Talk:Andy Capp

Andy's Military Service

The article as it is currently written makes special note of Andy's prior service in the RAF. I can recall reading a particular strip from many years ago where Andy mentions in passing that he managed to survive "the war in the desert" (or something close to that), but clearly indicating he served in North Africa during World War II in 1942. I've never forgotten it, and I know I read it; I just can't say when that strip was published.

As all I have to go on is a hazy personal memory; I won't edit the main article, but hopefully one of us can find the strip and update the article properly.

In one strip Flo has thrown Andy's old shaving razor out, much to Andy's annoyance. He says that " that razor went through the desert with me, where it goes I go", which I took to be a reference to the North African (alamein)campaigns. (BTW Flo retorted "suit yourself but put the lid back on the dustbin after you've got in" or some such)Tylexman (talk) 20:01, 2 October 2015 (UTC)

To all my British friends here: I grew up in Washington DC in the 1970s and my friends and myself (who were all heavily into good comedy) we all LOVED Andy Capp. The Washington Post at that time had possibly the largest and best comics section of any American newspaper (four full pages daily and two full color sections on Sunday). Everything I know about Britain I learned from Andy Capp and Monty Python. Cheers, blokes! --JamesMadison (talk) 02:05, 5 August 2013 (UTC)

Andy has mentioned several times that he served in the Army and in the desert. This is convenient strip-wise as it covers WWII/Suez/Gulf War & Iraq. It is specifically mentioned at least once that Capp was a 'Fusilier' -- The reprinted strip is undated, but see the collection "Andy Capp At 50" on the third page from the "1960s" section.

Gambling

I think it's more likely the 'Handicap' pun refers to his gambling, as 'Handy-cap' was an old english betting game.. From which we get the word handicap..

Probably also relates to how Andy is a bum and does not work, as if he is 'handicapped'. --Jquarry 02:56, 24 February 2006 (UTC)

JQuarry's terminology indicates that he is not a native user of British English. I beg to differ from his opinion. It is more likely that the betting usage is the main reference, but I would also add that there is also the implication that Andy himself is a bit of a handicap, especially to his missus. The State University of New York at Oneonta's Rugby Club uses Andy as their mascot and over 100 members have gotten a tattoo of Andy with a beer in one hand and a rugby ball in the other.

Could someone get a photograph of the statue recently unveiled and add it to the article? --Bduke 00:28, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Pub

The text indicates that "Andy always goes to the same one"... I am not sure about the current state of the comic but throughout the 60's and 70's (my grandfather had a lot of the fawcett books) that was definitly NOT the case... the rose and crown, the dog and duck, various "milk bars" for comic effect, etc. andy definitly bar hops. I am going to edit this aside.

-Andy Daley, March 6, 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.75.48.150 (talk) 18:40, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Confucius says...man, with Andy Capp, can still stand tall in the world. [Preceding unsigned comment by unknown character.] — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.155.118.209 (talk) 13:43, 4 February 2017 (UTC)

WikiProject Comics B-Class Assesment required

This article needs the B-Class checklist filled in to remain a B-Class article for the Comics WikiProject. If the checklist is not filled in by 7th August this article will be re-assessed as C-Class. The checklist should be filled out referencing the guidance given at Wikipedia:Version 1.0 Editorial Team/Assessment/B-Class criteria. For further details please contact the Comics WikiProject. Hiding T 15:17, 31 July 2008 (UTC)

Game

A home computer video game featuring AC was produced in the 1980s. 2fort5r (talk) 16:55, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

References in pop culture section?

