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Tony Hancock

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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thecaptain51 said:
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
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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
 
thecaptain51 said:
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
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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.
 
thecaptain51 said:
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
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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.
 
wam said:
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.
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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.
 
I too listened to "Educating Archie", the "Clitheroe Kid" and all that stuff. Let's not forget though, those shows made people laugh at the time.
I thought "Round the Horne" was hilarious, I wonder if it would make me laugh now ?
I can remember when the streets used to empty while Morecambe & Wise were on, everybody loved it. I watched them recently and never cracked a smile.
 
thecaptain51 said:
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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I didn't say I hadn't heard "Educating Archie" just that I still don't know what people saw in the idea of a vent act on the radio.
 
maypolebaz said:
I too listened to "Educating Archie", the "Clitheroe Kid" and all that stuff. Let's not forget though, those shows made people laugh at the time.
I thought "Round the Horne" was hilarious, I wonder if it would make me laugh now ?
I can remember when the streets used to empty while Morecambe & Wise were on, everybody loved it. I watched them recently and never cracked a smile.
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For what it's worth, if you pay attention to the listings for Radio 4 Extra you can probably catch reruns of "Round the Horne" or "Beyond our Ken" every so often. They keep a week's worth online at iplayer when it's on. Neither of those two are on at the moment but there's "Betty Shuttleworth" - a Kenneth Williams show from the 70s.
I never though that much of "Morecambe and Wise" even when they were making the shows. Then again, there's stuff that I did like that seems to have lost something over the years.

Oops - slight mistake. "Beyond our Ken" is back https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009twnn
 
I think that all shows develop an individual's following over time. I don't think series have instant success often and a few episodes have to elapse before they get into a formula for success. Topical humour is lost over time also. So going back to something would be like starting all over again...without even the topical cue's. I loved Hancock with Hattie and Sid but would find it all a bore now perhaps. I don't know if Morcambe and Wise would be less forgiving over time.
I wondered why Steptoe and Son had not been imported to NA and a few years ago (must have been more than a few) I found a tape with some of the shows on. It was a bust for me when I viewed it; even though it was a riot in it's day. I still have not seen the whole thing and tape deck has gone now.
 
Rupert said:
I wondered why Steptoe and Son had not been imported to NA and a few years ago (must have been more than a few) I found a tape with some of the shows on. It was a bust for me when I viewed it; even though it was a riot in it's day. I still have not seen the whole thing and tape deck has gone now.
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Supposedly, in the 60s and 70s the Americans couldn't take the standard British Sitcom and they had to be rewritten and retitled so that they were unrecognisable. As an example, "Til death us do part" became "All in the family". Curiously "Steptoe and Son" became two different sitcoms in the US - "Sanford and Son" and "Chico and the Man". I think the latter died quickly because one of it's two leads died.
 
wam said:
Supposedly, in the 60s and 70s the Americans couldn't take the standard British Sitcom and they had to be rewritten and retitled so that they were unrecognisable. As an example, "Til death us do part" became "All in the family". Curiously "Steptoe and Son" became two different sitcoms in the US - "Sanford and Son" and "Chico and the Man". I think the latter died quickly because one of it's two leads died.
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Speaking of "Til death do us part".
One night, in the 70s, we were watching German TV. Most of it went straight over our heads but we had nothing else to watch.
A sitcom came on, the main character was called I think, Albert Tetzlaff and after a few minutes I felt there was something familiar about it the show.
When the credits rolled at the end, Johnny Speight's name came up.
We'd been watching the German version of "Til death . . .
 
Wam & Maypolebaz

Your last information is drifting off topic, this is about Tony Hancock and I dont want The Admin Team closing this thread, please remember this. Thank you
 
Maypolebaz

Thanks very much for writing those words, did you get chance to look at Hancocks stuff in Australia on youtube?
I totally agree with you about time zones and humour. Ben Elton from the 80s/90s I wonder if he would sound so funny know with his political satire/humour.
 
My favorite line was Tony to Sid James on a joint date night when Sid wants Tony to "keep his girl amused" otherwise both girls will go home. Tony's reply was "Keep her amused - what do you suggest - a few card tricks, waggle me ears....."
Closely followed by when Tony is awaiting a girl on a blind date to visit his flat - he suddenly jumps up and says "If she smells that kipper I've had it"......
In third place - Tony ordering a huge delivery of booze for a reunion of his old army pals. The off licence manager ask him if he is having a party to which Tony replies "no - me mother's coming round......"

If you have never watched it view the Face to Face interview below - gives a fascinating insight into the man:-
 
Mark Tooze said:
If you have never watched it view the Face to Face interview below - gives a fascinating insight into the man:-
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It gave me the feeling that there was something he was hiding - but either he didn't know or didn't want to say what. His search for professional improvement eventually became his undoing - stopping using scriptrighters Galton & Simpson, ceasing having Sid James and Bill Kerr as sidekicks simply highlighted his weaknesses, which he came to realise whilst in Australia. Like some other comedians, he tried to 'fix what wasn't broke'.
 
Mark Tooze said:
My favorite line was Tony to Sid James on a joint date night when Sid wants Tony to "keep his girl amused" otherwise both girls will go home. Tony's reply was "Keep her amused - what do you suggest - a few card tricks, waggle me ears....."
Closely followed by when Tony is awaiting a girl on a blind date to visit his flat - he suddenly jumps up and says "If she smells that kipper I've had it"......
In third place - Tony ordering a huge delivery of booze for a reunion of his old army pals. The off licence manager ask him if he is having a party to which Tony replies "no - me mother's coming round......"

If you have never watched it view the Face to Face interview below - gives a fascinating insight into the man:-
Click to expand...
I forgot this one - Tony has enrolled at a charm school. When asked "have you ever been sought out at parties?" he replies "No - sorted out sometimes and slung out!".
And - when he tells Sid he will win a fortune on the football pools, Sid asks "What about the begging letters?" to which Tony replies "I'll stop sending them!"
 
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