The BONUS PAGES - Tony Hancock Pages... · The Bonus Pages - July 2018 - Page 5 3. John Le Mesurier...

The Bonus Pages - July 2018 -

The BONUS PAGESExtra Material From

THE TONY HANCOCK APPRECIATION SOCIETY -

Number 12 - January 2019

In this issue:P1 - ContentsP2-3 - Do you think that’s wise?P4-9 - Interview with Julian DuttonP10 - Beryl Vertue remembers Ray GaltonP11-15 - Celebrity Tweets about the death of Ray GaltonP16 - Vacant LotP17-20 - Hancock in Wings - rare photoP21-26 - The Lord Chamberlain Archives - Censorship preserving comedyP26-32 - Archie Andrew Christmas PartyP33-46 - Some press cuttings from 1956P47-48 - 2017 Reunion Dinner Quiz AnswersP49 - Radio Times coverage of The Missing Hancocks


RBM Presents

Julian Dutton in

Do You Think That’s Wise?The Life & Times of John Le Mesurier

As seen and heard on

‘You would think John Le Mesurier is actually stood before you. An amazing biographical tale.’ British Comedy Guide

‘A compelling performance.’ Chortle

Following a sell-out run at Edinburgh Julian Dutton launches a major UK tour. An affectionate tribute to one of Britain’sbest-loved comedy stars, multi-award-winning writer & performer & leading impressionist Julian Dutton (BBC1’s TheBig Impression, BBC R4’s The Secret World) reveals the man behind the wry smile and urbane English repartee thatcharmed millions and turned Le Mesurier into a household name as Sergeant Wilson in Dad’s Army.

As with many comedy stars, Le Mesurier’s life was not without tragedy – his broken marriage to Hattie Jacques, hisbetrayal by his best friend Tony Hancock – all these setbacks shook him, but his reputation as the quintessentialEnglish Gentleman never wavered. Packed with glorious reminiscences and stories from the Golden Age of ClassicBritish Comedy, Julian Dutton’s show is a joyful and moving celebration of one of the most popular comic actors of ourera.

‘A superb impersonation’ Claire Cavanagh, BBC Bristol

Julian Dutton is a writer and performer whose work has won a British Comedy Award, a BAFTA, and a Radio AcademyGold Award. He is the co-creator & co-writer of the BBC TV comedy series Pompidou starring Matt Lucas; co-created,wrote & performed in four series of the BBC1 comedy hit The Big Impression with Alistair McGowan, and his CBBCsitcom Scoop ran for three series of 39 eps. He has written & performed in more than 200 radio comedy shows,including his own series The Harpoon, the spoof Boy’s Own Magazine comedy, and Truly Madly Bletchley, describedby the Independent as ‘the most confident new sitcom since The Navy Lark.’ Most recently he won the Radio Academy


Gold Award for writing & performing in the impressions series The Secret World with Bill Dare for BBC R4. He hastoured as a comedian and impressionist and appeared in the West End supporting many of Britain's top comics likeHarry Hill and Al Murray.

‘Julian Dutton’s impression is a wonder to behold’ Lynn Bowles, BBC Radio Wales‘One of the best vocal performers around’ BBC Comedy

https://juliandutton.wordpress.com/| @JulianDutton1

LISTING INFORMATION

JANUARY 201925 STRATFORD Upon AVON Bear Pit Theatre www.thebearpit.org.uk26 CHIPPING NORTON Theatre www.chippingnortontheatre.com

February 201903 HALIFAX Square Chapel Arts Centre www.squarechapel.co.uk06 SWINDON Arts Centre www.swindontheatres.co.uk07 DEAL Astor Theatre www.theastor.org08 MAIDSTONE The Hazlitt Theatre www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/Hazlitt-Theatre09 KETTERING Arts Centre www.ketteringartscentre.com15 SPALDING South Holland Centre www.southhollandcentre.co.uk16 BARTON Upon HUMBER The Ropewalk www.the-ropewalk.co.uk22 TEWKESBURY The Roses Theatre www.rosestheatre.org24 GRAVESEND The Woodville www.woodville.seatlive.com

March 201901 WISBECH Angles Theatre www.anglestheatre.co.uk15 LEICESTER COALVILLE Century Theatre www.centurytheatre.co.uk22 SUDBURY The Quay Theatre www.quaysudbury.com23 WALTON ON THAMES Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre www.riverhousebarn.co.uk30 BROMSGROVE Artrix www.artrix.co.uk

April 201904 HORSHAM The Capitol www.thecapitolhorsham.com06 LETCHWORTH The Broadway www.broadway-letchworth.com13 BLACKBURN Darwen Library Theatre www.darwenlibrarytheatre.com18 RUNCORN Brindley Studio Theatre www.thebrindley.org.uk26 TORRINGTON The Plough Arts Centre www.theploughartscentre.org.uk27 PENZANCE Acorn Theatre www.theacornpenzance.com

June 201901 BARNSLEY The Lamproom www.barnsleylamproom.com

PRESS CONTACTSamuel Nunn | [email protected] | 0207 630 7733 | 07988 168395


Interview with Julian Dutton - Questions set by Tom Dommett

1. Why a play about John Le Mesurier?

Well I’ve always impersonated him ever since I was a nipper, and in my act was pleasantlysurprised how well the bit went down – even in front of young audiences, student venuesetc. I wrote and performed in BBC1’s The Big Impression with Alistair McGowan and Iwrote a series of sketches in which Eastenders is turning into Dad’s Army, in whichAlistair played Pike and I played Le Mes. This year – a sobering thought – I am the sameage as Le Mesurier was when he got the part in Dad’s Army, and it’s also the 50th anniver-sary of Dad’s Army, so 2018 seemed the ideal time to create a play. Also, as many impres-sionists may tell you, full-length pieces involving an impression are much more artisticallyand dramatically satisfying than just doing little skits or sketches – with a full-length showyou can really attempt to get to the heart of the person, tell a story. Also, there’ve beenmany interesting and exciting shows in recent years that inspired me – David Benson’sKenneth Williams, Alistair McGowan’s Jimmy Savile, Jack Lane’s Norman Wisdom. Myshow is an attempt to both pay tribute to an actor whose ca-reer straddled the second half of the twentieth century, and

also tell a good story.

2. How did you go about re-searching for your play?

The available secondary sources arechiefly Graham McCann’s biogra-phy of course, ‘Do You ThinkThat’s Wise?’, John’s own – veryslim – autobiography, ‘A JobbingActor,’ and his wife Joan’s memoir,‘Lady Don’t Fall Backwards.’ Hedidn’t do many television inter-views – although a wonderful sto-ryteller he wasn’t a comedian orraconteur like, say, Kenneth Wil-liams. My main research for the performance side of the showwas, of course, watching as much of his work as possible. I can’tsay I’ve watched every film he was in – he made more than 200 –but a very useful piece was the play Traitor, by Dennis Potter, inwhich I believe his displays more of himself – as well as his rangeas an actor. Dad’s Army shows his light side, and Traitor hisdeeper, darker side, I think – but both performances are him. Iwas also very lucky to have had a good chat with Jeffrey Holland,who not only starred in Hi-de-Hi! but also worked with John andknew him very well. He came to see my show in Edinburgh andgave me lots of advice – even down to the brand of whisky Johndrank (Bells, afore ye go!)


