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Hancock’s half hour

Tony Hancock (in black) and Sid James
Genre Comedy
Running time 30 minutes
Country Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Languages English
Home station BBC
TV adaptations Hancock's Half Hour (1956-1960)
Hancock (1961)
Starring Tony Hancock
Writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson
Producers Dennis Main Wilson
Tom Ronald
Air dates 2 November 1954 to 30 June 1961
No. Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Anthony John "Tony" Hancock (born 12 May 1924 &ndash 24 June 1968) was a popular British Actor and Ray Galton OBE (born 17 July 1930) and Alan Simpson OBE (born 27 November 1929) are British scriptwriters Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.  of series 7

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. Radio comedy, or comedic Radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve Sitcom elements sketches, and many other forms of comedy found Anthony John "Tony" Hancock (born 12 May 1924 &ndash 24 June 1968) was a popular British Actor and Sid James (born Joel Solomon Cohen; 8 May 1913 &ndash 26 April 1976) was a South African Actor, who made Josephine Edwina Jaques ( 7 February 1922 &ndash 6 October 1980) was a well-known English Comedy actress Bill Kerr (born 1922 is an Australian film and television actor Kenneth Charles Williams ( 22 February 1926 &ndash 15 April 1988) was an English comic Actor, star of 26 From 1956 it also became a television comedy series. Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting

The show was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and produced by Dennis Main Wilson, although, after Main-Wilson departed for his television career, this role was later taken by Tom Ronald. Ray Galton OBE (born 17 July 1930) and Alan Simpson OBE (born 27 November 1929) are British scriptwriters Dennis Main Wilson ( 1 May 1924 &ndash 20 January 1997) was a British producer of radio and television programmes mainly for The distinctive tuba-based theme tune was composed by Wally Stott. Angela Morley (born Wally Stott on 10 March 1924) is an English Composer and conductor.

Contents

Radio series

Comedian Tony Hancock starred in the show, playing an exaggerated version of his own character, as a down-at-heel comedian living at the dilapidated 23 Railway Cuttings in East Cheam. Cheam is a large suburban village close to Sutton in the London Borough of Sutton, England. The comedy actor Sid James played a criminally-inclined confidante of Hancock, who usually succeeded in conning him each week, and Bill Kerr appeared as Hancock's Australian lodger, a character who became noticeably dim-witted in the later shows. A young Kenneth Williams, taking his first job in comedy, provided the funny voices for all the minor characters in the show each week. Moira Lister appeared in the first series, before being replaced by Andrée Melly for the next two; both women played love interest for Hancock's character, but both were playing essentially straight roles. Moira Lister de Gachassin-Lafite Vicomtesse d’Orthez ( 6 August 1923  – 27 October 2007) was an Anglo- South African film stage Andrée Melly (born 15 September 1932 in Liverpool) is an English actress In the fourth and fifth series a comedienne, Hattie Jacques, provided comedy in the female role as the harridan Grizelda Pugh, who was Hancock's secretary and Sid's occasional girlfriend.

The series broke with the variety tradition which was then dominant in British radio comedy, highlighting a new genre: the sitcom or situation comedy. A variety show or variety entertainment is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts especially Musical performances and Comedy Skits and Radio comedy, or comedic Radio programming, is a radio broadcast that may involve Sitcom elements sketches, and many other forms of comedy found Instead of the traditional variety mix of sketches, guest stars and musical interludes, the show's humour derived from characters and situations developed in a half-hour storyline. This relatively novel format, of what was in effect a single sketch each week lasting the entire half-hour (and featuring the same characters each week), was reflected in the show's title which aptly described the series as Hancock's half-hour. Roger Wilmut, who authored a biography of Tony Hancock as a performer, credits two earlier British radio comedy shows with establishing an uninterrupted 30 minute sitcom format: A Life of Bliss written by Godfrey Harrison and Life with the Lyons a programme heavily based on the US tradition of sitcoms; he therefore dismisses the notion that Galton and Simpson invented the genre. Life With The Lyons was a British Radio and television domestic Sitcom dating from the 1950s

The comedy was based on reality and observation. The playlet "Look Back In Hunger" (spoofing John Osborne's Look Back in Anger) in the episode The East Cheam Drama Festival, showed that writers Galton and Simpson were in touch with developments in the British theatre, in the use of sighs and silent pauses (something Osborne's style had in common with the plays of Harold Pinter), which emerged towards the end of the series' run. And the measured pacing of the episodes was groundbreaking in an era of fast-talking radio comedians such as Ted Ray, who typically used a machine-gun style of delivery to fill every single second of airtime. Ted Ray ( November 21, 1905 – November 8, 1977) (real name Charles Olden) was a popular English Comedian

With Galton and Simpson writing scripts prolifically, continuity was not a priority, and details changed to suit each episode. The domestic situation therefore varied, but Hancock usually portrayed an unemployed or hopeless down-at-heel comedian, Sid was always on-the-fiddle in some way, Bill gradually became dim and virtually unemployable (although he had started out as a fast-talking American-style Australian), and Hancock's 'secretary' Miss Pugh had such a loose job description that in some episodes she cooked the Sunday lunch. At times the scripts would reflect topical realities of British life, such as rationing and a specific railway strike. With the notable exception of Drop the Dead Donkey many years later, television sitcoms can rarely achieve such topical references. Drop the Dead Donkey was a Situation comedy that ran on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1998.

