Radio Fun : The Story of Radio Comedy : 13 Part Series

Radio Fun  :  The Story of Radio Comedy Rare recordings from the BBC's radio comedy archives. Presented by Russell Davies . In 1922, the BBC set out to educate , inform and entertain the nation. Under its first director general, John Reith, the "listeners-in" had certainly been educated and informed, by the sparse broadcasts, but what did they experience by way of entertainment ? In this series of 13 programmes, Russell Davies examines the history of British radio comedy from the 1930s to the 1970s, playing rare clips from the Archives, featuring highlights of the surviving broadcasts. Decade by decade, he takes a close look at the most popular radio comedy shows of the day and their stars. Originally broadcast weekly, mainly in half-hour installments. And not heard on the radio for the past 15 years. This series only aired once after its original run. Radio Fun 1 Series  : BBC Radio 4 : 12 Episodes Repeats   : Same week repeat on Radio 4                   Repeated on Radio 2 1 Special : BBC Radio 4 :  1 Episode Source : Radio Times BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 1] Fri 29th Jul 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy By the time John Reith had taken the helm at the BBC, the wireless 'listeners-in' had certainly been educated and informed by the sparse broadcasts - but what had they experienced by way of entertainment? In the first of 12 programmes Russell Davies begins his analysis of how people have fun on the radio by listening again to rare recordings of comedy pioneers including MABEL CONSTANDUROS, A.J.ALAN, NORMAN LONG, JOHN HENRY AND BLOSSOM, and a young but promising TOMMY HANDLEY. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL HEAR THIS! page 11 (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 1st Aug 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy In the first of 12 programmes Russell Davies begins his analysis of how people have fun on the radio by listening again to rare recordings of comedy pioneers including MABEL CONSTANDUROS. A.J.ALAN, NORMAN LONG, JOHN HENRY and BLOSSOM, and a young but promising TOMMY HANDLEY. BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 2] Fri 5th Aug 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy In the early 1930s, Radios Luxembourg and Toulouse were happily providing British listeners with a diet of 'popular entertainment'. But with the BBC's move in 1932 from Savoy Hill to Broadcasting House in central London, General Manager John Reith determined to win back that audience. The Variety department was created, with the ex-editor of Radio Times, ERIC MASCHWITZ, as its head. He had at his disposal seven producers, a 77-seat vaudeville studio, a musical director, Henry Hall's orchestra and a good deal of first-hand experience of American radio. Russell Davies listens again to the radio comedy of those years, when it built on the music-hall foundations laid by ROBB WILTON, STAINLESS STEPHEN and SANDY POWELL and developed a style of its own. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 8th Aug 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy In the second of 12 programmes Russell Davies listens again to the radio comedy of the BBC's Variety department. (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 3] Fri 12th Aug 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy As radio stations elsewhere primed themselves for their role in the propaganda war, the BBC made sure this country didn't lose its sense of humour. In the third of 12 programmes, Russell Davies reminds you of how ARTHUR ASKEY and RICHARD MURDOCH heralded a new era in radio comedy with Bandwagon, how EDWIN CARP perfected his fish impressions, and how ROBB WILTON summed it all up in 'The Day War Broke Out'. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 15th Aug 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies reminds you of how ARTHUR ASKEY and RICHARD MURDOCH heralded a new era in radio comedy with Bandwagon, how EDWIN CARP perfected his fish impressions, and how ROBB WILTON summed it all up in 'The Day War Broke Out'. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 4] Fri 19th Aug 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy in 12 programmes Part 4: Russell Davies is deeply entrenched in the humour born of the pressures and privations of the Second World War. STAINLESS STEPHEN. BILLY BENNETT and JACK WARNER gathered round microphones in the provinces to continue the tradition of the trouper and push forward into uncharted territories of radio humour. Hence 'Garrison Theatre', 'Happidrome' and, with some help from the Allies, 'Hi Gang!' Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Produced by NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 22nd Aug 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies is deeply entrenched in the humour born of the pressures and privations of the Second World War. (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 5] Fri 26th Aug 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy A Socialist government and rationing kept the comedy writers busy as 1950 approached, but change was in the air, as Russell Davies illustrates. Following the death of ITMA's TOMMY HANDLEY, the American influence on radio scripts began to make its impact. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast on August Bank Holiday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 29th Aug 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy A Socialist government and rationing kept the comedy writers busy as 1950 approached, but change was in the air, as Russell Davies illustrates. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVTES BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 6] Fri 2nd Sep 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies follows the fortunes of the war entertainers who, in 1945, exchanged uniforms and ENSA for demob suits and the perils of a career in comedy on the wireless. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 5th Sep 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy with Russell Davies (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 7] Fri 9th Sep 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies surveys the years when writers and performers countered the effects of rationing by drip-feeding the audience with some rather exotically spiced humour. The Goons were, after all, just around the corner. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo) (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 12th Sep 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy written and presented by Russell Davies. (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 8] Fri 16th Sep 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Da vies traces the progress of those writers and performers who turned to the wireless to keep Britain entertained through thick and thin. