Hancock's Half Hour
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Hancock's Half Hour was a ground-breaking and influential BBC radio comedy series of the 1950s starring Tony Hancock, with Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr and Kenneth Williams. Moira Lister appeared in the first series of the radio show, before being replaced by Andrée Melly for the second and third series, both playing love interests for Hancock's character. In the fourth and fifth series, Jacques played Grizzelda Pugh, live-in secretary to Hancock and the occasional girlfriend of Sid.
The show was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and produced by Dennis Main Wilson, though, after Main-Wilson departed for his television career, this role was later taken by Tom Ronald. The distinctive tuba-based theme tune was composed by Wally Stott.
The series broke with the variety tradition dominant in British radio comedy at that time, and instead of sketches, guest-stars and musical interludes, the humour developed from the characters and their situations. Both the television and radio versions were based around Hancock's dilapidated fictional home at 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam, still one of the most famous addresses in British comedy history.
The television version appeared in 1956 under the same name and with the same writers, and produced by Duncan Wood. The television and radio versions alternated until 1959, when the sixth radio and fifth television series were both broadcast during the autumn season. Only Sid James transferred from the radio series, although Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques made guest appearances during the television series' run. The television version did, however, draw on a stock company of actors to play the supporting characters in each episode. Semi-regulars included Liz Fraser, John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd and Arthur Mullard.
The final television series in 1961 was retitled Hancock because it was shortened to 25 minutes, and did not feature Sid James, in the vain hope that it would reach an international audience. Some of the most celebrated episodes of the TV series were produced during this final series, including The Blood Donor, The Bedsitter and The Radio Ham.
Some episodes of the radio series were wiped, and telerecordings of episodes from the third and fourth television series destroyed. No episodes survive from the first season of the TV series. The remaining radio episodes, which sometimes only exist in a version (principally) cut for overseas sales to commercial radio stations, have been released on CD box sets from 2000 to 2003. See below for details.
In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, Hancock's Half Hour was placed 24th.
In 1956 and 1957 Hancock starred in two series of a sketch show made by Associated-Rediffusion for ITV which was broadcast either side of the first BBC series.
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Radio series
Most radio episodes were recorded between one day and three weeks in advance, except in the case of Series 6 which was mostly recorded over a three-week period in June, 1959 to avoid clashing with the pre-recording of Series 5 of the television show.
An episode of the radio series - The Blackboard Jungle (series 3) was rediscovered in 2005.
Series 1
- 16 episodes, November 2, 1954 - February 15, 1955
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Moira Lister, Sid James, Alan Simpson
Episodes 5, 7, 8, 9 and 15 no longer exist.
The loss of Episodes 5 and 15 is particularly unfortunate since they feature the only "Hancock" guest appearances by Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers respectively.
Series 2
- 12 episodes, April 17 - July 2, 1955
- Regular cast: Harry Secombe (Episodes 1 - 4), Tony Hancock (Episodes 4 - 12), Bill Kerr, Sid James, Andrée Melly, Kenneth Williams, Alan Simpson
Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12 (more than half the series, including all of Harry Secombe's guest appearances) no longer exist.
Shortly before the series was due to be recorded Hancock walked out on a theatre performance suffering from "nervous exhaustion" and flew to Rome. Harry Secombe was brought in at short notice to replace Hancock and starred in the first three episodes, and made a guest appearance in the fourth. Hancock himself returned for the fourth episode and completed the series as scheduled.
Series 3
- 20 episodes, October 10, 1955 - February 29, 1956
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Andrée Melly, Alan Simpson
Episodes 4 through 12, 15 and 16 - more than half the series - no longer exist.
Series 4
- 20 episodes, October 14, 1956 - February 24, 1957
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques (debut in Episode 5)
Episodes 3, 5 and 9 no longer exist.
Series 5
- 20 episodes, January 1 - June 3, 1958
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques
All episodes still exist.
Christmas Special
"Bill and Father Christmas"
- Cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Warren Mitchell
This episode still exists.
Special remake series for BBC Transcription Services
- 4 episodes, recorded November 23 - November 30, 1958
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques
These episodes are remakes for overseas sales, rewritten to remove any topical or UK-specific references.
All episodes still exist.
Series 6
- 14 episodes, September 29 - December 29, 1959
- Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James
All episodes still exist.
Television Series
Series 1
- 6 episodes, broadcast live, every 2 weeks, July 7 - September 14 1956
No recordings exist.
Series 2
Episode 1 exists on a telerecording.
Series 3
- 11 regular episodes plus Christmas special, "Hancock's 43 Minutes", broadcast live, September 9 - December 23, 1957
Episodes 5, 9, 10, 11 and "Hancock's 43 Minutes" exist on telerecordings.
Series 4
- 13 episodes; episodes 1 - 4 pre-recorded on telerecordings, 5 - 13 live, broadcast December 26, 1958 - March 27, 1959 (skipping February 27)
Episodes 1, 3, 4, 11 and 12 exist on telerecordings.
Series 5
- 10 episodes, pre-recorded on videotape, broadcast September 25 - November 27, 1959
The entire series exists on telerecordings.
Series 6
- 10 episodes, pre-recorded on videotape, broadcast February 19 - May 6, 1960
The entire series exists on telerecordings.
Series 7
- Shortened to 25 minutes per episode and retitled "Hancock"
- 6 episodes, pre-recorded on videotape, broadcast May 26 - June 30, 1961
The entire series exists on telerecordings.
Chronological listing of Hancock's radio and television broadcasts, 1954 - 1961
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 1: November 2, 1954 - February 15, 1955
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 2: April 17 - July 2, 1955
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 3: October 10, 1955 - February 29, 1956
- The Tony Hancock Show, Series 1 (Associated-Rediffusion for ITV): April 4 - June 1, 1956
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 1: July 7 - September 14 1956
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 4: October 14, 1956 - February 24, 1957
- The Tony Hancock Show, Series 2: November 16, 1956- January 25, 1957
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 2: April 1 - June 10 1957
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 3: September 9 - December 23, 1957
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 5: January 1 - June 3, 1958
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 4: December 26, 1958 - March 27, 1959
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 5: September 25 - November 27, 1959
- Hancock's Half Hour, radio Series 6: September 29 - December 29, 1959
- Hancock's Half Hour, television Series 6: February 19 - May 6, 1960
- Hancock, television Series 7: May 26 - June 30, 1961
Information on series dates taken from the book Tony Hancock: Artiste (1978) by Roger Wilmut, Eyre Methuen ISBN 0413386805 (subsequent reprints in 1983 and 1986 contain additional details) Information on wiped radio episodes taken from the CD box sets (BBC Worldwide, 2000 - 2003).