Hancock's character had various addresses, but by the third radio series he had arrived at 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam. Sometimes this was portrayed as a council house, but sometimes there was a private landlord. In a few early episodes Hancock had owned the house, and later this became the norm. The house changed to accommodate the cast: in some episodes it appeared to be a two-bedroom terraced house, with Bill as Hancock's lodger; but in series four and five it had at least three bedrooms, as Miss Pugh was also resident in some episodes. In others she 'came round' each day, presumably from her own domicile. Railway Cuttings and East Cheam were fictitious, but Cheam is a real town in Surrey, located to the west of Sutton. Sutton is the principal town in the London Borough of Sutton. The whole area is smart and expensive, and by creating 'Railway Cuttings, East Cheam' Galton and Simpson created an address for a snob who wanted to live in a 'posh' area, but could only afford the 'cheap end' (which in reality does not exist). In those days recordings of the radio shows were not commercially available, so the audience had to rely entirely on memory for details of who lived where or who did what in the show.

Episodes of the radio series were included in 20 underground radio stations of the BBC's Wartime Broadcasting Service (WTBS), designed to provide information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a nuclear attack[1].

Television version

The television version appeared in 1956 under the same name and with the same writers, produced for the BBC by Duncan Wood. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Duncan Wood,(1925 in Bristol, England – 1997 was a comedy producer director and writer in Britain. The television and radio versions alternated until 1959, when the final radio series and the fifth television series were both broadcast during the autumn season. Only Sid James transferred from the radio series, although Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques each made a couple of appearances. The television version drew on a stock company of actors, who played different supporting characters in each episode. Semi-regulars included Liz Fraser, John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd and Arthur Mullard. This article is about the English actress For the Scottish vocalist of Cocteau Twins see Elizabeth Fraser. John Le Mesurier (born John Charles Elton Le Mesurier De Somerys Halliley; 5 April 1912 &ndash 15 November 1983 was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor Hugh Lewis Lloyd, MBE ( 22 April 1923 &ndash 14 July 2008) was an English actor who made his name in television Arthur Ernest Mullard (c 19 September 1910 was an English comedy Actor.

The final television series, broadcast in 1961, was retitled Hancock, as it was shortened from a half-hour to 25 minutes. For this final series Sid James was dropped from the cast, as Hancock feared they were coming to be seen as a double-act. Some of the most celebrated episodes of the TV series were produced in this final series, including "The Blood Donor", "The Radio Ham", and "The Bedsitter". "The Blood Donor" is an episode from the final series of the BBC Television Comedy series Hancock (formerly Hancock's Half

Some episodes of the radio series were wiped, and telerecordings of some episodes from the third and fourth television series were destroyed. Wiping or junking is an economic move by Radio and Television companies in which old Audiotapes Videotapes and Telerecordings No episodes survive from the first season of the TV series. The surviving radio episodes, which sometimes exist only in edited versions that have been cut for overseas sale to commercial radio stations, were released as CD box sets between 2000 and 2003 (see below).

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. The British Film Institute ( BFI) is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to encourage the development of the arts of film television In 1962, the show became the first imported programme to win a Jacob's Award following its transmission on Telefís Éireann, the Republic of Ireland's national TV station. The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards RTÉ One (Irish RTÉ a hAon) is the Republic of Ireland 's oldest and most popular Television channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefís Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. [2]

In 1956 and 1957 Hancock starred in two series of a sketch show made by Associated-Rediffusion for ITV television, which were broadcast either side of his first television series on the BBC. Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent

In 1972 a Norwegian tv-show called "Fleksnes Fataliteter" aired for the first time. It was based on scripts from Hancock's Half Hour. The show became trilingual, as it usually starred both Swedish and Danish actors, and was aired in Sweden and Denmark as well as in Norway. [1]

Radio series

Most of the radio episodes were recorded between one day and three weeks in advance of broadcast, except for Series 6 which was mostly recorded during a three-week period in June 1959 in order to avoid clashing with the recording of Series 5 of the television show.

