List of The Goon Show episodes
The following is a List of The Goon Show episodes. The Goon Show was a popular and influential British radio comedy series, originally produced by the BBC from 1951 to 1960 and broadcast on the BBC Home Service.
Availability of The Goon Show episodes
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Lost episodes
Many of the earliest radio episodes no longer exist. When the first episodes were broadcast, recording technology was still expensive and primitive by later standards. Audio tape was not in general use, and any recordings were made directly on to acetate discs. These could be played back, but tended to wear out quickly and did not survive unless further processed to create a master disc, which was only done for recordings intended for sale. Only one episode from the fourth series was preserved in the BBC Sound Archive (as a tape dub from an acetate disc).
Other episodes from Series 2–4 have survived, sometimes in incomplete form, as off-air recordings of varying quality. Four episodes from Series 4 were released on CD as The Goon Show: Series Four, Part One (2010). A further seven episodes from Series 2–4 are included in The Goon Show Compendium Volume 13 (2017) along with the only surviving fragment of the Series 4 episode "The Giant Bombardon". Volume 14 (2018) includes all of the remaining Series 4 episodes, including those from the 2010 set.
The special episodes "Archie in Goonland" (1954) (a crossover with Educating Archie) and "The Missing Christmas Parcel – Post Early for Christmas" (1955) (a 15-minute insert in Children's Hour) are also believed lost.
Surviving episodes
Commencing with the start of the fifth series (in 1954), BBC Transcription Services began making copies for overseas sales, and even commissioned re-recordings of some key fourth series episodes for the "Vintage Goons" series, which was mainly intended for overseas markets.
The BBC Transcription Services versions were then cut to remove topical and parochial material and anything that might be potentially offensive. Later, BBC Transcription Services releases had further cuts for timing purposes. For many years, these abridged versions were thought to be only surviving copies of many episodes, but in recent years[when?] restoration experts such as Ted Kendall have found and restored a considerable amount of missing material.
According to Kendall's sleeve notes to the Goon Show Compendium CD box sets, Transcription Services originally seem to have used the original broadcast tapes as the basis for their versions, making cuts as necessary. The cut material was often spliced onto the end of the reels in case it needed to be restored. When the "Vintage Goons" series began, episodes were recorded by TS at Maida Vale. Since these were performed on the same nights as Series 8 episodes, it made sense for Transcription Services to make their own simultaneous recordings at Maida Vale and it seems that this technique was also used on Series 9 and 10. These were then edited to match the broadcast versions before TS made its own cuts. However, it seems that in some cases the TS versions inadvertently preserve lines slated for deletion, meaning that longer cuts of these episodes can be reassembled.
To date, the BBC has released 30 CD sets of these re-mastered episodes (originally on audio cassette tapes), containing 120 shows, plus an additional CD set comprising The Last Goon Show of All and Goon Again. Another twelve shows had been previously issued by EMI, but for contractual reasons these were all heavily cut to remove musical interludes and other music cues. Until 2015 these were the only commercially available versions of those particular episodes, but three of them are included without the cuts, in their original chronological order, on The Goon Show Compendium Volume 11, indicating that the rights to at least the earliest EMI releases had by then reverted to the BBC. It was later confirmed that Volume 12, released on 3 November 2016, would include all of the remaining "missing" episodes, plus The Last Goon Show of All and bonus features.[1]
The 25th CD set, as well as the first of a new series of Goon Show Compendiums (which contains the first 13 episodes of series 5), were released on 7 April 2008. The Compendiums' bonus material includes notes by Ted Kendall, audio researcher and restorer, on the sources used for the recordings, which include BBC Sound Archive and Transcription Services master tapes and discs, unofficial copies made by engineers or other BBC staff, and even domestic off-air recordings from which a few cut lines were restored.
Broadcasting
Episodes of The Goon Show are still occasionally repeated on BBC Radio 2 or Radio 4 in the United Kingdom. More recently the show has become a regular feature on the digital radio station BBC Radio 4 Extra, which features both new material and archives from several decades of BBC comedy and drama.
