Will Smith's latest film, Hancock, opened today in London. In it, Smith plays the legendary English comedian Tony Hancock, made famous by his radio show, which was successfully transferred to TV.
In the film Hancock is an embittered, sarcastic, manic depressive, who is an alcoholic and who makes people laugh with his gloomy but witty one liners. Then one day he fails to save anybody's life, and in fact laughs at anyone needing that help, and the film ends.
Mr Smith said: 'Playing an overweight, white English guy with an Estuary English accent was some challenge, man! But Charlize Theron was great as June Whitfield, and Russel Crowe does a great Sid James - I mean he pretends he's Sid all the time, doesn't he? With his raucous laughter and fake fist fights.'
Hancock is expected to be a huge hit, especially with dinner ladies in East Cheam, and any suggestions that it's just another cliched American pile of dogs' droppings for kiddies have been denied by someone in Hollywood. 'I deny it', the source said, 'emphatically.'
The real Tony Hancock was unavailable for comment, as he was busy at his local blood donor clinic.