All the regular cast played "themselves" (that's to say, the characters were called by the actor's real name), except Kenneth Williams (who played a series of unnamed characters referred to in the scripts -- but not on air -- as "Snide"), Alan Simpson (who played an unnamed man who listened patiently to Hancock's long-winded stories), and Hattie Jacques (who played Griselda Pugh, Hancock's secretary).

Two episodes of the radio series — "The Blackboard Jungle" (series 3) and "The New Secretary" (series four) — were recovered in 2002 from off-air home recordings made by a listener.

Series 1

Episodes 5, 7, 8, 9 and 15 no longer exist. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)

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. Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan KBE ( 16 April, 1918 &ndash 27 February 2002) known as Spike Milligan, was an Anglo Richard Henry Sellers, CBE, commonly known as Peter Sellers ( 8 September 1925 &ndash 24 July 1980) was a British

Coincidentally, three of Hancock's co-stars in the first series were born in South Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Series 2

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12 (more than half the series, including all four of Harry Secombe's guest appearances) no longer exist. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)

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. Sir Harry Donald Secombe, CBE ( 8 September 1921 &ndash 11 April 2001) was a Welsh Entertainer with a noted fine Hancock himself returned for the fourth episode and completed the series as scheduled.

Series 3

Episodes 4,5,9,10,11,12 and 15 no longer exist. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Only a short extract from episode 7 survives; this plus episodes 8 and 16 only survive in poor sound quality.

Series 4

All episodes still exist. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)

Series 5

All episodes still exist. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Christmas Special

"Bill and Father Christmas"

This episode still exists. This is about the English actor For the college basketball coach go to Warren Mitchell (basketball.

Special remake series for BBC Transcription Services

These episodes are remakes for overseas sales, rewritten to remove any topical or UK-specific references. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

All episodes still exist.

Series 6

All episodes still exist. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ann Lancaster ( 5 May, 1920 - 31 October, 1970) was a well known character actress who appeared in many British Films, television shows

Television Series

Tony Hancock was a regular in all series.
Sid James was a regular in series 1-6.
Kenneth Williams appeared in every episode of series 2, playing a variety of characters.
Patricia Hayes appeared very occasionally in series 4-6 as "Mrs. Cravatte", Hancock's landlady.

Series 1

No recordings exist. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Series 2

Episode 1 exists on a telerecording. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Telerecording (known as kinescoping in the USA) is the British name for a process pioneered during the 1940s for the storing of electronically-shot

Series 3

Episodes 5, 9, 10, 11 and "Hancock's 43 Minutes" exist on telerecordings. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)

Series 4

Episodes 1, 3, 4, 11 and 12 exist on telerecordings. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation

Series 5

The entire series exists on telerecordings. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Series 6

The entire series exists. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Series 7

The entire series exists on telerecordings. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Chronological listing of Hancock's radio and television broadcasts, 1954–1961

Information on series dates taken from the book Tony Hancock: Artiste (1978) by Roger Wilmut, Eyre Methuen ISBN 0-413-38680-5 (subsequent reprints in 1983 and 1986 contain additional details) Information on wiped radio episodes taken from the CD box sets (BBC Worldwide, 2000–2003). Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Wiping or junking is an economic move by Radio and Television companies in which old Audiotapes Videotapes and Telerecordings 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

VHS, DVD, Cassette & CD Releases

The radio series of Hancock's Half Hour was first released on Random in 1999 on cassette, though because only 10 volumes were made with 4 episodes each, the radio series was never completed on cassette. A year later the remains of Series 1 of the radio series was released as a boxset on CD. Series 2-6 followed throughout the next 3 years. The series has also been given 3 compilation CDs.

The television series of Hancock's Half Hour was first released on VHS in 1984 under BBC Enterprises (now Worldwide). 6 Videos were released each containing 3 episodes. The next video was not to be for another 9 years, and that was a compilation. Another 3 years later and a video was released containing the first 3 remaining episodes. 2 later videos were released in 1997 and one video with "The Train Journey" was released in 1999.

The first DVD to be released was in 2001, which was just a re-release of "The Best Of" video, which was Series 7 without the final episode. The next DVD was to be released in 2004, containing the first 5 remaining episodes and the very rare special "Hancock's Forty-Three Minutes". 3 more DVD's were released within 2 years, but still the final episode "The Succession - Son And Heir" was missing from DVD. But thanks to 2entertain a boxset was released in 2007 called "The Tony Hancock Collection" containing every episode, new extras, and a remaster to most episodes.

References

  1. ^ Hellen, Nicholas. "Julie Andrews to sing to Brits during nuclear attack", Sunday Times, 1999-07-11. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy.  
  2. ^ The Irish Times, "BBC wins award for Hancock series in first T. E. critic's selection", December 5, 1962

External links

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