List of The Goon Show episodes explained

The following is a list of The Goon Show episodes. The Goon Show was a popular and influential British radio comedy series, originally produced by the BBC from 1951 to 1960 and broadcast on the BBC Home Service.

Availability of The Goon Show episodes

Lost episodes

Many of the earliest radio episodes no longer exist. When the first episodes were broadcast, recording technology was still expensive and primitive by later standards. Audio tape was not in general use, and any recordings were made directly on to acetate discs. These could be played back, but tended to wear out quickly and did not survive unless further processed to create a master disc, which was only done for recordings intended for sale. Only one episode from the fourth series was preserved in the BBC Sound Archive (as a tape dub from an acetate disc).

Other episodes from Series 2–4 have survived, sometimes in incomplete form, as off-air recordings of varying quality. Four episodes from Series 4 were released on CD as The Goon Show: Series Four, Part One (2010). A further seven episodes from Series 2–4 are included in The Goon Show Compendium Volume 13 (2017) along with the only surviving fragment of the Series 4 episode "The Giant Bombardon". Volume 14 (2018) includes all of the remaining Series 4 episodes, including those from the 2010 set.

The special episodes "Archie in Goonland" (1954) (a crossover with Educating Archie) and "The Missing Christmas Parcel – Post Early for Christmas" (1955) (a 15-minute insert in Children's Hour) are also believed lost.

Surviving episodes

Commencing with the start of the fifth series (in 1954), BBC Transcription Services began making copies for overseas sales, and even commissioned re-recordings of some key fourth series episodes for the "Vintage Goons" series, which was mainly intended for overseas markets.

The BBC Transcription Services versions were then cut to remove topical and parochial material and anything that might be potentially offensive. Later, BBC Transcription Services releases had further cuts for timing purposes. For many years, these abridged versions were thought to be only surviving copies of many episodes, but in recent years restoration experts such as Ted Kendall have found and restored a considerable amount of missing material.

According to Kendall's sleeve notes to the Goon Show Compendium CD box sets, Transcription Services originally seem to have used the original broadcast tapes as the basis for their versions, making cuts as necessary. The cut material was often spliced onto the end of the reels in case it needed to be restored. When the "Vintage Goons" series began, episodes were recorded by TS at Maida Vale. Since these were performed on the same nights as Series 8 episodes, it made sense for Transcription Services to make their own simultaneous recordings at Maida Vale and it seems that this technique was also used on Series 9 and 10. These were then edited to match the broadcast versions before TS made its own cuts. However, it seems that in some cases the TS versions inadvertently preserve lines slated for deletion, meaning that longer cuts of these episodes can be reassembled.

To date, the BBC has released 30 CD sets of these re-mastered episodes (originally on audio cassette tapes), containing 120 shows, plus an additional CD set comprising The Last Goon Show of All and Goon Again. Another twelve shows had been previously issued by EMI, but for contractual reasons these were all heavily cut to remove musical interludes and other music cues. Until 2015 these were the only commercially available versions of those particular episodes, but three of them are included without the cuts, in their original chronological order, on The Goon Show Compendium Volume 11, indicating that the rights to at least the earliest EMI releases had by then reverted to the BBC. It was later confirmed that Volume 12, released on 3 November 2016, would include all of the remaining "missing" episodes, plus The Last Goon Show of All and bonus features.[1]

The 25th CD set, as well as the first of a new series of Goon Show Compendiums (which contains the first 13 episodes of series 5), were released on 7 April 2008. The Compendiums' bonus material includes notes by Ted Kendall, audio researcher and restorer, on the sources used for the recordings, which include BBC Sound Archive and Transcription Services master tapes and discs, unofficial copies made by engineers or other BBC staff, and even domestic off-air recordings from which a few cut lines were restored.

Broadcasting

Archive episodes of The Goon Show are regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra; previously they were occasionally repeated on Radio 2 or Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.

The ABC Radio National network in Australia has regularly broadcast The Goon Show since the 1960s. For many years, the series was broadcast every Saturday afternoon, just after the midday news bulletin. More recently, it was broadcast twice a week, on Friday mornings and Sunday afternoons. The network took the series off the air in January 2004, but following listener response to the cancellation, broadcasts of the show resumed in the Friday time slot in June. The ABC's broadcasts of the series have made The Goon Show one of the most repeated and longest-running of all radio programmes.

