Blackpool Tower - Blackpool Tower in Popular Culture

Blackpool Tower in Popular Culture

• Blackpool Tower is referred to several times in the humorous monologues written by Marriott Edgar, as performed by Stanley Holloway and others:
  • In Three Ha'pence a Foot (1932), Sam Oglethwaite escapes the consequences of declining a bargain with Noah by standing on the top of Blackpool Tower, up to his neck in floodwater, finally exclaiming "The sky's took a turn since this morning: I think it'll brighten up yet."
  • In The Lion and Albert (1932) and The Return of Albert (1934), Albert Ramsbottom is swallowed whole, then eventually disgorged, by a lion called "Wallace". The incident takes place in the Blackpool Tower Menagerie, which did inded have lions.

• Artists who have performed at the tower include Arthur Askey, Duke Ellington, Paderewski, Dame Clara Butt, Cleo Laine, Peter Dawson and the band Busted.

• Comedian Peter Kay performed his show on 10 and 11 April 2000 in the Circus Arena, later released as Live at the Top of the Tower on DVD.

• The film Dick Barton Strikes Back (1947) featured a fight scene on the tower.

• The film Forbidden (1949) features the tower in a climactic scene.

• The song "Up the 'pool" from Jethro Tull's 1972 album Living in the Past briefly mentions the tower. ("The iron tower smiles down upon the silver sea...")

• The film Funny Bones (1995) features the tower in several key scenes.

• In his imaginary wife's log, 'Mrs Fry's Diary', Stephen Fry is depicted convincing the naive Edna Fry that he has taken her on holiday to Paris, while they have actually travelled to Blackpool.

• In April 2007, punk rock band, Revisit performed on the Walk of Faith at the top of the tower.

Blackpool is a popular seaside resort, and the beach-front tower is still a major attraction. It is lit during the annual Illuminations, when the town and seafront are decorated with colourful illuminated displays for six miles (10 km) along the promenade.