The Golden-Voiced Goon
On this day in 1955, mayhem came to Morecambe... Harry Secombe headlined a show at Morecambe's Winter Gardens, billed as "The...
top of page
The Seagoon Memoirs
Chronicling a 21st century idiot's obsession with a 1950s radio comedy masterpiece.
Home: Welcome
A digital
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.
Home: Text
Search
My Wildest Dream
The same week as the third episode of the Goon Show’s sixth series aired (see ‘The Last Emperor’), producer Peter Eton roped in Harry...
Third Division debuts
The issue of the Radio Times published on this day in 1949 carried a preview of a new series of shows on the BBC's Third Programme. No...
What’s on the telly? Part five: Davy
In 1957, Harry Secombe was cast in his first lead film role in Davy. It told the story of a young entertainer who has to decide whether...
What's on the telly? Part three: The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins
Just over 50 years ago in November 1951, a star-studded comedy curio hit cinemas. The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins was directed by...
Secombe Here: The summer of '55
The fifth series of the Goon Show ended with ‘The End’, appropriately enough, broadcast on 22 March 1955. From there, our intrepid heroes...
What’s on the telly? Part one of a few
Greenslade: This is the BBC Home Service. Sellers: Aaaaaach! What's on the telly? Greenslade: You will find the answer to that question...
The Moon-Faced Goon
Readers of the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette – I must admit that my subscription has lapsed – were treated to this article...
We're just wild about Harry
A very happy birthday to Ned of Wales, aka Sir Harry Donald Secombe CBE, who would have been 100 years old today. There are many things...
Centenarian Seagoon
Yesterday's post was the 100th blog published to The Seagoon Memoirs. I don't really know whether to be proud or to worry for my own...
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...
The Singing Shaver
Episode six of the second series was broadcast on 4 March 1952 and can observed lying in wait on page 26 of that week’s issue of the...
Sir Harry Secombe
Today we look into the origin story of one Neddie Seagoon. Born in Swansea in 1921, Secombe wasn’t a natural performer at first. He...
Ned of Wales
The second episode of the second series of the Goon Show was broadcast on 29 January 1952 at 9:30pm on the BBC Home Service. Don't...
Pickwick
Turn to page 32 of the 24 August 1951 bumper edition of the Radio Times to spot the 14th episode of the first series lurking at 8pm on 30...
Thank you, Arnold Fringe
On this day in 1951, a large advert appeared on page 3 of The Stage. 'Arnold Fringe' was a pseudonym used occasionally by several of the...
Home: Blog2
bottom of page