The programme has been broadcast in the United States. NBC broadcast The Goon Show as early as the mid-1950s.[2] Terry Gilliam of the Goon-influenced Monty Python comedy troupe recalled first hearing it broadcast on FM radio in New York City in the 1960s.[3] When Vermont Public Radio signed on the air in 1977 (as a single station which has since evolved into a statewide network), the first programme to air was an episode of The Goon Show.[4] The show was described as a "madcap radio comedy classic".[5]

Episodes

The following list of episodes of The Goon Show includes any "specials" and all episodes made for the BBC Transcription Service unaired domestically at the time (and therefore listed at the date of their recording).

Series overview

SeriesNumber of episodesFirst episodeFinal episodeDate of season special(s)Ref
11728 May 195120 September 195116 December 1951
22522 January 195215 July 1952
32511 November 19525 May 19533 June 1953
4302 October 195319 April 195411 June 1954
31 August 1954
52628 September 195422 March 1955
62720 September 19553 April 19568 December 1955
29 August 1956
7254 October 195628 March 195722 August 1957
82630 September 195724 March 1958
Vintage Goons146 October 195723 March 1958
9173 November 195823 February 1959
10624 December 195928 January 1960

One-off special shows

BBC recording numbers
CodeDefinition
SLO33 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at Broadcasting House
SBU33 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at Bush House
SOX33 rpm coarse groove 16" disk recorded at 200 Oxford Street
TLO15 i.p.s. tape recorded at Broadcasting House
TBU15 i.p.s. tape recorded at Bush House
TNC15 i.p.s. tape recorded in Newcastle

First series: Crazy People (1951)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, The Ray Ellington Quartet, The Stargazers, Max Geldray and the BBC Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all recorded on a Sunday; episodes 1–9 were broadcast on Mondays, 10–17 were broadcast on Thursdays. No episodes are known to survive.

Episode #TitleRecording numberOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1UntitledSLO 9026828 May 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
2UntitledSLO 902694 June 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
3UntitledSLO 9045211 June 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
4UntitledSLO 9036618 June 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
5UntitledSLO 5994925 June 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
6UntitledSLO 912952 July 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
7UntitledSLO 915659 July 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
8UntitledSLO 9226216 July 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonDenys Drower replaced Andrew Timothy as announcer
9UntitledSLO 9246823 July 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
10UntitledSLO 928672 August 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonDenys Drower replaced Andrew Timothy as announcer
11UntitledSOX 610889 August 1951Leslie BridgmontSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
12UntitledSLO 9336816 August 1951Leslie BridgmontSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
13UntitledSOX 6108823 August 1951Leslie BridgmontSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
14UntitledSLO 9340030 August 1951Leslie BridgmontSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
15UntitledSBU 711496 September 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
16UntitledSLO 9489213 September 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
17UntitledSLO 9514320 September 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
Special"Cinderella"SLO 9992826 December 1951Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonLizbeth Webb was Cinderella; Graham Stark was Prince Charming

Second series (1952)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, The Ray Ellington Quartet, Max Geldray and the BBC Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black. The Stargazers were present for the first six shows only.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all recorded on a Sunday, except episodes 24 and 25; all episodes were broadcast on Tuesdays. Only three episodes are known to survive as truncated, off-air recordings.

Episode #TitleRecording numberOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1UntitledSLO 176822 January 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13
2UntitledSLO 214729 January 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
3UntitledSLO 25195 February 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13
4UntitledSLO 251919 February 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
5UntitledSLO 333426 February 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
6UntitledSLO 36274 March 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
7UntitledSLO 417911 March 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
8UntitledSLO 511218 March 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
9UntitledSLO 527725 March 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
10UntitledSLO 53801 April 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
11UntitledSLO 56848 April 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan
12UntitledSLO 630615 April 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
13UntitledSLO 673722 April 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
14UntitledSLO 695929 April 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
15UntitledSBU 835556 May 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
16UntitledSLO 776113 May 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
17UntitledSLO 820220 May 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
18UntitledSLO 817927 May 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
19UntitledSLO 93023 June 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonAlso included the BBC Revue Orchestra, conducted by Robert Busby
20UntitledSLO 930710 June 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonAlso included the BBC Revue Orchestra, conducted by Wally Stott
21UntitledSLO 963817 June 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Bentine
22UntitledSLO 995524 June 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
23UntitledSLO 104741 July 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
24UntitledSLO 113788 July 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
25UntitledSLO 1080815 July 1952Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13

Third series (1952–53)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Andrew Timothy
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays, with the exception of episode 7, a Christmas special. Only one excerpt and one full episode are known to survive.