3. John Le Mesurier and Tony Hancock were friends. Tony's wife Freddie says Tonyhad 'mates' rather than friends, yet John seems to have been very close to Tony. Canyou tell explain a bit about what made their friendship so strong?

That’s a very interesting question. Freddie’s words about Tony having ‘mates’ rather thanfriends is spot on. But I think as Hancock went through life he had one very close friend ineach phase of his life - Larry Stephens in the early Fifties, Sid James for the rest of the Fif-ties, and John Le Mesurier in the Sixties. They met through Hattie of course when she gotthe job on Educating Archie, and Tony became a regular at their house – parties and so on.Proof that John was a very close friend is that he stood by Hancock not just in his trium-phant days, but also in Tony’s years of decline – the mark of a true friend, when often one’sso-called friends find excuses to avoid you. So even in Tony’s darkest days John would visithim in hospitals, drying-out clinics etc. It is interesting that the lower-middle-class Han-cock got on so well with the upper middle-class Le Mesurier. Why were they close friends?My own take on it is that Tony Hancock was in many ways ‘classless.’ He had the commontouch, which of course is one of the reasons he became a major star – but he was one ofthose interesting Englishmen who is born into a lower-middle-class family yet who goes topublic school. He grew up with a love of cricket, a huge work ethic, and a love of the finerthings in life. So when he met John Le Mesurier, I believe their friendship was based on ashared set of values. Also Hancock loved eccentrics and outsiders – people who weren’t runof the mill. And Le Mesurier was a bit of an outsider – he’d broken away from a very staidrespectable upper-middle-class life and run off and joined the stage. Mario Fabrizi was agood friend, Johnny Vyvyan, these kind of people. Variety people, misfits. Hancock couldmix very easily with all classes – yet he had much in common with ex-public schoolboy LeMesurier. Another thing that bonded them of course was a love of jazz. Le Mesurier’s mel-ancholy also fascinated Hancock – he called John ‘Eeyore’, the lugubrious donkey fromWinnie the Pooh. And of course above all Hancock loved people who made him laugh – andJohn made him laugh hysterically throughout their friendship. And professionally of course

they worked together sowell onscreen – one of myfavourite scenes inHancock’s Half Hour is inLord Byron Lived Here withLe Mes as the NationalTrust Officer: (‘There’s alonely little outpost to thenorth of desert pass, there’sa lonely little soldier on thehunt. He’s cut off from hisunit and he’s lost his way,alas, because he wore his hel-met back to front.’ ‘Oh, getout.’)

Johnny Vyvyan, Mario Fabrizi , Sid James and Tony Hancock in a scenefrom The Oak Tree


4. Your play touches on some difficult areas - not one but two of John's wives went off withother people, I imagine people expecting just anecdotes about Dad's Army will besurprised, what is the overall feel of the play?

Yes, I haven’t shied away from the dramatic, emotional parts of his life. I had two choiceswhen creating this show – first, I could have written an ‘Audience with…’ type piece, a bitlike the ITV series – funny anecdotes, clips etc. – but then I thought… well, John le Mesur-ier wouldn’t have done one of those shows. Although a great storyteller he wasn’t a stand-up comedian. The second route was to create a play that tells his story. I chose the latter.This has allowed me to explore his character more and also give the piece a dramatic shape.There are still plenty of laughs in the show! - but it’s not all fluffy ‘light entertainment.’ Aswith anyone’s life, the show contains ups, downs, laughter, sadness - I’ve tried to make it atruthful portrayal.

5. You say Tony Hancock features heavily in the show, is that John talking abouthim or do you do an impression of Tony too?

I am John throughout the show and he wasn’t an impressionist so I don’t ‘do’ Hancock, orArthur Lowe – or rather, I do ‘John doing them,’ if that makes sense. If I did other impres-sions in the show it would be Julian Dutton doing an impression of Hancock (I do Hancockbut not half as good as James Hurn!)But yes, Hancock features heavily in the show. In researching the piece and trying to give ita shape I realised that John’s life fell into three phases – his early theatrical career, his Hat-tie years, and his Hancock years. Hancock cast a huge shadow over John’s life from the late50’s through the 60’s.

6. Inevitably, there is a tension between making a play or film about someone's lifethat works as a drama rather than comes across as a documentary. Did you have tomake any compromises with the facts?

Every single thing in the play is factually correct, including all the chronology. You areright that people’s lives don’t always ‘fit into’ a dramatic shape. But in writing the play Ifound that John Le Mesurier’s life lent itself very well to a dramatic paradigm – to use aposh word. Early struggle, breakaway from his family background, ambition, setback, ob-stacles, success, disaster, then late triumph. It’s the perfect dramatic paradigm! So I’ve triedto give the piece this dramatic shape. Now inevitably when doing a one-man show it’s im-possible to put everything in – if I had it would have been as long as Wagner’s Ring Cycle.A huge challenge for me was what to leave out. So of course time is concertina’d somewhat– whole years pass in a matter of seconds obviously – but I’ve tried to be absolutely accu-rate in terms of events and when they occurred.

7. John Le Mesurier was in 200 Plus films ? (As his son Robin recalls, he and Hattiewere certainly famous but far from rich) did he avoid stardom in a Sid James typeway ? i.e. always be in work and avoid the perils of topping the bill?


I think there was an element of frustration with being a small-part player. He did playmany leads onstage in the theatrical part of his career. But he came from that generation ofactors who could carve out a very successful screen career in small parts – the British mov-ie industry in the Fifties was of course churning out dozens of films a year and drew on thevast pool of repertory actors we all remember and love. That’s all gone now. But there areanecdotal examples of Hattie having to reassure him that he was a good actor – I think heoccasionally got fed up with playing the bowler-hatted manager, the Judge, or the otherestablishment characters he hoovered up. It was very much an age of types – Sid James therough diamond geezer, Raymond Huntley the family solicitor or civil servant, that kind ofthing. The British class system was so well-defined in the Fifties. And Le Mes cornered themarket as the upper-middle class type. But he was far more ambitious than we realise. SidJames as you know never wanted to be ‘top banana’ but I think there was a streak of drivein Le Mes, a secret yearning to be a leading player. This probably led to his melancholy andhis drinking.

