Bibliography

Through the course of my research I have read more than a few books by and about the Goons, all of which I have listed here. I’ve arranged them by subject matter – books about the show, individuals, and a few broader ones that give context around radio comedy in the 1950s and scriptwriting. Links are being added to where you can buy them - as much as possible through channels that support local (UK) and independent bookshops.

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I have a plan to expand this in future to incorporate books I haven’t read but that still fit into these categories and might be of interest to fellow Goon fans. Any errors you spot or suggestions you have, please contact me.

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About the show

The Story of the Goons, by Alfred Draper. Published Severn House, 1977.

The Goons: The Story. Published Virgin Publishing, 1997.

The Goon Show Scripts. Published Sphere Books, 1972.

More Goon Show Scripts. Published Sphere Books, 1973.

The Goon Cartoons (illustrated by Peter Clarke). Published Michael Joseph, 1982.

The Lost Goon Shows. Published Robson Books, 1987.

The Book of the Goons. Published Robson Books, 1984.

The Goon Show Companion: A History and Goonography, by Roger Wilmut and Jimmy Grafton. Published Robson Books, 1976.

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Michael Bentine

The Reluctant Jester, by Michael Bentine. Published Corgi Books, 1993.

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Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan: The Biography, by Humphrey Carpenter. Published Hodder & Staughton, 2004.

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd, 1971.

Rommel? Gunner Who?, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd, 1974.

Monty: His Part in My Victory, by Spike Milligan. Published Penguin Books, 1976.

Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd/Penguin Books, 1978.

Where Have All The Bullets Gone?, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd/Penguin Books, 1985.

Goodbye Soldier, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd/Penguin Books, 1986.

Peace Work, by Spike Milligan. Published Michael Joseph Ltd/Penguin Books, 1991.

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Harry Secombe

Arias and Raspberries, by Sir Harry Secombe. Published Fontana, 1990.

Goon Abroad, by Sir Harry Secombe. Published Fontana, 1983.

Strawberries and Cheam, by Sir Harry Secombe. Published Pan Books, 1997.

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Peter Sellers

Bluebottle Goes To War: Peter Sellers & the RAF Gang Shows, by PJ Brownsword. Published Uniform, 2020.

Sellers on Sellers, by Michael Sellers and Gary Morecambe. Published André Deutsch, 2000.

P.S. I Love You: Peter Sellers 1925 - 1980, by Michael Sellers. Published Collins, 1981.

Peter Sellers: The Authorized Biography, by Alexander Walker. Published Conundrum/Macmillan, 1981.

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Other Goons

Goon With The Wind, by Max Geldray. Published Robson Books, 1989.

If I Don’t Write It, Nobody Else Will: An Autobiography, by Eric Sykes. Published Fourth Estate, 2005.

It's All In The Mind: The Life and Legacy of Larry Stephens, by Julie Warren. Published Unbound, 2020.

Growing Up With The Goons, by Andy Secombe. Published JR Books, 2010.

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Related books

Spike & Co, by Graham McCann. Published Hodder & Staughton, 2006.

Laughter In The Air, by Barry Took. Published Robson Books, 1976.

A Kentish Lad, by Frank Muir. Published Corgi Books, 1998.

Classic Radio Comedy, by Mat Coward. Published Pocket Essentials, 2003.