Episode #TitleRecording numberOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"Fred of the Islands"SLO 1729711 November 1952Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
2SOX 8294818 November 1952Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
3"I Was a Male Fan Dancer"SLO 1833225 November 1952Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
4SLO 186132 December 1952Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
5SLO 188489 December 1952Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan
6SLO 1941416 December 1952Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan
7"Robin Hood"SLO 1952626 December 1952Peter EtonJimmy GraftonChristmas pantomime: running time: 45 minutes
Recorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery and Carole Carr
8"Where Does Santa Claus Go in the Summer?"SLO 1978330 December 1952Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Ellis Powell
9SLO 206956 January 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery
10SLO 2069513 January 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark
11SLO 2094820 January 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery
12"Flint of the Flying Squad"SLO 2164727 January 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark
13"Seaside Resorts in Winter"SOX 867573 February 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery
14SLO 2249310 February 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark and Valentine Dyall
15SLO 2286017 February 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Dick Emery
16SLO 2297324 February 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRecorded without Milligan, with Graham Stark. Excerpt released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13
17SLO 235403 March 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonMilligan returned, with Dick Emery. Released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol.13
18SLO2422410 March 1953Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
19"Where Do Socks Come From?"SLO 2443217 March 1953Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
20SLO 2476431 March 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
21SLO 255207 April 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
22SLO 2587314 April 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
23SLO 2651721 April 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
24SLO 2679728 April 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
25SLO 279525 May 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy Grafton
"Coronation edition"SLO 293903 June 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens, Jimmy GraftonRunning time: 40 minutes. Without Geldray; with Graham Stark

Fourth series (1953–54)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcers: Andrew Timothy (Episodes 1–5) and Wallace Greenslade (Episodes 6–30, plus specials)
Episodes 1–20 were broadcast on Fridays; episodes 21–30 on Mondays.

Episode #TitleRecording numberOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Dreaded Piano Clubber"TLO 350792 October 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
2TLO 354329 October 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13
3TLO 3574016 October 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13
4TLO 3623523 October 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
5TLO 3714530 October 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
6"Through the Sound Barrier in an Airing Cupboard"TLO 375116 November 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
7TLO 3789813 November 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
8TLO 3848220 November 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
9"Operation Bagpipes"TLO 3789127 November 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
10TLO 390914 December 1953Peter EtonLarry Stephens
11TLO 3979011 December 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
12TLO4041218 December 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
SpecialShort insert in: "Christmas Crackers"TLO 4066025 December 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
13TLO 4066026 December 1953Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith Michael Bentine. Excerpt released on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13
14"Ten Thousand Fathoms Down in a Wardrobe"TLO 409651 January 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
15TLO 412428 January 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 13
16"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Crun"TLO4155215 January 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
17TLO 4241622 January 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
18TLO 4284229 January 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
19TLO 480115 February 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
20TLO 4907212 February 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
21TLO 4919115 February 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
22TLO 4962822 February 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
23TLO 502061 March 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
24TLO 505468 March 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
25TLO 5087115 March 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
26"Western Story"TLO 5142922 March 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
27TLO 5176929 March 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
28TLO 523465 April 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
29TLO 5258512 April 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14
30TLO 5259919 April 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
Special"Archie in Goonland"TLO 5516911 June 1954Roy SpeerEric Sykes, Spike Milliganwith Peter Brough and Archie Andrews, Hattie Jacques and the BBC Variety Orchestra
SpecialTNC 40831 August 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganReleased on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 14

Fifth series (1954–55)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays. All episodes from this and subsequent series survive, though a handful do so only in the form of domestic off-air recordings.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Whistling Spy Enigma"28 September 1954Peter EtonSpike MilliganThis script was later reused in a 1966 television episode of Secombe & Friends.
2"The Lost Gold Mine (of Charlotte)"5 October 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
3"The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler (of Bexhill-on-Sea)"12 October 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
4"The Phantom Head Shaver (of Brighton)"19 October 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
5"The Affair of the Lone Banana"26 October 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan
6"The Canal"2 November 1954Peter EtonSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall
7"Lurgi Strikes Britain"9 November 1954Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
8"The Mystery of the Marie Celeste (Solved!)"16 November 1954Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
9"The Last Tram (from Clapham)"23 November 1954Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
10"The Booted Gorilla (Found?)"30 November 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric SykesFeatures Peter Sellers (as Dennis Bloodnok) singing Any Old Iron, a song Sellers recorded in 1957 as "Willium Mate", another voice he used in the series.
11"The Spanish Suitcase"7 December 1954Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
12"Dishonoured (or The Fall of Neddie Seagoon)"14 December 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
13"Forog"21 December 1954Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
14"Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest"28 December 1954Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric SykesA Christmas episode. Featuring Charlotte Mitchell. Several jokes appear to have been reused in the later Christmas episode 'Robin Hood'
15"1985"4 January 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
16"The Case of the Missing Heir"11 January 1955Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
17"China Story"18 January 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
18"Under Two Floorboards"25 January 1955Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
19"The Missing Scroll"1 February 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
20"1985"8 February 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric SykesRemade edition, with John Snagge (pre-recorded)
21"The Sinking of Westminster Pier"15 February 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
22"The Fireball of Milton Street"22 February 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
23"The Six Ingots of Leadenhall Street"1 March 1955Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
24"The Yehti"8 March 1955Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan
25"The White Box of Great Bardfield"15 March 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
26"The End (aka Confessions of a Secret Senna Pod Drinker)"22 March 1955Peter EtonEric Sykes, Spike Milligan

