The Goon Show series 9

'We// now, ladies and gentlemen, tonight at eight thirty sees the return of The Goon Show. There's not much I can tell you about the story of the first episode, except to say that a nude Welshman is holding a rice pudding in the middle of the Sahara Desert, and an atom bomb will be dropped on him. What will be the effect? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Anyhow, the story is called The Sahara Desert Statue, which doesn't mean a thing, for — after all — it's all in the mind, you know…'

Tension in the ranks

In April 1958, relationships between the BBC and two stars of The Goon Show were somewhat strained. In his live BBC TV show, The April 8th Show, Peter Sellers had significantly deviated from his script and his ad-libs had included barbs about Tom Sloan, the Acting Head of Television Light Entertainment; the subsequent dispute led to Peter announcing that he would no longer work with BBC Television. Meanwhile, Spike Milligan, who wrote most of the shows, had been nearing exhaustion from having to write new scripts for the 1957/58 series and adapt earlier editions to be re-recorded for Canada by BBC Transcription Services. When negotiating for another run of 26 episodes for The Goon Show, Spike outlined certain demands: he wanted former producer Peter Eton to return, more time preparing sound effects, fresh musical links, plus opportunities to bring in other actors and develop new characters. Spike was due to visit Australia over the summer, and proposed that the early scripts for the new autumn season could be written in his absence by colleagues from his agency, Associated London Scripts (ALS); he would then take over at the start of 1959. This was not what the BBC wanted and at the end of April the Corporation announced that they would not continue with The Goon Show. Spike's agent quickly informed the Corporation that Spike could write the scripts, and the BBC swiftly issued a revised statement that the series would continue.

On Sunday 4 May, Spike arrived in Melbourne aboard the RMS Arcadia to be mobbed by 400 university students who were Goon fans. Spike had been contracted for three months by ABC Radio to write and appear in The Idiot's Weekly and now launched a tirade against the broadcaster that had helped him to international fame, indicating that he might stop The Goon Show: 'The BBC doesn't tell me anything. I haven't even heard what my ratings are for two years. I could have been playing to a herd of kangaroos for all / know. I hate bureaucracy and I'd rather go out of work than stand for it. I'm experimental and the BBC is not. I want to improve the show but they do not.' He also complained about not being informed about the Duchess of Kent's visit to a Goon Show recording in December.

'A childish BBC'

Back in England, Peter announced: "I will never appear on BBC Television again… I can only work where I am happy. I cannot work where there is such a childish outlook." When asked by the Daily Mail what this meant for The Goon Show in the autumn, Peter explained, "I've no row with them. BBC TV and BBC radio are like two different firms. They won't even talk together." At the same time as his film Up the Creek opened to media acclaim, Peter was announced as starring in the West End in George Tabori's play Brouhaha from September.

On Thursday 8 May, producer Roy Speer - who had been in charge of the series in late 1957 - wrote to Pat Hillyard (Head of Light Entertainment (Sound)) to explain about Spike's outburst, indicating with regards the Duchess of Kent incident that the cast had been informed of the visit but that Spike had been "bloody-minded". He also explained that he only cut scripts to remove unsuitable references — such as Bombay's brothel quarter, Grant Road. In mid-May, negotiations for The Goon Show continued between ALS' Beryl Vertue and Jim Davidson, one of the two Assistant Heads of Light Entertainment (Sound), hoping that Spike could do four months of shows instead of six, with recording from November after his return from Australia. There was uncertainty about the show's producer; former producer Pat Dixon was now too ill, Roy Speer had been on sick leave since the New Year, and the hiring of Granada Television producer Peter Eton was flatly ruled out. Charles Chilton - who had recently deputised during Roy's illness - was a possibility.

A Brouhaha

Harry Secombe opened in Large as Life, his second London's Palladium revue, on Friday 23 May, appearing with his friend Eric Sykes; meanwhile, BBC TV wanted a regular vehicle for Harry but none attracted his agent, Jimmy Grafton. By late June, BBC radio planned a six week solo series for Peter, but his agent Dennis Selinger indicated that his client was engaged on film and television work; Peter rehearsed on Brouhaha from Monday 30 June, planning to open in Brighton at the end of July.

