Ha! These absurdities and sight-gags were nothing but welcome on this side of the Atlantic! The nation that produced The Goon Show and Round the Horne was never going to be phased by the idea of a birds' beak as the needle of a record player. The foot-propelled cars were perfect giggle-fodder.

We who started out delighting in such oddities, not to mention the notion of a talking cat and his gang engaging in half-friendly battles of wits with the local beat cop, would grow up to find great humour in the sale of a dead parrot and the attempt to purchase 'four candles' ("No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks!").