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Tony Hancock

I lived at 51 Southam road when first married in 1972. The road is split by Cole Bank rd with one part running into Green Lane the part i lived in and the half ran into Sahrole rd the part Tony Hancock was born.
 
This is just recreating the scriptwriters' work, not Tony's. Good or bad? Have to wait to hear it to see, it depends if the new cast try to copy Tony or play it their own way. Personally I think the latter option is the way to go.
 
The tragic end to Tony's career and life.

After two failed marriages and getting rid of his writers Galton & Simpson and his long term agent. His drinking spiralling out of control, he decided to go to Australia, but unfortunately with dire consequences. He had taken his life, on his own in a hotel room, aged only 44.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtYZeC3VkY

Sid " Tony, I think that someone is looking at my mail before me ". Tony " Sid, I have never trusted this lot from Railway Cuttings, I think some of them are stark staring bonkers".
 
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News about Tony Hancock

I have read today in The Guardian (internet) that BBC Radio 4 is to recreate the lost episodes of 1950s radio sitcom Hancock's Half Hour, with a new cast including Pirates of the Caribbean actor Kevin McNally in the title role originally taken by the late Tony Hancock.


https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/apr/07/hancocks-half-hour-recreated-for-bbc-radio-4

Does any one think this is a good or bad thing?

The Captain
It's not the first time that the BBC has tried to reconstruct shows from old scripts. The one I remember most was the Marx Brothers "Flywheel, Shyster and Flywheel". If the same idea is followed, they're trying to resurrect the script not the actors that played the parts. If any of the actors sound like the originals, it'll be from coincidence not intent. I don't think Hancock would be hard to do but it's years since I heard anyone really try a Kenneth Williams impression and it's quite likely they'd ignore Bill Kerr's Australian accent.
 
Lloyd & Wam

Thanks for your comments, we are up in the air which way BBC radio 4 will play it. Its a wait and see what actually happens (Ref. Lloyd).
When I was living in Brum, i cant remember the last time anybody mentioned Hancock, may be the BBC radio will play it, in looking for a new generation of fans.

Thanks
The Captain
 
There are few people that rediscover old comics and radio comedy hasn't really caught the public interest for years. Some radio comedy has transferred to TV but in those cases it's the TV show that's known. This isn't the first radio remake of Hancock either. There's a 2009 version of The Blood Donor with Paul Merton. I don't suppose this will revive interest in Hancock and I wouldn't even be sure that all the fans would listen.
 
Wam

Totally agree with your comments, people tastes have moved forward and so has the way events/films/tv is communicated. I dont think todays generation would listen to a ventriloquist on the radio. I also believe the type of comedy that Hancock had produced would not be accepted by todays audiences.

The Captain
 
I believe now that people who listen to radio show's are dwindling year by year and BBC radio 4 is trying to appeal to their audiences by regenerating Hancock (A bit like BBC do with Doctor Who).

The Captain
 
Wam

Totally agree with your comments, people tastes have moved forward and so has the way events/films/tv is communicated. I dont think todays generation would listen to a ventriloquist on the radio. I also believe the type of comedy that Hancock had produced would not be accepted by todays audiences.

The Captain
I'm surprised that anyone ever listened to a ventriloquist on the radio.
As to Hancock, it's not an issue about the type of comedy so much as the actual material. Old comedy generally loses something in translation between periods of time. Something that worked in a 60s setting would have large parts of the background material changed to fit with either the present day or people's idea of the period.
 
I believe now that people who listen to radio show's are dwindling year by year and BBC radio 4 is trying to appeal to their audiences by regenerating Hancock (A bit like BBC do with Doctor Who).

The Captain
I think there is still a radio audience for this sort of thing. Chances are this is less to do with "reviving Hancock" as filling out the back catalogue. They're not writing new material just putting together readings of existing material they have lost the recordings of. That said, it's more of a Radio 4 Extra show (generally old reruns) than actual Radio 4.
 
I'm surprised that anyone ever listened to a ventriloquist on the radio.
As to Hancock, it's not an issue about the type of comedy so much as the actual material. Old comedy generally loses something in translation between periods of time. Something that worked in a 60s setting would have large parts of the background material changed to fit with either the present day or people's idea of the period.

There are, I should imagine a large number of people on this site who listened to "Educating Archie". Yes a ventriloquist on the radio and people were actually listening to it, believe it or believe it not. Whether they will admit to it now, god only knows. When this program transfered to tv, I was told "you could see his lips moving".
I looked at some of Hancocks stuff in Australia 1968, it was dreadful. You can see it on youtube.
Galton & Simpson were perfect for Hancock's style at that time.
 
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