Hancock's Half Hour

[KennyG]

Just a couple of queries about Hancock's Half Hour (the TV version of course):

1. I have seen references to the BBC destroying telerecordings of episodes of the series but I've never been able to figure out which ones they destroyed (if any). Does anyone know?

2. There seems to be a noticable drop in telerecording quality between Series 5 and the earlier surviving episodes. They look like suppressed field recordings or are the just poor recordings? Were they originally sales copies or something?

[Deleted]

Hancock's Half Hour / Hancock (BBC):
Series 1: x 6 eps (all missing)
Series 2: x 6 eps (ep 1 exists)
Series 3: x 12 eps (eps 5,9,10,11,12 exist)
Series 4: x 13 eps (eps 1,3,4,11,12 exist)
Series 5, 6 and 7 exist in full.

The recordings of series 1-4 episodes are 35mm recordings whereas series 5-7 are 16mm sales copies, which explains the irony of the latter episodes being of lesser quality. I'd like to see a fully restored / Vidfired DVD release of all episodes as a lot could be done to improve the ropiness of how they are currently, looking like they were shot in 1920 rather than 1960 (same goes for Steptoe & Son). Two of our most prestigious comedy series and as such deserve no less than the best.

[Grumbledook]

laurencepiper said:

I'd like to see a fully restored / Vidfired DVD release of all episodes as a lot could be done to improve the ropiness of how they are currently, looking like they were shot in 1920 rather than 1960 (same goes for Steptoe & Son). Two of our most prestigious comedy series and as such deserve no less than the best.

It does seem rather unfair that episode 2 of "The Space Pirates" (a forgettable episode from a forgettable serial) got the vidfire treatment, yet classics like "The Radio Ham" and "The Blood Donor" do not. [Arguably, though, there may be good business reasons for this, like "Doctor Who" sales being more lucrative, etc.]

[Matthew K Sharp]

KennyG said:

Just a couple of queries about Hancock's Half Hour (the TV version of course):

1. I have seen references to the BBC destroying telerecordings of episodes of the series but I've never been able to figure out which ones they destroyed (if any). Does anyone know?

Some of the live episodes were recorded on film and repeated; but are now missing presumed junked. They are:

3/2 - The Great Detective (repeated from a 16mm film recording)

4/5 - The Flight Of The Red Shadow
4/6 - The Horror Serial
4/7 - The Italian Maid
4/8 - Matrimony Almost
4/9 - The Beauty Contest
4/10 - The Wrong Man
(all repeated from 35mm film recordings)

Additionally, the first four episodes of series 4 (including the now missing 4/2 - Underpaid Or Grandad's SOS) were pre-recorded on 35mm film for first transmission, rather than being performed live.

It would be interesting to know if the final episode of series 4 (4/13 - The Servants) was recorded; it seems possible, since the rest of the series was. If it was recorded, it wasn't repeated and hasn't survived.

As international sales of HHH only started with Series 5, it is unlikely in the extreme that any of these episodes might turn up, as there would have only ever been one print made of each.

[andrew martin]

matthewksharp said:

KennyG said:

Just a couple of queries about Hancock's Half Hour (the TV version of course):

1. I have seen references to the BBC destroying telerecordings of episodes of the series but I've never been able to figure out which ones they destroyed (if any). Does anyone know?

It would be interesting to know if the final episode of series 4 (4/13 - The Servants) was recorded; it seems possible, since the rest of the series was. If it was recorded, it wasn't repeated and hasn't survived.

"The Servants" was indeed recorded on 35mm, and was junked in 1962.

[KennyG]

matthewksharp said:

3/2 - The Great Detective (repeated from a 16mm film recording)

4/5 - The Flight Of The Red Shadow
4/6 - The Horror Serial
4/7 - The Italian Maid
4/8 - Matrimony Almost
4/9 - The Beauty Contest
4/10 - The Wrong Man
(all repeated from 35mm film recordings)

Were these all junked in the 1960s or later? And how come were some episodes of series 4 were retained?

[Matthew K Sharp]

andrew said:

"The Servants" was indeed recorded on 35mm, and was junked in 1962.

