe called Pilgrim's Restaurant. It looked like a good investment with a healthy turnover. Bob bought the restaurant with the help of a loan from his sister Tilly (Gwen Taylor), who's married to a wealthy businessman. A year later, a new by-pass opened and most of the 'passing trade' disappeared. Turnover dropped dramatically and Bob was left to scrape a living by catering for a small band of regular customers. Then Tilly's husband left her and she needed somewhere else to live, so she moved in with her brother.

Release Date1997-07-31

DepartmentCreator

JobCreator

Brotherly Love

Brotherly Love is a 1999 sitcom starring Gregor Fisher and James Fleet. The show was made in Scotland and similar to Last of the Summer Wine. Recently, it has been aired in the United States on various PBS stations as part of 'One Season Wonders.'

Release Date2000-10-06

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Episode Count7

Vote Count1

The Odd Job

Arthur Harris is a happily married man who returns from his job to discover that his wife, Fiona, is leaving him. Devastated he gets really drunk and tries to commit suicide. After a few setbacks and while he is trying to electrocute himself with a lamp, the door bell rings. An odd man in a leather coat asks if there are any odd jobs that he can perform. Arthur hires the man to kill him. The next day his wife returns, but the man he hired is still trying to kill him...

Release Date1978-08-31

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Vote Count13

The Odd Job

A man is heartbroken after his wife walks out on him. Reasoning that he has nothing to live for, he hires a peculiar odd job man to kill him and put him out of his misery.

Release Date1971-01-22

DepartmentWriting

JobWriter

Who Sold You This, Then?

A BAFTA award nominated, light-hearted, documentary looking at the part the service engineer can play in making or destroying his company's reputation.

Release Date1972-01-01

Vote Count2