The Man Who Never Was (s8e21)

"The Man Who Never Was"
The Goon Show episode
Episode: no.	Series: 8 Episode: 21
Written by	Spike Milligan Larry Stephens
Based on	The Man Who Never Was
Announcer	Wallace Greenslade
Produced by	Charles Chilton
Music	Orchestra: Wally Stott Geldray: Makin' Whoopee Ellington: Will You Still Be Mine?
Recording Number	TLO 49421
First broadcast	17 February 1958 (1958-02-17)
Running time	29:28

Show Notes

• It had been decided that no new script would be written for the next Home Service recording; instead, The Man Who Never Was script from 1956 would be given a quick revision and act as the basis for further improvisation that Sunday; on Thursday 13, a recovering Roy Speer indicated that ‘Spike Milligan is not well enough to write a show this week’.
• The Man Who Never Was was heavily ad-libbed with unscripted appearances from Spriggs, Lalkaka and Banajee as well as the changing of various dubious names; ‘Colonel Minge’ became Colonel Gore while ‘Hugh Jampton’ was renamed Frank Furter.
• The recording was attended by the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra; the princess had attended a previous taping back in December 1957, and this time Spike was better prepared to receive the royal party. ‘I told the Princess I liked her new hair-do a lot better than her last one. She laughed,’ Spike told the Daily Express next day. On Thursday 20, Head of Light Entertainment Pat Hillyard informed the production team, ‘This is just to let you know that Mr Phillip Hay, Secretary to the Duchess of Kent, has ‘phoned me on behalf of the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra to say how much they enjoyed their visit to The Goon Show on Sunday night, and being able to meet some of the cast afterwards. Would you kindly convey this to all concerned.’