The ABC Radio National network in Australia has regularly broadcast The Goon Show since the 1960s. For many years, the series was broadcast every Saturday afternoon, just after the midday news bulletin. More recently, it was broadcast twice a week, on Friday mornings and Sunday afternoons. The network took the series off the air in January 2004, but following listener response to the cancellation, broadcasts of the show resumed in the Friday time slot in June. The ABC's broadcasts of the series have made The Goon Show one of the most repeated and longest-running of all radio programmes.[citation needed]
The programme has been broadcast in the United States. NBC broadcast The Goon Show as early as the mid-1950s.[2] Terry Gilliam of the Goon-influenced Monty Python comedy troupe recalled first hearing it broadcast on FM radio in New York City in the 1960s.[3] When Vermont Public Radio signed on the air in 1977 (as a single station which has since evolved into a statewide network), the first programme to air was an episode of The Goon Show.[4] The show was described as a "madcap radio comedy classic".[5]
Episodes
The following list of episodes of The Goon Show includes any "specials" and all episodes made for the BBC Transcription Service unaired domestically at the time (and therefore listed at the date of their recording).
Series overview
| Series | Number of episodes | First episode | Final episode | Date of season special(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | 28 May 1951 | 20 September 1951 | 16 December 1951 | [6] |
| 2 | 25 | 22 January 1952 | 15 July 1952 | [7] | |
| 3 | 25 | 11 November 1952 | 5 May 1953 | 3 June 1953 | [8] |
| 4 | 30 | 2 October 1953 | 19 April 1954 | 11 June 1954 31 August 1954 |
[9] |
| 5 | 26 | 28 September 1954 | 22 March 1955 | [10] | |
| 6 | 27 | 20 September 1955 | 3 April 1956 | 8 December 1955 29 August 1956 |
[11] |
| 7 | 25 | 4 October 1956 | 28 March 1957 | 22 August 1957[a] | [12] |
| 8 | 26 | 30 September 1957 | 24 March 1958 | [13] | |
| Vintage Goons | 14 | 6 October 1957 | 23 March 1958 | [14] | |
| 9 | 17 | 3 November 1958[b] | 23 February 1959 | [15] | |
| 10 | 6 | 24 December 1959 | 28 January 1960 | [15] |
One-off special shows
| Series | Number of shows | Date of broadcast | Date of broadcast | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-off specials | 2 | 5 October 1972 | 29 May 2001 | [16][17] |
| Code | Definition |
|---|---|
| SLO | 331⁄3 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at Broadcasting House |
| SBU | 331⁄3 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at Bush House |
| SOX | 331⁄3 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at 200 Oxford Street |
| TLO | 15 i.p.s. tape recorded at Broadcasting House |
| TBU | 15 i.p.s. tape recorded at Bush House |
| TNC | 15 i.p.s. tape recorded in Newcastle |
First series: Crazy People (1951)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, The Ray Ellington Quartet, The Stargazers, Max Geldray and the BBC Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all recorded on a Sunday; episodes 1–9 were broadcast on Mondays, 10–17 were broadcast on Thursdays.[18] No episodes are known to survive.