8. John had to be heavily persuaded to take on the role in Traitor, for which he wona BAFTA, and despite consider-able skill as an actor, he seemedmore comfortable in lessdemanding roles. Is that aboutright ? (i.e. He didn't yearn toplay King Lear?)

When he became a householdname in Dad’s Army and was of-fered Traitor, for which he won aBAFTA, yes he had to be persuad-ed to do it, but make no mistake hereally wanted it. He knew his tal-

ent. But he was also aware that he was no Albert Finney or Sean Connery or Richard Har-ris or Dirk Bogarde – he was a gentle character actor and remained a gentle characteractor.

9. Several people have mentioned that Hancock (alcoholism and ambitions to makefilms aside) would have been great as Captain Mainwaring and perhaps would haveescaped the East Cheam persona that he was trying to shake off. Do you agree?

That’s brilliant – yes, under the right guidance and direction Hancock could have been awonderful Mainwaring. He had the same self-delusion, pomposity, ‘ideas above his station.’He would most certainly have seen himself as the ‘Man of the Hour,’ and taken over things.Walmington-on-Sea is very East Cheam.You’ve set me off now, this talk of ‘what Hancock could have done?’ June Whitfield turned93 the other day and it struck me that she’d appeared in almost all Hancock’s series, rightfrom the ITV Tony Hancock Show of 1956 to Hancock’s of 1968. Had he lived – and beenfit of course – I could envisage her doing a domestic sitcom with Tony along the lines ofTerry & June or One Foot in the Grave (he would have been a marvellous Victor Meldrew)

John inTraitor byDennis Potter


– but of course they would HAVE to have been written by Galton & Simpson. They werethe only writers who could write for him.It’s been said many times but it is truly one of the hugest tragedies of showbiz history thatHancock never fulfilled the 3-picture deal he and Galton & Simpson had with ABPC. I wentto the reading of the Galton & Simpson screenplay The Day Off at the BFI with TomGoodman-Hill playing the Hancock part – as you know this was one of the scripts Hancockrejected – and I came away thinking it would have been a beautiful, minimalistic film, witha very European feel to it – a man wandering about a town on his day off – and it wouldhave been a masterpiece. It’s the most galling thing that he didn’t stick with Galton &Simpson, because he didn’t realise that the character they created with him, WAS interna-tional. The more parochial a character is, the more universally appealing they are – this isthe paradox Hancock didn’t realise. I can see WHY he wanted to ‘escape from the EastCheam persona,’ as you say – he looked at Tati, Chaplin etc. and though ‘they belong no-where,’ but that’s wrong. What he didn’t twig is that Tati’s M. Hulot is the most parochialcomic character ever put onscreen – he’s a typical suburban Frenchman, who lived in a Pa-risian version of East Cheam: in fact, the French at first didn’t like M. Hulot at all becausehe was taking the mickey out of a particular type of French person – fastidious, deferential,etc. And Chaplin? The Tramp figure is a perfect portrayal of a South London scamp, a scav-enger, a chancer, of which in late nineteenth-century London there were thousands.So he should have stuck with Galton & Simpson, and stuck in East Cheam. People say he‘broke away from East Cheam’ for his final solo BBC series, but that’s not quite true. Yes,he was now living in Earls Court, but the whole comedy stems from the fact that he doesn’tbelong there – he’s someone from East Cheam who’s settled in Earls Court, to be ‘with it,’to try and fit in with the new swinging generation. That’s the comedy. He’s still from EastCheam!So his break with Galton & Simpson was, of course, disastrous. If you move away fromplaying a character you have to come up with something better – and he didn’t. As DenisNorden said, ‘The Galton & Simpson Hancock is a giant of world literature: Hancock with-out Galton & Simpson is a comedian.’ So this is my long-winded way! of saying yes, maybehe could have been a great Captain Mainwaring – but what would have been even better isa film set in East Cheam in WW2, with him playing ‘the Hancock character,’ and writtenby Galton & Simpson. He could have played that character for another ten, fifteen years,and he would have been a giant of cinema comedy. Of that I have no doubt. There weresome wonderful big-screen versions of TV sitcoms in the sixties and seventies – the firstAlf Garnett film was genius, with flashbacks to the war: the first Steptoe & Son film; andeven the Dad’s Army film, ’71, was brilliant. Hancock could have made ten films with Gal-ton & Simpson and he’d have ranked alongside Peter Sellers and Norman Wisdom as one ofthe great British film comedians. As it is, he is still the greatest post-war TV comedian – solet’s not take that away from him!

10. You’re a self-confessed Hancock fan, what's Hancock's appeal to you ?

Well I’ve answered a lot of this above - and there’s not a lot I can say that hasn’t alreadybeen said about him by worthier observers than I… but for me Hancock was the greatestcomic actor of the second half of the twentieth century: with the caveat of course that I’mtalking about the Galton & Simpson Hancock. Those three were one. He had the greatest


comic delivery of anyone I’ve ever heard. People talkabout timing a line, but it’s the delivery as well, therhythm, the pace, the rising to a hysterical declamation(‘Long live the Empire!’ or ‘Olive, Olive, wherefore artthou, Olive?’) and dipping to a low, introspective tone(‘well never again, never again. They can whistle fortheir salvage in the future...’) He had it all. As MoiraLister said ‘his great triumph was being funny and realat the same time.’ I think it was Andre Melly who said‘when you read the script, it was difficult to find outwhere the laughs will be – usually you can spot a gagline, but with the Hancock scripts he made things fun-ny that you didn’t think were laugh lines.’ (I’m quotingfrom memory, so it’s words to that effect!) But AndreMelly was right – I have all the Hancock scripts andyes, there are gags (‘I can trace my family all the wayback to Rufus Hancock.’ ‘Who was he?’ ‘My Father.’)but more often than not it’s all character. And the wayhe made it funny was quite extraordinary. It’s difficultfor us today to realise how fresh and new he was whenhe – and Galton and Simpson’s scripts – sprang ontothe scene. Because we’ve had so much since, we nowthink of sitcoms as being, for the most part, ‘realistic’with characters talking about real, mundane stuff. Butuntil Hancock, no comedian was talking about real things! It was all gags. This is how ab-solutely revolutionary Hancock’s Half Hour was. Never mind the topical stuff – the RailStrike, The Bolshoi Ballet etc. - which was revolutionary in itself, broadcast comedy men-tioning things that were happening to people that very week – but also the nitty-gritty ofexistential life, observational stuff like ‘have you noticed, if you look at the wallpaper longenough you can see faces?’ – ‘I see that spider’s still up there. I’ll have the vacuum over himtomorrow,’ etc.I personally can listen to Hancock time and time again, like music. He and Galton andSimpson created a world and a set of immortal characters that – yes, you know it’s set inthe Fifties and is very much in that world of suburban shabby-gentility – yet were at thesame time universal. One can imagine Tony, Sid, Bill & Miss Pugh still having adventuresin East Cheam today.And I think The Rebel and The Punch & Judy Man are wonderful films as well.One can cite his ‘outsiderishness’ – an inability to fit in with his generation (didn’t Sykessay that even aged twenty-five Hancock looked as if he was forty-five?) The character’s at-tempts to become part of the culture are wonderfully resonant – the Poetry Society, WildMan of the Woods – these are all great satires. And The Missing Page – a brilliant satire ofpulp fiction in the fifties. Hancock and Galton and Simpson had their fingers on the pulse ofthe age, and that they all met each other at the right time is something we can only givethanks for.

