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	~~{{Short description\|British radio comedy series (1949–1961)}}~~		{{Infobox radio show
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	~~{{Use British English\|date=January 2024}}~~{{Infobox radio show
	\| show_name = Ray's a Laugh		\| show_name = Ray's a Laugh
	\| image =		\| image =

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en>Tobyhoward: Changing short description from "British radio comedy series" to "British radio comedy series (1949–1961)"

2024-07-06T02:14:55Z

Changing short description from "British radio comedy series" to "British radio comedy series (1949–1961)"

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{{Short description|British radio comedy series (1949–1961)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}{{Infobox radio show
| show_name = Ray's a Laugh
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| format = [[Sitcom]], [[variety show]]
| runtime = 30 minutes
| first_aired = {{start date|1949|04|04|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1961|01|13|df=y}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Ted Ray (comedian)|Ted Ray]]
* [[Kitty Bluett]]
* [[Fred Yule]]
* [[Patricia Hayes]]
* [[Peter Sellers]]
* [[Kenneth Connor]]
* [[Laidman Browne]]
}}
| writer = {{plainlist|
* Ronnie Hanbury (series 1)
* Eddie Maguire (series 1-4)
* Ted Ray (series 1-5)
* George Wadmore (series 3-6)
* [[Sid Colin]] (series 6)
* [[Talbot Rothwell]] (series 6)
* Charles Hart and Bernard Botting (series 7-11)
}}
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| home_station = {{ubl|[[BBC Home Service]]|[[BBC Light Programme]]}}
| syndicates = [[BBC Radio 4 Extra]]
| num_episodes = 361 (including 3 specials)
| num_series = 11
| producer = {{plainlist|
* George Inns (series 1-5)
* Roy Speer (series 1, 6)
* Leslie Bridgmont (series 7-11)}}
| website = {{url| https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snjlj}}
}}

'''''Ray's a Laugh''''' was a British comedy series starring comedian [[Ted Ray (comedian)|Ted Ray]] which ran on [[BBC Radio]] from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the British public"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bathgate |first=Gordon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sy8NEAAAQBAJ |title=Radio Broadcasting: A History of the Airwaves |date=2020-11-23 |publisher=Pen and Sword History |isbn=978-1-5267-6941-1 |language=en}}</ref> and "one of the major hits of post-war radio comedy".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barfe |first=Louis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC |title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment |date=2013-01-01 |publisher=Atlantic Books |isbn=978-1-84887-757-3 |language=en}}</ref>

==Background==
Ted Ray's alter ego in variety had been Nedlo, the Gypsy Violinist.<ref name=":1" /> Originally named Charles Olden, by 1949 he was appearing as Ted Ray (named after [[Ted Ray (golfer)|the golfer]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jpy4|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra – How Tickled Am I?, Series 2, Ted Ray|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> and this was how he billed himself for his radio series, which was devised by [[BBC]] producer George Inns.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2009-03-09 |title=PERFORMERS: TED RAY |url=https://laughterlog.com/2009/03/09/performers-ted-ray/ |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Laughterlog.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ray's a Laugh |url=http://www.turnipnet.com/whirligig/radio/raysalaugh.htm |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Radio Days}}</ref> The show was [[BBC Radio]]'s replacement for ''[[It's That Man Again]]''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Street |first=Seán |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wAEk9veAhpAC |title=The A to Z of British Radio |date=2009-08-04 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-7013-0 |language=en}}</ref> Other names considered for the series were ''Hoo-Ray For Fun'' and ''Hip-Hoo-Ray''.<ref name=":3" />

== Format ==
For most of the show's run, ''Ray's a Laugh'' was a domestic comedy. However, it started off as an American-style three-'spot' show with songs and music.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Krutnik |first1=Frank |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wMyHAgAAQBAJ |title=Popular Film and Television Comedy |last2=Neale |first2=Steve |date=2006-10-19 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-94686-0 |language=en}}</ref> In some sketches, Ray worked for the Cannon Enquiry Agency, later joining the ''Daily Bugle'' as a reporter.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last1=Foster |first1=Andy |title=Radio comedy 1938-1968: a guide to 30 years of wonderful wireless |last2=Furst |first2=Steve |date=1996 |publisher=[[Virgin Books|Virgin]] |isbn=978-0-86369-960-3 |location=London |pages=109–118 |language=English |author-link2=Steve Furst}}</ref>

Ray's wife was played by [[Kitty Bluett]]. From the third series, the show was dominated by scenes featuring Ted and Kitty. She left the show to appear in an unsuccessful spin-off in 1955, but returned the following year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Turner |first=Alwyn W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kMEEAwAAQBAJ |title=Terry Nation: The Man Who Invented the Daleks |date=2013-04-01 |publisher=Quarto Publishing Group USA |isbn=978-1-84513-687-1 |language=en}}</ref>

== Cast ==
Regular cast members were:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />

