Goon Pod – The Goon Show Preservation Society

Goon Pod Returns

There’s a treat for Goon Show lovers to look forward to next week as Tyler Adams’ podcast about all things Goon related returns for a second series.

Tyler described how the podcast came to be in an article in the latest issue of our newsletter which goes to all our members, Goon Show News. Series one of Goon pod started in May of 2021 and ran for an almost uninterrupted 140 weekly episodes before taking a well-earned break at the start of the year. That’s probably comparable to the BBC demanding 30 Goon Shows from Spike Milligan for a series.

We’re promised a detailed look at a classic Goon Show episode when the first show of the new series becomes available on 20^th March.

Goon Pod is available through all the usual Podcast sources, or through this link. The most recent episodes will also appear below.

Listeners' Top 20 British Sitcoms Of All Time – Goon Pod

Let's go out with a bang as we count down Listeners’ Top 20 British Sitcoms of All Time – as voted for by you. In total 73 different shows were nominated – some of the very greatest and most popular, others quite obscure or forgotten. But which ones made the final list? In this show we find out, with very special guests Chris Diamond and Donna Rees.Whether your tastes run towards the communal warmth of classic ensemble shows, the brittle awkwardness of suburban frustration, or the fragmented edges of sitcom storytelling, there’s plenty here to argue about. We talk about why some comedies endure, why others divide opinion and how shifting zeitgeists shape what people laugh at. Expect nostalgia, rediscovery and the occasional raised eyebrow or disapproving 'tut' as we move through the list. Will the obvious favourites dominate, or will a few unexpected titles sneak in? Expect a few surprises!

Goon Pod – the History of the GSPS

Our favourite Podcast, Tyler Adams’ Goon Pod, featured an interview this week with the GSPS member and luminary of time almost immemorial, Chris Smith.

Chris described at length how the Goon Show Preservation Society developed from humble beginnings and told stories of some highlights of GSPS meetings, including appearances by Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine. It’s a great listen, especially for whipper-snapper, Johnny-come-lately members like your humble Website Charlie here.

Goon Pod is available from all the usual podcast sources, including the feed below.

Listeners' Top 20 British Sitcoms Of All Time – Goon Pod

If the weeks have moved on and the episode with Chris has moved down the list, you can get to it directly through this link.

The Goon Show Top 20 Chart

Greenslade – Ladies and Gentlemen, the Goons and myself, after a period of, ahem, retirement, are pleased to announce that we’ll be featured in a modern podcast-type pop-type chart, voted for by those good people who still remember us.
Seagoon – What, what, what, an awards show? I’d better get the acceptance speech written.
Bloodnok – It’s not about you. It’s 20 chances to hear my best internal noises.
Bluebottle – More like 20 more chances for me to get deaded.
Minnie – Help Henry, I’ve been surveyed!
Moriarty – Owwww. Place your bets at Honest Grytpype’s Bookmakers Shop…
Eccles – 20, 19, er.. 18, er…. where’s that list?

During 2022, Tyler Adams has asked the listeners and followers of Goon Pod to nominate their three favourite episodes of the Goon Show. The results are in, and they’ve been weighed, measured and sent to stand in a queue.

The top 20 will be revealed in a special episode of Goon Pod, coming out on New Year’s Eve. Tyler and his guests, Sean Gaffney and Mike Haskins, will discuss and dissect the people’s choices.

Once 31st December comes around (has it been asleep then?), you’ll be able to listen to the chart show on the player below. Or, of course, you can download it at your convenience on your usual podcast app.

Listener’s Top 20 Goon Shows

update: so what were the top 20 shows? – the list is here

Peter Sellers with Tony Hancock

Causing much excitement, an until-now lost recording of a Peter Sellers performance has been found, and it’s being broadcast in a restored state on BBC Radio 4 on 18th October. The show is an episode from the first series of Hancock’s Half Hour which was only ever broadcast once, in February 1955. In it, Sellers stood in for an absent Kenneth Williams.

Radio 4 are also running a documentary about the search for old recordings and finding the lost episode. It’s called Raiders of the Lost Archive, and it’s available to stream on BBC Sounds.

After its first airing on Radio 4, the Hancock episode, which is titled The Marriage Bureau, will also be available to stream here.

Our favourite podcast – Goon Pod – is onto the story this week. Tyler’s guest is voice actor and restorer Keith Wickham, who presented and co-produced the Raiders of the Lost Archive programme.

Listeners' Top 20 British Sitcoms Of All Time – Goon Pod

Larry Stephens Biography

Our very own Julie Warren has published a biography of her cousin, Larry Stephens. It’s All In The Mind: The Life and Legacy of Larry Stephens, tells the story of the man who was best known to us as the scriptwriter who collaborated with Spike Milligan in the writing of so many Goon Shows.

British popular culture would probably be very different had Larry Stephens not been born. We could now be living in a world without the Carry On films or Monty Python and we may never have heard of Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers or Spike Milligan.
For the first time, the life and work of this unsung hero of British comedy has been thoroughly explored. Using unrivalled access to Larry Stephens’ personal archive of letters, photographs and artwork, plus interviews with Stephens’ many notable friends, family members, comrades and colleagues, It’s All In The Mind: The Life And Legacy Of Larry Stephens tells the story of a boy from the Black Country whose short life had such an enduring impact.

Julie appeared on Goon Pod and spoke about the book. You can listen to the episode here.

Read a sample of the book using the Amazon link below, then buy it.