The Goon Show facts for kids
|
|
| Other names | Crazy People (series 1) |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | BBC Home Service |
| Syndicates |
|
| Starring |
|
| Announcer |
|
| Created by | Spike Milligan |
| Produced by |
|
| Recording studio | Camden Theatre, London |
| Original release | 28 May 1951 – 28 January 1960 |
| No. of series | 10 |
| No. of episodes | 238 plus 12 specials (list of episodes) |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Other themes |
|
| Ending theme | "Crazy Rhythm" or "Stompin' at the Savoy", performed by Max Geldray and the Ray Ellington Quartet |
The Goon Show was a very popular British radio comedy programme. It was first broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960. The first series was called Crazy People, but after that, it became The Goon Show.
The main creator and writer was Spike Milligan. He also performed in the show with Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, and Michael Bentine (who was in the first two series). The stories were wild and silly, full of unexpected jokes, wordplay, famous phrases, and lots of strange sound effects. There was also fun music played during the show. Later episodes even used early electronic sounds from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The show often made fun of everyday life in Britain during the 1950s, like movies, politics, and school.
The Goon Show became famous around the world. It was broadcast in countries like Australia, Canada, and the United States. It had a big impact on comedy and popular culture. Famous groups like the Beatles and Monty Python said The Goon Show was a major inspiration for their own work.
Contents
How The Goon Show Started
Meeting the Goons
The show was created by Spike Milligan, who worked with other writers like Larry Stephens and Eric Sykes. Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe first met during the Second World War while serving in the army. It was a funny meeting! A large army gun accidentally rolled off a cliff, and Secombe was sitting in a truck right below it. Milligan popped his head in and asked, "Anybody seen a gun?" Secombe famously replied, "What colour was it?" After the war, Milligan met Peter Sellers at a theatre where Secombe was performing. The three quickly became good friends.
The group started meeting in a London pub in 1948. They called themselves "The Goons." They even recorded their silly conversations using an early recording device. A BBC producer named Pat Dixon heard their recordings and thought they were brilliant. He helped them get a contract with the BBC.
Early Days and Growing Popularity
The first series, called Crazy People, began in May 1951. It quickly became very popular, with millions of listeners tuning in! Sadly, no recordings of these early episodes still exist today. For the second series, the show changed a bit. Music parts were shorter, and Max Geldray joined the team. A new producer, Peter Eton, helped make the sound effects and microphone use even better, making the show more exciting to listen to. However, the intense work of writing and performing caused Spike Milligan to face health challenges. Other writers stepped in to help, ensuring the show continued to be amazing. Michael Bentine left the show after the second series to work on his own projects.
The name "The Goon Show" was inspired by a character called Alice the Goon from the Popeye comic strip. The show's silly songs, like the "Ying Tong Song", became hits. Tickets to watch the live recordings in London were always sold out. The characters' voices and funny phrases became well-known across Britain. Even today, the show is still broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra and was popular in Australia until 2012.
There were 10 main series of The Goon Show, plus some special episodes. In total, there were 238 episodes and 12 specials between 1951 and 1960.
How The Goon Show Was Organized
Each episode of The Goon Show lasted about 30 minutes. It was like a variety show, mixing funny stories with musical performances.
Show Structure and Characters
In the first two series, the episodes didn't have specific titles. They were made up of several short, funny sketches with music in between. Michael Bentine played a character called Dr. Osric Pureheart, who was often the hero. Music was provided by Max Geldray on harmonica and Ray Ellington and his band. Later, from Series 3 onwards, the show got its official title, The Goon Show. The stories became more connected, often having a main plot that ran through three parts, with music breaks. Most of the main characters were played by Milligan and Sellers. Secombe usually played Neddie Seagoon, the hero of many stories. Wallace Greenslade became the announcer, telling parts of the story and sometimes playing small roles.
