Goon Pod

"... Sellers is very funny. Unfortunately, the movie’s general approach to hippiedom is what we’ve come to dread. Hippies wear funny clothes, sleep on the stove, don’t wash, read the Los Angeles Free Press, bake pot brownies, put up posters everywhere and operate with a sort of mindless, directionless love ethic. So the movie becomes conventional after all. If they’d dropped Sellers into a real hippie culture, we might really have had a movie here." (Roger Ebert, 1968) Despite the misgivings of the exalted Mr Ebert, I Love You Alice B. Toklas is a pretty good film generally. This week's guest, the writer John Williams, and Tyler both had fun watching it and talking about it, and were particularly impressed by Peter Sellers' winning turn as lawyer Harold Fine who undergoes a mid-life crisis and embraces the patchouli-scented hippy lifestyle. With solid support from the likes of Joyce Van Patten and Leigh Taylor-Young, the film is a fine showcase for Sellers' talents and despite dated fashions more or less holds up. So turn on, tune in, drop out and enjoy Goon Pod this week!

In 1966, at the height of World Cup fever, an unassuming little British comedy film came out and caused nary a ripple despite a stellar cast of well-known faces. Michael Bentine stars as Horace Quilby, the titular Sandwich Man, who walks the streets of London and seems to know everyone he passes. Without anything so distracting as a plot the film meanders somewhat and is essentially a series of sketches loosely linked together, an indication perhaps of Bentine's lack of experience in long-form storytelling, having come off the back of his hugely successful television series It's A Square World. The film features a host of well-known figures from the world of comedy including Norman Wisdom, Terry-Thomas, Bernard Cribbins, John Le Mesurier, Fred Emney, Harry H Corbett, Stanley Holloway and Ron Moody and has possibly the most incongruous ending to a film ever! Joining Tyler this week are Rob & Guy of the podcast Britcom Goes To The Movies, a show in which they examine big-screen spin-offs of small-screen comedy series and characters - ko-fi.com/britcomgoes

This week a slight departure as Chris Diamond returns to take a leisurely meander through the world of British comedy, randomly choosing from a selection of topics (such as Who Was The Fifth Goon?) and pondering upon the genius (or otherwise) of such performers as Kenneth Williams, Michael Bentine, Bob Monkhouse, Arthur English, Hinge & Bracket, Bernard Manning and Spike Milligan, plus shows such as 15 Stories High, The Good Life, One Foot In The Grave, Blackadder, Nearest & Dearest, French & Saunders and Rising Damp.

Seven years after the publication of Vladimir Nabokov's scandalous novel Lolita Stanley Kubrick brought it to the big screen, having adapted the author's screenplay sufficiently, assembled a fine cast and applied the directorial flourishes that would come to mark his films out as unique. As Humbert Humbert Kubrick cast James Mason, who portrayed the predatory intellectual with just the right amount of creepiness, while allowing his character enough vulnerability and weakness that audiences, while not rooting for him by any means, weren't wholly repulsed. His antagonist, and the shadow that hangs over the entire film, is Clare Quilty, played with aplomb by Peter Sellers in his first collaboration with Kubrick. Although his actual screen-time is limited, Quilty is a ubiquitous presence, a quietly menacing threat to Humbert's happiness and ultimately the agent of his downfall. Most people know the story and it wasn't for nothing that the tagline for the film was 'How did they make a movie of Lolita?' Through masterful direction, insinuation and nuance Kubrick managed to do it, and did it well, and while we can feel disgust towards some of its themes there's no denying that it's a powerful film. Joining Tyler to talk about it is actor Patrick Strain, who puts up a spirited argument that it is one of Kubrick's best.

Sean Gaffney returns to talk about a favourite Goon Show episode from 1956 - Six Charlies In Search Of An Author, loosely based on a play by Fred Pirandello. Was it a cry for help from Spike? A thinly-veiled portrait of a man whose life was beset by the weekly demand for a funny script, pouring scorn and contempt upon the very characters he created? Or was it just a neat idea for a particularly shambolic (and funny) episode? We shall see. Plus: an AI-generated 80,000-word examination of Series 7 of The Goon Show which leaves a LOT to be desired!

Fred Nurke is missing! An over-ripe banana in a deserted Cannon Street shipping office is the only clue to his whereabouts. Inspector Ned Seagoon follows the trail to a British Embassy in South America. Why are Senor Gonzales Mess and his gang trying to cut down the only banana tree in the Embassy gardens, and what is the connection between Fred Nurke and the over-ripe banana?  Find out (maybe) by listening to this week's edition of Goon Pod, in which Tyler is joined by Jonathan Roberts! They also examine the wider usage of the word 'nurk' (in its various spellings), wonder at a major US news anchor referencing this particular show and discuss the Guatemala revolution of 1954. Larry Stephens gets some well-deserved props too and they even manage to squeeze in Ed Wood's Bride Of The Monster!

