Last Edited: April 4, 2007



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Frank Muir

Last Edited: April 4, 2007 A Global British Comedy Collaborative document.

Edited by Sandy Finlayson
Frank Muir (1920-1997) had a lengthy and influential career on British radio and television. His writing partnership with Denis Norden produced ‘Take It From Here’, Whacko, My Word and My Music. This document contains Frank Muir’s solo programs, documentaries and specials broadcast between 1958 and 1997.
In 1971, Frank Muir was asked to prepare a Christmas program for children that would trace the history of radio comedy since World War II and that would make use of the comedy material stored in the BBC’s archives. This program, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4, was called “Why Are You Laughing?” and was produced by David Hatch and Simon Brett. It was a success and it was decided to continue it as a series. It was followed by a series in 1972 entitled “There Was an Englishman an Irishman and a Scotsman” and in the same year “Frank Muir goes into Europe” was also broadcast.
In 1973 the first of the “Frank Muir goes Into… series was broadcast and over the next twenty years eleven series and a number of specials were broadcast. Frank Muir and Simon Brett wrote shows covering a wide variety of topics from a light-hearted perspective. Alfred Marks was brought in to tell jokes, read poetry and act as co-host with Frank Muir. The programs were broadcast in Britain, around the world on the BBC World Service and were also licensed by the BBC Transcription Service. The series had a number of producers during its long run. 1


  • David Hatch

  • Simon Brett

  • Bob Oliver-Rogers

  • John Lloyd

  • John Davis

  • Helen Tennyson

  • Pete Atkin,

  • Geoffrey Perkins,

  • Richard Edis

Frank Muir’s successful books, The Frank Muir Book: an Irreverent Companion to Social History and The Oxford Book of Humorous Prose spawned radio programs, which are also listed in this document.

Table of Contents

Single Programs Documentaries and Tributes 1

The Laughter Makers: A Portrait of Frank Muir and Denis Norden 1

Why Are You Laughing? 2

Frank Muir’s Personal Selection from the Sound Archive 2

Fighting for a Laugh 2

A Kentish Lad 2

Frank Muir Interviews 2

A Kentish Lad Remembered 3

The Hunt for the Wild Guffaw 3

Frank Muir Remembered 3

The Original Godfathers: A Tribute to Denis Norden and Frank Muir 3


Single Programs Documentaries and Tributes


Date

Episode Number

Episode “Title”

Cast

Parameters

Location

S

4 June 1958



The Laughter Makers: A Portrait of Frank Muir and Denis Norden

Featuring Ted Kavanagh, Frank Muir, Denis Norden,

Jimmy Edwards, Dick Bentley, June Whitfield, Charles Maxwell & Nancy Spain


Writer: Gale Pedriick

Producer John Browell
30:16, 28,375 m

[Some static, slight tape hiss]
C-WH-001

G

26-Dec-1971 2



Why Are You Laughing?


  • Graeme Garden and Jo Kendall (4)

  • Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch

  • ITMA (Handley and company)

  • TIFH (Glums) (2)

  • The Marriage Line

  • Tony Hancock and Bill Kerr

  • The Goon Show

  • ISIRTA

  • My Music

  • Round the Horne (Julian and Sandy)

Starring

Frank Muir

Written by FrankMuir &,

Simon Brett

Produced by

David Hatch

&

Simon Brett
27:41, 16,229, m

[Fair/poor, interference]
M-AP-02

F

1972



Frank Muir’s Personal Selection from the Sound Archive
Frank Muir

Produced by Helen Fry
28:49, 27,020 m

BBC 4


[Slight tape hiss and hum]

C-WH-001

G

8 May 1995



Fighting for a Laugh

Frank Muir presents an affectionate look back at wartime wireless comedy.




  • Rob Wilton

  • Arthur Askey & Richard Murdock

  • Kenneth & George Weston

  • Max Wall

  • Joyce Grenfell

  • Arthur Marshall

  • George Formby

  • Kenneth Horn & Richard Murdock/Much Binding in the Marsh

  • The Warner Sisters

  • Tommy Handley/ITMA

Written by Frank Muir

Researched and compiled by David Rider. Produced by Richard Edis
28:31, 26,739 m

[Tape hiss and hum]
C-WH-004

F

1997



A Kentish Lad
Written & Read

By Frank Muir

Stephanie Norris, editor

Maurice Leitch, producer
1: 44:29, 20,852 s

2: 42:40, 20,006 s

3: 45:49, 21,484 s

4: 44:17, 20,765 s
C-SF-018

and


C-SF-019

G

22 Sept 1977



Frank Muir Interviews

The John Dunn Show 3

John Dunn interviews Frank Muir about his book A Kentish Lad





24:15, 22,745 s

BBC 2


C-WH-005


G

18 Oct 1977




Loose Ends

Ned Sherrin interviews Frank Muir about his book A Kentish Lad



8:52, 8,320 s

BBC 4


[brief interruption @ 8:06 ]

C-WH-005


G

26 Oct 1997




Muir and Norden’s Funny Old Auntie 4
Frank Muir and Denis Norden take a stroll down memory lane, remembering the programmes and personalities that kept the nation laughing for over 75 years.

Written and compiled by Russell Davies and produced by Richard Edis

59:14, 54,988 s

BBC 2


[brief interruption @ 31:24 ]

C-WH-010


G

24-June-1998

01-July-1998


A Kentish Lad Remembered

Guests: Simon Brett (host), Denis Norden, (Charles Maxwell), June Whitfield, (Roy Plomley), Bill Cotten, (Peter Sellers), (John Dunn), John Amis, Patrick Garland, Robert Robinson



1: 27:34, 12,927 s

2: 27:32, 12,908 s
C-SF-001

G

1983 recording

Broadcast

22-Jul-1998 &

29-Jul-1998


The Hunt for the Wild Guffaw
Frank Muir

Introduced by Simon Brett

Produced by

Pete Atkin
1: 27:34, 12,979, s

2: 27:29, 12,887 s
C-SF-001

G

11-January 1999



Frank Muir Remembered

A tribute to Frank Muir introduced by Simon Brett [A Compilation of My Word Stories]



27:49 26,090 m

WS

[Fair station drift]
SF D/L

F

27-March-2007



The Original Godfathers: A Tribute to Denis Norden and Frank Muir

Paul Jackson celebrates the hugely prolific writing partnership of Frank Muir and Denis Norden, creators of The Glums, the first British sitcom family.
Paul Jackson

Produced by

Paul Kobrack



28:02 26,282 s

BBC 4

web


G

Ephemera (JPGs)

  • Front and back covers from the Frank Muir Book or Irreverent Companion to Social History

  • Covers from Frank Muir Goes Into…, Volumes 1 through 4; introduction to Volume 1

  • World Service Frank Muir Goes Into clipping for the 11th and last series

  • ‘The Original Godfathers’ Radio Times Article on program broadcast March 27, 2007

1 Thanks are due to Martin Hood for his work in researching the history of Frank Muir Goes Into… in the Radio Times. Thanks are also due to Peter Tatchell author of the BBC Radio Comedy Guid) and to Mark McKay for information on Frank Muir Goes Into Europe series and the special episodes. This is still very much ‘a work-in-progress’ and comments, suggestions and especially contributions of missing recordings are most welcome!


2 Originally broadcast as a 50 minute program, the copy in our holdings is an edited version produced by the BBC Transcription Service. This program could be called the ‘pilot episode’ for the Frank Muir Goes Into…series.

3 More information on the programme may be found in the BBC Program Catalogue http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/SX+19344_5

4 More information on the programme may be found in the BBC Program Catalogue http://open.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/LG+97262_9

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