Here are some of the main characters:
- Neddie Seagoon (played by Secombe)
- Eccles (played by Milligan)
- Bluebottle (played by Sellers)
- Henry Crun (played by Sellers)
- Minnie Bannister (played by Milligan)
- Hercules Grytpype-Thynne (played by Sellers)
- Count Jim Moriarty (played by Milligan)
- Major Dennis Bloodnok (played by Sellers)
The usual plots involved Grytpype-Thynne and Moriarty tricking Neddie Seagoon into some crazy adventure. Along the way, he would meet the other funny characters.
Famous Catchphrases
Many characters had funny phrases that became very popular. Here are some of the best known:
- "He's fallen in the water!" (Little Jim)
- "You can't get the wood, you know." (Henry, Minnie)
- "You silly, twisted boy, you." (Grytpype-Thynne)
- "You can't park 'ere, mate" (Willium)
- "Ying Tong Iddle I Po" (various characters) – this even became a hit song!
Surreal and Unique Humor
The Goon Show was known for its "surreal" humor. This means it was very imaginative and often illogical, playing games with how radio worked. For example, characters might say they were leaving a room, slam a door, but still be inside! This unique style of comedy paved the way for many other comedians. Monty Python members like Terry Jones and John Cleese said they loved the show's unexpected jokes and how it broke all the rules of radio comedy.
Music and Sound Effects
The show featured a talented big band that played introductions, links, and background music. Angela Morley was the musical director for many years. Musical breaks were a big part of the show. Ray Ellington and his quartet played jazz, rhythm & blues, and calypso songs. Max Geldray played the harmonica, performing jazz standards. Both also sometimes played small character roles.
The Goon Show was groundbreaking in its use of sound effects. Spike Milligan was very particular about getting the right sounds. He would often try unusual methods to create them. For instance, he once tried filling his socks with custard and swinging them against wood to make a squelching noise! Early on, sound engineers used multiple turntables to play different sounds at once. When magnetic tape became available, it allowed for even more creative effects. They could slow down, speed up, or reverse tapes to make truly bizarre noises. A famous example is the "Bloodnok's Stomach" sound effect, created by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, which was a mix of gurgles, splashes, and pops.
Cast Members and Characters
- Secombe's characters
-
-
- Major: Neddie Seagoon
-
- Minor: Uncle Oscar
- Private Bogg
- Nugent Dirt
- Izzy
- Welshmen
- Yorkshiremen
-
- Milligan's characters
-
-
- Major: Eccles
- Minnie Bannister
- Count Jim Moriarty
-
- Minor: Throat
- Little Jim
- Spriggs
- Yakamoto
- Cor blimey
- Singes Thingz
- Hugh Jampton
- Fu Manchu
- Mr Banerjee
-
- Sellers's characters
-
-
- Major: Major Bloodnok
- Hercules Grytpype-Thynne
- Bluebottle
- Henry Crun
-
- Minor: Cynthia
- Willium "Mate" Cobblers
- Mr Lalkaka
- Eidelberger
- Flowerdew
- Cyril
- Fred Nurke
- Gladys
- Lew/Ernie Cash
- Churchill
- Hearn
- and more...
-
- Bentine's characters
-
- Prof. Osric Pureheart and more
- Other cast members
- Guest cast members
Running Jokes and Funny Phrases
The Lurgi Illness
One of the most famous words invented for the show was "lurgi." In an episode called "Lurgi Strikes Britain," Spike Milligan created a pretend illness called Lurgi. Today, people sometimes use "lurgi" to mean a common cold or any general sickness. The funny part was that the "illness" was just a trick to sell musical instruments!
The "Brandy" Joke
During rehearsals, the cast would joke about needing a special "fortifying" drink. This led to the catchphrase "round the back for the old brandy!" or "the old Marlon Brando." It was a funny way to announce a character leaving or a music break.
Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb!
In early radio, people would mumble "rhubarb" to create background crowd noise. Milligan often made fun of this by having only a few people clearly say "rhubarb" instead of mumbling. Sometimes, Harry Secombe would even add "custard" into the mix!
Raspberry Blowing
Blowing a raspberry (a rude sound made with the tongue and lips) was a common joke in the show. It was also Harry Secombe's signal to the others that he was about to laugh. Milligan even performed a "raspberry solo" in the "Ying Tong Song." A very silly sound effect, known as "Fred the Oyster," was often used as a reaction to a bad joke.
