Introduced as ‘The Lost Colony’, this is another episode of The Goon Show which sees Neddie Seagoon being duped by Grytpype-Thynne and Moriarty. In this case, they convince him that he is a Native American who rightfully owns New York – his ancestors having sold the land to Dutch settlers in the 1620s for a piece of brown string, eleven pence in notes, a Mickey Mouse watch, remains of a small boiled chicken and a life-sized statue of Sabrina. Seagoon paddles to America in a zinc bath tub and through a dubious transaction secures a Native American birth certificate. He tries to sue the US government, claiming New York belongs to him, but ends up in jail. Once free and bent on revenge he attempts to blow the city sky-high – but at what cost? Joining Tyler this week is writer & producer Tom Salinsky, whose new podcast – All British Comedy Explained – is an exercise in introducing British comedy to his American friend, comedian Abigoliah Schamaun. Abigoliah has lived in the UK for many years but her knowledge of British comedy history is limited so Tom is trying to put that right. At the time of recording they have covered Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Young Ones and Not Only But Also – all three of them game-changers – and coming up they will be examining The Goon Show, so Tyler figured it was a neat idea to get Tom onto discuss an episode which rarely gets talked about. The Sale Of Manhattan was broadcast almost exactly seventy years ago and while it contains some questionable stereotypes there is plenty to enjoy and it was a great opportunity to gain Tom’s perspective on the series. All British Comedy Explained can be found HERE: https://shows.acast.com/all-british-comedy-explained
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1:14:48
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1:14:48
Heroes Of Comedy (Channel 4)
From 1995 to 2002 Heroes Of Comedy on Channel 4 showcased and celebrated some of the finest comic talents Britain has ever produced and this week, with returning guest Chris Diamond, we're taking a look at the series with particular emphasis on three editions: The Goons, Terry-Thomas & Tommy Cooper. It's a sprawling and highly entertaining chat which covers lot of ground including:Max Wall - Spike in Peter Sellers' car boot - Denis Healey as Bloodnok - kicking Bob Todd up the arse - Tommy Cooper's death on stage - Vault of Horror - Dick Lester - The Obituary Show - WHY Nigel Havers? - The Mouse That Roared TV pilot - Tarby's TT theft - Harry's hoary stories - airing dead comics' dirty laundry in public - Richard Briers - Jack Benny - Fierce Creatures - Frank Muir's TV Heaven - the decline of Terry-Thomas - Julia Breck - Victor Lewis-Smith - Liberace with TT & Richard Wattis - Danny Baker & Tommy Cooper - Clive James - Telly Addicts - Ruxton Hayward - Max Miller's creepy animatronic doll - Hannibal Lecter does Terry Cooper - Michael Bentine: clever or funny? - Spike hates the BBC - YouTube has spoiled us - Fantabulosa! - producer John Fisher - Jonathan Miller - bored with The Last Goon Show of All - Terry Pratchett - Pat Dixon - The Naked Truth - "Hard Cheese!"
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1:25:56
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1:25:56
It's A Square World (LP, 1962)
"It is seldom enough that I can recommend any record - let alone an LP - without strict reservations of one kind or another. But here, for once, go in and buy the thing - with my blessing. If you have any feeling for the past, the present or the future, you won't regret it."- Pete Murray, 19th May 1962. This week we’re exploring one of George Martin’s most inventive pre-Beatles productions — Michael Bentine’s 1962 LP It’s A Square World. The record was an aural distillation of Bentine’s award-winning BBC television show of the same name, which was by this point into its third series. Across twelve sketches we’re exposed to dozens of characters (all performed by Bentine), surreal sound effects and the kind of sonic experimentation that would later define Martin’s production style. Even the silences between sketches are filled with mock commercials and absurd announcements – nothing is wasted, everything is packed, dense with invention… even if not all of it comes off! Joining Tyler is host of Producing The Beatles, Jason Kruppa, who talks about where Martin was in his career at the point of the LP’s release – ‘Time Beat’ had come out the month before and he was a month off meeting the Beatles - plus how he augmented Bentine’s ideas in the studio, ably assisted by engineer Stuart Eltham. There is plenty to like about It’s A Square World, such as ‘The Shrdlu’, ‘French For Beginners’ and ‘The Film Extra Of The Year Award’ (originally written for the Yes, It’s The Cathode Ray Show for Peter Sellers) and even those sketches that haven’t dated as well still have points of interest – even if Tyler missed the point of a couple of them first time round! Producing The Beatles can be found here: https://www.producingthebeatles.com/
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1:14:54
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1:14:54
The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)
"It's the only time Sellers had to duplicate himself, at least physically." - Roger Lewis on The Prisoner Of Zenda. This 1979 film is an adaptation of the classic Anthony Hope adventure yarn with a screenplay by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais. Peter Sellers plays both Rudolf V, the bumbling King of Ruritania, and his English look-alike, Sydney Frewin, who must impersonate the monarch after Rudolf is kidnapped by his villainous half-brother, Duke Michael (Jeremy Kemp). As Frewin struggles with royal duties and falls for Princess Flavia (Lynne Frederick) the hunt is on for the imprisoned King, with his trusted subordinates General Sapt (Lionel Jeffries) and Fritz (Simon Williams) anxious to restore order to Ruritania. The film suffers from a rather lacklustre screenplay containing a paucity of jokes yet somehow Sellers manages to wring comedy out of the lumpen script, particularly with his characterisation of Frewin. Tensions were high on the set and Sellers' increasing manic behaviour and demands impacted not just Jeffries and Williams but the film's director Richard Quine. Famously they had to repaint an entire train to accommodate Sellers' bizarre superstitions!Joining Tyler to discuss the film is writer & performer John Hewer, who also has some exciting news for Spike Milligan fans!
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1:28:21
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1:28:21
The Policy
"My dear sir, without doubt you have done for the art of singing what Columbus did for the steam engine."Grytpype-Thynne and Moriarty plan to escape dire poverty by taking out a £10,000 life insurance policy on Neddie Seagoon. They tell him he can collect the money the moment he’s deceased, and give him an instruction book. After a number of stupid attempts to bring this about - which puts him into contact with Willium, Bluebottle, Eccles and Bloodnok - Seagoon finally discovers the meaning of the word 'deceased' and goes into hiding at the Albert Memorial. The drama climaxes in a shootout with him in between Bloodnok's regiment and a loaded record. Yet another Goon Show concerned with the vagaries of insurance policies, this episode was likely penned largely by Larry Stephens and if so it shows. It's not a bad episode at all but if anything the script lacks a certain something - a bit of inimitable Milligan magic perhaps. Returning guest Andy Bell and Tyler discuss the 'filth' which runs through the show and also: The Indigestion Waltz; Kenneth Griffith; the Radio Times; Royal Command Performances; producer Roy Speer and baseless allegations; Jayne Mansfield-type walking; the Tiddleywinks Tournament; George Martin and ITV's packed schedule!
A podcast where we talk about classic comedy with particular focus on the work of Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe & Michael Bentine. You'll also hear us discuss the likes of Monty Python, Hancock, Blackadder, the Carry On films, Peter Cook, Steptoe & Son and countless other comedy figures & fixtures from the postwar era.
Please follow on Bluesky @goonpod.bsky.social and Twitter @goonshowpod
UK