The Goon Show Preservation Society

Showbiz News - Updated 8th March 2010

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8th March 2010:     Adolf tickets for £5 ! at Birmingham Rep.
Yes folks it's true. Take a look at the Tour Page here

28th January 2010:    BBC 7 plays the very last goon show…
Yes, they aired the last one, although there was no fanfare, no special introduction, nothing to mark the occasion… How strange.

January 2010:    Special screening "Penny Points to Paradise".
To mark their 100th Anniversary, on Sunday 17th January at the beautiful Duke of York's picture house in Brighton. A showing of the Brighton based comedy. Read more here:- http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/news_item.aspxenueId=doyb&id=2116

December 2009:    Script Auction at Bonham's 16th December
At their Knighstbridge sale rooms, along with general Entertainment Memorabilia the auction contains some supposedly 'rare' Goon Show scripts for sale in single Lots (hmmm…).

December 2009:    Goon Show sound-man Bobby Jaye passed away.
Bobby once graced us with an afternoon of anecdotes and showbiz stories at one of the London Meetings back in October 2006. He will be fondly remembered. See past NL: 119 and 120.

November 2009:      A new book has been written !
Brian Powdrill, a newly published author, has announced his first novel "Bottle's Treasure".
Go here for details…
new book page
 
October 2009:  Spike' play "Adolf Hitler--My Part in His Downfall" going strong.
So good has been the response that the play's producers have added lots more dates well into next year, for details click the link (see picture below side bar)   

September 2009:  CD box Set Volume no: 26 has been released--see BBC page 

August 2009:  Compendium No: 3 is released--see BBC Press Release page

June 2009:     'Penny Points' makes the news!
In the Sunday Times no less--14th June edition. A great story about Kate Lees and the BFI (see our stories below) and the forthcoming Goons' films at the NFT. For the article go to
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6493736.ece and when you've read that, click on the little 'Adelphi' side-bar to view a set of images from the story, in particular take a look at image 6 and 8.  And  I never realised Kate's strange sci-fi connection with her Family name being Dent. In the Times' article her Grandfather's name is seen as "Arthur Dent" ! A name well known to those of us who love the Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy  by Douglas Adams… Another of my favourite comedy shows. So the Answer To Life, The Universe and Everything could be closer than we think...

April 2009:  Compendium No: 2 was released.

March 2009:   "Penny Points" and Let's Go Crazy" to be screened at the NFT
The lovely Kate Lees, of Adelphi Films announced that these two 'Goon' films would be screened at the NFT, on London's South Bank on 27th July 2009

January 2009:   Angela Morley, Composer, Band Leader & Musician has died.
(known to all of us in the Goon World as Wally Stott), Angela passed away peacefully at the age of 84.

January 2009:  Kate Lees, of Adephi Films has confirmed the forthcoming release of  "Penny Points to Paradise" on DVD. Kate will let us know nearer the time when & where it will be available.

December 2008:     Bonham's Auctioneers: "The Private World Of Spike Milligan"
Our chairman John Repsch attended on the day and met up with some of the Family. Much has already been written & said in both the daily & national news media about how things went and we would not wish to comment here, except to say that some lovely items went under the hammer, some of which a few of us were lucky to see in-situ at the old house in Dumbwoman's Lane down at Rye during the last few the years, so a day for reflection in many respects.
 

April 2008:     The new CD, Volume 25, was released along with the brand new never-before-done Compendium No: 1. A box Set of 13 shows from Series 5.  The CD Volume 25 follows in the long tradition of featuring four shows digitally restored by Ted Kendall.

February 2008:       BBC announces new  launch dates for Goon CDs
Neil Trickey writes by email; 
"BBC Audiobooks have confirmed that these two releases will now be on 7 April 2008.

January 2008:        New Play about Spike was announced.
A new play based on Norma Farnes' best-seller "Spike" was produced by Bill Kenwright Productions Ltd at the Theatre Royal, Windsor and ran from Feb 5th to 16th.

December 2007
:        BBC delays launch of new Goon Show CD
The eagerly awaited Compendium Vol:1 and the latest CD release Vol: 25 have been held over until the Spring, a BBC spokeswoman announced today.

November 2007:       Michael Bentine Night at the NFT
The BFI gathered together some rarities for a special evening dedicated to the Fourth Goon, Michael Bentine. It took place on 6th Dec


June 2007:       Jimmy Grafton Scripts Sale at Christie's
This very rare and valuable Collection belonging to James Grafton, son of the late Jimmy Grafton, was put up for auction at Christie's in London.

May 2007:         BBC R4 documentary on Larry Stephens
Heard on Thursday 24th May entitled "Larry Stephens--The Man Who Never Was", the GSPS helped out with research towards this programme through our very own Mike Brown. The web site got a good plug'.
 
April 2007:             Rare film screening at the NFT!
We had news from Nigel Algar, Senior Curator (Fiction) at the BFI, that the NFT on London's South Bank would be showing, on two different nights; "the very rare 'Penny Points to Paradise' in a double-bill with 'Orders are Orders'."     Mr. Algar told GSPS some background into this event.
   "Kate Lees, a member of the Dent Family, owners of Adelphi Films, would be showing Penny Points from the 16mm print which was re-edited in 1960 with a sneaky addition. Someone had 'cut-in' 3 or 4 minutes from 'Let's Go Crazy' another early Goon type film, at the beginning of the reel. The BFI intended to show both versions, stopping and then re-starting the movie."


November 2006:        Box 18 - The Unpublished Spike Milligan was released.
 
October 2006:       BBC announce Goon Show CD, Volume 24:
   
July 2006:        The Daily Mail (amongst others) reported on 25/7/06 the sad death of Michael Sellers
 
June 2006:         Spike does it again! The funniest joke in the world
Yes folks - it's official. Our hero, the wonderful Spine Milligna has been credited with writing the funniest joke in the world. It's been in the papers' on the air and now it's here - on the GSPS  website:
 
Neddie:   (on the phone to Grytpype) I just came in and found him lying here on the floor.
Grytpype:  Is he dead?
Neddie:   I think so.
Grytpype:  Hadn't you better make sure?
Neddie:   Oh alright - just a minute - (puts phone down)
FX:     two loud gun shots ring out
Neddie: (picks up phone) yes - he's dead…

Stories about this show have been dominating our Showbiz Page for some months now--so to give other 'news' a chance all the details have been moved here:

spike play offer