When I read in Simon Sheridan's excellent book 'Keeping The British End Up' that the late Hughie Green had acted in a '70's British sex comedy, I was intrigued. The film in question was 'What's Up Superdoc!' and it was made in 1978, a sequel to an earlier picture called 'What's Up Nurse?'. Both were about the sexploits of one Dr.Robert Todd ( did Bob Todd the actor know of this shameful plundering of his famous name? ), a medic whom women find irresistible. In 'Nurse', he was played by Nicholas Field, son of legendary comic Sid Field, whereas in 'Superdoc!', the late Christopher Mitchell, son of much-loved character actor Norman Mitchell, took the role. Mitchell was familiar to audiences through his role as 'Gunner Parkins' in the B.B.C. sitcom 'It Ain't' Alf Hot Mum'. At the start of the movie, Todd is set up in his own little London practice ( no mention of his wife, Olivia, played in the previous picture by by Felicity Devonshire ), and having a great time sleeping with his sex-mad patients.
He finds out that an artificial insemination experiment carried out years before resulted in him inadvertently fathering over 800 children, all of them boys. Todd's name and photo are leaked to the press, and soon he finds himself chased by women desperate to get pregnant ( which seems to consist of half of the British population ). Unable to satisfy them all, he goes into hiding, hiring an ex-military man called Goodwin ( Harry H.Corbett giving possibly the worst performance of his career ) as minder. Before you can say "you lovely boy!", Todd is abducted by a gangster ( Bill Pertwee ) who wants him to impregnate his daughter...
As you have probably already guessed, this is crass stuff, featuring talented actors fighting a losing battle with material that was probably corny even when Burke and Hare were robbing graves for medical experiments in Edinburgh. Mitchell is a dead ringer for John Alderton in 'The Upchat Line' television series, and is better than Field, but that is not saying much. The supporting cast of naked flesh includes Mary Millington, Anna Bergman ( from 'Mind Your Language' ), 'Hill's Angel' Sue Upton, and Fay Hillier ( who later penned a biography of Dick Emery ). Derek Ford, who both wrote and directed, seems to have no flair for comedy. The story, such as it is, owes a huge debt to Ralph Thomas' 'Percy' ( 1971 ), and offers us a glimpse of how that film might have looked with lesser talents in charge.
What about Hughie, I hear you ask? He plays 'Bob Scratchitt', the conceited host of a television chat-show on which Todd has agreed to appear. When Todd tries to state his side of his story, Bob loses his rag, and uses the 'W' word on air! Much as I dislike Green, I had to admire his nerve for going on a film like this and sending himself up rotten. If only he'd been allowed to swear on 'Opportunity Knocks!'.
The undoubted highlight is the 'Blue Angels' speciality act at the Paul Raymond Revuebar, as it provides an erotic charge the rest of the film lacks. Even so, a comparison with 'Plan Nine From Outer Space' ( which another reviewer makes ) is patently absurd. At least the girls here look natural, not puffed-up with silicon implants and botox and all the rest!
Tragically, Christopher Mitchell died of cancer in February 2001. His father, Norman, passed away only a month later.
He finds out that an artificial insemination experiment carried out years before resulted in him inadvertently fathering over 800 children, all of them boys. Todd's name and photo are leaked to the press, and soon he finds himself chased by women desperate to get pregnant ( which seems to consist of half of the British population ). Unable to satisfy them all, he goes into hiding, hiring an ex-military man called Goodwin ( Harry H.Corbett giving possibly the worst performance of his career ) as minder. Before you can say "you lovely boy!", Todd is abducted by a gangster ( Bill Pertwee ) who wants him to impregnate his daughter...
As you have probably already guessed, this is crass stuff, featuring talented actors fighting a losing battle with material that was probably corny even when Burke and Hare were robbing graves for medical experiments in Edinburgh. Mitchell is a dead ringer for John Alderton in 'The Upchat Line' television series, and is better than Field, but that is not saying much. The supporting cast of naked flesh includes Mary Millington, Anna Bergman ( from 'Mind Your Language' ), 'Hill's Angel' Sue Upton, and Fay Hillier ( who later penned a biography of Dick Emery ). Derek Ford, who both wrote and directed, seems to have no flair for comedy. The story, such as it is, owes a huge debt to Ralph Thomas' 'Percy' ( 1971 ), and offers us a glimpse of how that film might have looked with lesser talents in charge.
What about Hughie, I hear you ask? He plays 'Bob Scratchitt', the conceited host of a television chat-show on which Todd has agreed to appear. When Todd tries to state his side of his story, Bob loses his rag, and uses the 'W' word on air! Much as I dislike Green, I had to admire his nerve for going on a film like this and sending himself up rotten. If only he'd been allowed to swear on 'Opportunity Knocks!'.
The undoubted highlight is the 'Blue Angels' speciality act at the Paul Raymond Revuebar, as it provides an erotic charge the rest of the film lacks. Even so, a comparison with 'Plan Nine From Outer Space' ( which another reviewer makes ) is patently absurd. At least the girls here look natural, not puffed-up with silicon implants and botox and all the rest!
Tragically, Christopher Mitchell died of cancer in February 2001. His father, Norman, passed away only a month later.