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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007Tony Hancock Radio Show 1955
I downloaded and listened to a BBC Tony Hancock radio comedy show, from 1955, called "A Trip To France". The show opens with Hancock in the bath, playing "Cruel Sea" type games with the soap and the scrubbing brush. He is sea-struck. The other members of the household want to use the bathroom, and eventually they burst in. The fact of Hancock's nakedness is not openly remarked upon. There are various remarks made about the soap being a U-boat, etc, and Sid James says he thinks Hancock looks daft wearing a yachting cap. Then comes the part I am confused about. One of the other members of the household, seeing Hancock in the bath, says "And I thought Moby Dick was just a legend!" It seems to me that the audience seemed to pause for a split second before laughing much more loudly than they had at the earlier jokes. I understood the joke in a 'modern' way, and was taken aback at hearing it in such an old show. Then I wondered if 1955 was a much more innocent age in some ways, and that perhaps it was my 21st century dirty mind at work. I was 3 years old in 1955, and when I first saw a copy "Moby Dick" about five years later, I was at once aware of the double meaning. Do people on here think that this was a case of the script witers slipping a naughty double meaning past the BBC of the time? <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: > I downloaded and listened to a BBC Tony Hancock radio comedy show, from > 1955, called "A Trip To France". The show opens with Hancock in the [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Do people on here think that this was a case of the script witers > slipping a naughty double meaning past the BBC of the time? It's entirely possible. Have you not heard "Round The Horne"? Some of it borders on the obscene. OTOH, Hancock was chubby (hardly fat in today's terms) and was referred to by Bill Kerr's character as "Tubs". So the joke could just be about a fat man in a bath.  SignatureDavid ===== > It's entirely possible. Have you not heard "Round The Horne"? Some > of it borders on the obscene. Yes I heard many of the shows when it was broadcast from 1965 to 1968, but that was the swinging sixties, some 10-13 years after the Hancock show. > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >referred to by Bill Kerr's character as "Tubs". So the joke could >just be about a fat man in a bath. I don't think 'Moby Dick' even works as a joke reference to what may or may not have been radiophonically visible as a 'Ancock (hmm...) appendage. It's the 'great white whale' image that amuses. SignaturePaul In bocca al Lupo! > > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: > > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > may not have been radiophonically visible as a 'Ancock (hmm...) > appendage. It's the 'great white whale' image that amuses. "Can I do yer now, sir?" SignatureMike. >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: >> > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > >"Can I do yer now, sir?" The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). > >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: [...] > >> >> Do people on here think that this was a case of the script witers > >> >> slipping a naughty double meaning past the BBC of the time? [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >"Can I do yer now, sir?" > The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). Neddy, seeking passage on ship: "Are you responsible for the berths here?" Bloodnok: "Not all of them, no!" SignatureMike. >> >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: >[...] [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >here?" >Bloodnok: "Not all of them, no!" Seagoon: It was winter when we arrived and the snow lay heavy on the slopes of Brigitte Bardot. >>"Can I do yer now, sir?" > > The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). Was that really Goon Show? It sounds like ITMA to me. SignatureRob Bannister >>>"Can I do yer now, sir?" >> >> The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). > >Was that really Goon Show? It sounds like ITMA to me. Not my posting. Yes it sounds like ITMA. [snip] Yes it sounds like ITMA. [[snip] Doesn't "Tony Hancock" sound like a reference to four parts of the male anatomy? It evokes the old joke about the couple undressing on the night of their wedding. The bribe gasps when she sees the gnarly digits on his feet. He allays her concern, "That's a residual effect from my having toelio as a child." She gasps louder when she sees his legs, the middle joints being huge. "Oh, well, that's from when I had kneesles." Then, as he exposes his private parts, she screams, "Don't tell me -- as a child you had small ...." Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego > Doesn't "Tony Hancock" sound like a reference to four parts of the male > anatomy? It was a favourite joke when I was at primary school. You point to each part of your (or another's) body in turn: toe.... knee... hand.... (long pause).... [chest, leg, head, anything but!] Mike M irwell <hook@yahoo.com> had it: > >>>"Can I do yer now, sir?" > >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Not my posting. Yes it sounds like ITMA. That was ITMA (1939 to 1949), but the Goon Show ran from 1951 to 1960. SignatureDavid ===== irwell wrote, in <i2agp299sib5rc87l3qlnptosmhglsgvja@4ax.com> on Sun, 31 Dec 2006 13:16:20 -0800: > >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: > >> > [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > >"Can I do yer now, sir?" > The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). Mid 1950s same as the Hancock show under discussion. I remember an episode where for some reason Min and Henry were living in a gun emplacement and they got away with 'it's your turn in the barrel'. SignatureNick Spalding (Snip) >> "Can I do yer now, sir?" > The Goon Show had some risque moments (late 1940s). But "Can I do yer now, Sir? was Mrs. Mopp in ITMA in the early 40s. The Goons showed