Re: [ARSCLIST] Goon Show Transcriptions

[John Ross <johnross@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The BBC Transcription Service distributed the Goon Shows in the 1950s 
on those 16-inch transcription disks shortly after the original BBC 
domestic broadcasts. They were remastered and re-issued on 12-inch 
transcription disks in the 1960s and 70s (maybe into the 80s). These 
were the ones that were edited to cut out the "offensive" material. 
More recently, BBC Enterprises went back to the original tapes and TS 
masters and reconstructed them to add back the stuff that had been 
cut out. Those are the ones currently available on CD -- they're up 
to Volume 23, with four shows per package, so that's 92 original 
shows so far (out of more than 200, not all of which have survived) 
plus The Last Goon Show of All, and Goon Again, which was a tribute 
show that used original scripts from episodes that have not survived.

Separately, EMI/Parlaphone licensed and issued about half a dozen LPs 
with two shows on each disc, with the music cut out (produced for 
records by George Martin).

In addition to umpteen fan sites, some of which offer copies of many 
shows for download, both BBC7 and Radio National (ABC Australia) 
broadcast a Goon Show every week. Both stations stream line to the 
Internet, and BBC7 also has a "Listen Again" feature that makes them 
available on demand for a full week.

John Ross

At  12/10/2005 03:10 PM, Mike Richter wrote:
> Ah - now we're in one non-classical area of interest to me. <G>
>
> Of the half-vast collection of Goon shows, a subset was distributed 
> (I believe on the 16" transcriptions dlennick cites) to American 
> public radio stations. A subset of those without the musical 
> interludes was published on commercial, 12" LP. (Of course, I am not 
> counting "Bridge on the River Wye" or the execrable film "Down Among 
> the X Men".)
>
> Among those not offered to U.S. radio are some gems, but in general 
> the best (most nearly sane) were culled for the colonies and many of 
> the best of those made it to LP. Still, I miss the piano race and 
> the one in an incomprehensible pseudo-Scottish language. Somewhere 
> among my unlabelled or mislabelled open reels are a couple of 1 7/8 
> ips tapes with the collection of an Aussie with whom I was friendly 
> some forty years ago.
>
> Mike
> --
> mrichter@xxxxxxx
> http://www.mrichter.com/