| Episode # | Title | Recording number | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Untitled | SLO 90268 | 28 May 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 2 | Untitled | SLO 90269 | 4 June 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 3 | Untitled | SLO 90452 | 11 June 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 4 | Untitled | SLO 90366 | 18 June 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 5 | Untitled | SLO 59949 | 25 June 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 6 | Untitled | SLO 91295 | 2 July 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 7 | Untitled | SLO 91565 | 9 July 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 8 | Untitled | SLO 92262 | 16 July 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Denys Drower replaced Andrew Timothy as announcer |
| 9 | Untitled | SLO 92468 | 23 July 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 10 | Untitled | SLO 92867 | 2 August 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Denys Drower replaced Andrew Timothy as announcer |
| 11 | Untitled | SOX 61088 | 9 August 1951 | Leslie Bridgmont | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 12 | Untitled | SLO 93368 | 16 August 1951 | Leslie Bridgmont | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 13 | Untitled | SOX 61088 | 23 August 1951 | Leslie Bridgmont | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 14 | Untitled | SLO 93400 | 30 August 1951 | Leslie Bridgmont | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 15 | Untitled | SBU 71149 | 6 September 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 16 | Untitled | SLO 94892 | 13 September 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 17 | Untitled | SLO 95143 | 20 September 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| Special | "Cinderella" | SLO 99928 | 26 December 1951 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Lizbeth Webb was Cinderella; Graham Stark was Prince Charming |
Second series (1952)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, The Ray Ellington Quartet, Max Geldray and the BBC Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black. The Stargazers were present for the first six shows only.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all recorded on a Sunday, except episodes 24 and 25; all episodes were broadcast on Tuesdays.[18] Only three episodes are known to survive as truncated, off-air recordings.
Third series (1952–53)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays, with the exception of episode 7, a Christmas special.[8] Only one excerpt and one full episode are known to survive.
| Episode # | Title | Recording number | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Fred of the Islands" | SLO 17297 | 11 November 1952 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 2 | "The Egg of the Great Auk" | SOX 82948 | 18 November 1952 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 3 | "I Was a Male Fan Dancer" | SLO 18332 | 25 November 1952 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 4 | "The Saga of HMS Aldgate" | SLO 18613 | 2 December 1952 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 5 | "The Expedition for Toothpaste" | SLO 18848 | 9 December 1952 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan |
| 6 | "The Archers" | SLO 19414 | 16 December 1952 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan |
| 7 | "Robin Hood" | SLO 19526 | 26 December 1952 | Peter Eton | Jimmy Grafton | Christmas pantomime: running time: 45 minutes Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery and Carole Carr |
| 8 | "Where Does Santa Claus Go in the Summer?" | SLO 19783 | 30 December 1952 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Ellis Powell |
| 9 | "The Navy, Army and Air Force" | SLO 20695 | 6 January 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery |
| 10 | "The British Way of Life" | SLO 20695 | 13 January 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark |
| 11 | "A Survey of Britain" | SLO 20948 | 20 January 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery |
| 12 | "Flint of the Flying Squad" | SLO 21647 | 27 January 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark |
| 13 | "Seaside Resorts in Winter" | SOX 86757 | 3 February 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery |
| 14 | "The Tragedy of Oxley Tower" | SLO 22493 | 10 February 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark and Valentine Dyall |
| 15 | "The Story of Civilization" | SLO 22860 | 17 February 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery |
| 16 | "The Search for the Bearded Vulture" | SLO 22973 | 24 February 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Recorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark. Excerpt released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13 |
| 17 | "The Mystery of the Monkey's Paw" | SLO 23540 | 3 March 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Milligan returned, with Dick Emery. Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13 |
