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243:). Cook begins the sketch by calling for his secretary to show the next auditioner into the office. Moore, a one-legged man, enters, hopping on his right foot. Moore's left leg is tied up behind him and obscured beneath an overcoat during the sketch (Moore did actually have a slightly deformed left leg in real life as the result of a
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134:), and a demonstration of the construction of a sketch in order to draw a laugh from the audience with almost every line. Peter Cook said that this was one of the most perfect sketches he had acted in, and that it amazed him, later in his career, that he could have created it so young, at the age of 17 or 18.
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The agent goes on to point out that Tarzan is "a role which traditionally involves the use of a two-legged actor" and that it would be unusual for the part to be taken by a "unidexter", but
Spiggott's enthusiasm is undimmed. Cook keeps a straight face as he explains exactly why Spiggott is unsuitable
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The sketch continues in a similar vein with the agent observing that at least
Spiggott scores over a man with no legs at all (in the later versions, Spiggot enthusiastically agrees that he has "twice as many" as a man with none) and that there is always a chance that no two-legged actor will apply
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for the role "in, say, the next eighteen months," in which case
Spiggott, as a "unidexter," is "just the sort of person we shall be attempting to contact telephonically." Spiggott, clearly an eternal optimist, leaves the office happy with these reassurances.
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your right leg. A lovely leg for the role. That's what I said when I saw you come in. I said, "A lovely leg for the role." I've got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is – neither have you.
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282:: I noticed that, Mr Spiggott. When you have been in the business as long as I have, you come to notice these little things almost instinctively.
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as the show had an alphabetical theme and the sketch appeared under the letter "L") and later the same year in the
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Cook would often add the line 'you fall down on your left' in other versions of the sketch.
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running concurrently at a nearby theatre), it was reinstated for the show's transfer to
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on April 21, 1961. Although it was initially omitted from the London production of
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In some early versions of the sketch (including the one recorded by
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Tragically I was an Only Twin: The
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126:and most famously performed by Cook and
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122:" is a comedy sketch written by
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392:The Complete Beyond The Fringe
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218:The Hound of the Baskervilles
390:Wilmut, Roger (Ed.) (1987).
376:Cook, William (Ed.) (2002).
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355:"Dudley Moore (obituary)"
201:Royal Variety Performance
137:It first appeared in a
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300:: The leg division?
276:: You noticed that?
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264:: Right.
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