I got the Hancock box set for christmas and i must say, it's bloody good. There are very few programmes that have made me actually laugh out loud but i have done a few times with this. It's quite interesting too to see how a sitcom was written 50 odd years ago, there is much more talking and less jumping around from scene to scene (i'd guess it was done to keep costs down, using less background i presume). it makes for a much more involving programme. Also its interesting to see that Galton and Simpson (the writers) get photo credits!

He really knew how to throw away such a good thing didn't he? He had a dream team of a support cast, the best writers in the buisness and one by one he cast them away. It seems his private like was no better, why poor old John Le Mesurier stood by him, i'll never know.


Its quite interesting seeing who pops up in small roles in the old Hancock programmes, so far i've seen the likes of Dick Emery, Andrew Sachs and Clive Dunn ...

Hearing of Tony Hancock's death, Spike Milligan commented, in uncharacteristically bitter fashion...

"He got rid of Hattie Jacques, then Kenneth Williams, then Sid James, then Galton & Simpson, then Beryl Vertue... and now he got rid of himself!"


John was described by all as an exceptionally good person, did you know his wife got back to him, after Hancock's death? She said herself that he just accepted her back, no questions, no comments...


Andrew Sachs? Are you sure? Which episode? I'm not saying it's impossible, he started on TV in the late 50's, sure, but I thought I've seen him in some places, and then it turned out it was another actor, looking very much like him, can't remember the name right now...


I understand your feelings, it IS bloody typical, but I prefer to consider that as rather good news, in the end...

Yeah, i read that, He seems to have been a real old school gentleman.

LOL, you have a "Big Brother" search engine!

BTW, i'm now rather confused by this found episodes malarky ...

Wikipedia says this ..


but the Daily Telgraph say that they are audio recordings http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5538996/Hancocks-Half-Hour-Six-lost-episodes-found.html

The beeb have this page listing missing episode but i think it's not been updated for a few years http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/treasurehunt/missing/hancocks.shtml

I've got "the Assistant",you are correct Gomez,its from the 1963 ATV series "Hancock",i have 'em on dvd.The other episode titles i have are as follows-
2. Shooting star
3.The man on the corner
4. The craftsman
5.The night out
6.the writer
As you said,not quite G & S,but watchable all the same..............

Footnote-The shows listed above are only some of that series,these are merely the episodes i have! there were 13 in all,only the 6 listed above appear to be in the public domain..........

Check your PM Box!

Karl and Gomez -

The best place to find out about these is www.tonyhancockarchives.org.uk which is run by my good friend Jeff Hamoonds, a leading Hancockian.  He has all these episodes you mention and lists exactly what is available.

When you say "public domain", how do you mean?  If you mean generally within the public, fine.  But what a lot of people misunderstand is "public domain" when it comes to copyright.  Cowboys who sell dodgy copies on ebay always claim it to be public domain.  Copyright wise these are NOT public domain, but if you mean it that they are easily available (for collectors) then yes they are.. hmmm im almost confusing myself now...

Talk to Jeff, he is a great bloke and if he doesn't know it, it's not worth knowing!  I'm sure he'll link back to your site too, his gets a lot of hits, tell him Phil Glass reccommends you!