| 18 | "The Mystery of the Cow on the Hill" | SLO24224 | 10 March 1953 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 19 | "Where Do Socks Come From?" | SLO 24432 | 17 March 1953 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 20 | "The Man Who Never Was" | SLO 24764 | 31 March 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 21 | "The Building of a Suez Canal" | SLO 25520 | 7 April 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 22 | "The De Goonlies" | SLO 25873 | 14 April 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 23 | "The Conquest of Space" | SLO 26517 | 21 April 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 24 | "The Ascent of Mount Everest" | SLO 26797 | 28 April 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| 25 | "The Story of the Plymouth Hoe Armada" | SLO 27952 | 5 May 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | |
| Special | "Coronation edition" | SLO 29390 | 3 June 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton | Running time: 40 minutes. Without Geldray; with Graham Stark |
Fourth series (1953–54)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcers: Andrew Timothy (Episodes 1–5) and Wallace Greenslade (Episodes 6–30, plus specials)
Episodes 1–20 were broadcast on Fridays; episodes 21–30 on Mondays.[19]
| Episode # | Title | Recording number | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Dreaded Piano Clubber" | TLO 35079 | 2 October 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 2 | "The Man Who Tried to Destroy London's Monuments" | TLO 35432 | 9 October 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13 |
| 3 | "The Ghastly Experiments of Dr. Hans Eidelburger" | TLO 35740 | 16 October 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13 |
| 4 | "The Building of Britain's First Atomic Cannon" | TLO 36235 | 23 October 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 5 | "The Gibraltar Story" | TLO 37145 | 30 October 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 6 | "Through the Sound Barrier in an Airing Cupboard" | TLO 37511 | 6 November 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 7 | "The First Albert Memorial to the Moon" | TLO 37898 | 13 November 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 8 | "The Missing Bureaucrat" | TLO 38482 | 20 November 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 9 | "Operation Bagpipes" | TLO 37891 | 27 November 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 10 | "The Flying Saucer Mystery" | TLO 39091 | 4 December 1953 | Peter Eton | Larry Stephens | |
| 11 | "The Spanish Armada" | TLO 39790 | 11 December 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 12 | "The British Way" | TLO40412 | 18 December 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| Special | Short insert in: "Christmas Crackers" | TLO 40660 | 25 December 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 13 | "The Giant Bombardon" | TLO 40660 | 26 December 1953 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with Michael Bentine. Excerpt released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13 |
| 14 | "Ten Thousand Fathoms Down in a Wardrobe" | TLO 40965 | 1 January 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 15 | "The Missing Prime Minister" | TLO 41242 | 8 January 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13 |
| 16 | "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Crun" | TLO41552 | 15 January 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 17 | "The Mummified Priest" | TLO 42416 | 22 January 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 18 | "The History of Communications" | TLO 42842 | 29 January 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 19 | "The Kippered Herring Gang" | TLO 48011 | 5 February 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 20 | "The Toothpaste Expedition" | TLO 49072 | 12 February 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 21 | "The Case of the Vanishing Room" | TLO 49191 | 15 February 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 22 | "The Great Ink Drought of 1902" | TLO 49628 | 22 February 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 23 | "The Greatest Mountain in the World" | TLO 50206 | 1 March 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 24 | "The Collapse of the British Railways Sandwich System" | TLO 50546 | 8 March 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 25 | "The Silent Bugler" | TLO 50871 | 15 March 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 26 | "Western Story" | TLO 51429 | 22 March 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 27 | "The Saga of the Internal Mountain" | TLO 51769 | 29 March 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 28 | "The Invisible Acrobat" | TLO 52346 | 5 April 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 29 | "The Great Bank of England Robbery" | TLO 52585 | 12 April 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
| 30 | "The Siege of Fort Knight" | TLO 52599 | 19 April 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| Special | "Archie in Goonland" | TLO 55169 | 11 June 1954 | Roy Speer | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | with Peter Brough and Archie Andrews, Hattie Jacques and the BBC Variety Orchestra |
| Special | "The Starlings" | TNC 408 | 31 August 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14 |
Fifth series (1954–55)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays.[10] All episodes from this and subsequent series survive.
