The Goon Show series 10 - Revision history

Kurt: /* Goodbye, Wal */

2023-03-04T04:24:23Z

Goodbye, Wal

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:24, 3 March 2023
Line 124:		Line 124:

	On Wednesday 23 May, Peter and Spike joined ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]'' stars [[Peter Cook]] and [[Jonathan Miller]] to record a comedy album		On Wednesday 23 May, Peter and Spike joined ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]'' stars [[Peter Cook]] and [[Jonathan Miller]] to record a comedy album
	based on the 1957 Goon Show episode [[African Incident]] for EMI; when the makers of the film [[The Bridge on the River Kwai\|The Bridge on the River Kwai]] threatened to sue, George Martin re-edited all the dialogue to turn the recording into [[The Bridge on the River Wye]] for release in November. Also released during the year was an extract of Peter Sellers as [[Bluebottle]] from the 1956 episode [[The Great Tuscan Salami Scandal]] as part of the BBC EP Historic sounds from forty years of broadcasting.		based on the 1957 Goon Show episode [[African Incident]] for EMI; when the makers of the film [[The Bridge on the River Kwai\|The Bridge on the River Kwai]] threatened to sue, George Martin re-edited all the dialogue to turn the recording into [[Bridge on the River Wye\|The Bridge on the River Wye]] for release in November. Also released during the year was an extract of Peter Sellers as [[Bluebottle]] from the 1956 episode [[The Great Tuscan Salami Scandal]] as part of the BBC EP Historic sounds from forty years of broadcasting.

	In the coming months, Spike was back in Australia to record a third and final run of [[The Idiot Weekly]] which aired from August to November. Some of these now reworked parts of ''The Goon Show''; elements of ''[[Lurgi Strikes Britain]]'', ''[[The Spon Plague]]'', ''[[Operation Christmas Duff]]''. ''[[The Last Tram (from Clapham)]]'' and others were plundered for material.		In the coming months, Spike was back in Australia to record a third and final run of [[The Idiot Weekly]] which aired from August to November. Some of these now reworked parts of ''The Goon Show''; elements of ''[[Lurgi Strikes Britain]]'', ''[[The Spon Plague]]'', ''[[Operation Christmas Duff]]''. ''[[The Last Tram (from Clapham)]]'' and others were plundered for material.