Best known to audiences around the world as Lt Gruber from 'Allo 'Allo! Guy Siner joins Tyler this week to talk about the show, his career and his brand new podcast - Listen Very Carefully - in which he and friends & colleagues Kim Hartmann (Helga) and Richard Gibson (Herr Flick) look back fondly and drink gin. Before landing the role of Gruber Guy had appeared in Genesis of the Daleks up against Tom Baker and had a brief role in Secret Army - ironically the very programme which inspired 'Allo 'Allo! Post-'Allo 'Allo! his career has flourished and as well as films (such as Pirates of the Caribbean) and television (including Seinfeld) Guy is (possibly) the only person to have appeared in all four major sci-fi franchises: Dr Who; Star Trek; Babylon 5 and Star Wars (he did voice work on the game Star Wars: TIE Fighter) We talk briefly about the Goons and the Kenneth Connor connection but this episode is very much given over to focusing on Guy and 'Allo 'Allo! in particular - both shows share a silliness and sense of the absurd so there should be a big crossover of fans. Listen Very Carefully (Guy's new podcast): https://podqp.podbean.com/

A chaotic naval lieutenant, who cannot be discharged due to his connections, is transferred from the Admiralty to a mothballed destroyer whose crew is running dodgy Bilko-esque money-making schemes. David Tomlinson stars as Lt Fairweather and Peter Sellers, with a whiskery Irish brogue, plays Chief Petty Officer Doherty. Returning guest Graham Rinaldi discusses Val Guest's 1958 comic romp - does it still hold water after all these years?

John Rain & Paul Litchfield join Tyler to discuss Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's 1978 adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes story, an attempt to make a hit mainstream comedy but which failed to find an audience. Mostly owing to it not being very good. Directed by American Paul Morrissey this was the first major film project he made without the involvement of Andy Warhol. Rather bizarrely Morrissey was a fan of the Carry On films and he was keen to bring that sort of humour to the screen, enlisting Kenneth Williams to play Sir Henry Baskerville and stuffing it full of familiar faces from the world of British comedy. The result was a bit of a mess, with indoor fog and urinating dogs small compensation for proper belly laughs but there is still plenty to talk about and some titters among the dross. It's not a complete dog of a film. And why are we covering it on Goon Pod? Why, for the small scene-stealing cameo from Spike Milligan as a policeman. Enjoy! Many thanks to the wonderful Jonathan Roberts for this episode’s artwork! There’s also a taster of August’s edition of Goon Pod Film Club, in which Tim Worthington talks Billy Liar! Head over to www.patreon.com/GoonPod

It's 50 years since Spike Milligan recorded an LP version of his children's story Badjelly the Witch, with music by Ed Welch. The story is simple and hilarious. Two children, Tim & Rose, go in search of their lost cow Lucy and along the way have adventures with characters such as Binklebonk the tree goblin and his grasshopper Silly Sausage, Mudwiggle the worm and Dinglemouse, a former banana. Peril is just around the corner however, as they are captured by the terrifying witch Badjelly who wants to eat them up for breakfast! The record was a huge hit with kids in New Zealand, thanks to radio broadcasts in the seventies and eighties, and even today the mere mention of the name 'Badjelly' will elicit broad grins of recognition across generations, yet oddly it barely registers with people in Britain. Hoping to put this right is cartoonist and writer Roger Langridge (who also designed this week's delightful artwork) who chats to Tyler about the history of Badjelly and shares favourite moments. There's also a lovely return visit from Jane Milligan who talks warmly about the baddest witch in all the world and hints at what the future holds.

In early March 1958 the elderly actor A.E. Matthews staged a protest outside his cottage in Bushey Heath – he sat on a chair over a hole the council had dug with the intention of erecting a lamp post there. A minor squabble which quickly caught the ear of the media, Matthews’ stand against his local council became a cause célèbre and he was interviewed on television. Spike Milligan liked the cut of his jib and within a week the Goons were recording The Evils of Bushey Spon, all about the erection of a lamp-post. Matthews himself makes a guest appearance in the closing minutes and everything perfectly falls apart.   It was such a slight story on the face of it, only attracting interest due to an octogenarian celebrity being involved, and would have been very quickly completely forgotten had it not been for the Goons - as such, it remains a tiny ‘and finally’-type news story immortalised for the ages.   Joining Tyler to talk about it is returning guest Chris Diamond, who also takes the opportunity to pay tribute to the late great Donald Sutherland.

