Rhubarb (1969 film) Rhubarb (1969 film) Rhubarb was a 1969 British short film written and directed by Eric Sykes, starring Sykes and Harry Secombe. The dialogue consisted entirely of repetitions of the word ""rhubarb"", all the characters last names were "Rhubarb", and even the number plates on vehicles were "RHU BAR B". A baby "spoke" by holding a sign with the word ""Rhubarb"" written on it. "Rhubarb" is a radio idiom for unintelligible background speech. Typically extras would mutter the word over and over to provide ambience for a crowd or party scene. In "The Goon Show" the cast was usually only the
Eric Sykes (cricketer) Eric Sykes (cricketer) Eric Sykes (23 June 1906 – 7 December 1989) was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1925 and 1932. Sykes was born in Bolsover, the son of Ernest Sykes who had played cricket for Hampshire. Sykes made his first-class debut for Derbyshire in the 1925 season in June against Gloucestershire and made 50 in his first innings. In his next match he was at the wicket on 4 when Derbyshire won, but he made little impression in his last match of the season against Lancashire. Sykes turned professional after playing as an amateur, but did