It was referenced in The Simpsons by Homer Simpson to himself, something along the lines of: *chuckles* "Andy Capp, you lovable drunk wife beater." Is there a running tally of past pop culture references? Macshill (talk) 10:13, 26 November 2009 (UTC)

I removed the reference to Al Capp, previously added by another user. It's not true that the title of the strip referenced Capp, creator of Li'l Abner, (although Capp reportedly admired Andy Capp, calling it his favorite on at least one occasion - as a guest on the Mike Douglas Show, circa 1971. I remember the question, watching the show live at the time of broadcast.) User:Rackinfrackin (talk) 17:30, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Andy Stops Smoking

The Sydney Morning Herald of 16 October 1993, citing the Press Association reports Reg Smythe making the decision to stop Andy smoking because 'too many kids read the cartoon and it was time he set a good example'. It does not state a date when Smythe made the change but Smythe adds that none of his 200 million readers seems to have noticed. Since Smythe made no change to any of Andy's many other irresponsible and anti-social behaviours, it's not surprising that many missed so tiny a matter as the absence of a fag-end perpetually stuck in his gob.

Just for the record:

• 'Andy' is short for 'Andrew'. 'Florrie' and 'Flo' are both short for 'Florence'.
• Homer Simpson's exact line is 'O, Andy Capp, you wife-beating drunk, you!'
• It grates me a little that this article about a thoroughly English creation is written in a US idiom, with words like 'freeloading', 'nap' and 'hometown'. Try 'skiving', 'kip' and perhaps, 'birthplace', though the UK is less sentimental about this latter idea.
• I'd like to have the word 'iconic' towed out to sea and sunk by naval gunfire. I think the writer might be trying to say 'symbolic' e.g. when Flo and Andy scrap, Smythe draws a cloud with fists extending from it, symbolising a violent fight. 'Iconic' means... but look it up.
• Andy does not 'lack motivation' (US) to get a job. He is, to use a UK idiom, 'work-shy', meaning he is just a lazy sod. A 'sod' is... but look it up.

Bluedawe 21:29, 19 October 2012 (UTC)

Marriage

It's a given that Andy loves Flo. There's even a touching strip where he thinks something like: "I love that girl so much sometimes it's all I can do to keep from telling her".

That said, I think there should be some mention of his strayings. It's never completely spelled out, but being a UK strip it is more clear than a normal US strip would allow that Andy has actually had affairs with the various barmaids etc; that is things have from time to time gone beyond flirtation. It was also clearly implied several times that Flo had a "thing" with Percy. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.164.114.26 (talk) 06:55, 15 December 2017 (UTC)

Beating the wife

Quote: Similarly, Andy no longer beats his wife [...] (which was usually portrayed in a highly stylised manner, as an iconic cartoon smoke cloud with fists and feet protruding), although Florrie gave as good as she got.

Not true. Just a quick google brings up pictures of Andy punching Flo with his fist on her chin, or show her with a blue eye, or show him standing over her saying that one of his few pleasures are knocking Flo about. Maikel (talk) 14:28, 24 September 2019 (UTC)

• The existence of images of Andy punching Flo, or the quote (which as a long-time Andy Capp reader is strange to me, but whatever), don't refute the "usually" claim, and the ball-o'-violence fight showing both of them well and truly going for it was a very common occurrence. Equally, there was a single-frame cartoon featuring a horizontal Andy, with Flo explaining over the garden fence that "'E 'ad 'is back to me, the back door was open, and the fryin' pan was 'andy - so I thought I'd chance it", demonstrating very clearly that Flo was able and willing to even the score with whatever weapon was to hand and Andy unaware of the attack.
• Similarly, when Andy came home drunk, broke, and very late at night, he was likely to find Flo waiting up for him with the rolling pin, and the understanding was that he would offer an excuse rather than violence -- and very often his excuse was greeted with a "BOP!" and Andy on his rear end in the street seeing stars. (Sometimes he would find her asleep on her feet -- and even then he sometimes woke her up and took his medicine.)
• On one occasion, PC Alan is passing by while the two are at loggerheads and he calls out "Give 'er one for me Andy - I never did like 'er", which ends the fight at once as Andy turns on the policeman. Final frame: "Breakin' up the Capp fights is easy -- you just 'ave to take sides". Captain Pedant (talk) 12:47, 16 January 2021 (UTC)

RIP Roger Mahoney

See [[1]]. -- 2003:E5:1700:F9A7:D530:7DCE:42E8:188E (talk) 14:28, 28 November 2022 (UTC)