The Radio Times never lies!
A couple of articles from the Radio Times today. Tomorrow we’ll be looking at the first episode of the fifth series – ‘The Whistling Spy...
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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.
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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This is where the story really starts...
We'll soon be embarking on the fifth series of the Goon Show. For the first four series there have been only a few surviving recordings,...
Video vault
A few more visual gems for your perusal. First up is a short clip (the only one I can find) from Michael Bentine's 1950s TV puppet show,...
Happy Holiday
It wasn’t all about the Goon Show for our intrepid heroes. Spike Milligan had a role in the Max Bygraves radio series Paradise Street,...
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...
Paradise Street and other distractions
Writing the Goon Show couldn’t pay the bills on its own, as Spike Milligan was often to lament. So what else could an emerging talent get...
More YouTube gems
For your viewing pleasure, An Evening With Spike Milligan. And as if that wasn't enough, here's a tribute to his regular co-writer, the...
Publicity stunt
If readers would kindly retune their calendars to 1957, then this evening on the BBC Light Programme at 9pm you will be able to hear a...
Recommended viewing: ‘I Told You I Was Ill’
Today’s my birthday, so I’m going to celebrate by recommending you all watch this lovely documentary about Spike Milligan, by his...
The Phantom Raspberry Blower
In 1971, Ronnie Barker starred in 1899: The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town. It was a short TV film written by Spike...
An index, of sorts
I’ve been trying to work out how to make this website searchable, for example by having an index page. However, I cannot for the life of...
I don't wish to know that!
We’ve just finished the fourth series and will soon embark on the fifth. As there are recordings for almost every episode from here on,...
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...
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...
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