Herr Otto Flick
| Herr Otto Flick | |
|---|---|
| 'Allo 'Allo! character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Pilot: The British Are Coming |
| Last appearance | A Winkle in Time |
| Portrayed by |
Richard Gibson (series 1–8) David Janson (series 9) |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Gestapo Officer |
| Nationality |
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Herr Otto Flick is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992.[1] He was played by Richard Gibson for most of the sitcom's run, and by David Janson in the ninth and final series.[2] On The Return of 'Allo 'Allo! it was revealed that the character was based on a combination of Joseph Goebbels and Arnold Toht from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and that Gibson had wished to incorporate all manner of grotesqueries from these characters into his depiction of Flick but had only been allowed a limp.
Herr Flick is an officer of the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police during World War II. On the rare occasions he wears uniform, he is shown to be an SS-Sturmbannführer (Major).
Character traits
He is portrayed as unemotional (his voice never changes in relation to how he feels, even once while in pain he rather calmly stated "I am suspended by the Clappers") and seems hurt only when he finds Private Helga kissing the Italian Captain Bertorelli. Apart from this, the only emotion he ever shows is anger.
Flick is a godson of Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS and Gestapo. He explains in one episode that he is an orphan and was raised by nuns. He has stated that he originally didn't want to join the Gestapo, but Himmler convinced him. Over the course of the series, he receives several letters from Himmler, usually admonishing him for his actions, such as failing to find the portrait of the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies by Van Klomp. When he is arrested by General von Klinkerhoffen (once for pretending to be Helga's replacement and another time for dressing up as a member of the French Resistance), Himmler comes to his rescue by sending a telegram to the General requesting Flick's release.
Flick is assisted by von Smallhausen, a junior officer of the Gestapo who is not too intelligent. Whenever von Smallhausen makes a statement that is either stupid or is out of line with his boss's thinking, Flick always hits von Smallhausen on the head with whatever object comes to hand.
Flick is in love with Helga, although he often keeps this hidden. When she comes to see him he always says "You may kiss me." She then proceeds to kiss him passionately, while he stands quite still, with his facial expression not changing. He is excessively domineering, to both her and von Smallhausen.
His secret HQ's address is Rue de Gangoine 32. In his dungeon, Herr Flick has many disguises. He and his assistant von Smallhausen are often shown in disguise, attempting entry to places they are not supposed to be, such as the Château. He often adds the word "Gestapo" as an adjective to various gadgets and items he uses, such as: "My powerful Gestapo binoculars", "My Gestapo staff car", "The traditional Gestapo dance", The Gestapo Defusing Explosives Handbook (written by Professor von Flattenhead, buried in Munich, Hamburg and Bremen) and the Gestapo telegraph pole-climbing equipment.
Herr Flick has a fondness for using experimental truth serums made from assorted exotic animals such as the Self-inflating Peruvian Marsh Frog or the Patagonian Fruit Bat. These serums often have interesting physical side effects on his victims.
He also has an extensive collection of Gestapo gramophone records dealing with such subjects as "How to fool French peasants into believing you are English in one easy lesson" – "Faw F-Faw Faw-Faw-Faw..."
Flick plays the violin extremely well and his favourite animal is the rat (because it is small, shifty and disgusting) this is apparently why he tolerates Smallhausen, as he compares him to a rat. He owns a homing pigeon named Boris.
At the start of Series 9, Flick has plastic surgery, so that when the Allies invade France he will not be recognised. This device is used to explain David Janson's taking-over playing the role.
Character name
Due to "Flick" also sounding like the German word for "fuck" ("fick"), it was used in a telephone gag on the show when Herr Flick answered the phone he stated "Flick the Gestapo" and after a pause – and a look of shock upon his face – repeated "I said Flick the Gestapo" (as opposed to "fuck the Gestapo") while pronouncing his name more clearly.