For aficionados R4Extra are currently playing the famous/infamous "Visit to Swansea" ep from 1955. 4th episode of series 2. Just prior to recording the first episode of series 2 Hancock had walked out without telling anyone and spent a month in Italy. Producer Dennis Main Wilson needed a last-minute replacement for Hancock and drafted in Harry Secombe. The first three eps of this series featuring Secombe are sadly lost. This fourth ep was discovered a couple of years ago and lovingly restored though the first couple of minutes are missing. Secombe appears, so it's the only surviving example of his involvement.

Hancock returns and is persuaded to take a trip to Swansea to thank Secombe for filling in for him. I've only ever heard it once before. Not one of the great eps but the restoration is excellent and it's a snapshot of Hancock's personal travails even in the early days. For one thing, Hancock is audibly trying too hard in his performance.

It's also yet another example of Galton and Simpson's willingness to experiment. These days it would be called post-modern. Here they blur the line between real life - Secombe having to sub for Hancock - and the make-believe radio series world.

 

53 minutes ago, dermott said:

For aficionados R4Extra are currently playing the famous/infamous "Visit to Swansea" ep from 1955. 4th episode of series 2. Just prior to recording the first episode of series 2 Hancock had walked out without telling anyone and spent a month in Italy. Producer Dennis Main Wilson needed a last-minute replacement for Hancock and drafted in Harry Secombe. The first three eps of this series featuring Secombe are sadly lost. This fourth ep was discovered a couple of years ago and lovingly restored though the first couple of minutes are missing. Secombe appears, so it's the only surviving example of his involvement.

Hancock returns and is persuaded to take a trip to Swansea to thank Secombe for filling in for him. I've only ever heard it once before. Not one of the great eps but the restoration is excellent and it's a snapshot of Hancock's personal travails even in the early days. For one thing, Hancock is audibly trying too hard in his performance.

It's also yet another example of Galton and Simpson's willingness to experiment. These days it would be called post-modern. Here they blur the line between real life - Secombe having to sub for Hancock - and the make-believe radio series world.

 

Thanks for posting. Will listen to that later.