Overview

Over 100 episodes of Hancock's Half Hour were produced and broadcast, first on BBC radio in 1954 and then on TV in 1956. Receiving critical acclaim at the time, and making a star of the cantankerous Tony Hancock and roguish Sid James, Hancock's Half Hour made history as the grumpy grandfather of British sitcom. Galton and Simpson, who also wrote the internationally successful Steptoe and Son, became writing legends. Thanks to them, we are able to enjoy these lost scripts from the early series. Stories range from observational comedy to the surreal and include Father Christmas being put on trial (part of a Christmas special), and Tony and Sid entering the 'Mr East Cheam' beauty competition. Not only are the scripts transcribed in their entirety, but we also show where some amendments were made, and the text is peppered with photos of the cast and background information. A great gift for Hancock fans young and old, as well as followers of comedy classics.

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9781906779887

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Reviews

'If in your head you can hear Hancock uttering each line, then you will laugh as hard as I did' The Guardian 20101106 'Buried treasure found in the form of 10 mislaid episodes of Hancock's Half Hour, was one of the year's most wondrous excavations from the BBC's archives.' The Independent 20101126 'Thanks for the comic hands behind Hancock's wildly funny performances, we can now relish ten 'missing' scripts.' Manchester Evening News 20101204 'The reason why this book is so vital is it is pure comedy gold...the freshness of the humour is remarkable. This isn't just great comedy writing, it's great writing.' The Wharf 20101223

Author Information

Ray Galton (OBE) and Alan Simpson (IBE) were the scriptwriters of some of Britain's most successful TV series, including Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son.

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