News

Script for fourth episode of 1955 show catalogued along with those for and by the likes of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers

When Tony Hancock failed to turn up for three episodes of his radio show in 1955, producers simply replaced him with Harry Secombe as if nothing had happened. The fourth episode followed Hancock and Sid James as they travelled to Swansea to thank him – where they found him singing down a coalmine.

The recorded episode was wiped and continues to be lost, but the script – along with a host of others – has now emerged. They have been catalogued by the actor turned rare books dealer, Neil Pearson.

It is a true treasure trove, featuring scripts by and for comedy stars such as Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Frankie Howerd and Kenneth Williams. "It is a rather extraordinary and rather moving collection of material that reminds us of how we used to...

Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn was born in Covent Garden, London on January 9, 1920 from a family of theatrics - he was the cousin of Gretchen Franklin, Ethel Skinner in EastEnders. As a child, Dunn's life was almost cut short when he had a supernumerary nipple removed. After training at the Italia Conti School, he appeared alongside comedy legend Will Hay in Boys Will Be Boys and Good Morning, Boys during the 1930s. His career was temporarily interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, during the course of which he spent four years in Austria as a prisoner of war after being called up as a 20-year-old. Photo gallery - Clive Dunn's life and career:

Upon returning to the UK, Dunn spent a few years in music halls, before making his television break in The Tony Hancock Show and later Hancock's Half Hour, where (more)...