British Comedy Guide
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 6, Episode 19 repeated Tuesday at 7:30am on Radio 4 Extra

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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 titled 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 6, Episode 19: Tuesday at 7:30am on Radio 4 Extra
  2. Series 6, Episode 19: Tuesday at 12:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
  3. Series 6, Episode 19: Tuesday at 6:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
  4. Series 6, Episode 19: Wednesday at 2:30am on Radio 4 Extra
  5. Series 6, Episode 20: Tuesday 19th November at 7:30am on Radio 4 Extra
  6. Series 6, Episode 20: Tuesday 19th November at 12:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
  7. Series 6, Episode 20: Tuesday 19th November at 6:30pm on Radio 4 Extra
  8. Series 6, Episode 20: Wednesday 20th November at 2:30am on Radio 4 Extra
Most recent repeats
  • Wednesday 6th November 2024 at 2:30am on Radio 4 Extra - Series 6, Episode 18
  • Tuesday 5th November 2024 at 6:30pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 6, Episode 18
  • Tuesday 5th November 2024 at 12:30pm on Radio 4 Extra - Series 6, Episode 18

Recording details

  • The Camden Theatre

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