Rhubarb (1969 film) three principals, who would pretend to try to sound like a larger group by repeating "rhubarb" very quickly but clearly, with outbreaks of "Custard!" for good measure. Sykes was a close collaborator and friend of the Goons. He remade the piece in 1980 for Thames Television, as "Rhubarb Rhubarb". A Police Inspector and a vicar play a round of golf. The Police Inspector has a Constable help him to cheat by removing his golf ball from awkward situations, and the vicar ultimately requests divine intervention. Allmovie wrote, "sight gags and pantomime dominate this engaging 37 minute feature." Rhubarb (1969 film)
Eric Sykes at a funeral. In 1984, Sykes played the Genie in the children's film "Gabrielle and the Doodleman", which also featured Windsor Davies (who would also appear with Sykes in the BBC's "Gormenghast" in 2000), Bob Todd, Lynsey de Paul, and Gareth Hunt. In 1985, he played the Mad Hatter in the Anglia Television serial adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland", joining an all-star cast that included Michael Bentine, Leslie Crowther, and Leonard Rossiter, and he also had an uncredited role (as an arcade attendant) in the Julien Temple film musical "Absolute Beginners" (1986) which stars Patsy Kensit. In 1986, Sykes played