Jacques Tati - Monsieur Hulot


Vacant Lot the sitcom Larry Stephens wrote forTony Hancock, had a couple of sell-out perform-ances at the end of September, at StourbridgeTown Hall and at the British Library. Over 350peope were at the British Library. Julie Warrenwas at the British Library event and took part in aQuestion and Answer session with members ofthe cast and crew afterwards. She says “It was areally enjoyable evening which I hope will re-peated at some point in the near future.”

Julie Warren also reports that the publication ofher book, Glarnies, Green Berets & Goons: TheLife and Legacy of Larry Stephens is movingever nearer publication. She has submitted themanuscript to her publisher Unbound at the startof November. The manuscript will now be edit-ed, copy edited and proofread while Julie focuseson looking through photos and selecting the onesshe would like to include.


Tony Hancock as you’ve probably never seen him before. Tony in the centre of the frontrow is shown in Wings.

The photo is shown in full on the next page.

Tony very rarely appeared dressed as a woman. The Nathan/Freddie Hancock book, con-firms Hancock appeared in drag as part of Wings. It says this was only time he appearedin drag apart from being a panto dame, but, we know that he was in drag for the 4 charladies sketch in the Gang Show and may well have appeared in drag in another gang showsketch.The biograpgy “When the wind changed” has a photo of the Wings programme just afterpage 276.

It lists 5 spots for Tony Hancock,

First half12. The Blackpool Sands 1940 - Recruit14. Wings over Homeland - Airman (where he sang the song, I'm a hero to me mum)Second Half4 - North Africa - Sprog (How long have you been in the airforce? all bloody day!)11. The ship's concert - The Dame (shown in the photo above)12. An RAF Station 1947 - Airman


Tony Hancock in a sketch called the Four Char Ladies


Hancock on StageAccessing the Lord Chamberlain’s Plays at the British Library

By Michael D. Bates, [email protected], for the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society, 8 December 2018.

Prior to 1968, all scripts for stage productions had to be submitted for prior approval to the Lord Chamber-lain. In recent years, this collection of scripts was transferred to the British Library and is available for re-search. This collection doesn’t just include the sort of serious dramatic works you might see at the EastCheam Drama Festival; it includes variety, revues, and pantomimes, too. This is an exciting resource forfans of Tony Hancock and British comedy.I was interested in accessing the Lord Chamberlain’s Plays (LCP) collection to read the scripts for TonyHancock's stage revues. I was also interested in using the British Library collection generally to peruse someof the published Hancock biographies and script collections to see which I might like to purchase on theused market.It was surprisingly easy (and free) to get a reader's pass and then use it to view documents. Here's an outlineof the process:

1. Pre-register for a reader pass online

2. Register for an online British Library account

3. Request reading material for delivery to the manuscripts reading room

4. Gather documents in preparation for first visit to the library.

5. Complete your registration in person at the library.

6. Stow your stuff in a locker, and take your laptop, pencil, and notebook to the manuscripts readingroom.

7. Consult the card catalogue of Lord Chamberlain's Plays (LCP) and find the box number of the scriptyou're interested in, then submit an online request for it. Do something else for an hour.

8. Get the requested materials from the desk, view them, take notes, etc.

9. Return the materials to the desk.

I discuss each step in detail below, followed by a list of productions of interest and their call numbers, anduseful weblinks.

1. Pre-register for a reader pass onlineOn the British Library website (bl.uk), the Catalogues and Collections drop-down menu has an option "Get aReader Pass." That page describes the process and has links to the steps you can complete online.

https://www.bl.uk/help/how-to-get-a-reader-pass

Here's a direct link to the online registration form:

https://register.bl.uk/RegReader.aspx?ServiceId=1%20

On the form, they ask for first and last name, title, email address, date of birth, and address. You will needdocuments verifying your address, signature, and identity. You can provide an additional contact address(e.g. my hotel address in the UK) and, optionally, a phone number. The address and phone number fields areinternationalized -- I had no trouble inputting my US address and phone number -- but if you have a UK ad-dress, you can enter the postcode and it will fill in the fields for you.

One of the screens asks a series of questions:

What is the main purpose of your research? *


What is your gender? *Have you ever visited the British Library?How did you hear about the British Library?Please tell us your ethnicity *Please tell us if you have a disability *Please tell us if you need any assistanceWhat best describes the area of your research? *

The choices for the first question are Academic, Business, Personal. I put in "Personal." You can put "NotStated" for the gender and ethnicity questions. For area of research, I chose "Theatre, Performing Arts" fromthe list.The "area of your research" question appears only if you select Personal for the "main purpose". Otherchoices include "Classics and Ancient Languages" "Geography" "Music and Sound" "Media and Journal-ism" "Multidisciplinary"On the final page, click Finish and your pre-registration is submitted.

2. Register for an online British Library accountA few minutes after I finished the online pre-registration form I received a confirmation email with a ReaderPass number and further instructions. It said to create a British Library Online Account, using the followinglink:https://register.bl.uk/Ui/ReaderMigration01.aspxYou'll use that Reader Pass number in creating the online account. The same number will be your OnlineAccount number. Once you've created the online account, you'll get a confirmation email which will tell youto click a link that verifies your email address.

3. Request reading material for delivery to the Manuscripts reading roomAt this point, you can search the catalog and request items to be delivered to a reading room. I recommendusing the Manuscripts Reading Room, as that room has the card catalog for the Lord Chamberlain's Plays(LCP), which has not yet been digitized. Note however that the Manuscripts reading room closes at 1700.Ordinary books (e.g. Tony Hancock, Artiste) can be requested to any of the reading rooms, but LCP itemscan only be requested to the Manuscripts reading room.While some Manuscripts items can be transferred to the Rare Books & Music reading room, which staysopen until 2000, Monday through Thursday, LCP items can only be viewed in the Manuscripts readingroom. (If there is a non-LCP item you want to have transferred, you must ask before 1630. I once arrived aminute later and was turned away.)You'll want to request at least one item, as you need to have a printed list of requested items to take with youto the library to complete your registration, along with your proof of signature, proof of address, reader passnumber, and any documentation supporting your application.