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Whistling Spy Enigma" | 28 September 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | This script was later reused in a 1966 television episode of Secombe & Friends. |
| 2 | "The Lost Gold Mine (of Charlotte)" | 5 October 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 3 | "The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler (of Bexhill-on-Sea)" | 12 October 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 4 | "The Phantom Head Shaver (of Brighton)" | 19 October 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 5 | "The Affair of the Lone Banana" | 26 October 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 6 | "The Canal" | 2 November 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
| 7 | "Lurgi Strikes Britain" | 9 November 1954 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 8 | "The Mystery of the Marie [sic] Celeste (Solved!)" | 16 November 1954 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 9 | "The Last Tram (from Clapham)" | 23 November 1954 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 10 | "The Booted Gorilla (Found?)" | 30 November 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | Features Peter Sellers (as Dennis Bloodnok) singing Any Old Iron, a song Sellers recorded in 1957 as "Willium Mate", another voice he used in the series. |
| 11 | "The Spanish Suitcase" | 7 December 1954 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 12 | "Dishonoured (or The Fall of Neddie Seagoon)" | 14 December 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 13 | "Forog" | 21 December 1954 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 14 | "Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest" | 28 December 1954 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | A Christmas episode. Featuring Charlotte Mitchell. Several jokes appear to have been reused in the later Christmas episode 'Robin Hood' |
| 15 | "1985" | 4 January 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 16 | "The Case of the Missing Heir" | 11 January 1955 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 17 | "China Story" | 18 January 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 18 | "Under Two Floorboards" | 25 January 1955 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 19 | "The Missing Scroll" | 1 February 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 20 | "1985" | 8 February 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | Remade edition, with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
| 21 | "The Sinking of Westminster Pier" | 15 February 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 22 | "The Fireball of Milton Street" | 22 February 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 23 | "The Six Ingots of Leadenhall Street" | 1 March 1955 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 24 | "The Yehti" | 8 March 1955 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan | |
| 25 | "The White Box of Great Bardfield" | 15 March 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 26 | "The End (aka Confessions of a Secret Senna Pod Drinker)" | 22 March 1955 | Peter Eton | Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan |
Sixth series (1955–56)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays.[11]
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Man Who Won the War (aka Seagoon MCC)" | 20 September 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 2 | "The Secret Escritoire" | 27 September 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | |
| 3 | "The Lost Emperor" | 4 October 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 4 | "Napoleon's Piano" | 11 October 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 5 | "The Case of the Missing CD Plates" | 18 October 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 6 | "Rommel's Treasure" | 25 October 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 7 | "Foiled by President Fred" | 1 November 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 8 | "Shangri-La Again" | 8 November 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 9 | "The International Christmas Pudding" | 15 November 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 10 | "The Pevensey Bay Disaster" | (22 November 1955) | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | [c] |
| 11 | "The Sale of Manhattan (aka The Lost Colony)" | 29 November 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 12 | "The Terrible Revenge of Fred Fu-Manchu" | 6 December 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| Sp. | "The Missing Christmas Parcel – Post Early for Christmas" | 8 December 1955 | Peter Eton, John Lane | Eric Sykes | |
| 13 | "The Lost Year" | 13 December 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 14 | "The Greenslade Story" | 20 December 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge |
| 15 | "The Hastings Flyer – Robbed" | 27 December 1955 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 16 | "The Mighty Wurlitzer" | 3 January 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 17 | "The Raid of the International Christmas Pudding" | 10 January 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 18 | "Tales of Montmartre" | 17 January 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | with Charlotte Mitchell |
| 19 | "The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI" | 24 January 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 20 | "The House of Teeth" | 31 January 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