up much later than that. (Later, even, than "Dick Barton, Special Agent". SFX: Devil gallops off into the sunset.) Cheers, Sage >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: >> > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > >"Can I do yer now, sir?" I'll have you know I'm a member of ITMA, and don't take this Moppery lightly. SignaturePaul In bocca al Lupo! >> > <mike.j.harvey@gmail.com> had it: >> > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > >"Can I do yer now, sir?" Hugh Jampton. SignatureDon Aitken Mail to the From: address is not read. To email me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com" > Have you not heard "Round The Horne"? Some > of it borders on the obscene. Kenneth Horne to Julian and Sandy (who this week are lawyers): "Do you think you could handle my case"? Julian (or was it Sandy): "Ooh, I don't know - we've got a Criminal Practice that takes up most of our time". SignatureWH >I downloaded and listened to a BBC Tony Hancock radio comedy show, from >1955, called "A Trip To France". The show opens with Hancock in the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >pause for a split second before laughing much more loudly than they had >at the earlier jokes. I have a distant recollection of a rhyme that included the line "Moby Dick had a great big prick". I think I first met it as a young boy some years before 1955. Googling draws a blank. >I understood the joke in a 'modern' way, and was taken aback at hearing >it in such an old show. Then I wondered if 1955 was a much more [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >Do people on here think that this was a case of the script witers >slipping a naughty double meaning past the BBC of the time? SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) The Peter Duncanson entity posted thusly: >I have a distant recollection of a rhyme that included the line >"Moby Dick had a great big prick". My daughter, when she was about 15, asked me if she could ask me a riddle she had heard at school, and mentioned that it was a bit risque (dirty, was her word, I think). I said she could, and she asked it. "What's big, hard and white and lives under the sea?" "Moby's Dick." Oleg Lego <rat@atatatat..com> had it: > The Peter Duncanson entity posted thusly: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > "Moby's Dick." There was a range of these "sea" jokes around in the 70s. - What lies at the bottom of the sea and hits out? - Codswallop - What lies at the bottom of the sea, shivering? - A nervous wreck. And I fondly remember: - What lives at the bottom of the sea, is purple and huge? - Moby Plum. SignatureDavid ===== [snip sea "jokes"] > And I fondly remember: > > - What lives at the bottom of the sea, is purple and huge? > - Moby Plum. It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. Signaturerzed > [snip sea "jokes"] > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the > creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. Oh, not the famous "What's big and purple and goes: slam slam slam slam?" >> [snip sea "jokes"] >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Oh, not the famous "What's big and purple and goes: slam slam > slam slam?" A four-door gr-- hey! I just heard about a big green thing that makes the same sound. But it has warts. You don't suppose there's some kind of joke recycling thing going on do you? Signaturerzed Not in the place that's big and purple and surrounded by water ... >>> [snip sea "jokes"] >>> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > makes the same sound. But it has warts. You don't suppose there's > some kind of joke recycling thing going on do you? Would it be such a bad thing? What is long and straight and round and orange. . .and goes: click (or click click)? We can get these out of our systems before April 1. > >>> [snip sea "jokes"] > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > We can get these out of our systems before April 1 Q: What's black and white and black and off-white and black and beige and black and brown and black and black? A: A nun on a spit. (Got it from John Cleese)....r R H Draney <dadoctah@spamcop.net> had it: > > >>> [snip sea "jokes"] > > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > A: A nun on a spit. - What's green then red? - A frog in a blender. SignatureDavid ===== > - What's green then red? > - A frog in a blender. Oo, oo, I have that .exe file somewhere. Fully adjustable blender speeds, and all. Neat. SignatureSkitt Jes' fine > - What's green then red? ObAUE: Note the use of "then" as a conjunction (hasn't made it into AHD yet). Signature--- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Make sure in advance that if the forces of evil triumph, you :|| ||: will be on the losing side. :|| > [snip sea "jokes"] > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the > creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. What's pink and hard in the morning? - The Financial Times Crossword. SignatureMike. >> [snip sea "jokes"] >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > What's pink and hard in the morning? > - The Financial Times Crossword. What's red and wrinkled and hangs out your pyjamas? Your Mam. SignatureJohn Dean Oxford In alt.usage.english, John Dean wrote: >>> [snip sea "jokes"] >>> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >What's red and wrinkled and hangs out your pyjamas? What's red and throbs between your legs? A GPO motorbike. SignatureMike Barnes Cheshire, England >In alt.usage.english, John Dean wrote: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >A GPO motorbike. What's brown and sticky? A stick. SignatureRichard Bollard Canberra Australia To email, I'm at AMT not spAMT. > It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the > creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. Who was Aristotle's purple pupil? Alexander the grape. Signature--- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: They have the fun, and we have the baby. :|| >> It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the >> creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. > >Who was Aristotle's purple pupil? >Alexander the grape. And there were the absolutely silly ones: What's yellow and deadly? 