At last the Ted Kendall show! In 2022 Tyler spoke with genius sound engineer Ted Kendall about his career with an emphasis on the work he did in lovingly restoring Goon Shows to their original broadcast length and best possible quality. For a number of technical reasons this interview lay in the Goon Pod vaults for the longest time but finally it can be heard! Ted talks warmly about his career and displays a forensic knowledge of Goon-related minutiae. He worked closely with Dirk Maggs in the early nineties to bring about At Last The Go On Show and subsequent R2 & R4 seasons of fully-restored Goon Shows, but it is his work on the Goon Show Compendiums for which we fans should adopt the position and intone "We are not worthy!" A fascinating exploration of audio restoration which will enthral all radio enthusiasts.

60 years ago the Labour Party won the UK General Election, booting the Conservatives out of office after thirteen years. It is not known if Harold Wilson listened to the LP 'How To Win An Election (Or Not Lose By Much)' but even if he had it is highly unlikely he would have found it instructive. Leslie Bricusse brought together Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe to record this album one afternoon in early 1964 after a lunch in which vast quantities of wine had been dispatched. Peter Sellers recorded his parts a number of weeks later and very soon after technically died (he did, however, recover). This week Brett Tremble - @agnes_guano on Twitter - joins Tyler to tell the tale behind the making of the LP. The conversation includes predictions about the forthcoming General Election and as such could leave them with red faces should opinion polls turn out to be wrong! ******** Sign up for Goon Pod Film Club here: www.patreon.com/GoonPod - first episode on Kind Hearts & Coronets out Saturday 6th July! **********

“Then I submit, Inspector Ballon, that you arrived home, found Miguel with Maria Gambrelli and killed him in a rit of fealous jage!” The Pink Panther received its world premiere in Italy in December 1963 and was officially released in the US in March 1964. Despite David Niven topping the bill, the character of Inspector Jacques Clouseau - played by Peter Sellers - stole the film. Just three months later, in June 1964, Inspector Clouseau returned and this time in the lead. A Shot In The Dark was brought forward for a summer release, to capitalise on the success of The Pink Panther. It would be released in the UK in January 1965. A Shot In The Dark was adapted for the screen from an original French play and changed almost beyond recognition, thanks to the combined talents of Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty (who would later go on to pen The Exorcist). Maria Gambrelli, a maid employed in the service of the millionaire Benjamin Ballon, is accused of murdering chauffeur Miguel Ostos. Clouseau is assigned to the case and almost immediately is smitten by Maria. A series of subsequent murders occur and even Clouseau himself becomes a target. What we get is an almost perfect comedy film, with Sellers at the peak of his powers - just months away from his series of heart attacks in Hollywood - and crisp, tight direction by Edwards. The film also marks the first appearances of Herbert Lom as Clouseau's long-suffering boss, Commissioner Dreyfus, André Maranne as Dreyfus's assistant François and Burt Kwouk as Clouseau's devoted manservant Cato. So, as it is the 60th anniversary of ASITD's release what better excuse than to talk about it at length for Goon Pod? It's your host's favourite Peter Sellers film of all time and he spends what seems like the show's entirety giggling and chuckling so it falls on this week's guest - newly published novelist Adam Leslie - to inject a bit of professionalism to proceedings! Lost In The Garden can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Garden-Adam-S-Leslie/dp/1915368480

Johnny Speight, creator of Alf Garnett, had a long friendship with Spike Milligan, stretching back to the mid-fifties and the Associated London Scripts days. Speight wrote Till Death Us Do Part which delighted and shocked television audiences in equal measure, with Garnett given to frequent outbursts against what he perceived as society's ills: immigration & foreigners in general, socialism, young people, increasing secularism, homosexuals, lack of due deference to the Royal Family and the ruling elite, feminism and anything else that he didn't really understand and felt threatened by. In the mid-1980s Speight wrote a follow-up series to Till Death Us Do Part called In Sickness and in Health, which reintroduced audiences to Alf, now older but hardly any wiser. From the second series Alf was a widower (after the death of his co-star Dandy Nicholls) and there gradually grew a new set of characters to antagonise and exasperate him. In the third series Spike had a guest appearance as Fancy Fred, squaring up to Alf at a tea dance and later bickering over where he parked his van. It's not a huge part and Spike wasn't aiming for any Bafta awards, but it's an intriguing cameo and one which we thought was worth talking about this week on Goon Pod - as well as talking about the Alf Garnett universe in general. Joining Tyler is comedian John Dredge, currently riding high with a new series of his sketch show The John Dredge Nothing To Do With Anything Show - which can be found HERE: https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/john_dredge_show/

"... Must admit he was very funny. I laughed. I laughed a great deal. Thought I was going to cry. I did." A Visit to Swansea was the fourth episode of the second series of Hancock’s Half Hour and was originally broadcast on 10th May 1955, two days before Tony Hancock’s 31st birthday. It was long considered one of the missing Hancocks until it was discovered last year by Richard Harrison of the Radio Circle and came from the same collection of recordings as The Marriage Bureau – the only episode of HHH to feature Peter Sellers and one we covered on Goon Pod previously with the guys from the Very Nearly An Armful podcast. It’s intriguing as this is another formerly missing show to feature a Goon – in this case Harry Secombe in a cameo, and it followed on from the three previous episodes of HHH in which Secombe stood in for Hancock who had undergone some sort of breakdown and gone off to Italy. Naturally it warranted an evaluation on Goon Pod and who better to talk all things Hancock than friend of the show Scott Phipps, host of such shows as Reel Britannia and the Talking Pictures podcast.