| 21 | "Tales of Old Dartmoor" | 7 February 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | |
| 22 | "The Choking Horror" | 14 February 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 23 | "The Great Tuscan Salami Scandal" | 21 February 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
| 24 | "The Treasure in the Lake" | 28 February 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan | |
| Sp. | "The Goons Hit Wales" | 1 March 1956 | Unknown | Spike Milligan | |
| 25 | "The Fear of Wages" | 6 March 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 26 | "Scradje" | 13 March 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
| 27 | "The Man Who Never Was" | 20 March 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 10 | "The Pevensey Bay Disaster" | 3 April 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | [d] |
| Sp. | "China Story" | 29 August 1956 | Dennis Main Wilson | Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes | Remake |
Seventh series (1956–57)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays, except episodes 10 and 13, which were on Wednesdays.[21]
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Nasty Affair at the Burami Oasis" | 4 October 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 2 | "Drums Along the Mersey" | 11 October 1956 | Peter Eton | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
| 3 | "The Great Nadger Plague" | 18 October 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 4 | "The MacReekie Rising of '74" | 25 October 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Recorded without Milligan, with George Chisholm |
| 5 | "The Spectre of Tintagel" | 1 November 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with Valentine Dyall |
| 6 | "The Sleeping Prince" | 14 February 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 7 | "The Great Bank Robbery" | 15 November 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 8 | "Personal Narrative" | 22 November 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 9 | "The Mystery of the Fake Neddie Seagoons" | 29 November 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| Sp. | "Robin Hood (and His Merry Men)" | rec. 2 December 1956 broadcast 25 December 1988[22] |
Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | A Christmas episode. Featuring Valentine Dyall and Dennis Price. Also features many repeat jokes from 1954's 'Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest', also a Christmas episode. |
| 10 | "What's My Line?" | 5 December 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 11 | "The Telephone" | 13 December 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 12 | "The Flea" | 20 December 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| Sp. | "Operation Christmas Duff" | 24 December 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 13 | "Six Charlies in Search of an Author" | 26 December 1956 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 14 | "Emperor of the Universe" | 3 January 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 15 | "Wings Over Dagenham" | 10 January 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with George Chisholm |
| 16 | "The Rent Collectors" | 17 January 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with Bernard Miles |
| 17 | "Shifting Sands" | 24 January 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with Jack Train |
| 18 | "The Moon Show" | 31 January 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 19 | "The Mysterious Punch-up-the-Conker" | 7 February 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 20 | "Round the World in Eighty Days" | 21 February 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 21 | "Insurance, the White Man's Burden" | 28 February 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 22 | "The Africa Ship Canal" | 7 March 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 23 | "Ill Met by Goonlight" | 14 March 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan | |
| 24 | "The Missing Boa Constrictor" | 21 March 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 25 | "The Histories of Pliny the Elder" | 28 March 1957 | Pat Dixon | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| Sp. | "The Reason Why" | 22 August 1957 | Jacques Brown | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
Eighth series (1957–58)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Mondays.[13]
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Spon" | 30 September 1957 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | Recorded without Secombe, with Dick Emery |
| 2 | "The Junk Affair" | 7 October 1957 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 3 | "The Burning Embassy" | 14 October 1957 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 4 | "The Great Regent's Park Swim" | 21 October 1957 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 5 | "The Treasure in the Tower" | 28 October 1957 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 6 | "The Space Age" | 4 November 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 7 | "The Red Fort" | 11 November 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 8 | "The Missing Battleship" | 18 November 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Geldray edited from broadcast[23] |