4. Gather documents in preparation for first visit to the library.Print out your list of requested items and your confirmation email with reader pass number. Gather thosetogether with your proof of signature and proof of address, along with any documentation supporting yourapplication (e.g. business card, student ID, letter of introduction).Below is the list of items they accept for verifying your signature and your address. Note that some docu-ments can be used for either signature or address, but not both. Documents need to be original and in Eng-lish (or translation provided), and you need a different document for each purpose. (For example, if you useyour driving licence to establish your identity and signature, you’ll need some other document to establishyour address.)Documents for signature verification Documents for address verification


Passport

Driving Licence*

Bank Card

Credit Card

National ID Card*

Police/Customs/Home Office/Warrant Card

Forces ID card

Sea/Air Masters Licence

Utility Bill (Gas, Electricity, Telephone, Water)

Bank/Building Society Statement (no photocopies or photographs)

Credit Card Statement

Council Tax Bill/Council Rent Book

HM Revenue and Customs Statement

State Pension Book

Benefit/Family Credit Book

Passports (where the address has been officially entered by the issuing authority)

National Identity Card with address*

Driving Licence with address*

Home Office permit to stay

University Certificate for Hall of Residence (stamped and signed by institution)

TV Licence

Firearms Licence

Home Insurance Policy

Pay Slips (where employer’s and employee’s addresses are stated)

5. Complete your registration in person at the library.The reader registration office at the main St. Pancras branch is on the upper ground floor. After goingthrough bag check at the main door, bear right, walking past the bookshop, then up a flight of stairs to UpperGround Level. Turn right to find Reader Registration.Upon arrival I walked to a computer screen, filled in my details -- name, reader's number from the confirma-tion email -- and was given a four digit queue number. I waited for about 10 minutes before an assistantcalled my number. I showed my driving license (proof of address) and passport (proof of signature). While Ihad mentally prepared a spiel about being a member of the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society researchinghis stage career via the Lord Chamberlain's collection, I wasn't asked to justify my need for a card. (Perhapsthe grey hair and beard made me appear sufficiently professorial.) I can't even recall if I was asked for mylist of requested items. My photo was taken, and shortly thereafter I had a reader card in hand good for 30days.


When I went back a month later to renew my pass, I followed the same process -- request a renewal onlinethe night before, go to Reader's Registration, sign in on a computer to get a queue number, wait for someoneto call my number. The assistant couldn't understand why I'd only been given a 30-day pass initially; shegave me a renewal good for three years. I was happy with my original photo, so we just had to wait a minutefor the new card to be printed.

6. Stow your stuff in a locker, and take your laptop, pencil, and notebook to the manuscripts readingroom.Go back to the staircase (or the lifts) and head down two flights to the Lower Ground floor. Turn right (east)to get to the lockers. Grab an official BL clear plastic bag as you walk in, then find an empty locker. Leaveany pens, markers, knives, food, drink, in the locker. I put my laptop, charger, notebook, and mechanicalpencil in the clear bag. If you've forgotten a pencil or are out of leads, they're for sale in the BL bookshop.Pick a four digit code, enter it twice, and make a note of your locker number and code. Now you're ready tohead to the reading room.

7. Consult the card catalogue of Lord Chamberlain's Plays (LCP) and find the box number of thescript you're interested in, then submit an online request for it. Do something else for an hour.

Assuming you don't already know which manuscript you want, you'll need to look it up, as the LCP itemsare not in the digital catalog. (A list of items of interest are in the “Notes” section at the end of this article.)Go to the Manuscripts room on the 2nd floor, show your reader's pass to the guard, then turn left. At the farside of the room there is a card catalog -- for you young folks, it's a sort of chest of drawers with lots of littledrawers holding 3"x5" index cards. The cards are grouped by eras; one section of drawers has manuscriptsfrom 1900 to 1968.Within an era’s section, the cards are alphabetical by title. A few of them will note the writer's name or thetheatre where the show will first be produced, but most do not. There is more than half of a drawer filledwith Cinderella productions, with a dozen or more every year. Good luck finding the script that Tony used atNottingham in 1953. (It might have been approved in a previous year.) A large section of another drawer isfilled with cards for over 300 editions of Revudeville -- the variety show at the Windmill Theatre that fea-tured nude tableaux intermingled with comedians and musicians.On each card will be a year, a slash, and a box number. For example, "Archie Andrews Christmas Party" -- ashow that starred Tony Hancock and Hattie Jacques alongside Brough and Archie -- is 1951/62. That is thenumber of the box that contains the script for "Archie Andrews Christmas Party" along with several otherscripts from that same period.Now that you know which box you want, get onto the web and go to the following link to request it:https://ordersubmission.bl.uk/OrderSubmission/nonCatalogueItem/displayPage?view=manuscriptsDirectRequesting

To ask for Lord Chamberlain's Plays box 1951/62, you would enter LCP 1951/62 in the "Reference" field,then click Request for today. A popup will ask you where to deliver it, but the only option will be Manu-scripts.To search for and request books and other items in the online catalog, visit this link:http://explore.bl.ukTo see what you've currently requested, including a history of past requests, go to this link:https://myrequests.bl.uk/Requests.aspxIt takes up to 70 minutes to retrieve an item from the stacks and deliver it to the reading room, so this is agood time to visit the excellent Saxon England exhibit, to see the permanent exhibit of Treasures of the Brit-ish Library ("Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you? Did she die in vain?"), or to enjoy a cup of coffee inthe cafe. If you have a BL membership (£80 per year), you can use their attractive members' room, whichoffers a table-service bar overlooking the King's Library.Published books can be requested to any reading room. For example, I requested and read Hancock’s HalfHour: The Classic Years, radio scripts compiled with commentary from longtime THAS leader Chris Bum-stead, and Eddie Joffe’s account of Hancock’s Last Stand in Australia, as well as


Some useful books are available on the open shelves. Tony Hancock, Artiste is in available for reference inthe Humanities reading room, 2nd floor (call number HUS 791.092 HAN), next to a book about Noel Cow-ard. Nearby you'll find The Goon Show Companion by Roger Wilmut and Jimmy Grafton (HUS 791.446170), the BBC Sound Effects Catalogues for 1989 and 1994 (HUS 792.024 074 421 BBC), and Barry Took's1976 book (second edition 1981), Laughter in the Air: An Informal History of British Radio Comedy (HUS791.446 170 941).

