RADIO COMEDIES: Share the best

[backontrack]

We've done sketch shows, sitcoms, and the like...but what about radio comedies? This includes anything from satire to panel games to stand-up to sitcoms to Nicholas Parsons.

I'll begin with the perennially brilliant Mark Steel's In Town. Steel goes to different towns across the UK, takes in impressively large amounts of information about said town, and then performs a stand-up show about said town. It is both clever and hilarious.

 

[DaleCooper]

The Museum of Everything
The Burkiss Way
Round the Horne
Cabin Pressure
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYGvgcTGDMc

 

[dgl]

Another case of Milton jones.. (plus his various other programs)
Old Harry's Game
I'm sorry I haven't a clue
The Now Show

 

[Phil.]

The Navy Lark (for people of a certain age).

 

[unclefreddy]

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, since radio broadcast it has been novelised, made into a TV show, stage play, computer game and Hollywood movie.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

The goon show!

Classic sketch......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tjHlFPTwVk

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Agree with the above and would also add:

Radio Active

 

[Bald Rick]

ISIHAC.

No arguments.

 

[DaleCooper]

ISIHAC.

No arguments.

I would argue, I think it got stale and I'm sure a lot of the of the "spontaneous" humour was nothing of the kind. The only good thing left was Humph and without him it's past its sell by date.

What I would nominate is I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again, a precursor to Monty Python and the Goodies.

 

[Flamingo]

ISIHAC, and Old Harrys Game top the list!
The News Quiz (Extra) is another perenial favourite.
The Now Show is worth a listen, as is Claire In The Community.
And Hamish & Dougal is in a class of it's own!

 

[TheEdge]

News Quiz, Now Show, any of the various Milton Jones shows and one of my old favourites which I think was a fairly niche one which was The Lest Weblog of Scrooby Trevithick

 

[backontrack]

Nice to see that some of my personal favourites are mentioned here - it's nice knowing that people have the same tastes as you.

As well as The Now Show, Mark Steel's In Town, ISIHAC, Another Case of Milton Jones (and Thanks a Lot, Milton Jones) I'd add Just a Minute, Dead Ringers and John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme. I'm mortified to have missed Cabin Pressure - must listen when it's next on. The same applies to Milton Jones' earlier programmes.

Regarding The News Quiz, I find that, after the arrival of Jupp, it's become more right-leaning - someone like Finkelstein or Hugo Rifkind is always on. No, thanks!

 

[Busaholic]

The Navy Lark (for people of a certain age).

Leslie Phillips and Heather Chasen still alive, I'm pleased to say.

Hancock's Half Hour did it for me, Ray's A Laugh not bad too. There were some awful shows too back in the fifties and sixties, not just now. Speaking of which, I find the Now Show stale and predictable, Steve Punt and Midge Benn particularly annoying. News Quiz usually worth hearing, especially when Andy Hamilton and/or Jeremy Hardy is on.

 

[radamfi]

Are we including Iain Lee and Jon Holmes on talkRADIO?

 

[backontrack]

Yeah, those can count if you wish.

 

[Bevan Price]

Some would be regarded as very "dated" today, but I can think of a few:-

Take It From Here. (Jimmy Edwards / Dick Bentley / June Whitfield)
Much Binding In The Marsh. (Richard Murdoch / Kenneth Horne)
Round The Horne.
The Navy Lark.
The Goons.
Life With The Lyons. (Ben Lyon/ Bebe Daniels & family).
Hancock's Half Hour (much better on radio than on TV)
I'm Sorry, I haven't A Clue.
Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy (also much better on radio than on TV.)

and almost anything with Frankie Howerd or Arthur Askey.

And probably others that I have forgotten.

 

[37201xoIM]

I'm amazed nobody has yet mentioned the truly brilliant Fags, Mags & Bags, some of the best comedy writing around. And it's on i-Player at present.

Bleak Expectations is also rather fun. As is/was I Think I've Got A Problem. Oh, and Elastic Planet.

Cabin Pressure is taken as read, of course.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Round the Horne
Cabin Pressure

Two great shows

 

[Requeststop]

Round the Horne is by far my favourite - I actually corresponded with Barry Took for a few years before he passed on - lovely man.
The Navy Lark still makes me laugh. As someone mentioned earlier Heather Chasen is still alive and was wonderful as the simply dreadful Ramona Povey. An episode of The Navy Lark was never the same without an appearance and Jon Pertwee's vocalisations were superb.
ISIHAC I never miss. I think I have every episode.

The Burkiss Way

Does anyone remember

Week Ending? Friday night satirical late evening, Thatcher Period.

The Next Programme Follows Almost Immediately David Jason - I've searched in vain for copies of this show.

Many A Slip

Present Radio Comedy does nothing for me especially the dire Count Arthur Strong - worse if its possible than The Clitheroe Kid. I do like Welcome To Our Village, Please Invade Carefully

Sure if I had the time I'd recall more.

 

[D6975]

Anything that Andy Hamilton's had a hand in is usually very good.
Old Harry's game already mentioned, don't think anyone's mentioned Revolting People yet.
Cabin Pressure, Clare in the Community also excellent.

Amazed that anyone rates 'I think I've got a Problem', I thought it was pretty dire.

 

[DaleCooper]

Amazed that anyone rates 'I think I've got a Problem', I thought it was pretty dire.

You have to put that down as a brave experiment that didn't work, at least they didn't just go for a tried and tested safe formula. Sometimes failure is necessary for progress.

What I disliked more than anything were Simon Brett's excruciatingly bland, so called comedies - After Henry, No Commitments and Smelling of Roses. I can only assume he had comprising photos of the commissioning editor.

 

[Flamingo]

Of course, The News Huddlines was a classic (ok, I'm showing my age!).

 

[ilkestonian]

What I would nominate is I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again, a precursor to Monty Python and the Goodies.

I'd second that!

I sometimes used to record it on my high tech (!) radio cassette recorder, and no matter how many times I listened to it, I could always find subtle new gags I'd missed when hearing it previously.

So cleverly put together and often so whacky.

 

[backontrack]

[YOUTUBE]IDOblDaMm2s[/YOUTUBE]

 

[AndrewE]

You have to put that down as a brave experiment that didn't work, at least they didn't just go for a tried and tested safe formula. Sometimes failure is necessary for progress.

Re I think I've Got a Problem, I did enjoy it, and was surprised it didn't get another series. It may be significant that it didn't even get a mention in Suggs' autobiography though.
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[QUOTE

Week Ending? Friday night satirical late evening, Thatcher Period.

[/QUOTE]

Week ending was a great show that was the incubator for many comic writers and performers too and there was always a long list of credits at the end. It was a real shame it was axed.

 

[IanD]

What I disliked more than anything were Simon Brett's excruciatingly bland, so called comedies - After Henry, No Commitments and Smelling of Roses. I can only assume he had comprising photos of the commissioning editor.

He's a witty crime writer but certainly leaves a lot to be desired as a comedy writer.

 

[43106]

I'm a Boring Old F@rt, so my preferences are mostly from the 1960's, such as...
Round the Horne,
I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (with The Goodies, John Cleese & 2 others),
The Navy Lark (Jon Pertwee was brilliant!),
I used to listen to The Clitheroe Kid, but, in retrospect, I now think it's awful.