The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

At Last the Truth Can Be Told - The Other Ball is Bigger

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Following the success of the 1979 show and the financial benefits accruing to Amnesty from the spin-off movie, TV special and record albums – Cleese, Lewis and Walker planned the next show to be a more spectacular event. Cleese focused on broadening the comedic talent to be presented at the show. In addition to the Amnesty show stalwarts drawn from the Oxbridge/Monty Python/Beyond The Fringe orbit, he invited newcomers such as Rowan Atkinson’s colleagues from the BBC TV show Not the Nine O'Clock News including Pamela Stephenson and Griff Rhys Jones; comedian Victoria Wood and regional comic Jasper Carrott. Lewis secured a return appearance by Billy Connolly and a debut appearance by "alternative" comedian Alexei Sayle who Lewis had recently discovered and was managing. Building on the success of Pete Townshend's 1979 appearance Lewis recruited other rock musicians to perform at the 1981 show including Sting, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Donovan and Bob Geldof.

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Creators

Julien Temple

director

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Terence Dackombe

writer

Cast

Rowan Atkinson actor Jeff Beck actor Alan Bennett actor Graham Chapman actor Eric Clapton actor John Cleese actor Phil Collins actor Billy Connolly actor Peter Cook actor Sheena Easton actor

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Bob Geldof actor Barry Humphries actor Michael Palin actor David Rappaport actor Sting actor John Bird actor Tim Brooke-Taylor actor Donovan actor

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Johnnie Fingers actor John Fortune actor