The BBC assessed The Goon Show situation on Friday 18 July. The hope was to record seventeen shows with an option on nine more. Recording would commence on 2 November and overlap with Harry's theatre commitments. The nine episode extension was dropped since Harry would be on holiday from the start of March and Peter was hoping that Brouhaha would transfer to New York. By now, John Browell - formerly a studio manager on the series from 1952 to 1955 and recently producer on Music for Sweethearts, Good Evening Each and The Show Band Show - had been appointed as producer and was informed by Jim Davidson that the new shows would run on the Home Service as before on Mondays at 8.30pm from the start of November 1958 with a Light Programme repeat at 9.31pm on Wednesdays.

The fear of low wages=

In Australia, Spike wrote to Jim Davidson on Wednesday 16 July, returning unsigned the proffered contract and insisting that he should be on parity with Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the writers of Hancock's Half Hour: 'I write the Goon Show alone, does this mean that less work is done on the script? Do I not work twice as hard, alone, and the strain twice as great, have not Galton and Simpson the pleasure of each other's help?' Spike gave the BBC a two week deadline for a better offer and threatened to extend his contract with the ABC. Harry's agent al$o requested a rise in salary, and Peter's followed suit. Variety Booking Manager Patrick Newman confirmed on Friday 25 July that Spike's script fee could be increased, and believed that Peter and Harry would accept only a nominal raise. The BBC's 'take it or leave it' offer was initially rejected, but by mid-August both Harry and Peter's agents acquiesced. However, to cut costs the BBC felt that only one musical act as opposed to two might be needed. With the series booked, six of the Vintage Goon recordings taped for the Canadian market were selected as a lead-in to the new series from mid-September.

Having dropped out of the comedy film Too Many Crooks, Peter Sellers opened as the Sultan in Brouhaha at the Aldwych on Wednesday 27 August. Peter's performance received rave reviews, but the play achieved a lukewarm reception. By September, he was shooting Carlton-Browne of the FO at Shepperton Studios. Harry meanwhile recorded an appearance in one of his old radio shows, Educating Archie, on Thursday 21 August for transmission on Sunday 28 September.

FX

On Wednesday 10 September, John Browell wrote from Room 317, Aeolian Hall to Spike - who was staying with his parents in Woy Woy — to say, 'This is by way of a re-introduction — you'll probably remember that I used to be the studio manager on the GOONS in Peter Eton's day. In fact, I have an inscribed cigarette case to prove it and now I'm to be your worthy producer for the next series.' The producer outlined the planned schedule for the Sunday recording of each show with rehearsals from 2pm, the orchestra joining at 5pm, a full run from 6pm to 7pm and then recording from 8pm to 8.45pm. He also assured, 'Your complaint about FX will be dealt with firmly. I shall have a FX session on Thursdays, which I shall personally supervise. I promise you they'll be ready for the word go on Sunday - or else!… I'm looking forward to being with you again and I hope we have a very successful run.'

Spike set sail from Australia aboard the SS Himalaya on Saturday 20 September and wrote to John the following day: 'Ta for the letter, times stated are ok by me. You mention that the FX will not be left to the last moment this session, GOOD!!!… Please let me know to what extent you have been 'put in the picture'? i.e. do you know all the gripes I gave J Davidson in my letter to him? If not you are in the dark and its [sic] no fault of mine. Let me know.' John responded on Tuesday 23 September — the letter reaching the SS Himalaya in Aden — and explained that he had had lengthy conferences to resolve Spike's issues and suggested a meet up when he reached London. Ominously, he added, 'While I hove been away they have settled a spot of brouhaha that blew up over Max Geldray.'

A Geldray brouhaha

On Wednesday 24 September, Jim Davidson confirmed to Patrick Newman that Max — the show's harmonica player — would not be required on the new shows; because Max had been with the show since 1951, Patrick telephoned him with the bad news as soon as possible… and the Dutch musician admitted that he had been expecting this decision. The same day, contracts for the other cast members were issued to cover the Sunday recordings at the Camden Theatre from 2 November to 22 February.

'I have just had a 'phone call from Agent, Dennis Selinger,' wrote Patrick to Jim on Thursday 25 September, 'He tells me that his client, Peter Sellers, has just heard about our decision not to engage Max Geldray for the coming Series, and Sellers says that he is not prepared to do the programme unless Geldray is in it. Selinger added that although, of course, he could only speak for his own client, he was under the impression that Harry Secombe would express exactly the same view as Sellers. What now?' The result was that Jim Davidson re-budgeted the show to reinstate Max, but was concerned that a new fee for the Ray Ellington Quartet — who from April to June had been appearing in their own show on Granada television — might in turn 'price them out of the show'. Max was contracted on Tuesday 7 October.

