Category: Let's talk
I didn't know until yesterday that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the wonderful radio, and to a lesser extent television, institution of British comedy that is Hancock's half hour. I obviously wan't around when the show was watched by a third of britain, and listened to by so many more than that, but I am a true Tony Hancock fan and thought it would be good to have a discussion to which anyone familiar with Tony Hancock could contribute to so as to mark this anniversary. Some of the episodes written by galton and Simpson are pure genius: my favourites are 'The wild man of the woods', 'The Television set' and 'The radio ham', though there are many many others I could name that have made me laugh a lot. And of course, we can't forget the brilliant supporting characters by whom Tony was surrounded at his best. It'd be interesting to know if any Hancock fans out there have any particular episodes of teh show, or isolated scenes within shows, of which they are particularly fond. Also, given that one of the causes of Tony Hancock's almost perpetual depression which culminated in his suicide on a trip to australia in 1968 was the fact that he felt he could never make it in the rest of the world, particularly the USA. I'd be interested to know if there are any american fans of Hancock's Half Hour out there. meanwhile, I do recommend the Tony Hancock tribute programme available off the BBC7 website for those keen on the show.
Are you sure your only 23? thats well before my time pal,have you ever seen Father Ted now thats comedy!
Or the genuis of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
Well, goblin, all I can say in response to that is this: Churchill was before my time, but I'm familiar with what he did; charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Wilky Collins, Catherine Cookson, all of these wrote before I was born and yet I'm familiar with their work; The Beateles were also before my time, etc. etc. I hope I've made my point.
And come to think of it, the Genius of Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore was also before my time, but you knew that of course Goblin as you know my age!
Father Ted is dreadful with that awful old man in the chair who is supposed to be funny...Peter Cook and Dudley Moore I can definitely go for though. Hancock was a comic genius but does seem a little old fashioned now? Hows about something new like Green Wing or Little Britain, always good for a laugh...
Frey.
Absolutely, Little Britain is pure genius! So too were the two series of 'The Office', 'Alan Partridge' in his various forms and other stuff like Fawlty Towers. Hancock's sense of humour is very fifties and certainly wouldn't suit everyone, but I'm glad someone recognises his comic genius.
Loved 'The Office' and Fawlty Towers of course...Not so keen on Alan Partridge though and wasn't so sure about the new series of Little Britain but then missed the second episode...
Frey.
I've nbever really been Hankok fan, but I do respect him, it definitely was good for it's time, the guy is very tallented and I do respect that. I absolutely love to bits little britain, one of the best comedy programs these days, got the series 1 on DVD, also got all the radio episodes, and I am so far definitely enjoying the new series. Office was genious, I agree, shame it's already finished though. Also, as those programs are both on tonight on BBC 2, slightly different, but I still find them funny and amusing, tonight at 9, dead ringers..I think it's great, and tonight they have US elections special, should be interesting. Also, Monkey Dust Satirical animated comedy set in a permanent urban nightmare — a nocturnal world inhabited by a bizarre assortment of characters, it's a bit strange and weird, but I find it funny..that's tonight at 10 also on BBC 2.
Well how quickly the worm turns from nice...Friendly,.... Even dare i say it amusing, to rude and self righteous you just cant trust a tory.
Well Goblin I'm sorry you think I'm rude and self-righteous, but you know your contribution to this discussion was bereft of your usual sagacity, almost to the extent that it might have been written by someone else! Normally, your witty banter is really good to read and I respect it a lot. I was surprised, truly surprised at you! The point I was trying to make was that if we all limited things we appreciated to our lifetimes, we'd live in a very limited world. It would mean that if I were a Liverpool supporter I wouldn't be able to appreciate Bill Shankley's reign as manager, and as a Spurs supporter I wouldn't be able to appreciate Danni blanchflower's great spell in charge. I'm sorry if you think I'm rude and self-righteous for making this point, sorry if I gave you cause to be offended, and sorry if I came across as arrogant. You'll forgive me though if I don't take your attack on my being a Tory seriously, being a scottish Nationalist I wonder that you even know who your leader is half the time! I mean, Alex salmond again? That's taking recycling old rubbish a bit too far! Internet King, I'm glad you appreciate those great modern series. I love Little Britain, and dead Ringers is rapidly becoming a comic institution. There's a series that looks good on friday called 'my dad's the prime minister' so I'll be giving that a chance too.
Alex Salmond's reappearance is purely a ploy to help out his old pal Nicola Sturgeon as you well know ....And eh Michael Howard now correct me if I'm wrong haven't i seen him before.
"If I can surprise some people as i pass along the way"
sing it now!
I've moved on from the SNP and see myself as more of a confused and concerned patriot.
Don't worry Lawlord, Goblin thinks he can say just what he likes to people and it won't matter but the minute anyone so much as disagrees with him he jumps down their throat with accusations flying...
Back to the discussion topic though, I wouldn't agree with you about Dead Ringers, it was terrible last night. I mean how many jokes can you make about Bush saying the wrong words for things...??
Frey.
You didn't like it? I see what you mean about the words thing, but I nonetheless thought it was hilarious! Vote bush because he's the only one who will do something about the monsters in your cellar was extremely funny, as was Bush in Leicester Square being moved on by the police! The caricature of John Kerry made me laugh an awful lot too, as did the spoof southern polling officer in florida when he was talking about how to get people in deprived areas to vote. It certainly received the Lawlord thumbs up!
Yes well I quite liked the Leicester Square sketch but I got a little bored by the end and missed the rest.....
I think that show worked better on the radio don't you?
Frey.
It's certainly very good on radio indeed although I found the television gave it a bit more variety in the characters they had to portray and thus made it better. tehy're great live as well though, they came to the Oxford Union a couple of years ago and it was one of the best things I've ever seen there.
hm, I agree that the word things was a bit boring, but the rest of dead ringers I also found very funny and amusing. I actually prefere the TV series from the radio ones, as in the radio ones there's too much reference to radio 4, which I don't particularly listen to much, so some of it i kind of find boring or even not understand. I mean don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it, but just think, to me, personally, the TV episodes are much much better.
I'd agree with you there, Internet King. Portrayals of The archers, you and yours etc. make the programme somewhat limited, and there's only so much you can do to take the piss out of radio 4. The radio show annoys me a little by the fact that when they do the wind-up phone calls, it' nearly always Dr Who they're trying to portray, i.e. Tom Baker, and this gets a little boring after a while.