Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
Assaulted Nuts was a television sketch comedy series which ran in the US in 1984 (April 17 - Nov 17 1984) and the UK in early 1985 (January 17 - February 28, 1985). It was a co production between Cinemax in the United States and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. It ran for seven episodes in the UK and thirteen in the US and elsewhere.
The first six episodes are currently circulating, and part of episode 7.
American performers Elaine Hausman, William Sadler and Wayne Knight acted alongside British comic actors Cleo Rocos, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Daniel Peacock and Barry Cryer. In episode 7, probably shot as the pilot, New York actress Marcell Rosenblatt appears.
In the second season (episodes 8-13), Emma Thompson and Gail Matthius replaced Tim Brooke-Taylor and Elaine Hausman. These episodes are not circulating except for short clips.
In keeping with Cinemax's reputation at the time, much of the material was sex-related, with overt references to Benny Hill, and Cleo Rocos' work with Kenny Everett. Wayne Knight later starred in "The Edge" on FOX. Emma Thompson had starred on Alfresco. Gail Matthius had starred on SNL, Laugh Trax and later on Tiny Toon Adventures and Bobby's World.
In the United Kingdom the show was broadcast in the late night slot, which was 11:15pm on Thursdays and seen by relatively few people. In spite of the quality of its writers and performers, it made little impact, with critics dismissing it as Americanized. Seven thirty-minute episodes were broadcast before the show was officially cancelled. (The second series of six was mentioned but not broadcast in the UK.) The original UK broadcasts were weekly between 17 January and 28 February 1985.
Writers of Assaulted Nuts included Ray Cameron, Barry Cryer, Andrew Marshall, David Renwick, Terry Ravenscroft, and Peter Vincent. Ray Cameron also produced and directed the series. American TV Guide listings for the Cinemax airings in 1984 listed one sketch from each episode:
April 17 #1 Instant Cremation
April 29 #2 Harry Sneak superspy
May 15 #3 Hard-sell low budget commercials
May 29 #4 Cavemen create wheel
June 12 #5 President
June 24 #6 Accountants Anonymous
July 24 #7 Book buyer wears wrong underwear
September 8 #8 Talk show gives bad advice
September 22 #9 Cop has portable hydrant
October 6 #10 Bank heist
October 20 #11 Drunken pilot
November 3 #12 Organic mafia
November 17 #13 Murder mystery on train
Assaulted Nuts aired on USA Network in a 15-minute slot at 11:30PM (10:30 central) on Friday nights in mid-1987, in the Night Flight block, and in early 1988.
In Australia, some sketches were shown as part of "Graham Kennedy's World of Comedy" (seven hourlong specials in 1986, with repeats in 1991 and 1992).
In France, sources state the series was broadcast (as Casse-noisettes) in the 1980s on FR3 on Sundays, replacing Benny Hill.
There is a news listing that TSR (Télévision Suisse Romande) aired the series at 12:45 (afternoon) Sundays in May 1986, as a French language channel in Switzerland.
It was broadcast (in full I think) starting between October 12 and 28, 1993 on Germany's Arte channel, and again between Aug 12 94 and Sept 2 94. This was also available in France and probably the UK. It also aired in Finland.
Assaulted Nuts was a television sketch comedy series which ran in the US in 1984 (April 17 - Nov 17 1984) and the UK in early 1985 (January 17 - February 28, 1985). It was a co production between Cinemax in the United States and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. It ran for seven episodes in the UK and thirteen in the US and elsewhere.
The first six episodes are currently circulating, and part of episode 7.
American performers Elaine Hausman, William Sadler and Wayne Knight acted alongside British comic actors Cleo Rocos, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Daniel Peacock and Barry Cryer. In episode 7, probably shot as the pilot, New York actress Marcell Rosenblatt appears.
In the second season (episodes 8-13), Emma Thompson and Gail Matthius replaced Tim Brooke-Taylor and Elaine Hausman. These episodes are not circulating except for short clips.
In keeping with Cinemax's reputation at the time, much of the material was sex-related, with overt references to Benny Hill, and Cleo Rocos' work with Kenny Everett. Wayne Knight later starred in "The Edge" on FOX. Emma Thompson had starred on Alfresco. Gail Matthius had starred on SNL, Laugh Trax and later on Tiny Toon Adventures and Bobby's World.
In the United Kingdom the show was broadcast in the late night slot, which was 11:15pm on Thursdays and seen by relatively few people. In spite of the quality of its writers and performers, it made little impact, with critics dismissing it as Americanized. Seven thirty-minute episodes were broadcast before the show was officially cancelled. (The second series of six was mentioned but not broadcast in the UK.) The original UK broadcasts were weekly between 17 January and 28 February 1985.
Writers of Assaulted Nuts included Ray Cameron, Barry Cryer, Andrew Marshall, David Renwick, Terry Ravenscroft, and Peter Vincent. Ray Cameron also produced and directed the series. American TV Guide listings for the Cinemax airings in 1984 listed one sketch from each episode:
April 17 #1 Instant Cremation
April 29 #2 Harry Sneak superspy
May 15 #3 Hard-sell low budget commercials
May 29 #4 Cavemen create wheel
June 12 #5 President
June 24 #6 Accountants Anonymous
July 24 #7 Book buyer wears wrong underwear
September 8 #8 Talk show gives bad advice
September 22 #9 Cop has portable hydrant
October 6 #10 Bank heist
October 20 #11 Drunken pilot
November 3 #12 Organic mafia
November 17 #13 Murder mystery on train
Assaulted Nuts aired on USA Network in a 15-minute slot at 11:30PM (10:30 central) on Friday nights in mid-1987, in the Night Flight block, and in early 1988.
In Australia, some sketches were shown as part of "Graham Kennedy's World of Comedy" (seven hourlong specials in 1986, with repeats in 1991 and 1992).
In France, sources state the series was broadcast (as Casse-noisettes) in the 1980s on FR3 on Sundays, replacing Benny Hill.
There is a news listing that TSR (Télévision Suisse Romande) aired the series at 12:45 (afternoon) Sundays in May 1986, as a French language channel in Switzerland.
It was broadcast (in full I think) starting between October 12 and 28, 1993 on Germany's Arte channel, and again between Aug 12 94 and Sept 2 94. This was also available in France and probably the UK. It also aired in Finland.
