Hancock's Half Hour was a famous BBC radio comedy series of the 1950s starring Tony Hancock. Other regular cast members were Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr and Kenneth Williams. Andrée Melly appeared in some early episodes. The scriptwriters were Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and the show's distinctive tuba-based theme tune was by Wally Stott. Some episodes were wiped; the rest have been released on CD box sets from 2000 to 2003. See below for details. ... Radio comedy, or comedic radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve sitcom elements, sketches or any other form of comedy found on other mediums. ... Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb. ... Anthony John Hancock, best known as Tony Hancock (May 12, 1924 - June 26, 1968) was a major figure in British television and radio comedy in the 1950s and 1960s. ... Sid James (May 8, 1913 - April 26, 1976) was a film and television actor. ... Josephine Edwina Jacques (February 7, 1922 - October 6, 1980), better known by the stage name Hattie Jacques, was a comedy actress. ... Bill Kerr (born 1922) is an actor. ... Kenneth Charles Williams (February 22, 1926 - April 15, 1988) was a British comic actor, star of over twenty films and notable radio comedies with Tony Hancock and Kenneth Horne, as well as a witty raconteur on a wide range of subjects. ... Ray Galton, OBE (born 1930) and Alan Simpson, OBE (born 1929) are British scriptwriters who met in 1948 at a Tuberculosis sanatorium in London. ... Angela Morley (born March 10, 1924) is a composer and conductor who wrote the theme tune and incidental music for Hancocks Half Hour and also wrote and conducted music for The Goon Show. ... Wiping or junking is an economic move by TV companies in which old videotapes and kinescopes were wiped (deleted) and reused or were destroyed. ...

A television version appeared in 1956 under the same name and alternated with the radio version until 1959. The basic situation was similar, but only Sid James transferred from the radio series, although Kenneth Williams made a few guest appearances in early episodes. The final series in 1961 was retitled Hancock because it was shortened to 25 minutes, and did not feature Sid James. 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. 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ... 100 Greatest British Television Programmes was a list compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI) chosen by a poll of industry professionals, to determine what were the greatest British television programmes of any genre ever to have been screened. ... The British Film Institute (BFI) is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to encourage the development of the arts of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom, to promote their use as a record of contemporary life and manners, to promote education about film, television and...

During 1956-1957 Hancock also starred in a sketch show made by Associated-Rediffusion for ITV which, being live, alternated with his BBC appearances. 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Associated-Rediffusion was the British Independent Television (commercial television) contractor for London, on weekdays between 1954 (transmissions started on September 22, 1955) and 1968. ... This article is about the British television network. ...

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 Series 5 of the television show. June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Series 1

16 episodes, November 2, 1954 - February 15, 1955 November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

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 Spike Milligan Spike Milligan Kt CBE (April 16, 1918–February 27, 2002) was a comedian, novelist, poet, jazz musician (trumpet and guitar - also played the piano - and was a dab hand at raspberry blowing) and is best remembered as the creator, principal writer and performing member of The Goon Show. ... Peter Sellers Richard Henry Sellers (September 8, 1925 - July 24, 1980), better known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian, talented comic actor, and performer on The Goon Show (a long-running BBC radio show, 1951-1960). ...

Series 2

12 episodes, April 17 - July 2, 1955 April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

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. Harry Secombe Sir Harry Donald Secombe, (September 8, 1921 – April 11, 2001), was a Welsh entertainer, with a fine tenor singing voice and a talent for comedy. ...

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

Series 3

20 episodes, October 10, 1955 - February 29, 1956 October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... February 29 is the 60th day of a leap year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 306 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ...

Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Andrée Melly, Alan Simpson

Episodes 4 through 12, 15 and 16 - again, more than half the series - no longer exist.

Series 4

20 episodes, October 14, 1956 - February 24, 1957 October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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 June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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 November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

These episodes are remakes for overseas sales, rewritten to remove any topical or UK-specific references

All episodes still exist

Regular cast: Tony Hancock, Bill Kerr, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques

Series 6

14 episodes, September 29 - December 29, 1959 September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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 July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ...

No recordings exist

Series 2

6 episodes, broadcast live, every 2 weeks, April 1 - June 10, 1957 April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Episode 1 exists on a telerecording Telerecording (known as kinescoping in the USA) is the British name for a process pioneered during the 1940s for the storing of electronically-shot television programmes on film, which was used for the preservation, re-broadcasting and sale of television programmes before the use of commercial broadcast-quality videotape became...

Series 3

11 regular episodes plus Christmas special, "Hancock's 43 Minutes", broadcast live, September 9 - December 23, 1957 September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

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) December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Episodes 1, 3, 4, 11 and 12 exist on telerecordings

Series 5

10 episodes, pre-recorded on videotape, broadcast September 25 - November 27, 1959 September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The entire series exists on telerecordings

Series 6

10 episodes, pre-recorded on videotape, broadcast February 19 - May 6, 1960 February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ...

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 May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ...

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. Information on wiped radio episodes taken from the CD box sets (BBC Worldwide, 2000 - 2003) 1954 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... February 29 is the 60th day of a leap year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 306 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... Associated-Rediffusion was the British Independent Television (commercial television) contractor for London, on weekdays between 1954 (transmissions started on September 22, 1955) and 1968. ... This article is about the British television network. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years). ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years). ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ... Events January January 1 - The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. ... Wiping or junking is an economic move by TV companies in which old videotapes and kinescopes were wiped (deleted) and reused or were destroyed. ...

Much more detail on classic episodes to come

External link

• The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society (http://www.tonyhancock.org.uk)
• BBC missing episode guide (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/treasurehunt/missing/hancocks.shtml)