Tony Hancock Show- Television scripts (ITV)

This material is held atV&A Theatre and Performance Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 71 THM/432/3
  • Dates of Creation
    • ca.1956-ca.1957
  • Physical Description
    • 7 folders

Scope and Content

The Tony Hancock Showwas an ITV television comedy series starring Tony Hancock, which ran for two series in 1956 and 1957. Episodes in the series were written by Eric Sykes, Larry Stephens, John Jose, and Hancock's frequent writers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Hancock's BBC television series, Hancock's Half Hour was also running during this time.

As with the BBC series, Hancock played an exaggerated version of himself, getting involved in various comedic adventures. The series included appearances by other notable British comedy stars, including Clive Dunn and June Whitfield, both of whom had made guest appearances in Hancock's Half Hour. Sykes himself also appeared in a guest role, as did Hattie Jacques, who appeared in both the BBC radio and television series.

These scripts are all photocopies. Only seven scripts from the second series are part of this collection.

Arrangement

The scripts are arranged by series and then by episode number, as annotated in their original use. This may be the order in which they were recorded or in accordance with the rehearsal schedule, rather than the order in which they were broadcast.