''Band Waggon'' was a comedy radio show broadcast by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

from 1938 to 1940. The first series featured

Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation an ...

and Richard "Stinker" Murdoch. In the second series, Askey and Murdoch were joined by Syd Walker, and the third series added Diana Clare for two episodes. ''Band Waggon'' was co-produced by Gordon Crier and Harry S. Pepper and was the first comedy show to be designed for radio. Together with '' Monday Night at Seven'', it established the practice of broadcasting a regular comedy and music programme at the same time each week. The show ended in 1940, allowing Askey to pursue a career in film and Murdoch to join the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

. A stage show of the same name and starring Askey and Murdoch was toured by Jack Hylton beginning in November 1938. The show, with the addition of

Tommy Trinder Thomas Edward Trinder (24 March 1909 – 10 July 1989) was an English stage, screen and radio comedian whose catchphrase was "You lucky people!". Described by Cultural history, cultural historian Matthew Sweet (writer), Matthew Sweet as "a cocky ...

, was playing at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

when the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

broke out. The following year, another version - with Norman Evans in place of Trinder - played at the Blackpool Opera House. An Audiobook CD, featuring extracts from the ''Band Waggon'' radio show along with other comedy recordings by Askey and Murdoch, was issued in 2006.

Film version

A film version of the series was released in 1940; it was directed by

Marcel Varnel Marcel Varnel (16 October 1892 – 13 July 1947) was a French film director, notable for his career in the United States and England as a director of plays and films. Biography He was born Marcel Hyacinthe le Bozec in Paris, France. Varnel st ...

and again featured the double act of Askey and Murdoch. The plot involves the latter pair using unorthodox methods to get their show onto the BBC, and running into enemy agents at a castle in

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

. Askey, playing himself in his first major film role, employs his

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

"I Thank You" and the songs "Big-Hearted Arthur" and "The Bee". The film also features the music of Jack Hylton, the singing talents of Patricia Kirkwood, dancing girls, and the clowning of

Moore Marriott George Thomas Moore Marriott (14 September 1885 – 11 December 1949) was an English character actor best remembered for the series of films he made with Will Hay. His first appearance with Hay was in the film '' Dandy Dick'' (1935), but he ...

. A television version was made in 1958, starring Askey and Murdoch, titled '' Living It Up''.

References

External links

*
The ''Bandwaggon'' Show Guide

''The BBC at War''
including a 66 secon
''Band Waggon'' audio clip

* ttp://www.ltmrecordings.com/bandwaggon.html ''Band Waggon'' audiobook CD published by CD41 British radio sketch shows BBC Radio comedy programmes 1938 radio programme debuts 1940 radio programme endings Radio programs adapted into films 1930s British radio programmes 1940s British radio programmes {{UK-radio-show-stub