Kurt at 01:12, 4 March 2023

2023-03-04T01:12:40Z

Show changes

Kurt: /* We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay */

2022-11-09T04:34:48Z

We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay

Show changes

Kurt: /* We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay */

2022-11-08T22:06:02Z

We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay

Show changes

Kurt: /* We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay */

2022-11-07T04:36:12Z

We'll gather lilacs, or there'll be hell to pay

Show changes

Kurt at 04:26, 7 November 2022

2022-11-07T04:26:21Z

Show changes

Kurt at 00:11, 7 November 2022

2022-11-07T00:11:48Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Yes, that was it, the last of'em. So bye now.'''
-In January 1960, announcer Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of ''The Goon Show'' which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy, would now be vanishing from the schedules of the [[w:BBC Home Service|BBC Home Service]]. There were numerous reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast members - [[Peter Sellers]], [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Spike Milligan]] - had become established stars, now offered lucrative, high-profile projects beyond the confines of [[w:BBC radio|BBC radio]]. Also, the strain of crafting the surreal scripts had become overwhelming for the show's main writer, Spike Milligan. The ninth series, part-way through its run at the start of 1959, was already proving difficult. While the BBC wanted to extend its shorter-than-usual run, the cast were reluctant. And in mid-January, Spike was again suffering from anxiety neurosis and barely well enough to record the twelfth show, [[The Call of the West]].
+In January 1960, announcer Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of ''The Goon Show'' which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy, would now be vanishing from the schedules of the [[w:BBC Home Service|BBC Home Service]]. There were numerous reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast members - [[Peter Sellers]], [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Spike Milligan]] - had become established stars, now offered lucrative, high-profile projects beyond the confines of [[w:BBC radio|BBC radio]]. Also, the strain of crafting the surreal scripts had become overwhelming for the show's main writer, Spike Milligan. The ninth series, part-way through its run at the start of 1959, was already proving difficult. While the BBC wanted to extend its shorter-than-usual run, the cast were reluctant. And in mid-January, Spike was again suffering from anxiety neurosis and barely well enough to record the twelfth show, ''[[The Call of the West]]''.
-On Wednesday 21 January 1959, the American entertainment paper Variety
+On Wednesday 21 January 1959, the American entertainment paper [[w:Variety (magazine)|Variety]] declared that the 'Goon Show ... is now to be disbanded after a lengthy run.'This unexpected announcement came in a piece about Peter Sellers who had been offered a five-year movie contract with the [[Boulting brothers|Boulting Brothers]] and was casting his gaze at America. A couple of days earlier, producer [[John Browell]] had informed his superiors in BBC light Entertainment (Sound) that an extension of the current series by two weeks and a special non-audience show would not be practical. Harry would be out of the country, Peter had a film commitment and Spike was still recovering from illness.
 declared that the 'Goon Show ... is now to be disbanded after a lengthy run.'This unexpected
-announcement came in a piece about Peter Sellers who had been offered a five-year movie
+Spike's problems with the scripts meant that John had approached [[Larry Stephens]] – Spike's original writing partner on the series – to provide a replacement script as he had done a few weeks earlier with ''[[The Seagoon Memoirs]]''. Unfortunately Larry himself was unwell and so Spike made minor edits (removing Christmas references and updating some character traits) to a 1955 script entitled [[Dishonoured]] which could be remade on Sunday 25 January under the title ''[[Dishonoured — Again]]''; the show closed with the usual musical combination of [[Alte Kameraden]] (Old Comrades) followed by a playout of [[w:Crazy Rhythm|Crazy Rhythm]].
 contract with the Boulting Brothers and was casting his gaze at America.A couple of days
-earlier, producer John Browell had informed his superiors in BBC light Entertainment {Sound)
+The night that ''Dishonoured — Again'' was recorded, Larry and his wife Diana were due to have dinner with Spike. Larry collapsed in the car travelling to the restaurant. Admitted to [[w:Whittington Hospital|Whittington Hospital]] in [[w:Highgate|Highgate]] having suffered a [[w:Stroke|stroke]], he died aged 35.
 that an extension of the current series by two weeks and a special non-audience show would
-not be practical. Harry would be out of the country, Peter had a film commitment and Spike
+On Friday 30 January, John Browell arranged for hospitality for the final recording of the series on Sunday 22 February and commented to his superiors that this might be 'the last extensive series of the Goons'. That Sunday's recording – relocated to the [[Paris Theatre|Paris Studios]] rather than the usual venue of the [[w:KOKO (music venue)|Camden Theatre]] – was a new script by Spike entitled ''[[The Scarlet Capsule]]''. The story had been inspired by the popular BBC-tv science-fiction serial ''[[w:Quatermass and the Pit|Quatermass and the Pit]]'' which had reached its climax on Monday 26 January. Spike had written a pre-recorded news announcement which he hoped could be taped, as in recent shows, by senior BBC announcer [[John Snagge]], but instead was recorded by [[Andrew Timothy]], the original announcer on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' through to October 1953. [[w:I Want to Be Happy|I Want to be Happy]] was used again for the closing theme followed by a playout of [[w:Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead|Ding Dong the Witch is Dead]]. Spike's script again over-ran and so several sequences had to be omitted, including a reappearance of Bluebottle's mother who had featured recently in ''[[The Call of the West]]''. On Monday 2 February, Spike filmed a piece about his love of art for broadcast on BBC-TV's ''[[w:Tonight (1957 TV programme)|Tonight]]'' that Wednesday. His next Goon script was ''[[The Tay Bridge]]'', inspired
-was still recovering from illness.
+by his fascination with the awful 1880 verse [[w:The Tay Bridge Disaster|The Tay Bridge Disaster]] by hopeless Scots poet [[w:William McGonagall|William McGonagall]]; the Scots setting allowed a speaking part (and fee) for [[George Chisholm (musician)|George Chisholm]], the jovial trombone player in [[Angela Morley|Wally Stott]]'s orchestra. The much-married actress [[w:Rita Hayworth|Rita Hayworth]] was name-checked, as was BBC bandleader [[w:Lou Preager|Lou Preager]] in an ad-lib by Harry Secombe.
 Spike's problems with the scripts meant that John had approached Larry Stephens
-- Spike's original writing partner on the series - to provide a replacement script as he had
+Harry's run in the successful revue ''Large as Life'' at [[w:Manchester|Manchester]] concluded the following weekend. At the start of February, Peter Sellers indicated that he would not extend his contract for ''Brouhaha''. He had been appearing in the stage comedy at the [[w:Aldwych Theatre|Aldwych Theatre]] since 1958 and was becoming increasingly bored with it. He was in the news again when he appeared drunk in the show on Tuesday 10 February, but had reason to celebrate when his comedy LP [[The Best of Sellers]] entered the British charts and remained there for almost a year.
 done a few weeks earlier with The Seagoon Memoirs. Unfortunately Larry himself was unwell
-and so Spike made minor edits (removing Christmas references and updating some character
+''[[The Gold Plate Robbery]]'' was recorded on Sunday 15 February and featured comments about the [[w:Brandy|brandy]] consumed by the cast during the music spots. Topical jokes referred to the British Ambassador to France [[w:Gladwyn Jebb|Sir Gladwyn Jebb]], the [[w:X rating|X-rated]] movie of social ambition [[w:Room at the Top (1959 film)|Room at the Top]] released at the end of January ... and a name-check for Spike's writing colleague [[Dave Freeman (British writer)|Dave Freeman]].
 traits) to a 1955 script entitled Dishonoured which could be remade on Sunday 25 January
-under the title Dishonoured -Again; the show closed with the usual musical combination of Alte
+On Monday 16, Spike was forced to withdraw from the [[w:Associated-Rediffusion|Associated-Rediffusion]] show [[Alfred Marks Time]] because he was too busy for rehearsals. When Spike submitted his final script, [[The ₤50 Cure]], John Browell was unsure about the cast signing off with a chorus of [[w:Ivor Novello|Ivor Novello]]'s sentimental [[w:We'll Gather Lilacs|We'll Gather Lilacs]]. When John indicated that he would like to cut this, Spike responded on Wednesday 18, ‘''It is just too bad if you don't see the point in it. Harry Secombe thinks that it is funny, and so does Peter Sellers ... I've spoken to [Assistant Head of Light Entertainment (Sound)] Jim Davidson about it and told him how I feel so I'd be grateful if you would understand quite clearly now that I don't want to cut it out of the recording. If it is I shall just kick up merry hell''’.
 By now, plans for a tenth series of The Goon Show were underway. Jim Davidson
 asked John Browell to commission six scripts from Spike to broadcast from Christmas

