Happy birthday, Bernard Miles
Today marks the 114th birthday of theatre impresario and actor Bernard Miles. Lord Miles – he was made a peer in 1979 – appeared in the...
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The Seagoon Memoirs
Chronicling a 21st century idiot's obsession with a 1950s radio comedy masterpiece.
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Welcome, dear reader - pull up a bollard.
UPDATE: JUNE 2024
I am in the process of transferring this blog to Substack. You'll find me at theseagoonmemoirs.substack.com, where you can read for free and sign up to receive new posts (twice a week) direct to your email.
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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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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...
Will the real Peter Sellers please stand up?
In an odd coincidence, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers share the same birthday – 8 September. Sir Harry turns 100 tomorrow so, a day...
The Tragedy at Oxley Towers
The 14th episode of the Goon Show’s third series – ‘The Tragedy of Oxley Towers’ – was broadcast on 10 February 1953. The listing is...
Women in the Goon Show
The first Goon Show of 1953 was episode nine of the third series, broadcast on 6 January. Titled ‘The Navy, Army and Air Force’, it is in...
Mrs Dale's Diary
The eighth episode of the third series – ‘Where Does Santa Claus Go In The Summer?’ – was broadcast on 30 December 1952. The Radio Times...
Happy birthday, Charlotte Mitchell
Today marks the actress and poet Charlotte Mitchell’s 95th birthday. She starred in two Goon Show episodes, throwing herself into the...
Two! Four! Six! Eight! Who do we appreciate? GREENSLADE!
Happy birthday to one of my favourite Goons, BBC announcer Wallace Greenslade. Don’t forget - you too can have a signed photograph of...
Valentine Dyall’s lost weekend
Episode 13 of the first series was broadcast on 23 August 1951. Find it on page 28 of this week’s Radio Times below a rather fetching...
Happy birthday, Kenneth Connor
Known predominantly for his roles in the Carry On… films and ‘Allo, ‘Allo, Kenneth Connor was a minor Goon, appearing in two episodes in...
'Ray Ellington's New Show'
Ahead of episode one on 28 May, The Stage flagged one of the musical acts in an article published on this day in 1951. Ray Ellington...
Queen Goon
Goon fans will know the main cast as consisting of Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, and Peter Sellers for the majority of the run of the...
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