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{{Infobox Goon Show episode
{{Infobox Goon Show episode
| series        = [[The Goon Show]]<!-- without italics or formatting. -->
| series        = [[The Goon Show]]<!-- without italics or formatting. -->
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| producer      = [[Peter Eton]]
| producer      = [[Peter Eton]]
| music          = *Orchestra: [[Wally Stott]]
| music          = *Orchestra: [[Wally Stott]]
*Geldray: [[w:Someone to Watch Over Me (song)|Someone to Watch Over Me]]''
*Geldray: [[Someone to Watch Over Me (song)|Someone to Watch Over Me]]''
*Ellington: ''Play It, Boy''
*Ellington: ''Play It, Boy''
| production    = [[The Goon Show recording numbers#TLO|TLO]] 87028
| production    = [[The Goon Show recording numbers#TLO|TLO]] 87028
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| prev          = [[The Man Who Won the War]]
| prev          = [[The Man Who Won the War]]
| next          = [[The Lost Emperor]]
| next          = [[The Lost Emperor]]
| season_article =  
| season_article = [[The Goon Show series 6]]
| episode_list  =  
| episode_list  =  
| CD_volume      = [[The Goon Show CDs#Vol24|24]]
| CD_volume      = [[The Goon Show CDs#Vol24|24]]
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'''''The Secret Escritoire''''' is an episode from [[The Goon Show]]. It is the second show in the fifth series. The show was recorded at 9pm on Sunday {{date|25 September 1955}}. The recording took place at the [[w:KOKO (music venue)|Camden Theatre]], Camden Town, London.  
'''''The Secret Escritoire''''' is an episode from [[The Goon Show]]. It is the second show in the fifth series. The show was recorded at 9pm on Sunday {{date|25 September 1955}}. The recording took place at the [[KOKO (music venue)|Camden Theatre]], Camden Town, London.  


The first British public broadcast was on the [[w:BBC Home Service|Home Service]] on Tuesday {{date|27 September 1955}} at 8.30pm. It reached a peak listenership of 3.8m.
The first British public broadcast was on the [[BBC Home Service|Home Service]] on Tuesday {{date|27 September 1955}} at 8.30pm. It reached a peak listenership of 3.8m.


The show's first repeat was the following Saturday at 7.30pm, {{date|1 October 1955}}, on the [[w:BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]]. It was listened to by 1.9 million.
The show's first repeat was the following Saturday at 7.30pm, {{date|1 October 1955}}, on the [[BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]]. It was listened to by 1.9 million.


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
[[File:Escritoire desk (AM 2013.34.1-2).jpg|thumb|right|Don't tell anyone what it is, it's a secret]]
[[File:Escritoire desk (AM 2013.34.1-2).jpg|thumb|right|Don't tell anyone what it is, it's a secret]]
The ghastly story of a sinister plan laid bare by the nimble discovery of a dreaded corpse in an empty match-box (obviously not [[Match#The safety match|safety matches]]). It tells of a man's desperate hunt to clear his name of a fearful stigma (his name is Bert Stigma). It also reveals the true truth behind the last of the great chained escritoires in [[Piccadilly Circus]] and the fiendish contents it contained. This and other foetid secrets will be revealed for the first time as [[Neddie Seagoon]]'s zealous hunt for the escritoire and its [[Wikt:noisome|noisome]] kidnappers ranges from a deserted Chinese coffin refinery in [[Hither Green|Hither Green]] to the arid steam laundries of [[Malaysia|Malay]] (exit Mr Crun hotly pursued by [[Sax Rohmer]] in an experimental cardboard [[Sweater|pullover]]).


[[Secretary desk|Escritoire]]: A bureau modified with [[Wikt:tiroir#Noun|tiroir]]s and [[Pigeon-hole messagebox|pigeon-holes]] (Fred Oxford's Dictionary).