"Trapped in a Piano"
In several episodes, a character, usually Henry Crun or Minnie Bannister, would be found stuck inside a piano. Their speech would even be accompanied by piano sounds! In one story, a character was hiding in a piano, pretending to be a string. This joke was so popular it was used one last time in The Last Goon Show of All.
Films Inspired by The Goons
The Goons also made some films:
- Let's Go Crazy (1951)
- Penny Points to Paradise (1951)
- Down Among the Z Men (1952) (with Michael Bentine)
- The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn (1956) – a short film starring Milligan, Sellers, and Dick Emery.
- The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959) – a surreal short film starring Milligan and Sellers.
Later Goon Show Revivals
Books
Spike Milligan worked with an illustrator to create comic strip books based on classic Goon Shows:
- The Goon Cartoons (1982)
- More Goon Cartoons (1983)
Several books of The Goon Show scripts were also published, including The Goon Show Scripts (1972) and More Goon Show Scripts (1973).
Films and Stage Shows
- The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)
This movie about Peter Sellers included a scene recreating a Goon Show recording.
- Ying Tong: A Walk with the Goons
This play explored the story of the Goons, focusing on Spike Milligan's creative process.
- The Birmingham Comedy Festival has staged live productions of Goon Show scripts in 2014, 2017, and 2023.
- The Apollo Theatre Company also toured the UK in 2018 with recreated Goon Show episodes.
Radio and Television
- The Telegoons (1963–1964)
This was a 15-minute BBC puppet show where Milligan, Secombe, and Sellers provided the voices for puppets based on the radio scripts.
- The Last Goon Show of All (1972)
The original Goons reunited for a special performance.
- Goon Again (2001)
A "new" Goon Show was recorded in 2001, featuring the children of the original cast members and other actors, based on lost scripts.
Music Records
The Goons released several records, including funny songs like "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas" and the famous "Ying Tong Song", which became a surprise hit.
Impact on Comedy and Culture
The Goon Show had a huge impact on comedy. It was seen as a breakthrough, bringing a new kind of absurd and unpredictable humor to audiences. Eric Sykes, another famous comedian, said that Spike Milligan "blew the roof off" traditional comedy and "lit the whole place with sunshine." Many later comedies, like Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and The Young Ones, were inspired by the Goons' unique style. Comedian Eddie Izzard noted that the Goons influenced a new generation of "alternative" comedians.
The Beatles' Connection
The Goon Show greatly influenced the Beatles, especially John Lennon. Lennon wrote that the show's humor was "the only proof that the world was insane." He even said his early writings were similar to The Goon Show. It's also interesting that George Martin, the Beatles' producer, had worked with Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers before.
Royal Family Fans
The Goons were also popular with the British royal family, especially Prince Charles (who is now King Charles III). He often mimicked the characters' voices. Prince Philip and Princess Anne even attended a recording of The Last Goon Show of All in 1972. Charles later became a patron of the Goon Show Preservation Society.
Firesign Theatre and Monty Python
The American comedy group the Firesign Theatre were big fans of The Goon Show and said it inspired their own radio work. They learned many voices and appreciated how the Goons kept their funny characters going in surreal situations for a long time. The members of Monty Python also often said how much they owed to the Goons. John Cleese explained that the Goons "ignited some energy in us" and showed that it was possible to do something completely new in comedy.
Remembering The Goons
Peter Sellers passed away on 24 July 1980. Michael Bentine passed away on 26 November 1996. Harry Secombe passed away on 11 April 2001. Spike Milligan passed away on 27 February 2002. He famously wanted the words "I told you I was ill" on his gravestone, which was eventually granted in Irish.
See also
In Spanish: The Goon Show para niños
- Goon Show Preservation Society
- List of The Goon Show episodes
- Literary nonsense
- The Milligan Papers – A BBC Radio comedy from 1987, sometimes called "A Goon Show for the '80s".
