British Comedy Guide
Hancock's Half Hour. Image shows from L to R: Sidney James (Sid James), Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock (Tony Hancock), Bill Kerr (Bill Kerr)
Hancock's Half Hour

Hancock's Half Hour

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Light Programme
  • 1954 - 1959
  • 107 episodes (6 series)

Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock is a loser whose plans and aspirations are continually ruined by bad luck, Sidney Balmoral James or, more often than not, by his own pomposity and ambition. Stars Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Moira Lister, Kenneth Williams and more.

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Hancock's Half Hour. Image shows from L to R: Sidney James (Sid James), Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock (Tony Hancock), Bill Kerr (Bill Kerr)

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1954 - 1959
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Episodes
107 (6 series)
Stars
Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Moira Lister, Kenneth Williams, Andrée Melly, Hattie Jacques and Alan Simpson
Writers
Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
Producers
Dennis Main Wilson, Tom Ronald and Pat Dixon
Company

Anthony Aloysius St John 'Tony' Hancock is one of life's losers. Fortunately for Tony, he rarely seems to notice the fact.

Bumbling headlong into one disastrous caper after another, the not-so-great actor of the age is aided and abetted by his friend and lodger, Australian Bill Kerr; on-off love-interests Moira Lister and Andrée Melly; secretary Griselda Pugh; and friend, confident, con-man and spiv, Sidney Balmoral James.

Whether taking the role of a school master, visiting the ballet, competing in the Monte Carlo rally, entertaining troops, buying a new home, taking up boxing or inheriting a Scottish castle, Tony often finds himself outwitted and conned by Sid - and more often than not, ultimately brought down by his own pomposity, ambition and stupidity.

Additional details

Production
Studio

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Tuesday 2nd November 1954 at 9:30pm on BBC Light Programme
Most recent repeats
  • Thursday 5th December 2024 at 2:30am on Radio 4 Extra - Series 3, Episode 6
  • Wednesday 4th December 2024 at 6:30pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 3, Episode 6
  • Wednesday 4th December 2024 at 12:30pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 3, Episode 6

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