==Music==
==Music==
*The BBC Radio Orchestra was conducted by [[Wally Stott]]
*The BBC Radio Orchestra was conducted by [[Wally Stott]]
*[[Max Geldray]] plays ''[[w:Someone to Watch Over Me (song)|Someone to Watch Over Me]]'' {{small|([[w:George Gershwin|George Gershwin]] & [[w:Ira Gershwin|Ira Gershwin]])}}
*[[Max Geldray]] plays ''[[Someone to Watch Over Me (song)|Someone to Watch Over Me]]'' {{small|([[George Gershwin]] & [[Ira Gershwin]])}}
*[[Ray Ellington|The Ray Ellington Quartet]] plays ''Play It, Boy'' {{small|([[w:Matt Dubey|Matt Dubey]] / [[w:Harold Karr|Harold Karr]])}}
*[[Ray Ellington|The Ray Ellington Quartet]] plays ''Play It, Boy'' {{small|(Matt Dubey / Harold Karr)}}


==Technical==
==Technical==
Originally recorded on [[The Goon Show recording numbers#TLO|TLO 87028]] (15 ips ¼" tape recorded at [[w:Broadcasting House|Broadcasting House]]).<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=[[The Goon Show Compendiums#Vol3|The Goon Show Compendium Vol 3]] |first=Ted |last=Kendall | author-link=Ted Kendall |date=2009 |page=12|type=Booklet 2 |publisher=BBC Worldwide|ISBN=978-1-4084-1044-8}}</ref>
Originally recorded on [[The Goon Show recording numbers#TLO|TLO 87028]] (15 ips ¼" tape recorded at [[Broadcasting House]]).
 
However the original tape no longer exists, and the [[BBC Transcription Services|TS]] master tape was destroyed in the 1960s so the version of the show found on the [[The Goon Show Compendiums#Vol3|Compendium Vol 3]] collection was compiled from the [[The Goon Show recording numbers#TGS|TGS]] [[Original Issues - The Goon Show#98|98]] disc and a domestic recording.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=[[The Goon Show Compendiums#Vol3|The Goon Show Compendium Vol 3]] |first=Ted |last=Kendall | author-link=Ted Kendall |date=2009 |page=12|type=Booklet 2 |publisher=BBC Worldwide|ISBN=978-1-4084-1044-8}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret Escritoire, The}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret Escritoire, The}}
[[Category:The Goon Show episodes]]
[[Category:The Goon Show episodes]]
[[Category:Empty Goon Show episodes]]
[[Category:Ted Kendall restored Goon Show episodes]]
[[Category:Ted Kendall restored Goon Show episodes]]
[[Category:Goon Shows produced by Peter Eton]]
[[Category:Goon Shows produced by Peter Eton]]
[[Category:Goon Shows co-written by Eric Sykes]]
[[Category:Goon Shows co-written by Eric Sykes]]
[[Category:Goon Shows announced by Wallace Greenslade]]

Latest revision as of 16:32, 27 February 2023

"The Secret Escritoire"
The Goon Show episode
Episode: no.Series: 6
Episode: 2
Written by
AnnouncerWallace Greenslade
Produced byPeter Eton
Music
Recording
Number
TLO 87028
First broadcast27 September 1955 (1955-09-27)
Running time30:15
Episode Order
← Previous
"The Man Who Won the War"
Next →
"The Lost Emperor"
The Goon Show series 6
List of episodes

The Secret Escritoire is an episode from The Goon Show. It is the second show in the fifth series. The show was recorded at 9pm on Sunday 25 September 1955. The recording took place at the Camden Theatre, Camden Town, London.

The first British public broadcast was on the Home Service on Tuesday 27 September 1955 at 8.30pm. It reached a peak listenership of 3.8m.

The show's first repeat was the following Saturday at 7.30pm, 1 October 1955, on the Light Programme. It was listened to by 1.9 million.

Synopsis

Don't tell anyone what it is, it's a secret

The ghastly story of a sinister plan laid bare by the nimble discovery of a dreaded corpse in an empty match-box (obviously not safety matches). It tells of a man's desperate hunt to clear his name of a fearful stigma (his name is Bert Stigma). It also reveals the true truth behind the last of the great chained escritoires in Piccadilly Circus and the fiendish contents it contained. This and other foetid secrets will be revealed for the first time as Neddie Seagoon's zealous hunt for the escritoire and its noisome kidnappers ranges from a deserted Chinese coffin refinery in Hither Green to the arid steam laundries of Malay (exit Mr Crun hotly pursued by Sax Rohmer in an experimental cardboard pullover).

Escritoire: A bureau modified with tiroirs and pigeon-holes (Fred Oxford's Dictionary).

Music

Technical

Originally recorded on TLO 87028 (15 ips ¼" tape recorded at Broadcasting House).

However the original tape no longer exists, and the TS master tape was destroyed in the 1960s so the version of the show found on the Compendium Vol 3 collection was compiled from the TGS 98 disc and a domestic recording.[1]

References

  1. ^ Kendall, Ted (2009). The Goon Show Compendium Vol 3 (Booklet 2). BBC Worldwide. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-4084-1044-8.