8. Go to the Manuscripts room issue desk to collect your requests, then read, take notes, etc.

Show your reader's pass to the guard at the door, find a desk, then go to the Issue and Return desk and askfor your item.Unfortunately, the Manuscripts room is the only place items from LCP are issued. While some manuscriptsmay be transferred to the Rare Book & Music room for later viewing, LCP items can only be handled in theManuscripts room, which always closes at 5 pm.The issuing librarian will look through the box to find the manuscript of interest and will put that in a cloth-lined wooden tray, which you will use to carry the item to your desk. She will place a yellow "No Photogra-phy Allowed" on the tray and will direct you to sit at one of the desks labeled "No Photography" where theycan make sure you aren't breaking the rules. They will only issue one manuscript at a time.Any LCP manuscript later than 1873 is tagged as "No Photography Allowed" because there may be a copy-right holder in existence. This is highly inconvenient for research -- instead of clicking photos for later tran-scription, you have to do the transcription then and there, which is tiring and time-consuming -- but them'sthe rules.(There may be a way around this. If you want a script digitised, you can request it through Imaging Services-- https://forms.bl.uk/imaging/ -- but if it's later than 1940 you may be turned down, unless you can showthat you've made a good-faith but unsuccessful effort to find the copyright holder. I have not yet attemptedthis. This is based on a conversation with a reference librarian in the Manuscripts reading room. Perhaps thiscould be pursued by THAS, as the organization would have more credibility in making the request than anindividual.)

9. Return the materials to the desk.

When you're done, take the tray with the manuscript back to the issue desk, and request your next item.When you leave the reading room, show your clear plastic bag to the guard. If you have a laptop, he will askyou to open it.

NOTES: Call numbers for items of interest from Tony Hancock's stage career:

"Wings," LCP 1947/14: Ralph Reader's RAF touring show. Tony sang, "I'm a Hero to My Mum""Revudeville 214", LCP 1948/33: According to Tony Hancock, Artiste, Tony Hancock and DerekScott were part of this edition of the Windmill's follies, but they don't show up in the version of thescript on file. (Morecambe and Wise and Harry Worth do, however.)"Archie Andrews Christmas Party," LCP 1951/62: Doctor Hancock and Nurse Dinglebody (HattieJacques) arrive to cure Archie of malingering. Hijinks ensue. Cigars explode."London Laughs," LCP 1952/51: Jimmy Edwards, Vera Lynn, and Tony Hancock were the stars ofthis long running revue. Includes Hancock's impressions of Charles Laughton, the Hunchback ofNotre Dame, and the Gaumont-British News, a spoof of exotic travel films, destination Margate, asong about a "Mechanical Man," and some cod Scottish, Devonshire, and French songs."Talk of the Town," LCP 1954/34 and 1954/63: Jimmy Edwards and Tony Hancock. Two differentversions of the show that premiered in Oxford then moved to the Adelphi Theatre."The Hancock Show," LCP 1957/36. Originally licenced for the Manchester Hippodrome, August17, 1957. Star vehicle for Tony, script by Galton and Simpson. Includes the juggling routine withJohnny Vyvyan and Mario Fabrizi, which was also used in "Hancock's 43 Minutes"; a sketch withTony as an incompetent tailor; and the open-air theatre sketch, in which Tony tries to do Shakespear-ean monologues in the park and has to deal with a competing orator, a heckler, and a postman who


treats him like a letter box. The "Tony Hancock act (Licence No. 4037)," and "Crooner act (LicenceNo. 7239)" are incorporated by reference; the former was in "London Laughs" and "Talk of theTown," the latter was in "Talk of the Town." Other acts in the show included the Betty Fox Girls,Rosto and Partner (unicycle), Harry Jacobsen (piano), Peggy Cavell (cartoonist), Bill Wareham andMarcia (vaudeville novelty act), Margery Manners (singer).

Not Tony, but of interest:"Cinderella," LCP 1953/76. Written by Michael Bishop, Eric Sykes, Spike Milligan, and Phil Park.Produced by Val Parnell at the London Palladium. Starred an 18-year-old Julie Andrews in the titlerole, Max Bygraves as Buttons, Jon Pertwee and Tony Sympson as the Ugly Stepsisters, Richard“Mr. Pastry” Hearne as the Baron, and Cyril Wells as the Baroness. A fairly standard Cinderella pan-to, but with flashes of Milligoonery."Fairweather Follies," LCP 1955/60. Haven't requested this, but suspect it is by Tony's Bournemouthmentor, George Fairweather.

NOTES: British Library web resources:

The BL.uk website is confusing, as there are several different places you have to go to deal with requests,and they aren't linked to one another.Search the digital catalogue: http://explore.bl.ukSee your reading room requests: https://myrequests.bl.ukSee your "shopping basket": https://ordersubmission.bl.uk/OrderSubmission/Request a non-catalogue item from the Manuscripts Collection (including the Lord Chamberlain's Playshttps://ordersubmission.bl.uk/OrderSubmission/nonCatalogueItem/displayPage?view=manuscriptsDirectRequestingImaging services: https://forms.bl.uk/imaging/index.aspxMore about the Lord Chamberlain's Plays: https://www.bl.uk/help/find-and-request-lord-chamberlains-plays-items


[Transcribed by Michael Bates, [email protected], for the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society.]

No. 3640LORD CHAMBERLAIN’S OFFICE

Name of Play: Archie Andrews Christmas PartyTheatre: Prince of WalesDate of Licence: 22.12.51

ARCHIE ANDREWS CHRISTMAS PARTY

(Tabs open on Bedroom set. Bed downstage L. One practical door upstage R. Brough enters briskly, pulls the cur-tains).

BROUGH: Good morning, Archie, it’s a beautiful morning. Come on now, rise and shine, look lively, greet the newday. Come on Archie, up we get, let’s get cracking. Upsy daisy, Archie.....

BROUGH: (To audience) Well, look at that, would you believe it? Ten o’clock in the morning and he’s still soundasleep.

(He shakes Archie vigorously.)

BROUGH: Archie!!!

ARCHIE: (Sleepy noises).....

(Brough pulls the covers off Archie, and sits him up. Archie’s eyes are closed).

BROUGH: Archie!! Wake up!! Come along, open your eyes!!

(Archie opens one eye).

BROUGH: Both of ‘em!

(Archie opens other eye.)

BROUGH: Come along, Archie, it’s time you were up. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it’s a beautiful day and........... ARCHIE!!!

ARCHIE: Eh? What? Eh? Who? Eh? .... Oh it’s you, Brough. Can’t I have another five minutes?

BROUGH: No!

ARCHIE: Can I.....

BROUGH: No!!

ARCHIE: Wait for it Brough, wait for it.

BROUGH: I’m not waiting for anything. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. A great big healthy boy like you lying inbed on a beautiful morning like this. It would be different if you were ill.

ARCHIE: It would?

BROUGH: Yes, it would.

ARCHIE: (Groans) Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.

BROUGH: What’s the matter now?

ARCHIE: I’m ill.

BROUGH: Well, why didn’t you say so before?

BROUGH: Well if you’re ill Archie, I’d better call a doctor.


ARCHIE: No, no Brough, that won’t be necessary. Just let me lie here, it’ll be alright... pop back and see me ar [sic]Easter.