| 9 | "The Policy" | 25 November 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 10 | "King Solomon's Mines" | 2 December 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 11 | "The Stolen Postman" | 9 December 1957 | Roy Speer | Larry Stephens | |
| 12 | "The Great British Revolution" | 16 December 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Features Peter Sellers portraying Prime Minister Harold MacMillan in the style of Laurence Olivier as Richard III. |
| 13 | "The Plasticine Man" | 23 December 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Ellington edited from some broadcast versions[23] |
| 14 | "African Incident" | 30 December 1957 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | with Cécile Chevreau |
| 15 | "The Thing on the Mountain" | 6 January 1958 | Tom Ronald | Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire | |
| 16 | "The String Robberies" | 13 January 1958 | Tom Ronald | Spike Milligan | with George Chisholm |
| 17 | "The Moriarty Murder Mystery" | 20 January 1958 | Charles Chilton | Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire | |
| 18 | "The Curse of Frankenstein" | 27 January 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | Ellington edited from broadcast,[24] with George Chisholm |
| 19 | "The White Neddie Trade" | 3 February 1958 | Charles Chilton | Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire | |
| 20 | "Ten Snowballs that Shook the World" | 10 February 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 21 | "The Man Who Never Was" (remake) | 17 February 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | |
| 22 | "World War One (aka !)" | 24 February 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 23 | "The Spon Plague" | 3 March 1958 | Charles Chilton | John Antrobus, Spike Milligan | with George Chisholm |
| 24 | "Tiddlywinks" | 10 March 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge |
| 25 | "The Evils of Bushey Spon" | 17 March 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | with A. E. Matthews |
| 26 | "The Great Statue Debate" | 24 March 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan, John Antrobus |
Vintage Goons series (1957–58)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The following episodes were especially recorded for overseas stations only during the Eighth Series and were re-recordings of earlier episodes. Six of these episodes were broadcast prior to the commencement of the Ninth series, which is why the Ninth series was shorter. However, many of these episodes were not broadcast in the United Kingdom until the 1980s or 1990s. So for contextual purposes, the recording dates are listed alongside the original airdates in the United Kingdom.[14][25]
| Episode # | Title | Recording date | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Mummified Priest" | 6 October 1957 | 22 September 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 2 | "The Greatest Mountain in the World" | 20 October 1957 | 29 September 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 3 | "The Missing Number 10 Downing Street" | 3 November 1957 | N/A | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens | Never broadcast in the UK |
| 4 | "The Giant Bombardon" | 17 November 1957 | 6 October 1958 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
| 5 | "The Kippered Herring Gang" | 1 December 1957 | 9 April 1994 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan | |
| 6 | "The Vanishing Room" | 15 December 1957 | 13 October 1958 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan | |
| 7 | "The Ink Shortage" | 29 December 1957 | 8 December 2008 | Roy Speer | Spike Milligan | |
| 8 | "The Mustard and Cress Shortage" | 12 January 1958 | 17 September 1994 | Tom Ronald | Spike Milligan | |
| 9 | "The Internal Mountain" | 16 February 1958 | 28 December 1986 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 10 | "The Silent Bugler" | 23 February 1958 | 29 December 1986 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 11 | "The Great Bank of England Robbery" | 2 March 1958 | 20 October 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 12 | "The Dreaded Piano Clubber" | 23 March 1958 | 26 December 1986 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | [e] |
| 13 | "The Siege of Fort Night" | 16 March 1958 | 27 December 1986 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | |
| 14 | "The Albert Memorial" | 9 March 1958 | 27 October 1958 | Charles Chilton | Spike Milligan | [e] |
Ninth series (1958–59)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Mondays, except episode 12, which was on a Tuesday.[15]
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Sahara Desert Statue" | 3 November 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 2 | "I Was Monty's Treble" | 10 November 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 3 | "The £1,000,000 Penny" | 17 November 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 4 | "The Pam's Paper Insurance Policy" | 24 November 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 5 | "The Mountain Eaters" | 1 December 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 6 | "The Childe Harolde Rewarde" | 8 December 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 7 | "The Seagoon Memoirs" | 15 December 1958 | John Browell | Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire | |
| 8 | "Queen Anne's Rain" | 22 December 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 9 | "The Battle of Spion Kop" | 29 December 1958 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 10 | "Ned's Atomic Dustbin" | 5 January 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
