Hello,

I very much enjoy the 1980s/1990s British sitcom series:
Keeping Up Appearances
'Allo 'Allo!
Only Fools and Horses

Which are occasionally still being aired on Slovenian TV networks. Originally these series have been recorded with the laughing machines combined with the audio voices. Is there any chance to find any of these recordings without the laughing machines added, with only pure audio voices, or was it just sound engineered in such a way to be combined with the audio voices? I would really like to see the alternative versions if they are available at all for purchase somewhere?

Regards,
yang

If they were recorded live with a studio audience then the master recordings will have both combined so it would be very hard to find a recording without the audience. Probably impossible because the audience would be picked up by the mics being used for the actors even if the mics used for the audience were muted. If such recordings exist they are probably locked away in a round metal tin covered in dust.

I do like comedy without any laughter though because it doesn't prompt you to laugh and also removes some distraction. 'Orrible and Scrubs are two of my all time faves and they have no laughter. They would be ruined if they did.

Quote: yang @ 2nd March 2018, 10:22 PM

Hello,

I very much enjoy the 1980s/1990s British sitcom series:
Keeping Up Appearances
'Allo 'Allo!
Only Fools and Horses

Which are occasionally still being aired on Slovenian TV networks. Originally these series have been recorded with the laughing machines combined with the audio voices. Is there any chance to find any of these recordings without the laughing machines added, with only pure audio voices, or was it just sound engineered in such a way to be combined with the audio voices? I would really like to see the alternative versions if they are available at all for purchase somewhere?

Regards,
yang

View original

https://youtu.be/9hnFnlmBLQU

As Tarby says, with the exception of a few Only Fools And Horses and Keeping Up Appearances specials, all were filmed with a live studio audience and so there would, has, and never will be a laughter-free version available.

For the few specials filmed on location, they were later screened to live audiences for a laughter track. No "machines" anywhere. It's possible the BBC still hold the master tapes with the 'clean' audio, but the chance of them ever being made available is vanishingly small.

These sitcoms aren't too bad Yang, the sitcoms they make now are ten times worse so enjoy the 80s ones but suggest you try our 70s sitcoms where the laughter sounds a lot more genuine and unadulterated.

Most of the current BBC comedy budget goes on over production, digital sound mixers and the latest laughing machines shipped in from Dusseldorf. The last one they bought had to be lifted into BH by a specially erected luffing crane also made in Germany, so I don't recommend you watch our newest sitcoms except with ear defenders on, the best ones are made in Germany.

To me a "pure audio voice" is either Martin Jarvis, Charlotte Green or Stephen Fry.

For those of us ancient enough and remember steam radio.

Alvar Liddell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z421ira6rzg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpYrOJE-huY&t=26s

Frank Phillips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCSIBG9VldI

And for Goon fans, who can forget the great John Snagge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndEk-suheNI

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 3rd March 2018, 4:35 PM

And for Goon fans, who can forget the great John Snagge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndEk-suheNI

View original

"Although I read this stuff I don't understand it!"

Peter Egan and Paul Eddington might deserve a mention?