Hancock's Half Hour

This 1950s series remains an affectionate milestone in television comedy, in its entertaining snippets of the life of egomaniac and resident moaner of Cheam, Anthony Aloysius Hancock. The very fact that Galton and Simpson wrote a character for Tony Hancock with more or less his own name (and perhaps, more or less his own personality) is key to the show's success. In the early episodes – which were much the best of them all – Hancock was usually supported by Sid James, and often people like Kenneth Williams, Hugh Lloyd and June Whitfield, but these collaborators were slowly weeded out until the series reached its often-quoted pinnacle with 'The Blood Donor'.

The best episodes were those which were both beautifully written and performed – 'The Missing Page'; 'Lord Byron Lived Here'; 'Twelve Angry Men'. Even in clunky black and white and as old as they are, what are left of the half-hours are superb. Tony Hancock's deadpan voice and hangdog looks gave the character and the situations an everyday quality that viewers could, and can, appreciate. Long may these episodes continue to be shown and made available to future generations.

I first came across Hancock's half hour, when I listened to my Mother's LP's with some of the episodes on. The radio and television series were before my time. I can't quite explain why this series caught my imagination at such a young age. Maybe it was the brilliant characters, created by the masters of comedy Galton and Simpson. Maybe it was the hugely talented comedy legends, that lent their voices to the proceedings. Ironically it was in 2019, that I purchased the surviving episodes of the television series, they are as enjoyable today as when they were first broadcast. Some of the episodes were better on radio than the television, you were able to use your imagination. But it is great to see these comedy legends at the height of their careers.

The programs may appear extremely dated now but the influence of Hancock on British comedy is still considerable. As is so common in good comedy his character is a self deluding loser who places himself far higher up the social ladder than anyone else ever will (Steptoe, Rigsby, Fawlty, Blackadder and Partridge to name a few would later carry on this tradition)

So don't let the grainy pictures put you off, and there are plenty of the excellent radio shows availble, it's been nearly half a century, but they're definately still a worthwhile half hour.

Tony Hancock is a Comedy Icon and a personal favourite comedian of mine. While I'm disappointed that only 6 people have reviewed Hancock's Half Hour, I'm pleased that its still remembered positively. Of course as time passes this will change, less people will be around that remember it, and more people will relate it in relation to other comics.

Hancock'a Half Hour was a seminal radio show, that was key to the popularity of radio comedy especially for the BBC. So obviously auntie were keen to achieve the same level of success on TV.

It managed that and more besides, making simply unmissable television, people just couldn't wait to get home to watch it. Long before pubs had TV blaring out, people could only view it at home. Pubs and streets emptied because we were home watching Hancock. Really only people old enough will remember that, but its that popularity that really helped make the BBC.

Making a principle reason for wanting a television, and as I remember it I can't actually recall much else worth watching at that time. Even so its remarkable now how addictive TV became, with the Box quickly assuming its place in the corner of the living room. With chairs circled around it, we quickly came to miss it when anything happened to it, wondering what we'd done before we had one.

Typically the Beeb didn't appreciate the program, and treated it with the same disdain as with its other light entertainment programs. Really the only reason that any episodes survive today is courtesy of its fans in the Appreciation Society, certainly not to the BBC.

Tony Hancock has been unfairly criticised for his decisions, to leave out members of the radio series for the television show. To leave the BBC TV series behind to try something different. A current 'comic' even made the facetious comment about him that I paraphrase here, "He got rid of the radio crowd, got rid of Sid James, then he got rid of himself". A disgusting comment, especially as all current British comedians owe a complete debt to Tony Hancock, he was the first the trail blazer.

Today no one would consider saying of or to any current comic, "why do you want to make changes in your career?" When other comics decided to change channel or go in any different direction, who cares or complained? No one of course, but Hancock's decisions still prompt TV documentaries.

Today its not uncommon for comedians to appear in film and America doesn't seem too averse to British comedy.

Hancock's Half Hour became Hancock slimmed down to 25 minutes, we were told to possibly accommodate adverts, on American television. But it didn't happen, was it too British for the yanks tastes? Possibly for the comedies popular there in the late 1950/60s.

I gave this 8 for the support cast not Hancock. The writers were brilliant. Hancock I found was as troubled on screen or radio as he was off it.

The Support cast far outweighed his talent and alot went on to bigger greater legend of the carry on films.