En route for London, Spike spoke to the News Chronicle on Wednesday I October, saying that Australia was 'the one place where I can get away from writing those wretched Goon Shows' and that he would return there next April. On Wednesday 8 October, a bronchial chill forced Peter to miss Brouhaha. On Tuesday 14, he recorded items for Roy Speer's Light Programme show Roundabout, then on Thursday 16 he fell into the orchestra pit, injuring his leg and taking him out of the show for two days. Back in England, Spike recorded an interview for Roundabout on Sunday 19 October and appeared on Tonight on Tuesday 21.

The passing of Pat

'Three men, of different proportions and dress, are scheming to create chaos among the millions of listeners to the Home Service between 8.30-9pm on Monday, November 3. And it is indicated that this pandemonium will continue for seventeen weeks,' announced the BBC Publicity bulletin Listeners -Beware! on Thursday 9 October, with John Browell quipping, 'I have little hair left so I can't lose much!' The same day, Pat Dixon — the producer who got the Goons on BBC radio — died from cancer at St George's Hospital, London at the age of only 54. Spike was deeply affected by Pat's death; on Monday 27 October he wrote to Pat Hillyard, suggesting a tribute programme with fees donated to the National Cancer Research Fund.

Meanwhile, the first recording on Sunday 2 November had to be scheduled around Harry Secombe's rehearsals for the Royal Variety Performance staged the next day. Sound effects were pre-recorded to disc from 3pm to 5pm on Wednesdays at Studio 2 of Aeolian Hall, in addition to special dubbing sessions at the Camden from 4pm on the Sunday. Peter started his first film in which he starred, The Mouse That Roared, at Shepperton Studios on Monday 27 October.

Adoring fans

The Radio Times promoted the new series with Gale Pedrick's article The Goons — as others see them which emphasised the wide appeal of the show, noting how the Duke of Edinburgh chose the Goons to form his Cambridge tiddlywinks team, that the Duchess of Kent attended recordings, and presenting comments from Tribune editor Michael Foot ('The fact that the Goons are so popular is one of my hopes for the British public!'), movie star Kenneth More ('I've been an honorary member of the Goon Club for nine years'), actor/director Bernard Miles ('Their humour is so different from my own ... pure and inspired lunacy'), Crazy Gang comedian Bud Flanagan ('I've followed the Goons ever since they started on the air'), President of Students' Union at the London School of Economics Alan Hale ('I find that students like the pace of these shows'), octogenarian stage actress Ada Reeve ('You can enjoy these young men at any age ... I admire them all') and 11 year old John Mitchell who starred in BBC TV's Jennings at School ('I think all schoolboys love the Goons because they're so funny'). The programme listing for the edition was accompanied by a photo of Spike seated at a desk from beneath which protruded impossibly long legs (possibly even somebody else's!).

The first show, The Sahara Desert Statue, was recorded on Sunday 2 November and contained references to Peter's obsession with cars, Brouhaha and Spike's return from Australia. The new scripts often opened with crosstalk rather than plot, with the narrative starting after Max Geldray's opening number; the first show's theme was inspired by the atomic tests undertaken by the British Atomic Commission in the Pacific Ocean. The show also referred to ATV's talent programme Carroll Levis Junior Discoveries which had been launched in March. To cement Max's involvement, Spike gave the harmonica player odd scripted lines, well aware that the Dutchman was unable to act…

Catchphrases and ad-libs

He also experimented with a new nonsense catchphrase in 'Toar — Te — Tie — Toe — Tueeeeeee'. The cast continued to ad-lib at length, and — during the musical numbers - drank milk laced with brandy with the unofficial approval of John Browell. The new shows dispensed with formal closing announcements from Wallace Greenslade and the playout continued to be Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead.

Harry appeared in items from Large as Life and sang Miserere from Verdi's Il trovatore (as released by Philips in August) at the Royal Variety Performance on Monday 3. During the day, The Goon Show was promoted on the Home Service by a special trailer and debuted that night as a replacement for Vintage Goons. Trims were made to the Light Programme repeats where the show ran at 9.30pm as a replacement for the Floggits sitcom; the word 'buttock' was omitted from the second transmission of The Sahara Desert Statue along with references to politician Lord Salisbury and actress Brigitte Bardot. The Home Service ratings were around one million, slightly down on those for the previous series, while the Light Programme repeats generally remained strong at up to three million.

