The Goon Show

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

20th April via The Guardian: Letters by Sellers and Milligan turn air blue

Genres: Sitcom, Sketch Show
Broadcast: 1951 - 1960
Channel: BBC Home Service
Episodes: 231 (10 series), plus 8 shorts and overseas specials
Creator: Spike Milligan
Starring: Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine
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

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.

More description

Production Details

Production company

Also known as

Crazy People (Series 1 title)
The Goons

Soundtrack

The composer for the show was Wally Stott. Additional music was provided by the Ray Ellington quartet, and Max Geldray.

Laugh track

Live audience

Broadcast details

First broadcast

Monday 28th May 1951 on BBC Home Service

Last new broadcast

Thursday 28th January 1960 on BBC Home Service

Upcoming repeats

Series 9 Episode 3: Thursday at 8:30am on Radio 4 Extra
Series 9 Episode 3: Thursday at 12:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
Series 9 Episode 3: Thursday at 7:30pm on Radio 4 Extra

Website links

BBC Comedy Guide
A guide to the series from the BBC.
The Goon Show Preservation Society - UK
The UK branch of the official society dedicated to the show.
The Goon Show Preservation Society - USA
The American version of the society.
The Goon Show Site
Another comprehensive website, including an archive of scripts from the show.
The Good Show Depository
Another passionate website about the show. Including the website's "Goonography"
The Goon Show Live
A live-on-stage recreation of The Goon Show which tours Australia.
Wikipedia