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GREAT LIVES - HENRY NORMAL ON SPIKE MILLIGAN (320kbs-m4a/63mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 25th January 2022
Henry Normal reckons Spike Milligan changed his life, in particular with his 1973 poetry collection, Small Dreams of a Scorpion. Spike's other work - The Goons, the books about the war (Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall and Rommel? Gunner Who?) these were important, but it was the poetry that really made Henry Normal think again.
Spike was born Terence Alan Milligan in India in 1918. His family moved to Catford in south east London in 1931. "It was the first time in life I was deprived of everything in vision ... except the sky," he says. There's a lot of Spike in this episode. "I think I'm a good comedy writer - I think I'm the best." He died in February 2002. His gravestone in Winchelsea - which Henry Normal has visited - reads 'Duirt me leat go raibh me breoite' which is Gaelic for I told you I was ill.
Henry Normal was born in Nottingham, published his first book of poetry aged 19, and co-wrote The Mrs Merton Show and the first series of The Royle Family before setting up Baby Cow with Steve Coogan. The company's productions include Gavin and Stacey, Alan Partridge and the Mighty Boosh.
The presenter is Matthew Parris.
The producer for BBC Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde.
THE TINGLE FACTOR - SPIKE MILLIGAN (320kbs-m4a/63mb/27mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 21st April 2025
Comedian, writer and jazz musician Spike Milligan explains to Robin Ray why certain musical moments enrich his life.
It's a rare opportunity to hear Spike talk about influential pieces of music ranging from jazz to opera.
He includes a performance (The Queen Of The Night's Aria) which he thoroughly enjoys because it's so "awful".
Milligan started out as a band musician in order to earn money. Music ran in his family and he played the guitar and the trumpet, before war interrupted his musical career.
Producer: Andrew Mussett
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1989.
SPIKE MILLIGAN - THE GPO SHOW (320kbs-m4a/68mb/29mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 28th December 2024
Spike Milligan delivers first class fun to Postmaster General Tony Benn and staff of the General Post Office.
A seasonal Goon's-eye view of Operation Mailbag in full swing at London's Mount Pleasant sorting office
Written by and starring Spike Milligan.
With:
Harry Secombe
John Bluthal
Barry Humphries
Bob Todd
Gary Miller
Music from the Grand Piano Orchestra conducted by Paul Fenoulhet.
Producer: Charles Chilton
First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in December 1964.
*** Part of HOME SERVICE DAY on BBC Radio 4 Extra ***
JOHN ANTROBUS AND SPIKE MILLIGAN - THE BED-SITTING ROOM (320kbs-m4a/131mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 29th December 2022
Part of 4 Extra's Bernard Cribbins Day. The actor would have turned 94 on 29th December 2022.
Three years since the nuclear misunderstanding which led to the third world war ("and it's no idle boast when I remind you that this was the shortest world war on record... two minutes twenty eight seconds... including the signing of the Peace Treaty which is now on sale at Her Majesty's Stationery Office with a free T-shirt") survivors gather together on the former-streets of London.
In amongst the rubble, Captain Kak and his fiancee Penelope find Lord Fortnum, who is convinced he's turning into a bed-sitting room. With property prices what they are, Kak should be on to a good thing.
This atmospheric, surrealist play was originally written by John Antrobus and Spike Milligan.
Adapted by John Antrobus and Paul Merton.
Captain Kak ...... Paul Merton
Lord Fortnum ...... Derek Jacobi
Mate ...... Bernard Cribbins
Penelope ...... Catherine Tate
The BBC ...... Corrie Corfield
Mrs Ethel Skroake ...... Suki Webster
The Vicar ...... John Antrobus
Captain ...... Sean Baker
Seaman ...... Richard Pepple
Music and FX by Jerry Peal.
Director: Sam Michell.
Producer: Victoria Lloyd
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2015.