The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
“At Last the Truth Can Be Told - The Other Ball is Bigger”
Synopsis
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.
Top Cast
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Rowan Atkinson
Self - Various Roles
Jeff Beck
Self
Alan Bennett
Self - Various Roles
Graham Chapman
Self - Various Roles
Eric Clapton
Self
John Cleese
Self - Various Roles
Phil Collins
Self
Billy Connolly
Self
Peter Cook
Self - Various Roles
Sheena Easton
The Secret Policeman Choir
Bob Geldof
Self
Barry Humphries
Self - Various Roles
Michael Palin
Self - Various Roles
David Rappaport
Various Roles
Sting
Self
John Bird
Self - Various Roles
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Self - Various Characters
Donovan
Self
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 1, 1982
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Julien Temple
- Screenplay & Story
- Terence Dackombe
- Original Title
- The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Studios
- Amnesty International
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Julien Temple
Terence Dackombe
Oliver Stapleton
Geoff Hogg, Thomas Schwalm, Andy Attenburrow
Martin Lewis, Corky Burger, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Roger Graef
Department Leadership Roster
Julien Temple
Director
Martin Lewis
Producer
Corky Burger
Producer
Harvey Weinstein
Producer
Bob Weinstein
Producer
Roger Graef
Producer
Geoff Hogg
Editor
John Cleese
Producer
Thomas Schwalm
Editor
Oliver Stapleton
Director of Photography
Terence Dackombe
Writer
Andy Attenburrow
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Secret Policeman's Other Ball.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Secret Policeman's Other Ball about?
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.
Who directed The Secret Policeman's Other Ball?
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball was directed by Julien Temple.
Who stars in The Secret Policeman's Other Ball?
The principal cast of The Secret Policeman's Other Ball includes Rowan Atkinson, Jeff Beck, Alan Bennett, Graham Chapman, Eric Clapton.
When was The Secret Policeman's Other Ball released and how long is it?
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Secret Policeman's Other Ball?
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).