Sixth series (1955–56)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Man Who Won the War (aka Seagoon MCC)"20 September 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
2"The Secret Escritoire"27 September 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykes
3"The Lost Emperor"4 October 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
4"Napoleon's Piano"11 October 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
5"The Case of the Missing CD Plates"18 October 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
6"Rommel's Treasure"25 October 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
7"Foiled by President Fred"1 November 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
8"Shangri-La Again"8 November 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
9"The International Christmas Pudding"15 November 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
10"The Pevensey Bay Disaster"(22 November 1955)Peter EtonSpike Milligan
11"The Sale of Manhattan (aka The Lost Colony)"29 November 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
12"The Terrible Revenge of Fred Fu-Manchu"6 December 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
Sp."The Missing Christmas Parcel – Post Early for Christmas"8 December 1955Peter Eton, John LaneEric Sykes
13"The Lost Year"13 December 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
14"The Greenslade Story"20 December 1955Peter EtonSpike Milliganwith John Snagge
15"The Hastings Flyer – Robbed"27 December 1955Peter EtonSpike Milligan
16"The Mighty Wurlitzer"3 January 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan
17"The Raid of the International Christmas Pudding"10 January 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan
18"Tales of Montmartre"17 January 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Eric Sykeswith Charlotte Mitchell
19"The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI"24 January 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan
20"The House of Teeth"31 January 1956Peter EtonSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall
21"Tales of Old Dartmoor"7 February 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan
22"The Choking Horror"14 February 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
23"The Great Tuscan Salami Scandal"21 February 1956Pat DixonSpike Milliganwith John Snagge (pre-recorded)
24"The Treasure in the Lake"28 February 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan
Sp."The Goons Hit Wales"1 March 1956UnknownSpike Milligan
25"The Fear of Wages"6 March 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
26"Scradje"13 March 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith John Snagge (pre-recorded)
27"The Man Who Never Was"20 March 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
10"The Pevensey Bay Disaster"3 April 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan
Sp."China Story"29 August 1956Dennis Main WilsonSpike Milligan, Eric SykesRemake

Seventh series (1956–57)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Tuesdays, except episodes 10 and 13, which were on Wednesdays.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Nasty Affair at the Burami Oasis"4 October 1956Peter EtonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
2"Drums Along the Mersey"11 October 1956Peter EtonSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall
3"The Great Nadger Plague"18 October 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
4"The MacReekie Rising of '74"25 October 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensRecorded without Milligan, with George Chisholm
5"The Spectre of Tintagel"1 November 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith Valentine Dyall
6"The Sleeping Prince"14 February 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
7"The Great Bank Robbery"15 November 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
8"Personal Narrative"22 November 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
9"The Mystery of the Fake Neddie Seagoons"29 November 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
Sp."Robin Hood (and His Merry Men)"rec. 2 December 1956
broadcast 25 December 1988[6]
Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensA Christmas episode. Featuring Valentine Dyall and Dennis Price. Also features many repeat jokes from 1954's 'Ye Bandit of Sherwood Forest', also a Christmas episode.
10"What's My Line?"5 December 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
11"The Telephone"13 December 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
12"The Flea"20 December 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
Sp."Operation Christmas Duff"24 December 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
13"Six Charlies in Search of an Author"26 December 1956Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
14"Emperor of the Universe"3 January 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
15"Wings Over Dagenham"10 January 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith George Chisholm
16"The Rent Collectors"17 January 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith Bernard Miles
17"Shifting Sands"24 January 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith Jack Train
18"The Moon Show"31 January 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
19"The Mysterious Punch-up-the-Conker"7 February 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
20"Round the World in Eighty Days"21 February 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
21"Insurance, the White Man's Burden"28 February 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
22"The Africa Ship Canal"7 March 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
23"Ill Met by Goonlight"14 March 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan
24"The Missing Boa Constrictor"21 March 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
25"The Histories of Pliny the Elder"28 March 1957Pat DixonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
Sp."The Reason Why"22 August 1957Jacques BrownSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall

