By this point in the series, complaints about the sexist content had reached such a level that the B.B.C. felt it had to take action. The show was pulled from its 8 P.M. Thursday evening slot, and moved to 9.25 on Monday nights, just after the news. Replacing it on Thursdays was a new quiz show hosted by Magnus Magnusson, entitled 'Mastermind'! The contrast between that and 'Casanova 73' could not have been greater.
The first show to go out in the new time slot was in my view the funniest of the series. Henry has to act as one of the judges of the 'Miss Dairy Product 1973' beauty contest. As Carol notes, it is like putting a drunk in charge of a brewery. She wants to go with him, but as she has recently suffered chicken pox he refuses to allow this.
At the event, Henry meets the compère ( Hugh Paddick ) and orchestra leader Ashleigh Thomas ( David Rayner ), both camper than a row of tents. He is approached by an attractive young blonde called Inga ( Astrid Frank ) who is representing Germany. She offers to come to Henry's room that night. He does not need to be asked twice.
But Henry does not get the evening of passion he expects. Inga insists on demonstrating her singing and dancing talents, including impersonations of Marlene Dietrich and Mary Poppins, and by the time she has finished he is too tired to make love. So she tries to wake him up by throwing ice cubes over him.
He tries to make her the winner but the other judges are adamant it should be Miss United Kingdom. They too have been got at!
One thing I do not miss on television are beauty contests. Vapid, robotic females strolling about in swim-suits with fixed grins on their faces, quizzed by compères with a fondness for corny jokes. It was like staring into the window of a butcher's shop. When 'Casanova 73' was made they were still part of the television landscape. Astrid Frank, who plays 'Inga', is not only pretty but has a natural flair for comedy. Among the judges are a pair of familiar faces - Tommy Godfrey from 'Love Thy Neighbour' and Michael Knowles of 'It Ain't Alf Hot Mum'.
Funniest moment - having failed to win, Inga is furious. She tears up the winners' cheque, bends the ceremonial sceptre around the compère's neck, and punches Henry in the eye! Score one for Womens Lib!
The first show to go out in the new time slot was in my view the funniest of the series. Henry has to act as one of the judges of the 'Miss Dairy Product 1973' beauty contest. As Carol notes, it is like putting a drunk in charge of a brewery. She wants to go with him, but as she has recently suffered chicken pox he refuses to allow this.
At the event, Henry meets the compère ( Hugh Paddick ) and orchestra leader Ashleigh Thomas ( David Rayner ), both camper than a row of tents. He is approached by an attractive young blonde called Inga ( Astrid Frank ) who is representing Germany. She offers to come to Henry's room that night. He does not need to be asked twice.
But Henry does not get the evening of passion he expects. Inga insists on demonstrating her singing and dancing talents, including impersonations of Marlene Dietrich and Mary Poppins, and by the time she has finished he is too tired to make love. So she tries to wake him up by throwing ice cubes over him.
He tries to make her the winner but the other judges are adamant it should be Miss United Kingdom. They too have been got at!
One thing I do not miss on television are beauty contests. Vapid, robotic females strolling about in swim-suits with fixed grins on their faces, quizzed by compères with a fondness for corny jokes. It was like staring into the window of a butcher's shop. When 'Casanova 73' was made they were still part of the television landscape. Astrid Frank, who plays 'Inga', is not only pretty but has a natural flair for comedy. Among the judges are a pair of familiar faces - Tommy Godfrey from 'Love Thy Neighbour' and Michael Knowles of 'It Ain't Alf Hot Mum'.
Funniest moment - having failed to win, Inga is furious. She tears up the winners' cheque, bends the ceremonial sceptre around the compère's neck, and punches Henry in the eye! Score one for Womens Lib!