On Thursday 6, the new edition of the Radio Times carried a pull-out supplement entitled Sound and Laughter which featured a large photograph of the Goons taken for the 1957 special edition The Reason Why and saw Pat Hillyard commenting, 'The Goon Show has made thousands of friends in the United States and Canada.'

A treble beats a double

During a more relaxed rehearsal for I Was Monty's Treble on Sunday 9, BBC Picture Publicity were present to get fresh cast photographs. The same day, Susan Cooper's piece Surrealists in Sound appeared in the Sunday Times; in this, she described the previous week's readthrough and noted the rumour that these seventeen programmes would be the last. I Was Monty's Treble spoofed the movie I Was Monty's Double which had opened in late October and was based on the autobiography of ME Clifton James, an actor who acted as a decoy for Field Marshal Montgomery during the war. This week the playout was Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades) (Old Comrades) as used on previous editions.

Following his earlier chart success with a Parlophone single in 1957, Peter's recording career continued with the company and he recorded an album of comedy sketches and songs. In early November, a single comprising the Irish send-up A Drop of the Hard Stuff and teenage pop satire I'm So Ashamed was released.

Con Mahoney, the other Assistant Head of Light Entertainment (Sound), informed John Browell on Wednesday 12 that the General Overseas Service would take the series from Christmas Eve. A letter from Spike appeared in the Points from the Post section of the Radio Times on Thursday 14 November: 'My return to England was made very sad on hearing of the passing of Pat Dixon. He was, without a doubt, the most adventurous producer that sound radio has produced. He had no truck with mediocrity and was himself no mean writer in the comic arena… Had there been no Pat Dixon there would have been no Goon Show. You have lost something in the world of entertainment.'

Because of non-availability of the Camden, The ₤1,000,000 Penny was recorded at the Paris Studios on Sunday 16, and in the audience was legendary silent film actor and producer Harold Lloyd. 'This is a most memorable moment for us, meeting one of the greatest laughter­makers of our time,' Peter told the Daily Express. Spike's script harked back to earlier editions with a short tale in the first part of the series before the main narrative, a spoof on Mark Twain's short story The Million Pound Bank Note, and from this show young Bluebottle would often appear with his fellow Finchley Wolf Cubs. The script made reference to senior BBC announcer John Snagge, actress Diana Dors, and movie star Kenneth More of the newly released film The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw. The show aired in the earlier slot of 7.30pm to allow for a production of Romeo and Juliet at 8pm. During November, Harry released a Philips EP Land of My Fathers which he had recorded with Wally Stott.

Bluebottle, a little tedious?

An Audience Research Report on The Sahara Desert Statue was issued on Friday 21 November, summarising the views of 463 listeners. 'The opening of another Goon Show series was greeted with delight by many listeners in the sample audience.' As always, it was noted a minority could not understand the humour: 'Among these, however, there was considerable disagreement as to the merits of The Sahara Desert Statue. The most common complaint was that some of the jokes were 'crude' and 'vulgar'.' A civil servant commented, 'A grave disappointment. The first occasion on which a Goon Show has hung on lavatorial or shady jokes for its laughs. This was most distasteful. The Goon Show has always delighted me and my family by being clean and quick. We were cheated of an enjoyable half hour by the loss of the cleanness.' It was also noted that several listeners felt the show was 'slipping', losing its inventiveness and in need of new characters. However, the majority felt it was 'exhilarating, stimulating and exhausting' with Eccles revealed as the listeners' favourite character while Bluebottle — although he had his fans - was 'becoming a little tedious'.

It was suggested to Spike that he could promote The Goon Show with special trailers, but his response on Friday 21 November was 'I have not the time — the wit — nor the inspiration to partake in 'Goon trailers'. Why not take snippings of the 200 odd Goon Shows we've done in the past, and/or play some of musical dubbing? PS: I'm a lot of bloody help.'

Please leave the adlibs

Peter recorded five more items for Roundabout on Sunday 23 November prior to rehearsals for The Pam's Paper Insurance Policy. This title referred to a women's publication on sale from 1924 to 1927, saw Harry referring to the craze of the Hula Hoop which had hit the UK in September, and also to operatic soprano Adele Leigh who had also been on the Royal Variety Performance (an ad-lib replacing a comment about Eric Sykes). From this show, the continuity announcements from the duty announcer regarding shows featuring Harry and Peter also included similar fake items for Spike such as his appearance at the Marylebone Labour Exchange (often omitted from the Light Programme repeats). As well as Old Comrades at the end of the show, another favourite playout, Crazy Rhythm, was resurrected. The next day, Spike wrote to John, 'If the show is on time could you avoid cutting most of all the adlibs, atmosphere and mistakes, because I find this is what gives the shows tremendous atmosphere. If you cut out everything that is extraneous just leaving the story you destroy a lot of this inconsequential atmosphere which is intended to remain in the show.'

