Beyond Our Ken
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Beyond Our Ken (1958-1964) was a radio programme, the predecessor to Round the Horne (1965-1968). Both programmes starred Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Bill Pertwee, Hugh Paddick and Betty Marsden. The name is a pun on Kenneth Horne's name and the (now mainly Scots/Scottish English) word ken, meaning 'knowledge or perception'.
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[edit] Background
Eric Merriman had previously written material for Kenneth Horne on Henry Hall's Guest Night and Variety Playhouse and written some stand up comedy material for Barry Took. In June 1957 the BBC Radio Variety department asked Merriman to come up with an idea radio series starring Horne. Merriman devised a format for the show with the working title Don't Look Now. The original memo on the subject still exists in the BBC archives.
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Don't Look Now As you know, since I have been working Variety Playhouse for and with Kenneth Horne, I have felt that his potentialities for a solo comedy series are very strong, with particular emphasis on the style of humour we have built up on Playhouse and I see the basic pattern of the new show to be largely an extension of this. Namely that the formula is based on a week in the life of Kenneth Horne broken into three actual spots, one to vary and the other two constant. In support we would be able to remain fairly flexible, going for either character actors with a wide range of voices or revue artistes. Musically there would be two spots to break the sketches. However, I have a rough synopsis of content for discussion as follows. Suggested title Opening spot Second spot Final spot This particular framework, I feel, does attempt to break away from the routine pattern of sketches and I think we can get a lot of fun in the Kenneth Horne manner from the apparently important trivialities which Kenneth does so well. |
A memo dated July 8, 1957 supporting the idea and proposing a budget also exists in the BBC Archives.
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From Jacques Brown Further to my memorandum of June 25th, I envisage as individual and distinctive in its own way as the or Eric Barker or Braden shows. Like them, it would not depend on star guests or names, apart from the principal, but employ very solid character people. A first rough breakdown would be Kenneth Horne £52 10s; Five character people, say £150; Singers £59 17s; script, say £70, total £332 7s. There could be music charges varying from nothing to £40 per program. Jacques Brown |
The initial proposal, particularly the title, was not immediately well received as revealed in a memo dated August 22nd, 1957.
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From Assistant Head of Variety I do not think this will stand up to a successful series. As a show entitled Don't Look Now the basic idea does not emerge and it has little to say in that direction. Therefore it seems to me the title is nothing but an excuse, stringing together a couple of flimsy situations. I think it is not good enough for the following reasons. |
However another memo from the following month propetically refers to Around the Horne as an alternative title. Some of these issues were resolved and a pilot was recorded.
[edit] Pilot
The script for the pilot was written by Eric Merriman and Barry Took and recorded on October 2nd, 1957. The supporting cast included Kenneth Williams, Ron Moody and Stanley Unwin. It was very well received by the studio audience and the BBC agreed to proceed with a series.
The project was put on hold in February 1958 after Kenneth Horne suffered a stroke which left him partially paralysed. However Horne made a rapid recovery and was left with only a slight limp. Horne gave up his business interests to concentrate on radio.
Work on the series resumed within months but with a very tight budget of only £285 per episode.
[edit] Series 1
The first edition of Beyond Our Ken was broadcast on July 1st, 1958.
Series 1 ran for 21 episodes plus a Christmas special. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman and Barry Took. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Ron Moody, Stanley Unwin (for the first episode only), announcer Douglas Smith with music by Patricia Lancaster, the Malcolm Mitchell Trio and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The Malcolm Mitchell Trio was replaced by the Fraser Hayes Four from the 17th episode. The producer was Jacques Brown, except for episodes 20 and 21 which were produced by Charles Maxwell.
[edit] Series 2
Series 2 ran for 20 episodes from March 19th, 1959 plus a Christmas special. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman and Barry Took. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Patricia Lancaster, the Fraser Hayes Four, Edwin Braden and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was Jacques Brown.
[edit] Series 3
Series 3 ran for 14 episodes from April 19th, 1960. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman after Barry Took left over a disagreement. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Patricia Lancaster, Bill Pertwee, Janet Waters, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Patricia Lancaster, the Fraser Hayes Four, the Hornets, Edwin Braden and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was Jacques Brown.
[edit] Series 4
Series 4 ran for 20 episodes from October 20th, 1960. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Patricia Lancaster, Edwin Braden, the Fraser Hayes Four and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was Jacques Brown.
[edit] Series 5
Series 5 ran for 20 episodes from October 12th, 1961. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Jill Day, Edwin Braden, the Fraser Hayes Four and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was Jacques Brown.
[edit] Series 6
Series 6 ran for 13 episodes from December 27th, 1962. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Eileen Gourlay, Edwin Braden, the Fraser Hayes Four and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was John Simmonds.
[edit] Series 7
Series 6 ran for 13 episodes from November 24th, 1964. The scripts were written by Eric Merriman. The cast was Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, announcer Douglas Smith with music by Eileen Gourlay, Edwin Braden, the Fraser Hayes Four and the BBC Revue Orchestra. The producer was John Simmonds.
[edit] Characters
Beyond Our Ken featured characters similar to those later featured in Round the Horne, for instance Fanny Haddock (parodying Fanny Craddock). It was also notable for Pertwee's Frankie Howerd impersonation, "Hankie Flowered". Another favourite was Kenneth Williams, who played a gardener called Arthur Fallowfield. His reply to any question was (in West Country brogue) "The answer lies in the soil!"
- Beyond Our Ken excerpt (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- The opening scene from an edition of Beyond Our Ken
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[edit] Dispute and cancellation
When Beyond Our Ken was cancelled, apparently due to a dispute between Merriman and the producers, Barry Took returned together with Marty Feldman to write a new series with the same cast which became Round the Horne.
Beyond Our Ken is sometimes seen as an inferior predecessor to Round the Horne, which became one of the most popular and influential shows of its day despite having a shorter run. But without Beyond Our Ken, Round the Horne would not have existed at all.
[edit] Adaptations
In 2004 the BBC began releasing the series on CD in box sets, one per season.