| 11 | "Who Is Pink Oboe?" | 12 January 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | Recorded without Sellers, with Kenneth Connor, Valentine Dyall, Graham Stark, Jack Train and a pre-recorded John Snagge |
| 12 | "The Call of the West" | 20 January 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 13 | "Dishonoured – Again" | 26 January 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 14 | "The Scarlet Capsule" | 2 February 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with Andrew Timothy (pre-recorded) |
| 15 | "The Tay Bridge" | 9 February 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with George Chisholm |
| 16 | "The Gold Plate Robbery" | 16 February 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 17 | "The £50 Cure" | 23 February 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | Recorded without Secombe, with Kenneth Connor |
Tenth series (1959–60)
Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Thursdays.[15]
| Episode # | Title | Original airdate | Producer | Scriptwriter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A Christmas Carol" | 24 December 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 2 | "The Tale of Men's Shirts" | 31 December 1959 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 3 | "The Chinese Legs" | 7 January 1960 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
| 4 | "Robin's Post" | 14 January 1960 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | |
| 5 | "The Silver Doubloons" | 21 January 1960 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with Valentine Dyall |
| 6 | "The Last Smoking Seagoon" | 28 January 1960 | John Browell | Spike Milligan | with John Snagge (pre-recorded) |
Specials (1968–2001)
- "Tales of Men's Shirts" (8 August 1968; Thames Television)
- "The Last Goon Show of All" (5 October 1972)
- "Goon Again: the 50th Anniversary Cardboard Replica Goon Show" (29 May 2001)
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ A special was recorded on 2 December 1956 for broadcast on the BBC Transcription Services and was not heard in Britain. A second special was broadcast on 24 December 1956 on the BBC General Overseas Service only.[12]
- ^ Six episodes of Vintage Goons were broadcast 22 September 1958 – 27 October 1958, prior to the start of series nine.[14]
- ^ Recorded 20 November 1955; postponed because of train derailment at Milton; "China Story" repeated instead[20]
- ^ Postponed from 22 November 1955[20]
- ^ a b Different paperwork sources for episodes 12 and 14 of the Vintage Goons series are variously dated 9 March 1958 or 23 March 1958. The rehearsal material for "The Dreaded Piano Clubber" was recorded on the same day as Eighth series episode "The Great Statue Debate", which was 23 March 1958. However, along with "The Albert Memorial", it was issued out of chronological order.[25]
References
- ^ The Goon Show Compendium Volume 12: Ten episodes of the classic BBC radio comedy series plus bonus features Audio CD – Audiobook, CD, Unabridged. ASIN 1785294490.
- ^ "Under the Influence of the Goons". FIREZINE #4. Firesign Theatre. Winter 1997–1998. Retrieved 14 October 2006.
- ^ "The Goon Show Site – Tributes – Terry Gilliam". Pythonline Daily Llama. Retrieved 2 June 2006.
- ^ "Vermont Public Radio 25th Anniversary Site". Vermont Public Radio. 2002. Archived from the original on 4 October 2006. Retrieved 29 May 2006.
- ^ "Vermont Public Radio ::: 70s Timeline". Vermont Public Radio. 2002. Retrieved 3 June 2006. [dead link]
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 116.
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 117.
- ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 118.
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, pp. 120–122.
- ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 122.
- ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 124.
- ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, pp. 126–127.
- ^ a b Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 128.
- ^ a b c Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 130.
- ^ a b c d Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 132.
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 147.
- ^ "Secombe's son in Goon revival". BBC. London. 15 May 2001.
- ^ a b Farnes 1997, p. 189.
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 120.
- ^ a b Pixley, Andrew; Kendall, Ted (2009). The Goon Show Compendium Volume Three (Series 6 – Part 1) (CD). BBC Audiobooks. booklet 1, p. 9; booklet 2, pp. 8, 11, 14. ISBN 978-1-4084-1044-8.
- ^ Wilmut & Grafton 1981, p. 126.
- ^ "The Goon Show: Volume 34". Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ a b Pixley, Andrew; Kendall, Ted (2012). The Goon Show Compendium Volume Seven (Series 8 – Part 1) (CD). AudioGO Ltd. booklet 1, pp. 9, 11; booklet 2, p. 6. ISBN 978-1445-891330.
- ^ Pixley, Andrew; Kendall, Ted (2012). The Goon Show Compendium Volume Eight (Series 8 – Part 2) (CD). AudioGO Ltd. booklet 1, p. 4. ISBN 978-1445-825601.
- ^ a b Pixley, Andrew; Kendall, Ted (2014). The Goon Show Compendium Volume Nine (Vintage Goons) (CD). AudioGO Ltd. booklet 2, pp. 2–6, 9. ISBN 978-1471-331619.
Bibliography
- Farnes, Norma (6 November 1997). The Goons: The Story. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-679-7.
- Wilmut, Roger; Grafton, Jimmy (1981). The Goon Show Companion – A History and Goonography. London: Robson Books. ISBN 0-903895-64-1.