Eighth series (1957–58)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Mondays.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"Spon"30 September 1957Charles ChiltonSpike MilliganRecorded without Secombe, with Dick Emery
2"The Junk Affair"7 October 1957Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
3"The Burning Embassy"14 October 1957Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
4"The Great Regent's Park Swim"21 October 1957Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
5"The Treasure in the Tower"28 October 1957Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
6"The Space Age"4 November 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
7"The Red Fort"11 November 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
8"The Missing Battleship"18 November 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry StephensGeldray edited from broadcast[7]
9"The Policy"25 November 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
10"King Solomon's Mines"2 December 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
11"The Stolen Postman"9 December 1957Roy SpeerLarry Stephens
12"The Great British Revolution"16 December 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry StephensFeatures Peter Sellers portraying Prime Minister Harold MacMillan in the style of Laurence Olivier as Richard III.
13"The Plasticine Man"23 December 1957Roy Speer Spike Milligan, Larry StephensEllington edited from some broadcast versions
14"African Incident"30 December 1957Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephenswith Cécile Chevreau
15"The Thing on the Mountain"6 January 1958Tom Ronald]]Larry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire
16"The String Robberies"13 January 1958Tom RonaldSpike Milliganwith George Chisholm
17"The Moriarty Murder Mystery"20 January 1958Charles ChiltonLarry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire
18"The Curse of Frankenstein"27 January 1958Charles ChiltonSpike MilliganEllington edited from broadcast,[8] with George Chisholm
19"The White Neddie Trade"3 February 1958Charles ChiltonLarry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire
20"Ten Snowballs that Shook the World"10 February 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
21"The Man Who Never Was" (remake)17 February 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, Larry StephensA revised remake of Series 6, Episode 27
22"_____________ (aka _____________! and World War I)"[9] 24 February 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
23"The Spon Plague"3 March 1958Charles ChiltonJohn Antrobus, Spike Milliganwith George Chisholm
24"Tiddlywinks"10 March 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milliganwith John Snagge
25"The Evils of Bushey Spon"17 March 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milliganwith A. E. Matthews
26"The Great Statue Debate"24 March 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan, John Antrobus

Vintage Goons series (1957–58)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The following episodes were especially recorded for overseas stations only during the Eighth Series and were re-recordings of earlier episodes. Six of these episodes were broadcast prior to the commencement of the Ninth series, which is why the Ninth series was shorter. However, many of these episodes were not broadcast in the United Kingdom until the 1980s or 1990s. So for contextual purposes, the recording dates are listed alongside the original airdates in the United Kingdom.[10]

Episode #TitleRecording dateOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Mummified Priest"6 October 195722 September 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
2"The Greatest Mountain in the World"20 October 195729 September 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
3"The Missing Number 10 Downing Street"3 November 195712 December 2023[11] Roy SpeerSpike Milligan, Larry Stephens
4"The Giant Bombardon"17 November 19576 October 1958Roy SpeerSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall
5"The Kippered Herring Gang"1 December 19579 April 1994Roy SpeerSpike Milligan
6"The Vanishing Room"15 December 195713 October 1958Roy SpeerSpike Milligan
7"The Ink Shortage"29 December 19578 December 2008Roy SpeerSpike Milligan
8"The Mustard and Cress Shortage"12 January 195817 September 1994Tom RonaldSpike Milligan
9"The Internal Mountain"16 February 195828 December 1986Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
10"The Silent Bugler"23 February 195829 December 1986Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
11"The Great Bank of England Robbery"2 March 195820 October 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
12"The Dreaded Piano Clubber"23 March 195826 December 1986Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
13"The Siege of Fort Night"16 March 195827 December 1986Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan
14"The Albert Memorial"9 March 195827 October 1958Charles ChiltonSpike Milligan

