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.

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

Dick Emery

Dick Emery

Actor and comedian.  Born University College Hospital, Bloomsbury.  'The Dick Emery Show' ran for twenty years, 1963 - 83, with his catch-phrase, 'Oh, you are awful!'  Died Denmark Hill, London.

Person, Humour, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Wilfrid Brambell

Wilfrid Brambell

Actor Born Dublin.  Played the 'dirty old man' in the TV series 'Steptoe and Son' with Harry H. Corbett and Paul McCartney's granddad in 'A hard day's night'.  Died in Westminster.

Person, Cinema, Humour, TV & Radio, Ireland

1 memorial
Jimmy Jewel

Jimmy Jewel

Comedy actor. Born James Arthur Thomas Marsh in Sheffield to a couple of music-hall entertainers.  When Jimmy's successful double act became old fashioned he restarted his career in television in t...

Person, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials
The Establishment Club

The Establishment Club

Peter Cook said this was modelled on "those wonderful Berlin cabarets which did so much to stop the rise of Hitler and prevent the outbreak of the Second World War". Lenny Bruce, Barry Humphries, ...

Group, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Humour

1 memorial
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