Kurt at 22:29, 6 November 2022

2022-11-06T22:29:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 6 November 2022
Line 1:		Line 1:
	'Yes, that was it, the last of'em. So bye now.'		'''Yes, that was it, the last of'em. So bye now.'''
	In January 1960, ~~ann9uncer~~ Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of
	The Goon Show which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy,		In January 1960, announcer Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of ''The Goon Show'' which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy, would now be vanishing from the schedules of the [[w:BBC Home Service\|BBC Home Service]]. There were numerous reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast members - [[Peter Sellers]], [[Harry Secombe]] and [[Spike Milligan]] - had become established stars, now offered lucrative, high-profile projects beyond the confines of [[w:BBC radio\|BBC radio]]. Also, the strain of crafting the surreal scripts had become overwhelming for the show's main writer, Spike Milligan. The ninth series, part-way through its run at the start of 1959, was already proving difficult. While the BBC wanted to extend its shorter-than-usual run, the cast were reluctant. And in mid-January, Spike was again suffering from anxiety neurosis and barely well enough to record the twelfth show, [[The Call of the West]].
	would now be vanishing from the schedules of the BBC Home Service. There were numerous
	reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast		On Wednesday 21 January 1959, the American entertainment paper Variety
	members - Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan - had become established stars,
	now offered lucrative, high-profile projects beyond the confines of BBC radio.Also, the strain
	of crafting the surreal scripts had become overwhelming for the show's main writer, Spike
	Milligan.The ninth series, part-way through its run at the start of 1959, was already proving
	difficult. While the BBC wanted to extend its shorter-than-usual run, the cast were reluctant.
	And in mid-January, Spike was again suffering from anxiety neurosis and barely well enough to
	record the twelfth show, The Call of the West
	, On Wednesday 21 January 1959, the American entertainment paper Variety
	declared that the 'Goon Show ... is now to be disbanded after a lengthy run.'This unexpected		declared that the 'Goon Show ... is now to be disbanded after a lengthy run.'This unexpected
	announcement came in a piece about Peter Sellers who had been offered a five-year movie		announcement came in a piece about Peter Sellers who had been offered a five-year movie

Kurt: Created page with "'Yes, that was it, the last of'em. So bye now.' In January 1960, ann9uncer Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of The Goon Show which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy, would now be vanishing from the schedules of the BBC Home Service. There were numerous reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast members - Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan - had becom..."

2022-11-06T22:27:17Z

Created page with "'Yes, that was it, the last of'em. So bye now.' In January 1960, ann9uncer Wallace Greenslade signed off from the final regular edition of The Goon Show which, after almost a decade of pushing forward the frontiers of comedy, would now be vanishing from the schedules of the BBC Home Service. There were numerous reasons for the successful and much loved show concluding. First of all, the three main cast members - Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan - had becom..."

Show changes