Event    From 1951  To 1960

The Goon Show

Categories: Humour, TV & Radio

Radio comedy show, originally broadcast as 'Crazy People' The first scripts were co-written by Spike Milligan and Jimmy Grafton. The pressure of writing eventually contributed to Milligan's mental breakdown. Michael Bentine was a co-founder but left in 1953. The inventiveness of the programme has been cited as a major influence for many subsequent comedians. A puppet series for television, 'The Telegoons' was made in the early 1960s. Milligan, Secombe and Sellers reunited for a final show in 1972 as part of the BBC's 50th anniversary celebrations. Our picture shows, left to right: Sellers, Secombe, Milligan, Bentine.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Goon Show

Commemorated ati

Last Goon Show

The Camden Palace was home to the Goon Show through the 1950s.

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Spike's statue - Goons

This little group shows Secombe, Milligan and Sellers, holding "Goons" script...

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The Goon Show

{Caricatures of the four comedians, followed by:} The Goon Show, 1951-1960, f...

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Other Subjects

Albert Chevalier

Albert Chevalier

Music hall comedian, singer and musical theatre actor. Born at St Ann's Villas where the plaque now is, to a French father and Welsh mother. Married Florence, daughter of George Leybourne. His ful...

Person, Humour, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial
Tony Hancock

Tony Hancock

Comedy actor.  Otherwise known as Anthony Aloysius St. John Hancock, of 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam.  Born in Birmingham as Anthony John Hancock. He was a major figure in British television and...

Person, Humour, TV & Radio, Australia

6 memorials
Dame Gracie Fields

Dame Gracie Fields

Entertainer. Born over a chip shop in Rochdale, Lancashire as Grace Stansfield. Worked at Gainsborough Film Studios.  Gracie and her husband Archie moved from Upper Street, N1 in 1929 to The Towers...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Music / songs, Theatre, Italy

4 memorials
Benny Hill

Benny Hill

Comedian and actor. Born Alfred Hawthorne Hill in Southampton. In his teens he worked as a milkman, an experience which he later put to good use in his hit song 'Ernie - The Fastest Milkman in the ...

Person, Cinema, Humour, TV & Radio

3 memorials
Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett

Comedy broadcaster.  Born Maurice James Christopher Cole in Liverpool.  Inspired by the Goons.  Got a job on the pirate Radio London by sending in an audition tape.  Worked for Radio Luxemburg, the...

Person, Humour, Music / songs, TV & Radio

3 memorials

Previously viewed

Ealing Council

Ealing Council

Governing body of the London Borough of Ealing, Formed in 1965 by the merging of the Municipal Boroughs of Acton, Ealing and Southall.

Group, Politics & Administration

11 memorials
Thomas Hood

Thomas Hood

Born 31 Poultry and died at home in Devonshire Lodge, London. Example: "Ben Battle was a soldier bold, And used to war's alarms, But a cannon-ball took off his legs, So he laid down his arms."

Person, Humour, Poetry

4 memorials
scientific life assurance

scientific life assurance

Equitable Life, the world's oldest mutual insurer, started business in 1762 in the parsonage of St Nicholas Acons in Nicholas Lane. It pioneered scientific life assurance by basing premiums on age ...

Concept, Commerce, Science

1 memorial
Harry Mallin

Harry Mallin

Boxer and policeman. Born Henry William Mallin in Hackney. Although primarily a policeman, he took part in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, winning gold. He also participated in the 1924 Olympics in P...

Person, Armed Forces, Sport / Games, TV & Radio, Belgium, France

1 memorial