Thanks, Andrew. Most interesting.

Oh yes, and... Bugger!

As Jack The Ripper used to say, this is just a wild stab in the dark... is there the remotest chance that 3/4 - A Holiday In Scotland was recorded?

[Andrew Martin]

KennyG said:

matthewksharp said:

3/2 - The Great Detective (repeated from a 16mm film recording)

4/5 - The Flight Of The Red Shadow
4/6 - The Horror Serial
4/7 - The Italian Maid
4/8 - Matrimony Almost
4/9 - The Beauty Contest
4/10 - The Wrong Man
(all repeated from 35mm film recordings)

Were these all junked in the 1960s or later? And how come were some episodes of series 4 were retained?

As far as I remember they were all junked in the 60s. I've no idea why some episodes were retained, unless it was as examples - perhaps Duncan Wood (who would have had to clear the junkings) thought they were the best of those series.

[Andrew Martin]

matthewksharp said:

andrew said:

"The Servants" was indeed recorded on 35mm, and was junked in 1962.

Thanks, Andrew. Most interesting.

Oh yes, and... Bugger!

As Jack The Ripper used to say, this is just a wild stab in the dark... is there the remotest chance that 3/4 - A Holiday In Scotland was recorded?

There's no indication on the archive junking slip that a recording was made - the slip just lists the film sequences (which were junked, no indication when but it was probably not long after transmission).

[Rory Clark]

As far as I remember they were all junked in the 60s. I've no idea why some episodes were retained, unless it was as examples - perhaps Duncan Wood (who would have had to clear the junkings) thought they were the best of those series.

All very interesting, thanks Andrew. Something I’ve always been curious about – according to Roger Wilmut’s book, “Tony Hancock – Artiste” the repeat of The Bedsitter on 23/03/66 and The Radio Ham on 13/01/69 were from video tape – all the other repeats were F/Rs. I’d have thought all the video tapes would have been junked by that point, so is there any reason that you know of why those two survived?

Incidentally, would the BBC be interested in the various 70s/80s continuity, trails and news bulletins I’ve recovered from Philips N1500/1700?

[Andrew Doherty]

The reason why five television Hancock's Half Hour programmes from the forth series were pre-recorded was to sell, principally, to the American market. Another reason for recordings being in 35 mm format.

Apparently, the U.S.A. turned the programmes down. However, Canada bought the rights to show the fifth series and subsequent series, which is why all of the fifth, sixth and seventh Hancock series exist in their entirety.

As for the existence of the rest of series four, there have been rumours that, possibly, poor quality copies of 'The Flight Of The Red Shadow' and 'The Horror Serial' exist, and, perhaps a programme from an earlier series. It is, I suppose, possible, but I have not heard of any tangible evidence, so far.

I am reasonably confident that the BBC will be interested in the various 70s/80s continuity, trails and news bulletins that you have recovered from Philips N1500/1700?

Also, Dick Fiddy at the BFI would like to hear from you. His e-mail address is: [e-mail]

Yours,

[Joe Cole]

The soundtrack to the some of these were recorded privately. For example, I have a copy of 'The Horror Serial'. Haven't played it for ages, but one bit was very funny. Hancock asks neighbour Arthur Mullard if he has ever seen any strange things happen in his house. Arfur replies that a sailors cap appeared on the rack for a time during the War, he never could explain that. Lots of audience laughter.

[Matthew K Sharp]

There's soundtrack recordings in varying degrees of low fidelity for all the missing Series 4 shows except the last one.

[KennyG]

andy said:

As for the existence of the rest of series four, there have been rumours that, possibly, poor quality copies of 'The Flight Of The Red Shadow' and 'The Horror Serial' exist, and, perhaps a programme from an earlier series. It is, I suppose, possible, but I have not heard of any tangible evidence, so far.

I presume you are refering to soundtrack copies?

[Andrew Doherty]

I was referring to standard 8mm film recordings (16 frames per second) or from a 1950s home telerecording kit, which allowed enthusiasts to make 16mm film recordings (25 frames per second) of television programmes.

It is not known if any recordings made using the home telerecording kit still exist, but it could be the case.

Interesting?

Yours,