"Being the account of the hole, the wonderful way it was filled, and with what. Written for the wireless by Spike Milligan." On the 12th August 1957 a Daily Mirror reporter encountered Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan larking about around Cleopatra's Needle on London's Embankment: ""This is 1887!" yelled Spike Milligan, standing on the base in a pair of rust corduroy trousers, green shoes, a tail coat - and a topee. ""We've just brought this back from Africa, a well-known place." "Alongside him were Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers in tail coats and toppers. Harry screeched (and ducked): "Look out - pigeon!" then started to sing a song about "Lord Palmerston I love you..." "Having all convinced themselves that they had just brought the needle back across the seas, Harry announced: "I now declare this needle well and truly threaded!" "Then they sang: "There'll always be an England" and gave three hearty cheers for the Empire." Some three years after the interesting experimental edition of the Goon Show called The Starlings which was performed more as a radio play without an audience, in August 1957 the Goons reconvened ahead of the 8th series to record The Reason Why in a similar fashion. It purported to tell the story behind the transportation of Cleopatra's Needle from Alexandria to London but through a typically Goonish filter. Produced by Jacques Brown and also featuring Goon Show rep company player Valentine Dyall, The Reason Why was not quite as successful in its execution as The Starlings, but still a fascinating curio and this week Phil Shoobridge joins Tyler to talk about it.

In 1972 a film was released which is generally regarded as one of Peter Sellers' weakest films - Where Does It Hurt - and joining Tyler to kick it around for an hour or so are Jeremy Limb & Paul Litchfield. Sellers plays administrator Albert T. Hopfnagel at Vista Vue Hospital, described by Sellers' biographer Roger Lewis as being like “every over-the-top insurance salesman and fraudulent television evangelist you pray you’ll never meet…. He’s a streak of brown lightning… he appears happy and comprehensively spurious as a minor Richard III, bribing and threatening.” From the outset the film adopts a cynical framing of the US medical system. When laid-off construction worker Lester Hammond arrives at Vista Vue seeking a routine check-up he gets more than he bargained for – Hopfnagel runs the hospital like a racketeer, where the age-old medical maxim “First do no harm” has been downgraded to “First bleed them for every dime they’ve got”. As well as comprehensively trashing the film the chaps turn to other matters of import, such as My Mother The Car, Derren Nesbitt, Doctor Who, the Carry On films and Dick Emery. 10-4!

The British sitcom film of the seventies - doesn't the very mention of the genre make your heart sing? Sure, there were some stinkers, but this week we're talking about one which we consider to be a fairly successful adaptation: Man About The House from 1974. Why is this being covered on Goon Pod? Two reasons. Firstly, Spike Milligan is in it, playing himself. Secondly, it's Tyler's podcast and he likes MATH, so there. Joining him to talk about the film and wander down countless conversational backstreets are three chums: Gary Rodger & Tilt Araiza from The Sitcom Club and Jaffa Cakes For Proust podcasts and Andrew Hickey from A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs. Among other things they consider John Inman's career down under, speculate as to what exactly happened on George & Mildred's honeymoon and ponder the possibility of Harry Nilsson recording the theme tune to Porridge!

“Something’s been worrying me. You’re a French police officer and yet you’ve got a Scottish accent.” -“Aye. It worries me too.” Before Daniel Craig was even a twinkle in his father's eye (give it a couple of months) there was the 1967 original big screen version of Casino Royale, a far-from-subtle James Bond spoof based extremely loosely on Ian Fleming's first novel, which would go on to become the bedrock for all subsequent Austin Powers movies! How to best describe Casino Royale? Baffling, bloated, self-indulgent, messy - yes, all these apply. However, it's a fascinating celluloid confection and there are plenty of interesting aspects to the film, plus a handful of chuckles along the way. Famously suffering from temperamental stars (step forward Mr Sellers) and multiple directors, and shot through with the psychedelic sentiment of the time, Casino Royale is worth watching for the cast alone: along with the aforementioned Peter Sellers we have Orson Welles, David Niven, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, Ursula Andress, John Huston, Bernard Cribbens, Ronnie Corbett, Anna Quayle, John Bluthal, John Wells, Geoffrey Bayldon, Peter O'Toole and even Derek Nimmo! This week Tyler is joined by Martin Holmes, the host of Vision On Sound - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/visiononsound - to try and make sense of it all!