The Idiot Weekly
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- This article is about the Australian radio series. For the British television series, see The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d.
The Idiot Weekly (1958-1962) was a radio programme made by the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Transcriptions of the Goon Show were broadcast on Australian radio from late 1955. When Spike Milligan visited his parents in Woy Woy in 1958, the Australian Broadcasting Commission signed him for a series of radio comedy broadcasts. They hoped for a local equivalent of the Goon Show with an Australian slant to it, but without Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe.
[edit] Format and characters
The format was very similar to the Goon Show, with Milligan recycling or adapting scripts and jokes for the new show. The show contained typical Goonish humour and some of Milligan's Goon Show character, notably Eccles, made regular appearances. However it was distinctly Australian with plots translated to Australian locations and numerous references to topical events and Australian political figures of the time.
The closing credits were read "a radio reading of The Idiot Weekly" with the actors credited as "Headlines by.." or "Cartoons by..." and the producer credited as a sub-editor.
[edit] Series 1
Series 1 ran for 12 episodes from June 3, 1958. The cast was Spike Milligan, John Bluthal, Bobby Limb, Michael Eisdell and Ray Barrett with music by Jim Gussey and the ABC Dance Orchestra. The producer was Max Greaves.
| Episode | Title | Original broadcast date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 3, 1958 | ||
| 2 | June 10, 1958 | ||
| 3 | June 17, 1958 | ||
| 4 | June 24, 1958 | ||
| 5 | July 1, 1958 | ||
| 6 | July 8, 1958 | ||
| 7 | July 15, 1958 | ||
| 8 | July 22, 1958 | ||
| 9 | July 29, 1958 | ||
| 10 | August 5, 1958 | ||
| 11 | The All Australian Leather Rocket | August 12, 1958 | |
| 12 | August 19, 1958 |
[edit] Series 2
Series 1 ran for 13 episodes from June 30, 1959. The cast was Spike Milligan, Bobby Limb, John Bluthal, Peter Carver, Michael Eisdell, announcer Graham Connolly with music by Johnny Bamford (vibraphone), Bruce Findlay (vocals), Jim Gussey and the ABC Dance Orchestra. The producer was John McCloud.
| Episode | Title | Original broadcast date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Son of Andrea | June 3, 1959 | |
| 2 | June 30, 1959 | ||
| 3 | July 7, 1959 | ||
| 4 | July 14, 1959 | ||
| 5 | July 21, 1959 | ||
| 6 | July 28, 1959 | ||
| 7 | August 4, 1959 | ||
| 8 | August 11, 1959 | ||
| 9 | August 18, 1959 | ||
| 10 | August 25, 1959 | ||
| 11 | The French Connection | September 8, 1959 | |
| 12 | September 15, 1959 | ||
| 13 | The Australian Flag | September 22, 1959 | Although billed as The Australian Flag, the show was announced as The Flag. |
Broadcast dates unknown: The Prime Minister's Trousers, The First Australian into Outer Woy Woy
Notes
- Some published sources list The Australian Flag and The Prime Minister's Trousers as being in Series 1. Both credit the Series 2 cast.
- The Australian Flag is announced as "the last of the present series".
- The surviving recording of The First Australian into Outer Woy Woy includes the audience warm up, which includes a short jazz number by the ABC Dance Band with Spike Milligan playing the trumpet.
[edit] Series 3
Series 1 ran for 13 episodes from August 28, 1962. The cast was Spike Milligan, John Ewart, Ric Hutton, Paul Westerman, Al Thomas, Michael Eisdell, announcer Peter Young with music by Patricia Ridgeway (vocals), Dudley Stapleton (piano), Jim Gussey and the ABC Dance Orchestra. The producer was John McCloud.
| Episode | Title | Original broadcast date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 3, 1962 | ||
| 2 | September 10, 1962 | ||
| 3 | September 17, 1962 | ||
| 4 | September 24, 1962 | ||
| 5 | September 1, 1962 | ||
| 6 | October 8, 1962 | ||
| 7 | October 15, 1962 | ||
| 8 | October 22, 1962 | ||
| 9 | October 29, 1962 | ||
| 10 | October 5, 1962 | ||
| 11 | November 12, 1962 | ||
| 12 | November 19, 1962 | ||
| 13 | November 19, 1962 |
Broadcast dates unknown: The Ashes, The King's Bridge Saga, The American Cup, The World's Greatest Adventure, The Spon Plague, King's Cross - The East Berlin of Australia, The Great Christmas Pudding, The Flying Dustman of the Outback.
Notes
- The Spon Plague combines elements of the Goon Shows Lurgi Strikes Britain and The Nadger Plague. Some publications list this episode title as The Spon Berry vs The Spon Plague or just Spon. The show is announced as The Spon Plague. In this episode, Spike Milligan sings a version of the Dustbin Dance from the BBC television series A Show Called Fred, the successor to The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d.
- The Great Christmas Pudding is essentially a remake of the Goon Show Operation Christmas Duff with Australian references.
- Some publications list The American Cup as Gretel vs America.
- Some publications list The King's Bridge Saga as The King's Bridge Disaster or The Last Tram to King Street Bridge. The show is announced as The King's Bridge Saga. It contains elements of the Goon Show The Last Tram (from Clapham). Part of the episode relates to the King Street Bridge in Melbourne which collapsed soon after opening in July 1962.
[edit] Running jokes
Many episodes include references to the perceived poor state of the ABC, usually by the announcer. For example, "This is the Australian Broadcasting Commission and it's going bald" or "This is the ABC, and the roof leaks".
Most episodes include references to Woy Woy.
[edit] Recordings
Sadly the ABC did not keep all the episodes. A few ABC recordings do survive. Some episodes were record off air onto acetate and are held in the archives of the Goon Show Preservation Society and in private collections.
Known surviving recordings are:
Season 1 - Program from 8 July 1958 (partial), The All Australian Leather Rocket (complete).
Season 2 - Son of Andrea (probably complete), The First Australian into Outer Woy Woy (with audience warm up), The Prime Minister's Trousers (complete with audience warm up), The French Connection (rehearsal), The Australian Flag (complete)
Season 3 - The Ashes (off air recording without music), The King's Bridge Saga (off air recording without music), The American Cup (complete), The World's Greatest Adventure, The Spon Plague, King's Cross - The East Berlin of Australia (without music), The Great Christmas Pudding, The Flying Dustman of the Outback (off air recording without music).
[edit] Adaptations and audio releases
Two episodes from Series 3, The Ashes and The Flying Dustman of the Outback, were released on Parlophone LP (PMEO 9376) in 1962.
Six episodes were remade by the BBC as The Omar Khayyam Show.
