Originally published – June 2021
by Mark Cousins
The Goon Show
The Six Degrees of The Goon Show (fascinating to hear a US perspective, but for those of you living in America, there’s still some missionary work to do!) Ian Carmichael was in The Goon Show – who knew! [This is worth listening to just to hear the guy struggle with pronouncing ‘Secombe’ -Ed.]
evergreenpodcasts.com/whats-so-funny/the-six-degrees-of-the-goon-show
Time for a musical interlude courtesy of Will Pound and Eddy Jay. Here is – Jig for Max Geldray
Honorary Goon Eric Sykes!
A [not quite] complete set of script transcripts of every show! at archive.org
The Goon Show Companion (only a sample) at archive.org
This link is for a BBC Radio Solent programme: Peter Sellers: From Southsea to Stardom. The main programme has been removed and cannot be heard, but there are eight superb pieces of film from eight associated persons and all are worth watching (yes, watching despite these being made for radio). I’ve listed this under The Goons because most of the films are more about The Goons or Spike Milligan than Peter Sellers. at BBC.co.uk
Michael Bentine
Waiting in the wings for publication is Robert Ross’ masterwork “Forgotten Heroes Of Comedy”. Among a long list of famous names, sadly and unnecessarily forgotten are: Charlie Drake, Richard Hearne: ‘Mr Pastry’, Jewel & Warris, Dickie Henderson, John Junkin, Peter Butterworth, Mel Blanc, Tommy Handley, Roy Kinnear, Spike Jones, Ted Ray, Claude Dampier: Tommy Trinder, Al Read, Mario Fabrizi, Michael Bentine and many more!
The book is now complete, it can be ordered in advance and will be published in September is now available
at www.ravensbourne.ac.uk – and here
Great Train Robbery
Michael Bentine – Paranormal Experiences – October 1989
at archive.org
Spike Milligan
Historical Hysterical – Spike Milligan (podcast).
This is worth listening to as well. Two Australian broadcasters obviously reading a script written by somebody else and that are having real difficulty
with certain words: Oblomov (and its author), tuppence and many others.
at archive.org
Adolf Hitler, My Part In His Downfall – over three hours read by Spike
Sound interview with Spike in Australia on YouTube
Spike Milligan At The London Palladium
The World Of Beachcomber – in colour! – A tragically tiny piece from the opening credits at /www.ravensbourne.ac.uk
and.. the soundtrack from a complete episode!
Muses with Milligan – sadly only a tiny clip!
Curry and Chips – another tiny clip!
The Muppet Show
The Billy Cotton Band Show
The Big Freeze (with Eric Sykes)
The Adventures Of Barry McKenzie at archive.org – at trakt.tv
Harry Secombe
1957 Royal Variety at The London Palladium – Interview – at gettyimages.co.uk
The Bruce Forsyth Show – Thunderbird 3 sketch with Bruce Forsyth and Millicent Martin
Rhubarb Rhubarb
Peter Sellers
[quite a bit this time]
Some great Sellers material can be found here!
twitter.com/PeterFandom
Did you know that the hotel that inspired Fawlty Towers was once owned by Peter Sellers’ cousin?
Old Min Goes To Auction – at journal.classiccars.com
Would you like to own one of Peter Sellers’ cars? Well, you can!
www.diecastlegends.com
Some spare cash will buy you one of these two photos of Sellers playing his ukelele – here and here
Items from the trip on the QE2 during the making of The Magic Christian
at Sothebys.com
Directing Peter Sellers – at www.dga.org
A selection of photos of Peter Sellers – at www.famousfix.com
Showtime In Cannes – a David Sheehan documentary on the 1980 film festival including – Peter Sellers at amazon.co.uk
Here’s a couple of Peter Sellers websites
https://richardhenrysellers.tumblr.com/archive
https://psellers.tumblr.com/
Sellers’ Uncle Dick Ray Snr’s son, Dick Ray died in 2015. His grandmother was Welcome Mendoza/Ma Ray. Here is a celebration of his life which took place in The Opera House Theatre in Jersey which he owned for 21 years. This also includes several members of the family including Ray Marks (Dick’s brother) as well as actor John Nettles
A two-part profile of The Pink Panther films. Plenty of errors, but interesting nevertheless
Here’s the ultimate Peter Sellers Collectible….
Peter Sellers! – at www.sideshow.com
Here’s a sample from the television show: A Show Called Fred
A Show Called Fred – episode 5 (pay to rent) at bfi.org.uk
Son Of Fred (pay to rent) – at bfi.org.uk
1960s
This great well-known sketch comes from The Jo Stafford Show from 1961 and is believed to have been written by Spike Milligan
Not Only But Also – Boxer cum Painter
Not Only But Also – The Gourmets
The Ed Sullivan Show
Alice In Wonderland
The Music of Lennon and McCartney
..and the outtakes!
Birds Bees and Storks – made for BBC TV, Sellers recorded many takes for this. In the end it was the rehearsal that was used!
1970s
Sellers’ appearance in Sykes and A Stranger was a remake of an earlier show with Leo McKern in the role later taken by Sellers
Peter Sellers appeared in many sketches in The Dean Martin Show. Here they all are!
Sellers in a couple of sketches in a Julie Andrews special
The Muppet Show – Gypsy’s Violin
Cigarettes & Whiskey
A crazy German masseur who sounds like Dr Strangelove
Impersonation of Queen Victoria
Here’s more information on the show including an entire transcript and 42 production photos at muppet.fandom.com
Fancy owning one of Peter Sellers’ cars? Well, now you can!
www.historics.co.uk
Films
Being There – at archive.org
Here’s Never Let Go
The Blockhouse (with Spanish subtitles!)
The Naked Truth (dubbed!)
The Magic Christian
The Party – at archive.org
The Wrong Arm Of The Law – aat archive.org
Murder By Death – at archive.org
I Love You Alice B Toklas – at archive.org
The Great McGonagall
Lets Go Crazy (not free) – at player.bfi.org.uk
The Ghost Of Peter Sellers (not free)
Always happy to include any favourite links on these pages. Please drop me an email.
The Goon Show Preservation Society 