The Goon Show. Image shows from L to R: Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe. Copyright: BBC
The Goon Show

The Goon Show

  • Radio sitcom / sketch show
  • BBC Home Service
  • 1951 - 1960
  • 231 episodes (10 series)

Highly surreal radio adventures that helped take British comedy into a new age. Starring Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. Also features Michael Bentine.

  • Series 5, Episode 3 repeated Wednesday at 8am on Radio 4 Extra
The Goon Show. Image shows from L to R: Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe. Copyright: BBC

Key details

Genres
Sitcom, Sketch Show
Broadcast
1951 - 1960
Channel
BBC Home Service
Episodes
231 (10 series), plus 18 shorts and overseas specials
Creator
Spike Milligan
Stars
Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, Max Geldray and Ray Ellington
Writers
Spike Milligan, Larry Stephens and Eric Sykes
Producers
Dennis Main Wilson, Peter Eton, Pat Dixon, Charles Chilton, Roy Speer, Tom Ronald and John Browell
Company

The Goon Show, originally under the title of Crazy People focused on the bizarre experiments of Prof Osric Pureheart, played by Michael Bentine working alongside Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe.

After two series, Bentine left the show. As a result, a new title character was created - Neddie Seagoon. Episodes tended to involve Neddie trying to achieve some kind of greatness, often with the help of the idiotic but happy Eccles and the young Bluebottle. However, always willing to stop them and make as much money as possible were the impoverished Hercules Grytpype-Thynne and his French assistant Count Jim Moriarty. Also featuring alongside were the disgraced and flatulent Major Dennis Bloodnok, and elderly couple Henry Crun and Minnie Bannister.

Catch-up

Additional details

Also known as
  • The Goons
  • Crazy People (Series 1 title)
Production
Studio
Soundtrack
The composer for the show was Angela Morley. Additional music was provided by the Ray Ellington quartet, and Max Geldray.

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 28th May 1951 at 6:45pm on BBC Home Service
Next repeats
  1. Series 5, Episode 3: Wednesday at 8am on Radio 4 Extra
  2. Series 5, Episode 3: Wednesday at 1pm on Radio 4 Extra
  3. Series 5, Episode 3: Wednesday at 6pm on Radio 4 Extra
  4. Series 5, Episode 3: Thursday at 3am on Radio 4 Extra
  5. Series 5, Episode 4: Tuesday 26th March at 8am on Radio 4 Extra
  6. Series 5, Episode 4: Tuesday 26th March at 1pm on Radio 4 Extra
  7. Series 5, Episode 4: Tuesday 26th March at 6pm on Radio 4 Extra
  8. Series 5, Episode 4: Wednesday 27th March at 3am on Radio 4 Extra
Most recent repeats
  • Wednesday 13th March 2024 at 3:00am on Radio 4 Extra - Series 5, Episode 2
  • Tuesday 12th March 2024 at 6:00pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 5, Episode 2
  • Tuesday 12th March 2024 at 1:00pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 5, Episode 2

Recording details

  • The Camden Theatre

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