1. Shark-infested custard 2. A canary with a machine gun. SignatureRobin Herts, England >>> It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the >>> creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > 1. Shark-infested custard > 2. A canary with a machine gun. Why did the elephant paint his toenails red? On 03 Jan 2007, Pat Durkin wrote >>>> It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the >>>> creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Why did the elephant paint his toenails red? I know that one! I know! Cherry tree! How do you fit four elephants into a Volkswagen? SignatureCheers, Harvey > How do you fit four elephants into a Volkswagen? Two in the front, two in the back, of course. On 03 Jan 2007, wrote >> How do you fit four elephants into a Volkswagen? > > Two in the front, two in the back, of course. I recall, from the same era, a "Harvey is a bad bad person for remembering that" follow-up about how VW managed to fit 54 people of a certain religion into a beetle... (Even as a kid, though, I never knew if that was supposed to be an anti-semitic joke, or an anti-nazi joke, or both.) SignatureCheers, Harvey Canadian and British English, indiscriminately mixed For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van > On 03 Jan 2007, wrote > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > (Even as a kid, though, I never knew if that was supposed to be an > anti-semitic joke, or an anti-nazi joke, or both.) I didn't know about the VW variant (Not the car!) I heard it as Scotsmen - that you get 54 of them into a Mini by telling them there's a saxpence under the back seat. Many such "jokes" can be more or less safely rendered acceptable -- at least south of the Border -- by such a method, I guess. Eg Scotsman commits suicide by jumping off wallet, dispersing angry Scottish mob by taking up a collection, etc etc. >> On 03 Jan 2007, wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >off wallet, dispersing angry Scottish mob by taking up a collection, >etc etc. What does a Scotsman do when he's cold? He moves closer to the fire. What does he do when he's really freezing? He plugs it in. SignatureArchie Valparaiso The mike.j.harvey@gmail.com entity posted thusly: >> On 03 Jan 2007, wrote >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >off wallet, dispersing angry Scottish mob by taking up a collection, >etc etc. We know the Scots visited North America well before anyone else. The Grand Canyon is proof. One of them lost a penny down a gopher hole. In alt.usage.english, wrote: >> How do you fit four elephants into a Volkswagen? > >Two in the front, two in the back, of course. OK, how do you get two whales in a mini? No, wait... Ghea yrsg ng Purfgre, bs pbhefr. SignatureMike Barnes Cheshire, England >In alt.usage.english, wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Ghea yrsg ng Purfgre, bs pbhefr. <tebna> (Tebna is actually quite a nice word in its own right, don't you think?) SignatureRobin Herts, England > OK, how do you get two whales in a mini? > > No, wait... > > Ghea yrsg ng Purfgre, bs pbhefr. Welsh is such a funny-looking language. SignatureSML >> OK, how do you get two whales in a mini? >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Welsh is such a funny-looking language. It's all that mutation. SignatureRay UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 1050 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Try SPAMfighter for free now! >>> It was "Moby Grape" here in Yankland, leading inevitably to the >>> creation of the eponymous rock group in 1967. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > 1. Shark-infested custard > 2. A canary with a machine gun. Here's one for the mathematicians among us: What's yellow and equivalent to the Axiom of Choice? SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. > Here's one for the mathematicians among us: > > What's yellow and equivalent to the Axiom of Choice? Zorn's Lemon! SignatureWH Roland Hutchinson filted: >Here's one for the mathematicians among us: > >What's yellow and equivalent to the Axiom of Choice? Zorn's Lemon...kill me now, please.... Q: What's purple and commutes? ....r Signature"Keep your eye on the Bishop. I want to know when he makes his move", said the Inspector, obliquely. > Roland Hutchinson filted: >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Q: What's purple and commutes? What's half purple and associative? SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. >> Roland Hutchinson filted: >>> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > What's half purple and associative? Thanks God I'm not an algebraist. What's yellow, linear, normed, and complete? SignatureAlec St.Petersburg, Russia [30E18 59N56] >>> Roland Hutchinson filted: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > What's yellow, linear, normed, and complete? How about if it also has an inner product and is full of hazelnuts? SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. >>>> Roland Hutchinson filted: >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > How about if it also has an inner product and is full of hazelnuts? I know a Hilbert space when I see one, but I'm afraid this one went over my head. By the way, the Bananach space is the only one of this type that I know to work also in Russian. SignatureAlec St.Petersburg, Russia [30E18 59N56] >>>>> Roland Hutchinson filted: >>>>>> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > I know a Hilbert space when I see one, but I'm afraid this one > went over my head. The answer to the riddle is "Filbert space" ("filbert" is another name for hazelnut). > By the way, the Bananach space is the only one of this type that I > know to work also in Russian. Вот хорошо! SignatureRoland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food. NB mail to my.spamtrap [at] verizon.net is heavily filtered to remove spam. If your message looks like spam I may not see it. |
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