* [[Ted Ray (comedian)|Ted Ray]]
* [[Kitty Bluett]] (series 1-5, 7-11)
* [[Patricia Hayes]] (series 1-6)
* [[Peter Sellers]] (series 1-5)
* [[Kenneth Connor]] (series 6-11)
* [[Fred Yule]] (series 1-2, 4, 7)
* [[Bob and Alf Pearson]] (series 1-2)
* [[Leslie Perrins]] (series 1-2)
* The Beaux and the Belles (aka The Keynotes) (series 1-2)
* [[Jack Watson (actor)|Jack Watson]] (series 3)
* Charles Leno (series 3)
* [[John Hanson (singer)|John Hanson]] (series 3)
* The Kingsmen (series 3)
* [[Graham Stark]] (series 3)
* Patricia Gilbert (series 4)
* [[Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)|Charles Hawtrey]] (series 4-5)
* [[Kenneth Connor]] (series 5-11)
* [[Diane Hart]] (series 6)
* [[Alexander Gauge]] (series 6)
* [[Pamela Manson]] (series 6)
* [[Laidman Browne]] (series 7-11)
* Elsie Palmer (series 7)
* [[Pat Coombs]] (series 11)

== Music ==
Ray's signature tune was "[[You Are My Sunshine]]", which prefaced the opening title song, named after the show and written by Ray.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Office |first=Library of Congress Copyright |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tlEhAQAAIAAJ |title=Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series |date=1949 |pages=504 |language=en}}</ref> "You Are My Sunshine" closed the show until 1951.<ref name=":2" /> Music for the first three series came from [[Stanley Black]] and the [[BBC Dance Orchestra]]. For series 4 and 5, music was by Paul Fenoulhet and the [[BBC Variety Orchestra]].<ref name=":3" />

In the first two series, songs came from an act known to listeners as the Beaux and the Belles, who were actually The Keynotes under another name.<ref name=":0" /> [[Bob and Alf Pearson]] provided another musical interlude, their signature tune being "We bring you melodies from out of the sky, my brother and I".<ref name=":1" /> In series 3, [[John Hanson (singer)|John Hanson]] and The Kingsmen appeared to provide music.<ref name=":3" />

== Catchphrases ==
A notable feature of the show was its catchphrases. The character of Ivy (played by Ted Ray) would show her devotion to Mrs Hoskins (Bob Pearson) by saying "you're a lovely woman, Mrs Hoskins!" The latter would remark in turn: "It was agony, Ivy!" This catchphrase was included in ''[[The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Knowles |first=Elizabeth M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o6rFno1ffQoC |title=The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations |date=1999 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-860173-9 |language=en}}</ref>

Mrs Hoskins would mention "young Dr Hardcastle", to which Ivy would reply, "He's loo-vely, Mrs Hoskins, he's loo... ooo... vely!"<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Fisher |first=John |url=https://archive.org/details/funnywaytobehero0000fish |title=Funny Way to Be a Hero |date=2013-11-01 |publisher=Preface |isbn=978-1-84809-313-3 |language=en}}</ref>

Bob Pearson also played a little girl called Jennifer who, when asked her name, would reply: "Jen-ni-fer!"<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />

In addition, there was the adenoidal "If you haven't been to Manchester, you haven't lived" from Tommy Trotter (Graham Stark).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> Another feature was the glamour girl who would do anything, but "Not until after six-o'clock!"<ref name=":1" />

== Broadcast ==
''Ray's a Laugh'' was a half-hour programme which ran from April 1949 until January 1961. It started on 4 April 1949, being broadcast on Mondays at 7.30pm on the [[BBC Home Service]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> From June 1949 to June 1950, when the first series ended, it went out on Tuesdays. It was then usually broadcast on Thursdays until the end of series 6 in April 1954.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/classic-radio-comedy-with-ted-ray-in|title=Ray's A Laugh, 1949|date=3 September 2015}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> The sixth series was the last to be broadcast on the Home Service.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />

For the seventh series, beginning in October 1956, it was broadcast on the [[BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]]. The next series moved to Fridays. This continued until the eleventh and final series, with the show ending on 13 January 1961.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />

Over the course of the show's history, 361 episodes were broadcast, including three specials.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Ray's A Laugh - Light Sitcom |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/rays_a_laugh/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

Since 2010, archive episodes have been repeated on BBC Radio 7 and its successor, [[BBC Radio 4 Extra|Radio 4 Extra]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh, From 6/12/1949 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007js2p |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snjlj |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Home media releases ==
In 1990, a BBC Radio Collection double cassette of the series was released, featuring four episodes from 1949 and 1950.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snjlj BBC Radio 4 Extra website]
*[https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/rays_a_laugh/ British Comedy Guide]
*[https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/classic-radio-comedy-with-ted-ray-in British Classic Comedy]
*[https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/lost-bbc-rays-a-laugh-2/ The lost BBC: Ray’s a Laugh]
*[http://www.turnipnet.com/whirligig/radio/raysalaugh.htm Radio Days]

[[Category:BBC Radio comedy programmes]]
[[Category:1949 radio programme debuts]]
[[Category:1961 radio programme endings]]
[[Category:BBC Light Programme programmes]]
[[Category:BBC Home Service programmes]]

Ray's a Laugh - Revision history

Kurt at 16:03, 24 August 2024

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Tobyhoward: Changing short description from "British radio comedy series" to "British radio comedy series (1949–1961)"