It's a Square World was a ground breaking British comedy show, starring Michael Bentine and was produced by BBC. It ran from 1960 till 1964. The series led Bentine to a BAFTA award in 1962 for Best Comedy Performance and a compilation show, screened by the BBC in 1963, won that years Golden Globe of Montreaux award. Michael Bentine (January 26, 1922 - November 26, 1996) was a comedian, comic actor, and member of the Goons. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation,which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ...

Using scale models, Bentine sunk the Woolwich Ferry, sent a Chinese Junk to attack the House of Commons (which was temporarily banned by the BBC as it was considered too political as it was coming up to election time), planeted a forty foot whale trying to enter the British History Museum. For the stunt, it required 25 men standing inside the whale to move it along, which caused traffic chaos. He also sent the BBC TV Centre into orbit with rockets in their basement. Best loved by many were his miniature plays on tiny sets without characters. Bentine stood over the sets and narrated as special effects and noises portrayed the movements and adventures of an imaginary tiny cast in what could be a western town one week and a haunted house the next. The Woolwich Ferry is a service across the River Thames linking Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich with North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. ...

The programme also collected ficticious news reports from the four corners of the world (hence it's name), read by Michael Bentine as a newsman or commentator and had many madcap sketches. In one sketch Bentine and other explorers trek through forests to find the source of the River Thames. Having reached an end point, all they find is a leaking tap. Disappointed, they start to backtrack and Bentine before leaving turns off the tap which results in the River Thames disappearing and boats ending up sunk into the mud.

In total 56 (it is given as 32 in one TV guide) episodes of 30 minutes duration were produced in black and white for BBC. It was revived for one episode in 1977 for BBC 1 called Michael Bentine's Square World.

The cast included:

• Michael Bentine
• Ronnie Barker
• Clive Dunn
• Dick Emery
• Frank Thornton
• Deryck Guyler
• John Bluthal
• Benny Lee
• Janette Rowsell
• Anthea Wyndham
• Len Lowe
• Leon Thau
• Louis Mansi
• Janette Rowselle
• Freddie Earlie
• Joe Gibbons

There was a follow up series in 1966 for ATV called All Square which tried to repeat the former success. For this series, Bentine was located in the capital city, Filthnik in the ficticious country of Ozonia. In the 8th October 1966 episode, Bentine tried to turn Ozonia into a mecca for tourists. This episode also featured the Jack Parnell Orchestra. Ronnie Barker Ronald William George Barker OBE (September 25, 1929 – October 3, 2005), popularly known as Ronnie Barker and (as a writer) Gerald Wiley , was an English comic actor and writer. ... Clive Dunn OBE (born January 9, 1920) is a retired English actor, singer and entertainer best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom, Dads Army. ... Dick Emery Dick Emery (February 19, 1919 - January 2, 1983) was a British comedian and actor, popular during the 1960s and 1970s. ... Frank Thornton was born Frank Thornton Ball on January 15, 1921 at Dulwich, London, England, United Kingdom. ... Deryck Guyler (April 29, 1914 - October 7, 1999) was a versatile British actor, equally at home with comedy and classical/character roles, but best known for his portrayal of officious short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as Please, Sir and Sykes. ... John Bluthal (born 1929) is a film and television actor, mostly in comedy. ... John Louis Mansi is a television and movie actor whose career spanned the years from the early 1950s to the early 1990s. ... John Russell Jack Parnell (born 6 August 1923) is an English bandleader and musician. ...

External links

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/i/itsasquareworld_7770655.shtml
• It's a Square World at the Internet Movie Database