Old Time Radio Downloads > Comedy > Round The Horne
Round the Horne's ground-breaking mix of wordplay, camp caricature and risqué innuendo proved an irresistible combination with millions of listeners worldwide (the show pulled in a regular audience of fifteen million listeners). It is was one of the best loved programmes in radio history. It was a direct successor to Beyond Our Ken, which had been on the air from 1958 to 1964, with 7 series. Though having been on the air for twice the time of Round The Horne, with all cast members from Round The Horne taking part, and dispite being similar in content and style, it is much less remembered. Round The Horne ran for 4 series and 66 editions, and for the most part was written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman (50 of the total episodes), whose scripts were always of the highest standard. The series occupied the much sought-after Sunday lunchtime slot on the Light Programme (later Radio 2). The Radio Times said at the time "Many a Sunday lunch will be hurried, delayed, or just plain interrupted to catch every word". Barry Took had written the first two series of Beyond Our Ken with Eric Merriman, but left in 1959 to write Take it From Here, but returned to write Round The Horne with partner Marty Feldman. These scripts added a speed which had begun to be lacking by the end of Beyond Our Ken's run. There were far more topical references than in Beyond Our Ken, references to films, fashion and even politics, many of which are completely baffling, and were even at the time! The Radio Times commented "This is satire, also in the best sense: intelligent and amusing comment on the time, creative comment too, to the extent that it can invent its own language and still be intelligible"
2 Responses to Round The Horne
Probably the best radio or television comedy show ever made, way ahead of its' time and stands the passage of 50 + years, still as funny in 2012 as it was in the 60's.I was a teenager then and listened to every episode, nothing short of BRILLIANT.
Mike Boote, 2013-01-18 10:32:37 Edit Delete
Brilliant comedy. I listened to it on the radio when serving abroad in the army many years ago. I'm currently transposing the whole lot for use with my i-pod.
David Howes, 2013-03-29 12:08:42 Edit Delete
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