The next recording, The Mountain Eaters, over-ran considerably. Harry developed a new, ancient character (latterly named Uncle Oscar) who appeared with the elderly Henry Crun and Minnie Bannister, and references were made to variety comedienne Hylda Baker and the BBC Light Programme rural serial The Archers. The closing music this week was a bugle version of the Boys' Brigade march, and Home Service continuity declined the scripted suggestion of 'Spike Milligan is appearing on a white horse in Coventry'.

After only six episodes by the start of December, Spike was struggling with the scripts and John Browell approached Spike's old writing partner, Larry Stephens, asking him to provide one script to help out; Larry agreed, and with Maurice Wiltshire wrote The Seagoon Memoirs. Meanwhile, although Peter won more accolades for the new movie Tom Thumb, he was bored with Brouhaha and on Tuesday 5 December announced he was leaving the show in February ... with the press picking up on friction between star and management. Parlophone released the LP The Best of Sellers and an associated EP which received positive comments while Harry's festive release was the single God Bless the Prince of Wales from Philips.

On Sunday 7 December, before recording The Childe Harolde Rewarde, Peter taped an interview for the North American Service's Calling Newfoundland. The Childe Harolde Rewarde was inspired by Lord Byron's poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and it had been hoped that John Snagge could record an opening announcement which was ultimately delivered by Peter. Bluebottle made reference to both the 1840 poem The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, cabaret star Sabrina was name-checked, and Harry's mention of actress Gladys Young replaced a scripted item about movie star Gladys Cooper.

Larry and Maurice and Montgomery

Large as Life closed at the Palladium on Saturday 13 December and the following day Harry joined the others to record both Larry and Maurice's The Seagoon Memoirs and also a message for South African listeners arranged by Derick Simond of BBC Transcription service. Inspired by the publication of the memoirs of Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery at the start of November, The Seagoon Memoirs made reference to Bobby Darin's Splish Splash hit from August 1958.

A taped interview with Spike featured on the Monday 15 edition of the Light Programmes' Kaleidoscope, and the repeat of The Seagoon Memoirs on the same channel was promoted in the Radio Times by a photograph of the crazy trio with a cup of tea and the legend "GOONS! (REPEAT) GOONS!" Another Spike script, Queen Anne's Rain, was recorded on Sunday 21 along with a special message to the British research teams in the Falkland Islands taped from 4pm to 4.15pm; this would be relayed via the General Overseas Service's Calling the Antarctic at Christmas.

On Tuesday 23, Harry opened in an eight week run of Large as Life at the Opera House in Manchester. However, one of Harry's contributions to The Goon Show came in for criticism in the New Year edition of the Radio Times when AM Mason of Chelsea's letter appeared in Points from the Post: 'The Goon Show is being spoilt by having too much laughing by the cast, especially Harry Secombe. I thought it was the listener who was supposed to laugh; not much chance of that with the cast ruining nearly every funny line.'

The Battle of Spion Kop (which occurred in South Africa during the Boer War in January 1900) was taped on Sunday 28. In addition to scripted references to Rex Harrison (then starring in My Fair Lady at Drury Lane), Peter ad-libbed comments about comedy actor Robert Morley who was appearing in Hook, Line and Sinker at the Piccadilly.

Drama critic Ian Rodger of The Listener turned his attention to The Goon Show in the first edition of 1959, commenting, 'Like the Foreign Office spokesman commenting on the first sputnik, I am afraid that the programme "is rather out of my sphere." The vintage Goon programmes earlier in the year show that the Goons now have, in contrast, no feet on the ground at all. They seem to be in free fall and their humour expanding into realms of intergalactic space. At one time, Mr Greenslade held the guy ropes of the balloon, but he too now seems to be in orbit. The programme is still great, but there are moments when it terrifies me.'

Harry returned to London for Sunday's taping of Ned's Atomic Dustbin with a bad cold, but soldiered on with another script inspired by the hydrogen bomb tests conducted up to September 1958. The show offered references to bandleader Billy Cotton and his long-running Light Programme show (Wakey Wakey) plus a newly created sound effect called 'Bloodnok's Stomach' conjured up by Dick Mills and Jimmy Burnett of the newly formed BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This time John Snagge was able to pre-record the special announcement in Spike's script.

