The 70s Christmas special where British TV royalty goes full panto chaos.
Christmas pantomime presentation of Aladdin, starring the cast of Crackerjack
Acting
Peter Glaze's Widow Twanky is panto royalty.
Production
BBC studio magic on a shoestring budget.
Director
Alan J.W. Bell
Peter Glaze
Widow Pandora Twanky
Richard Wattis
Emperor Nanki
Deryck Guyler
Sergeant Ying Tong
Derek Griffiths
Abanazar
Ed Stewart
Genie Ed
Michael Aspel
Judge
Barrie Gosney
Equerry
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Self (w/The Goodies)
Graeme Garden
Self (w/The Goodies)
Bill Oddie
Self (w/The Goodies)
Les Dennis
Frank Spencer (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Crackerjack was the BBC's flagship children's show; this special gave kids their first taste of panto tradition.
Dana, an Irish Eurovision winner, plays the princess while the actual 'Arab' roles went to white actors in makeup—a casting choice the BBC wouldn't replicate today.
US
