RADIO DAYS...
During a fairly aimless `surf` of the net, I came across this photo which not only shows images of some of yesteryear`s radio stars but which also brought back memories of the golden age of radio, back in the 40s, 50s and 60s. I recall being shouted at by my Mum for me to come in from playing to listen to Whipit Quick on the Charlie Chester Show during the late 1940s and, as a family, we would gather round the Mullard radio every Saturday evening to listen to `At the Luscombes.` Later on, when my rebellious streak was in its infancy, I surreptitiously tuned in to Radio Luxembourg, seduced by its unconformity bordering on naughtiness, its `difference` and its advertisements for Ovaltine and Fyffes Bananas.
Later still - and this is the point at which my parents and I finally went our separate cultural ways - I discovered the Goon Show, which left me rolling around the floor in stitches whilst my parents stayed straight faced, uncomprehending, baffled by it all.
But back to the photo. It must be from an edition of `Educating Archie` and shows, amongst others, Hattie Jacques and Max Bygraves who, if reports following their demise are to be believed, gave confirmation of the Bard`s assertion about the evil that men do living after them. And up front and centre stage we have Peter Brough and his dummy Archie Andrews, living proof of the absurdity of having a ventriloquist on the radio. Only the BBC could have thought of that one.
But there is also a youthful looking Eric Sykes and of all those in the photograph, he was certainly the most distinguished. His achievements, for one so seemingly inoffensive, were considerable with a career as a radio, television and film writer, actor and director spanning more than 50 years. In 2004, following a petition from MPs of all people, he was awarded the CBE and other awards included the Golden Rose of Montreaux, the Freedom of the City of London, Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Water Rats, the Variety Club of Great Britain and the Writers Guild. All this despite being stone deaf and a devotee of Oldham Athletic Football Club.
He died last July at the age of 89 and yesterday there was a memorial service for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Eulogies were delivered by good men and true and the whole event was `generously paid for by the BBC,` despite an ongoing rift between the Beeb and Sykes going back to the 1970s, when the then Head of Comedy wiped all the tapes of Sykes`s most recent work. Perhaps the BBC`s generosity yesterday was a belated attempt to make up for that error. Or even to try to atone for the crass absurdity of having a ventriloquist on the radio. But whatever the BBC`s motive, just for once I will not complain about their generosity with licence-payers` money.
Later still - and this is the point at which my parents and I finally went our separate cultural ways - I discovered the Goon Show, which left me rolling around the floor in stitches whilst my parents stayed straight faced, uncomprehending, baffled by it all.
But back to the photo. It must be from an edition of `Educating Archie` and shows, amongst others, Hattie Jacques and Max Bygraves who, if reports following their demise are to be believed, gave confirmation of the Bard`s assertion about the evil that men do living after them. And up front and centre stage we have Peter Brough and his dummy Archie Andrews, living proof of the absurdity of having a ventriloquist on the radio. Only the BBC could have thought of that one.
But there is also a youthful looking Eric Sykes and of all those in the photograph, he was certainly the most distinguished. His achievements, for one so seemingly inoffensive, were considerable with a career as a radio, television and film writer, actor and director spanning more than 50 years. In 2004, following a petition from MPs of all people, he was awarded the CBE and other awards included the Golden Rose of Montreaux, the Freedom of the City of London, Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Water Rats, the Variety Club of Great Britain and the Writers Guild. All this despite being stone deaf and a devotee of Oldham Athletic Football Club.
He died last July at the age of 89 and yesterday there was a memorial service for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Eulogies were delivered by good men and true and the whole event was `generously paid for by the BBC,` despite an ongoing rift between the Beeb and Sykes going back to the 1970s, when the then Head of Comedy wiped all the tapes of Sykes`s most recent work. Perhaps the BBC`s generosity yesterday was a belated attempt to make up for that error. Or even to try to atone for the crass absurdity of having a ventriloquist on the radio. But whatever the BBC`s motive, just for once I will not complain about their generosity with licence-payers` money.
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