The first ever publication of a long-lost episode of Hancock's Half Hour, featuring Peter Sellers - plus bonus material
Legendary sitcom Hancock's Half Hour ran for 102 episodes on BBC Radio between 1954 and 1959. Over 20 shows were subsequently lost - but now one of the funniest and most sought-after, 'The Marriage Bureau', has been rediscovered. The penultimate episode of Series 1, it features a unique appearance from Peter Sellers, standing in for Kenneth Williams. Available for the first time since its original broadcast in 1955, it sees Hancock looking for a job - and a wife...
Alongside it is a fascinating documentary, Raiders of the Lost Archive, in which Keith Wickham - the Indiana Jones of archiving - and fellow treasure-hunters discuss the thrilling, complex work of locating and restoring missing radio classics. Plus, there's a surviving extract from the lost Hancock's Half Hour episode, 'The New Year Resolutions', and a previously unreleased documentary, H-H-H-Happy Birthday Hancock, in which Andrew Sachs presents an affectionate tribute to The Lad Himself with contributions from Denis Norden, Ray Galton, Alan Simpson, John Freeman and Sid James.
Credits Hancock's Half Hour written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson Produced by Dennis Main Wilson Thanks to Tessa Le Bars, Martin Gibbons, Keith Wickham, Richard Harrison, the Radio Circle and the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society.
'The Marriage Bureau' Starring Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Moira Lister, Sidney James and Peter Sellers Announcer: Adrian Waller Theme and incidental music composed by Wally Stott. Recorded by the BBC Revue Orchestra conducted by Harry Rabinowitz Sound restoration by Keith Wickham First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 8 February 1955
Raiders of the Lost Archive Presented by Keith Wickham Written and edited by Keith Wickham and James Peak With special thanks to the Radio Circle, Richard Harrison, Roger Bickerton, Mark Ayres, Steve Arnold, Tom Hercock, Hannah Ratford and all at BBC Archives in Caversham Produced by James Peak An Essential Radio production for BBC Radio 4 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 October 2022
Extract from 'The New Year Resolutions' Starring Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sidney James and Kenneth Williams Sound restoration by Jon Street First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 4 January 1956 NB: Due to the age and off-air nature of this recording, the sound quality may vary
H-H-H Happy Birthday Hancock Presented by Andrew Sachs With contributions from Denis Norden, Ray Galton, Alan Simpson, John Freeman and Sid James, and excerpts from Hancock's Half Hour Produced by Richard Edis First broadcast BBC Radio 2, 11 May 1999
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