BROUGH: Nonsense, Archie. If you’re ill you’ve got to see a doctor. And I’m going to call one right away.

(He picks up the telephone)

ARCHIE: I know a good doctor Brough.

BROUGH: Where is he?

ARCHIE: South Africa.

BROUGH: Archie, you just lie there and leave this to me. (Into phone) Hello, is that the doctor? O doctor, this is PeterBrough... would you come over just as fast as you can? Thank you.

(He puts the phone down. Immediately, the door opens and TONY enters with a black bag and wearing a flat cap.)

TONY: Sorry I’m late... all right, where’s the sick horse?

BROUGH: Sick horse? Look, I didn’t want a vet, I called you to look at my boy, Archie.

TONY: Oh! You want a Doctor?

(He turns and exits. Enters immediately wearing a top hat.)

TONY: And the next poor suffering patient if you please!

(He comes over to bed).

BROUGH: Here he is, Doctor, over here in bed.

TONY: Ah, yes, now then my little man, what seems... Oh no! No! It can’t be! It’s him again! Well, goodbye all, I’m offnow.

ARCHIE: Goodbye Doctor.

BROUGH: But, Doctor, what about the boy?

TONY: Just give him a teaspoonful three times a day and he’ll be on his feet in no time.

ARCHIE: A teaspoonful of what?

TONY: Anything! As long as it tastes horrible.

BROUGH: But Doctor, this boy is very ill, he may need an operation.

TONY: (At the door.) I can’t help that. Goodbye.

(He shuts the door and opens it again immediately.)

TONY: Did you say an operation?

BROUGH: Yes.

ÔÏ Í Y: (With a horrible grin) Well that’s different. Ah ah aha. I’ve always wanted to do an operation. Ah ah aha.....

(He crosses to the table and puts his black bag on it).

ARCHIE: (Brough, Did you hear that? He’s never done one. I don’t think he’s a doctor at all.

TONY: I’ll have you know that for fifteen years at college I took medicine.

ARCHIE: Feel any better?

TONY: Much better thank you, I feel... Ah ah aha... get him ready.


(Brough pushes Archie flat in bed. Archie struggles.)

ARCHIE: No, no, no! Don’t let him do it. Please!

BROUGH: It’s alright, Archie, don’t worry.

(Tony looks in the bag for a towel – finds something white – pulls it out, and his shirt comes off).

TONY: Chilly in here, isn’t it?

(He discovers what he’s done. Dips into the bag – brings out a white smock and puts it on)

TONY: Well? How do I look?

ARCHIE: You look like a sack of flour with flat feet.

TONY: A sack... ah ah aha....

(He digs into the bag and brings out a stethoscope. Goes over to the bed)

ARCHIE: What’s that thing for?

TONY: This? It’s for testing the... It’s for developing the ... It’s for listening to the .... LIE DOWN!!

(He pushes Archie flat. Puts the stethoscope on his ears and prods around with the end)

ARCHITE: Brough! What’s he going to do?

BROUGH: It’s all right Archie, don’t worry. That’s a stethoscope... he just puts it to your chest and listens to yourheart beats.

TONY: All right now, where is it?

BROUGH: The stethoscope?

TONY: No his chest. Ah, here it is. Now then. Shshsh!!

(As he prods, we hear BOOM from the bass drum.

(Prods again, BOOM! ... BOOM, BOOM....

(He puts the stethoscope lower down and gets, TING!

(The... BOOM ...TING ...BOOM ...TING and Archie starts to sing the Anvil Chorus.)

ARCHIE: La la la la.. etc...

(Tony joins in and Archie leaves him with it.)

TONY: Ah ah aha... You had me going for a minute, didn’t you?

ARCHIE: Yes, I did.

TONY: Well I’ll have to take his temperature.

ARCHIE: Where to?

TONY: Oh just as far as the end of the street and ... ah ah aha ... OPEN YOUR MOUTH.

ARCHIE: Mm. Mm. (Shakes his head.)

TONY: We’ll see about that.

(Tony turns away, shakes the thermometer, then turns quickly to push it into Archie’s mouth. Archie’s head is backto font)

TONY: Quick! Loosen his collar, he’s gone black in the face! Oh dear, what are we going to do?


ARCHIE: Get a Doctor.

TONY: A Doctor, yes!

(Tony picks up the ‘phone)

TONY: Hello, give me ..... ah ah aha .....

(Archie’s head is back to normal. They laugh at each other, then Tony jabs the thermometer in Archie’s mouth. Theystruggle – the thermometer disappears.)

TONY: There, I got it in, didn’t I?

ARCHIE: You certainly did. I swallowed it.

TONY: Yes, you swallowed.... No! No thermometer. Give me back me thermometer.

(Tony puts his hand in Archie’s mouth. Archie bites it).

TONY: Ow! Ow! No! Me finger! Oh!

(Archie lets go and Tony hops around nursing his hand).

BROUGH: Archie! What did you want to do a thing like that for? Look! You’ve upset him.

ARCHIE: I’m sorry, Brough, I didn’t mean it, really I didn’t. Do something Brough. Give him one of those cigars I gaveyou for Christmas.

BROUGH: Alright, Archie. Here you are Doctor, have a cigar.

TONY: Oh thank you. Thanks very much. That’s very nice of you. If there’s one thing I like it’s a nice cigar.

(He lights it)

TONY: I was only saying to my wife this morning... if there’s one thing.....

THE CIGAR EXPLODES.

ARCHIE: Ah ah ha! Look at him Brough! He fell for it!

(Tony takes the remains of the cigar out of his mouth)

TONY: Oh, flipping kids.

(CRASH OFF. HATTIE, as the Nurse, rides through the door on bicycle, ringing her bell. She rides straight at Tony whohas to run for it. She chases him round the bed, then rides off into the wings. ANOTHER CRASH – then Hattie comeson again)

HATTIE: I really must get brakes. Now then to work, to work, where’s the patient?

TONY: Who are you?

HATTIE: I am Miss Dinglebody, the District Nurse. I cover a wide area.

ARCHIE: You certainly do.

HATTIE: Who said that?

ARCHIE: He did.

(Hattie turns to Tony.)

HATTIE: Oh, he did, did he. Now listen to me, Doctor. When I am called out on a case, I expect perfect co-operationfrom the practitioner in charge, I have absolutely no time for incompetence, insubordination, insolence, lack of duecare and attention, and insufficient information as to the precise nature of the work which I am required to do. I amperfectly capable of doing my job and I expect everybody else to be capable of doing theirs.


(During this Hattie is prodding Tony all round the stage, and over the bed. Then finishes up on his back.)

HATTIE: As long as you bear this in mind, I am perfectly sure that we can all get along splendidly. Now then, is thatunderstood?

ARCHIE: You have just heard Mrs. Dale’s Diary.

