Archaelogist Spike
Grytpype: Listen to this nine o'clock type news. Greenslade: American archaeologists digging at Stonehenge have discovered the skeleton...
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The Seagoon Memoirs
Chronicling a 21st century idiot's obsession with a 1950s radio comedy masterpiece.
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time capsule
Welcome, dear reader - pull up a bollard.
On 28 May 1951, four young men took to the airwaves on the BBC's Home Service to launch their unique brand of comedy on an unsuspecting world.
In the mid-1990s, an even younger idiot was introduced to recordings of their broadcasts - and there began a strange obsession crossing decades and generations.
The Seagoon Memoirs is an attempt to channel this obsession into something creative, chronicle the show's history, development and legacy, and in some small way contribute to preserving this masterpiece of British radio comedy.
Listen to me waffle on about the Goons on the excellent Goon Pod here. Alternatively, listen to more interesting people on other episodes of Goon Pod, including Jane Milligan, Al Murray, Dirk Maggs, and the cast of 'Spike!', the new Milligan/Goon-themed play by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman.
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More Telegoons
The Telegoons was one of several attempts to bring the Goons’ humour to the television. The first episode, ‘The Ascent of Mount Everest’,...
Oh In Colour
For the first Goon Show episode of 1954 – and the 14th of the fourth series – the Goons went ‘Ten Thousand Fathoms Down in a Wardrobe’....
'A Show Called Fred' and 'Son of Fred'
On this day in 1956, Son of Fred was first broadcast on ITV (then known as Associated Rediffusion). It starred Peter Sellers and Spike...
Greenslade’s debut, and The Invasion Quartet
The Goons went ‘Through the Sound Barrier in an Airing Cupboard’ for episode six of the fourth series. They took with them for the very...
The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn
One of the few examples of the Goons in a live action movie is The Case of the Mukkinese Battle-Horn, starring Peter Sellers and Spike...
Recommended viewing, part… err… 4?
I’ve lost count of how many of these I’ve done already. Here are a few short clips featuring various Goons for your entertainment. First...
Let's Go Crazy
The Goons told the story of ‘The Building of the Suez Canal’ on 7 April 1953. Once again, page 24 of the Radio Times has the essential...
Don't Spare The Horses
Episode 15 of the third series was broadcast on 17 February 1953, and was titled ‘The Story of Civilisation’. It aired at 9:30pm on the...
I'm All Right Jack
The Goons conducted ‘A Survey of Britain’ as part of episode 11 of the third series, broadcast on 20 January 1953. As the listing on page...
The Telegoons (part 1)
On this day in 1964, the final episode of the second (and final) series of the Telegoons was broadcast on BBC One at 5pm. It was an...
Puckoon
Episode 24 of the second series of the Goon Show was piped into listeners’ ears on 8 July 1952. Page 22 of the Radio Times has the proof....
Recommended viewing: A Loose Canon
Episode 20 of the second series was the first to feature Angela Morley (then known as Wally Stott) conducting the orchestra, according to...
The Mouse That Roared
If you happen to be perusing the Radio Times for the week beginning 1 June 1952, on page 22 you’ll find the listing for episode 19 of the...
More recommended viewing
Episode 14 of the second series was broadcast on 29 April 1952 – find it in the Radio Times here. Incidentally, this is the FA Cup Final...
Recommended viewing, part one of many
Episode 10 of the second series was broadcast on 1 April 1952 at 9:45pm. The Radio Times listing is here. During my research I have...
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