Ninth series (1958–59)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Mondays, except episode 12, which was on a Tuesday.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"The Sahara Desert Statue"3 November 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
2"I Was Monty's Treble"10 November 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
3"The £1,000,000 Penny"17 November 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
4"The Pam's Paper Insurance Policy"24 November 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
5"The Mountain Eaters"1 December 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
6"The Childe Harolde Rewarde"8 December 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
7"The Seagoon Memoirs"15 December 1958John BrowellLarry Stephens, Maurice Wiltshire
8"Queen Anne's Rain"22 December 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
9"The Battle of Spion Kop"29 December 1958John BrowellSpike Milligan
10"Ned's Atomic Dustbin"5 January 1959John BrowellSpike Milliganwith John Snagge (pre-recorded)
11"Who Is Pink Oboe?"12 January 1959John BrowellSpike MilliganRecorded without Sellers, with Kenneth Connor, Valentine Dyall, Graham Stark, Jack Train and a pre-recorded John Snagge
12"The Call of the West"20 January 1959John BrowellSpike Milligan
13"Dishonoured – Again"26 January 1959John BrowellSpike MilliganA revised remake of Dishonoured, or The Fall of Neddie Seagoon (Series 5, Episode 12)
14"The Scarlet Capsule"2 February 1959John BrowellSpike Milliganwith Andrew Timothy (pre-recorded)
15"The Tay Bridge"9 February 1959John BrowellSpike Milliganwith George Chisholm
16"The Gold Plate Robbery"16 February 1959John BrowellSpike Milligan
17"The £50 Cure"23 February 1959John BrowellSpike MilliganRecorded without Secombe, with Kenneth Connor

Tenth series (1959–60)

Cast: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan, with Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet, orchestra conducted by Wally Stott.
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
The shows were all broadcast on Thursdays.

Episode #TitleOriginal airdateProducerScriptwriter(s)Notes
1"A Christmas Carol"24 December 1959John BrowellSpike Milligan
2"The Tale of Men's Shirts"31 December 1959John BrowellSpike Milligan
3"The Chinese Legs"7 January 1960John BrowellSpike Milliganwith John Snagge (pre-recorded)
4"Robin's Post"14 January 1960John BrowellSpike Milligan
5"The Silver Doubloons"21 January 1960John BrowellSpike Milliganwith Valentine Dyall
6"The Last Smoking Seagoon"28 January 1960John BrowellSpike Milliganwith John Snagge (pre-recorded)

Specials (1968–2001)

  1. "Tales of Men's Shirts" (8 August 1968; Thames Television)
  2. "The Last Goon Show of All" (5 October 1972)
  3. "Goon Again: the 50th Anniversary Cardboard Replica Goon Show" (29 May 2001)

Notes and references

Notes

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Goon Show Compendium Volume 12: Ten episodes of the classic BBC radio comedy series plus bonus features Audio CD – Audiobook, CD, Unabridged . .
  2. Web site: . Under the Influence of the Goons . FIREZINE #4 . Winter 1997–1998 . 14 October 2006.
  3. Web site: Pythonline Daily Llama . The Goon Show Site – Tributes – Terry Gilliam . 2 June 2006.
  4. Web site: Vermont Public Radio . 2002 . Vermont Public Radio 25th Anniversary Site . 29 May 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061004121108/http://www.vpr.net/history/timeline/index.shtml . 4 October 2006 . dead.
  5. Web site: Vermont Public Radio . 2002 . Vermont Public Radio ::: 70s Timeline . 3 June 2006.
  6. Web site: The Goon Show: Volume 34 . 24 May 2019.
  7. The Goon Show Compendium Volume Seven (Series 8 – Part 1) . 2012 . Andrew . Pixley . Ted . Kendall . booklet 1, pp. 9, 11; booklet 2, p. 6 . CD . AudioGO Ltd . 978-1445-891330.
  8. The Goon Show Compendium Volume Eight (Series 8 – Part 2) . 2012 . Andrew . Pixley . Ted . Kendall . booklet 1, p. 4 . CD . AudioGO Ltd . 978-1445-825601.
  9. The Goon Show Compendium Volume Eight . Episode Synopses . AudioGO . 2012 . Booklet 2, p. 4 . 978-1-445-82560-1 .
  10. The Goon Show Compendium Volume Nine (Vintage Goons) . 2014 . Andrew . Pixley . Ted . Kendall . booklet 2, pp. 2–6, 9 . CD . AudioGO Ltd . 978-1471-331619.
  11. The Missing 10 Downing Street . 23 January 2024 . The Goon Show . BBC Radio 4 Extra . 12 December 2023 . Vintage Goons . 3 of 14 . BBC Debut. ... Re-recording from 1957. .