I was swinging through the trees holding on to my nuts. Heroes of Comedy s1e1: Frankie Howerd, Thames 1995
You’re making mock of Francis. ibid.
It’s not an appeal for money – it’s all right, you’ve been robbed enough as it is. ibid.
Try if you can to force some titters. ibid.
Listen. No, listen. ibid.
Frankie’s comeback on TW3 followed a breakthrough cabaret appearance at Peter Cook’s Establishment Club in Soho. ibid. caption
Frankie Howerd opened in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Old Vic on the 23rd December 1957. ibid.
I can always tell if an audience is going to be good or bad. Good night. Heroes of Comedy s1e2: Tommy Cooper
The courage to just go on and make a mess of everything. Now that’s a rare gift. ibid. Anthony Hopkins
He just was a magical draw. ibid. Spike Milligan
Just like a child. I don’t think he ever grew up. ibid. Bob Monkhouse
Rozzer boss: I want you to go into a girls’ school, incognito of course, and see what’s going on there.
Rozzer Grenfell: It’s not St Trinian’s? Heroes of Comedy s1e3: Joyce Grenfell, from The Belles of St Trinians 1951
I do think it’s been heaps of fun … call me Sausage. ibid. from The Happiest Days of Your Life 1950
You promised to take me out tonight, and I’ve had a bath especially. ibid. from Laughter in Paradise, 1951
She would get beyond satire into near tragedy. ibid. Clive James
[Max to audience] Thanks very much. I expected more but I’m satisfied. Heroes of Comedy s1e4: Max Miller
Roses are red,
Violets are blues
How do I know?
I’ve seen them on the [washing] line. ibid.
Being married to Max was one joyous round. ibid. Mrs Miller
Max became the highest paid variety comedian of his day. ibid. caption
Terry-Thomas was born in Finchley on 14th July 1911 ... Terry became Hollywood’s favourite idea of the comic Englishman, and throughout his career starred in over 75 films. Heroes of Comedy s1e6: Terry-Thomas
Les [Dawson] eventually emerged as a star on Opportunity Knocks in 1967. Heroes of Comedy s2e1: Les Dawson
Les married Tracy in 1989 three years after the death of his first wife Meg. ibid.
Kenny’s first ambition was to become a priest – in his early teens he spent a year at a seminary run by the Verona Fathers. Heroes of Comedy s2e2: Kenny Everett
Kenny’s Thames Television shows performed to the crew, without a studio audience. ibid.
[Stephen Fry]: Sheer control. He seems to be utterly relaxed. He’s the best actor I think for looking and listening to people. Heroes of Comedy s2e3: Alastair Sim
He was a little boy who never grew up. ibid. Ron Moody
The paradigm version of a scrooge. ibid. Fry
‘He accepted a CBE but turned down a knighthood.’ ibid. daughter
[comment]: Enjoyment comes searing through. Heroes of Comedy s2e4: The Goons
Dennis Main Wilson was the first of a line of Goon Show producers that included Peter Eton and eventually Pat Dixon himself. ibid.
Born in Southampton on 21 January 1924 Benny was christened Alfred Hawthorn Hill; he took his stage name from his American comedy hero Jack Benny. Heroes of Comedy s3e1: Benny Hill
Benny began to appear regularly on BBC television as early as 1951: four years later he was starring in his own show. ibid.
In 1989 in the face of changing trends and tighter budgets Thames Television decided not to renew Benny’s contract. ibid.
Chat Show host: Which planet were you on? Was it Mars or Venus?
Peter Cook: Ikea. They are people who arrived millions of years ago in cardboard boxes and were forced to assemble themselves. They had no instructions. Heroes of Comedy s3e2: Peter Cook
One-legged Tarzan: I wrote it 18. I don’t think I’ve written anything better since. ibid. Peter
‘I’ve got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is neither have you.’ ibid. Peter to Dudley
A man old enough to be Ernie’s father. And looking at their sizes, he probably is. Heroes of Comedy s3e3: Arthur Askey
He was a comedian off stage. Non stop. ibid. Lou Grade
Arthur had a lovely cynical view of the world. ibid. Ken Dodd
Just a bulliant cheeriness. ibid. Boby Monkhouse
Anthony John Hancock was born in Birmingham on 12 May 1924 and moved with his parents to Bournemouth at the age of three. Heroes of Comedy s3e4: Tony Hancock
Before the transition of Hancock’s Half Hour from radio to BBC television in 1956, The Tony Hancock Show, written by Eric Sykes, was one of the first comedy series to be featured on the new commercial channel. ibid.
Between 1954 and 1961 Galton and Simpson wrote 102 radio and 63 television half-hours for Hancock, as well as the feature film The Rebel. ibid.
Ray and Alan went on to write Steptoe and Son, while Beryl became the producer of Men Behaving Badly. ibid.
Upon leaving the BBC, Hancock returned to ITV for his last three series. ibid.
Tony Hancock was found dead from an overdose in Australia on the morning of 25 June 1968. ibid.
Norman Wisdom was born in Paddington, London on 4th February 1915. Heroes of Comedy s4e1: Norman Wisdom
Norman’s [Wisdom] first major film There’s Trouble in Store broke house records almost everywhere during its first four weeks on release. ibid.
Walking Happy opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 26th November 1966, and Norman recreated his success at the Tony Awards the following year. ibid.
Norman’s international fame extended to South America, China, Eastern Europe, as well as the former USSR. ibid.
Norman received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a cancer patient in Going Gently which won the BAFTA drama award for 1981/2. ibid.
Eric’s early scriptwriting for radio also included Educating Archie and occasional material for The Goon Show. Heroes of Comedy s4e3: Eric Sykes
Eric Sykes was born in Oldham, Lancashire on 4th May 1923. ibid.
Eric’s partnership with Hattie Jacques extended over 127 episodes of the successful BBC sitcom between 1960 and 1979. ibid.
Hattie Jacques died at the early age of 56 on 6 October 1980. ibid.
Eric’s other semi-silent film comedies include Rhubarb! Mr H is Late and The Big Freeze. ibid.
I’m such a bad businesswoman that I let Barry Humphries walk all over me. Heroes of Comedy s4e5: Barry Humphries
You know, darling, acrylic is a protected animal. ibid. Barry to Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers: What make you laugh?
Barry Humphries: Well, other people’s misfortunes mostly. ibid.