HATTIE: Oh, so you’re the little patient, are you? And what is Doctor trying to do to you, eh?

ARCHIE: He’s trying to operate on me.

(Hattie turns to Tony who is just getting up off the floor).

HATTIE: Operate!!

(Tony lies down on the floor again.)

TONY: Only a little bit. A leg or two, a couple of arms...

HATTIE: (To Archie) Oh didums want to hurt ittle boy then, diddums.

ARCHIE: Well –

HATTIE: Don’t oo be frightened then, cos nursey qursey is going to look after oo, that’s nursey wursey is going to do.

(She fusses over Archie who retreats under the covers popping his head out to yell -- )

ARCHIE: Help!

HATTIE: Now then. Just oo keep your ickle self all bundles up now, we don’t want our little man to catch his death ofcold, do we?

ARCHIE: Doctor! Come quickly!

(Tony, who has just got up, takes a step forward. Hattie turns on him)

HATTIE: Don’t you dare!

(Tony lies down again. He jumps up immediately and comes over in a determined manner)

TONY: Now, look here Nurse, this here boy is my patient, and I won’t have you interfering, do you know? Look at theway you’ve tucked him in – he can’t breathe!

(He pulls the counterpane off)

HATTIE: And I say he’s not warm enough.

(She snatches the counterpane and puts it back)

TONY: And I say he’s too warm.

(He pulls the counterpane off. They go into a struggle over the counterpane and tear it in halves. It is filled withfeathers which fly everywhere)

ARCHIE: Hooray! (Sings) I’m dreaming of a White Christmas ....

HATTIE: Now look what you’ve done! The poor child will freeze to death.

BROUGH: Now look here, Doctor. This is all very well, but what about my boy here?

TONY: Well this case is more complicated than I thought. What I need is a second opinion.

ARCHIE: I’ll give you a second opinion. You’re a silly old. ...

BROUGH: Archie!

TONY: Yes, there’s nothing to worry about now. Doctor Vulture should be here any minute.


ARCHIE: Doctor Vulture. Who’s he?

TONY: I don’t know who he is, but he follows me about wherever I go.

(There is a knock on the door)

TONY: Ah, there he is now. Come in Doctor Vulture.

(Door opens. Enter Dr. Vulture).

(Dr. Vulture walks over to bed. Tony tries to stop him).

TONY: Not yet – he’s still alive.

P.M.: The why did you call me?

TONY: I have hopes.

BROUGH: Doctor Vulture, can you do anything for my boy?

P.M.: Not while he’s still warm.

TONY: (LAUGHS).

HATTIE: In that case I’ll go and get him a hot water bottle.

(Hattie walks off. All eyes follow)

P.M.: There’s an interesting coffin.

BROUGH: Dr. Vulture – will you please take his pulse.

(P.M. crosses to bed and takes pulse)

BROUGH: What do you think of it?

P.M.: Ooooooooh!

TONY: What do you think of his colour?

P.M.: Oooooooooh!

TONY: Is his temperature high?

P.M.: Ooooooooooh!

(Each time P. M. says “Ooooooh” Archie trembles.)

TONY: Doctor Vulture, you sit down there. With any luck he’s yours by tonight.

P.M.: Oooooooooh!

TONY: I’ll tell you what. Have a cigar.

ARCHIE: Yes, have a cigar.

(Brough hands Tony a cigar. Tony hands it to P.M. All put cotton wool in their ears)

ALL: Oooooooooooh!

(P.M. lights cigar and smokes unconcernedly.)

ARCHIE: Are you alright?

TONY: Yes, he’s got a light.

ARCHIE: Pardon?


TONY: He’s got a light.

BROUGH: Has he got a light?

ARCHIE: What did you say?

TONY: I’ll go.

(Tony goes over to P. M. Looks at cigar. Goes back to bed).

TONY: He’s puffing at it nicely.

BROUGH: I say, he’s puffing at it nicely.

TONY: What did you say.

ARCHIE: Any minute now.

TONY: I’ll go. (Goes over to P.M. and says)

TONY: How’s it going? (P.M. says nothing)

TONY: I thought so. (Goes over to bed)

ARCHIE: Ask him how it’s going.

TONY: I just asked him how it was going.

P.M. Why have you all got cotton wool in your ears?

ALL: Yes.

ARCHIE: I think I made a mistake. That’s a good cigar. (All take cotton wool out of ears).

TONY: I’ll go. (Walks over to P.M.)

TONY: Enjoying it? (P.M. nods).

(Tony snatches cigar and puts it in his mouth. Cigar explodes.)

TONY: Double flipping kid!!

(Hattie returns carrying hot brick in towel).

HATTIE: I’m sorry – I couldn’t find a hot-water bottle, but here’s an old-fashioned remedy – a hot brick.

TONY: Give it to me – I’ll put it in the bed.

(Hattie throws brick to Tony. Hattie and Tony throw brick backwards and forwards. P.M. Still sitting there. Tonythrows brick to P.M., who holds it and says nothing, then realizes it’s hot. Throws brick back to Tony. Tony slips it in-to bed. Bed begins to smoke. They realise the bed is on fire.

Tony runs to get a ladder. Hattie gets furniture off the revolve and goes and sits on the bed. Tony places ladder as onfire engine.

All put on Firemen’s helmets – shouting and panicking,

Fire engine sets off – Tony shouting:

Wait for me! Wait for me!

FIRE ENGINE GOES THROUGH WALL.

CURTAIN.


This selection of press cuttings come from 1956. They represent an interestingtime fro Tony Hancock. Not only did he make 12 TV shows for ITV, the first TVseries of Hancock Half Hour appeared on the BBC.

He also started the fourth Radio series of Hancocks Half Hour (with HattieJacques joining the cast to create the most loved line up) and made one of hisrare frays into straight roles with the radio adaptation of “The man who couldwork miracles”.


The Stage 26/4/1956

The Stage 3/5/1956


Birmingham Daily Gazette 19/5/1956

The Stage 21/6/1956


Birmingham Daily Gazette22/5/1956

Hampshire Telegraph 22/6/1956


The Cambarra Times 5/7/1956

Australian Argos 5/7/1956


The Birmingham DailyPost 6/7/1956

Birmingham Daily Gazette7/7/1956


The Daily Herald 24/7/1956



The Stage 26/7/1956


The Stage 2/8/1956

Aberdeen Evening Express27/7/1956


The Stage 27/9/1956


Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 23/8/1956


TV Times 9/11/1956


miracles happen.

The BONUS PAGES - Tony Hancock Pages... · The Bonus Pages - July 2018 - Page 5 3. John Le Mesurier...

Documents

Transcript of The BONUS PAGES - Tony Hancock Pages... · The Bonus Pages - July 2018 - Page 5 3. John Le Mesurier...