Harry's laughter defended

At the start of 1959, Peter Sellers was announced as signing a five year contract to make films with the Boulting Brothers, starting at Shepperton with the trade union comedy I'm All Right Jack. In the Radio Times on Thursday 9 January, P Swain of Chesterfield responded to the criticism of the show a fortnight earlier: if your correspondent AM Mason could take part in the Goon Show without laughing at some of the lines, I would be most surprised — and how dull the show would be! Though if Mr Mason had grumbled about prolonged laughter from studio audiences I would be inclined to agree.'

An opera recording at the Camden on Sunday 11 January meant Who is 'Pink Oboe'? moved to an afternoon recording at the Paris. Shortly before rehearsals, John Browell was informed that Peter had lost his voice. 'I had a couple of hours to find four well-known actors to fill all the parts he left vacant. This was the period when, for convenience, he was partially resident in a hired ambulance,' the producer recalled in 1973. Valentine Dyall had appeared in previous editions of The Goon Show and took on the role of Grytpype Thynne in a bizarre rendition of the duet Miserere from Verdi's Il trovatore which became part of Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better from Annie Get Your Gun. Material with Bloodnok visiting the Windmill was cut, and the remainder of Bloodnok's material was rewritten for the similar military character of Colonel Chinstrip played by Jack Train who had originated in the wartime comedy ITMA and previously guested in one of the 1957 episodes, The Shifting Sands. A Henry Crun/Minnie Bannister sequence was rewritten for the Irish couple of Mr and Mrs O' Toole, the former played by Peter's old friend Graham Stark who had deputised for Spike in several Goon Shows during 1953; Graham also took on dialogue originally written for Bluebottle, although the bulk of this was deleted from the climax of the script. Kenneth Connor, who had worked on some of Spike and Peter's television shows joined the team to play Willium (with his own version of the "mate" voice) and his Sidney Mincing character from Ray's A Laugh. John Snagge also pre-recorded another announcement. Again, BBC continuity declined to use the scripted announcement 'Spike Milligan [is appearing] in A Birthday Suit at Pudsey Baths.'

'My personal thanks to you for all the trouble you took to make yesterday's show possible,' John wrote to Spike the next day, while also sending messages of thanks to Valentine, Jack, Graham and Kenneth, as well as thanking Peter Eton for releasing Graham from work on The Army Game at Granada.

However, Spike's doctors indicated that he was suffering from anxiety neurosis; it was unclear if he would be in a fit state to record The Call of the West (a spoof of the Western Gunsmoke featuring Marshall Matt Dillon which, as Gun Law, had aired on ITV since December 1955) on Sunday 18 and he certainly would not be able to write a script for the following week. John Browell made arrangements to have a reserve performer standing by for Sunday and also to see if Larry Stephens could furnish another script. On Thursday 15, Jim Davidson indicated that the Home Service wanted to extend The Goon Show by two weeks and ideally wanted a non-audience show like the 1958 special, The Reason Why, for the end of March which would cover the subject of a manned landing on the moon.

The Call of the West made reference to various Westerns, including the Walt Disney incarnation of Davy Crockett, immortalised by a chart-topping ballad in early 1956 and the show's rewritten ending (originally Grytpype and Moriarty let Chief Running Nose and his men slaughter everyone in the fort) now referred to the 1940s BBC radio show The Happidrome. At short notice, I Want to be Happy replaced Old Comrades as the closing signature tune on the show, followed by a jazz playout.

No extras for us

The show also saw Peter resurrecting the character of Colonel Slokom (originally Colonel Slocombe) who had appeared in the early days of the series in 1951/2 as the hero of the recurring item The Story of Colonel Slocombe. Spike was well enough to attend the recording and John Browell spoke to all three stars about the request for additional shows. It was soon clear this was impossible; Harry was unavailable from early March and the ailing Spike could not produce extra scripts to allow the double recordings.

A broadcast of Madame Butterfly displaced The Call of the West from its normal Monday slot to Tuesday night. But then on Wednesday 21 January, the American entertainment paper Variety – in a piece about Peter Sellers – described him as 'a prominent member of the radio and TV Goon Show, which is now to be disbanded after a lengthy run.' It seemed like The Goon Show was over… and a personal tragedy for the team that made the show would shock them all only a few days later…

Programme notes and cast biographies researched and written by Andrew Pixley