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 19th Sep 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy with Russell Davies. BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 9] Fri 23rd Sep 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy In which Russell Davies traces the progress of those writers and performers who have turned to the wireless to keep Britain entertained through thick and thin. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo) (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 26th Sep, 18:30 with Russell Davies (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 10] Fri 30th Sep 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy The 1960s are in full swing and transistors throughout the land are, as Russell Davies recalls, tuned to an ever-widening spectrum of talent, covering everything from nouveau-knockabout to the more considered comedy of 'the intellectuals'. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo) (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 3rd Oct 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy with Russell Davies. BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 11] Fri 7th Oct 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies takes the story into the preent - a decade of change, experiment and a curious nostalgia. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo) (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 10th Oct 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy with Russell Davies. (Stereo) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 12] Fri 14th Oct 12:25 The Story of Radio Comedy In the last programme of the series Russell Davies brings the story up to date, and peers into the mists of radio's uncharted comedy territory. Written by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo) (Re-broadcast next Monday) BBC Radio 4 Mon 17th Oct 18:30 The Story of Radio Comedy The last programme of the series, with Russell Davies SPECIAL - Radio Fun at Christmas                [Episode 13] BBC Radio 4 Sun 25th Dec 11:30am - 12:25pm In the company of Gillie Potter, Amos 'n' Andy, Tommy Handley, The Lyons Family, Joyce Grenfell, The Goons and many others, Russell Davies pieces together what wireless comedians made of Christmas. (Stereo) REPEAT on Radio 2 - BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 1] Wed 8th Mar 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy In the first of 12 programmes, Russell Davies begins his analysis of how people have fun on the radio, by listening again to rare recordings of comedy pioneers. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 2] Wed 15th Mar 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy In the early 1930s Radios Luxembourg and Toulouse were happily providing British listeners with a diet of'popular entertainment'. But with the BBC's move in 1932 from Savoy Hill to Broadcasting House in central London, General Manager John Reith determined to win back that audience. And so a new department was created - Variety. Russell Davies listens again to the radio comedy of those years when it built on the music-hall foundations laid by ROBB WILTON, STAINLESS STEPHEN and SANDY POWELL, and developed a style of its own. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 3] Wed 22nd Mar 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy As radio stations elsewhere primed themselves for their role in the propaganda war, the BBC made sure Britain didn't lose its sense of humour. Russell Davies reminds you of how ARTHUR ASKEY and RICHARD MURDOCH heralded a new era in radio comedy with 'Band Waggon', how EDWIN CARP perfected his fish impressions, and how ROBB WILTON summed it all up in 'The Day War Broke Out'. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 4] Wed 29th Mar 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy This week Russell Davies is deeply entrenched in the humour born of the pressures and privations of the Second World War. STAINLESS STEPHEN, BILLY BENNETT and JACK WARNER gathered round microphones in the provinces. Hence 'Garrison Theatre', 'Happidrome' and, with some help from the Allies, 'Hi Gang!' Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 5] Wed 5th Apr 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Presented by Russell Davies. Following the death of ITMA's TOMMY HANDLEY, the American influence on radio scripts increased. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 6] Wed 12th Apr 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies follows the fortunes of the war entertainers who in 1945 exchanged uniforms and ENSA for demob suits and the perils of a career in comedy on the wireless. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 7] Wed 19th Apr 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies surveys the years when writers and performers countered the effects of rationing by drip-feeding the audience with some rather exotically spiced humour. The Goons were, after all, just around the corner. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 8] Wed 26th Apr 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies traces the progress of writers and performers through the 1950s - including Hancock, Galton and Simpson, the Lyons, and the Goons. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 9] Wed 3rd May 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Presented by Russell Davies. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 10] Wed 10th May 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Presented by Russell Davies. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 11] Wed 17th May 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies finds some of the more recent participants in 'The Story of Radio Comedy' tripping at the heels of the present, longing to accelerate into a decade of change and experiment - and a curious nostalgia. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 2                                 [Episode 12] Wed 24th May 22:00 The Story of Radio Comedy Russell Davies brings the story up to date. Written and compiled by RUSSELL DAVIES Producer NEIL CARGILL (First broadcast on Radio 4) BBC Radio 4                                 [Episode 13] [1 x Special] Sun 25th Dec 11:30 Radio Fun at Christmas In the company of Gillie Potter, Amos 'n' Andy, Tommy Handley, The Lyons Family, Joyce Grenfell, The Goons and many others, RUSSELL DAVIES pieces together what wireless comedians made of Christmas. Producer NEIL CARGILL (Stereo)

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.