You can't get the wood, you know
The final episode of the fourth (and longest) Goon Show series was broadcast on 19 April 1954 – as proven by the Radio Times listing...
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The Seagoon Memoirs
Chronicling a 21st century idiot's obsession with a 1950s radio comedy masterpiece.
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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.
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The crime of the century
Secombe: Every day sees new progress in the march of crime. Narrator (Sellers): Every 24 hours averages 367 robberies, 824 assaults, 942...
Going out with a mountain?
Some Goon music today. October 1961 saw the release of Milligan Preserved, a collection of songs and sketches that included a version of...
Mountain climbing again, from the inside
‘The Saga of the Internal Mountain’ was broadcast on 29 March 1954 as episode 27 of the fourth series. The Radio Times listing is here....
Western Story
Episode 26 of the fourth series was ‘Western Story’, broadcast 22 March 1954. The Radio Times listing is on page 18. A recording of this...
The Silent Bugler
‘The Silent Bugler’ sounded his instrument (or rather, didn’t) on 15 March 1954 in episode 25 of the fourth series. The Radio Times...
Mustard and cress sandwiches
Episode 24 of series four, broadcast on 8 March 1954, told the tragic story of ‘The Collapse of the British Railway Sandwich System’....
Goon mountaineering, pt. 94
‘The Greatest Mountain in the World’ was broadcast on 1 March 1954 as episode 23 of the fourth series. It is listed in the Radio Times...
Ink-apable, and other jokes
The Goons recounted the story of ‘The Great Ink Drought of 1902’ in episode 22 of the fourth series. Broadcast on 22 February 1954 at...
A French Greenslade and a disappearing library
Inspector Albert Secombe investigated ‘The Case of the Vanishing Room’ for the 21st episode of the fourth series of the Goon Show. The...
The Toothpaste Expedition
Episode 20 of the fourth series was broadcast on 12 February 1954. ‘The Toothpaste Expedition’ was a reworking of a sketch from the fifth...
The Kippered Herring Gang
Back to our regular schedule today. We’ve made it to episode 19 of the fourth series: ‘The Kippered Herring Gang’, broadcast on 5...
The History of Communications
Episode 18 of series four told ‘The History of Communications’. Broadcast on 29 January 1954, the script was a mashup of two previous...
The Mummified Priest
‘The Mummified Priest’ was episode 17 of the fourth series. It was originally broadcast on 22 January 1954, and is listed in the Radio...
Dr Jekyll & Mr Crun
Episode 16 of the fourth series tells the story of ‘Dr Jekyll & Mr Crun’ – a delightful concept, and a shame no recording exists. It was...
The Missing Prime Minister
Episode 15 of the fourth series told the story of ‘The Missing Prime Minister’. Insert your own Boris Johnson jokes here. The episode was...
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’....
Return of Bentine
‘The Giant Bombardon’ was the subject of episode 13 of series four, broadcast on Boxing Day 1953 at the much earlier time of 4:30pm, as...
The British Way
Episode 12 of the fourth series is, like many episodes of this series, lost to history. It is preserved only in this Radio Times listing...
'Haydn's been dead for years'
Episode 11 of the fourth series saw the Goons taking on ‘The Spanish Armada’. It was broadcast on 11 December 1953 at 9:30pm, as per page...
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