BBC TV Series 5
Broadcast between September 25 and November 27, 1959, this series comprised 10 episodes and all survive in the BBC archive. The series was broadcast weekly on Fridays at 8.30pm except episode three, which was broadcast at 8.45pm. There were no repeats during the run.
Regular cast comprised Tony Hancock and Sid James, with the main cast members detailed under each individual episode below.
The new series was featured in the Radio Times of September 18. Hancock appeared on the front cover; inside featured an article on the new series, which clearly had been written by Galton and Simpson.
First Broadcast September 25, 1959
(with Arthur Mullard, Frank Pemberton, Laurie Webb, Herbert Nelson, Alec Bregonzi, Patricia Hayes, Tottie Trueman Taylor, Peggy Ann Clifford, Pamela Manson, Elizabeth Fraser, Anne Marryott, Mario Fabrizi, Beatrice Ormonde, Joanna Douglas, Jeanette Edwards and Michael Ward)
Hancock and Sid return from holiday to discover that Sid has failed to cancel any deliveries and has left every electrical appliance in the house on. Hancock decides that, in order to make ends meet, he and Sid must go on an economy drive. But Hancock soon encounters difficulties in the local self service cafe and the stairs at home prove problematic as well!
First broadcast October 2, 1959
(with Robert Dorning, Hugh Lloyd, Patricia Hayes, Mark Singleton, Ralph Nossek, Arthur Mullard, Tom Clegg, Albert Grant, Betty Miller and John Vyvyan)
Sid asks Hancock to lend him the money to open a fish and chip shop but Hancock refuses. Sid tells Hancock that he’ll get the money somehow but how will he do it? Hancock believes that Sid is planning to murder him but Hancock manages to convince Sid that it’s Sid’s life that is in danger.
First broadcast October 9, 1959
(with John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd, Robert Dorning, Penelope Parry, William Mervyn, Stan Simmonds, Raymond Grahame, Judy Rogers, John Vyvyan, Marylyn Thomas, Frances St Barbe-West, Dorothy Watson, Susan Hunter, Robert Bryan and Michael Wyatt)
Hancock’s house is falling down and needs renovating. In order for the National Trust to renovate it for him he needs to convince them that someone famous lived there. Sid shows Hancock evidence that Byron lived at Railway Cuttings. But is it the poet Byron or someone more recent?
First broadcast October 16, 1959
(with Ralph Nossek, Robert Dorning, Leonard Sachs, Austin Trevor, Hugh Lloyd,, Herbert Nelson, William Kendall, Leslie Perrins, Philip Ray, Kenneth Kove, Betty Cardno, Lala Lloyd, Alec Bregonzi, James Bulloch, Mario Fabrizi, Marie Lightfoot, David Grain, James Cliston, Keith Ashley, John Vyvyan, Robert Pitt, Gilbert McIntyre, Christopher Dyer, Kenneth Cowan, Alex Wright and John Tucker)
Hancock is the foreman of the jury and stands alone in declaring the petty criminal innocent. But when Sid discovers how much he is earning a day as a juror, he joins Hancock’s side and sets about trying to convince the others.
First broadcast October 23, 1959
(with Raymond Huntley, Cameron Hall, Henry Longhurst, Tottie Trueman Taylor, Eve Patrick, Robert Dorning, Hugh Lloyd and Phillip Carr)
Hancock is faced with a very long train journey to Giggleswick and decides to liven up the journey, but only succeeds in irritating all his fellow passengers.
First broadcast October 30, 1959
(with Gwenda Evan, Philip Carr, Ivor Raymonde, Patrick Milner, Hattie Jacques, Harry Brunning, Evelyn Lund, Dennis Chinnery, John Le Mesurier, Brian Oulton, Paddy Edwards, Richard Statman, Frank Littlewood, Herbert Nelson, Brian Tyler, Astor Sklair, Ricky Felgate, Mario Fabrizi, Patricia Shakesby, Una Trimming, Laura Thurlow, James Bulloch, Lionel Wheeler, Hugh Lloyd and Laurie Webb)
Hancock goes on a cruise but quickly becomes fed up when the only woman interested in him is large and over-amorous. However, when he becomes convinced that the ship is sinking he soon has other things on his mind. But how to convince the captain…?
First broadcast November 6, 1959
(with Patricia Hayes, Hugh Lloyd, Robert Dorning, Ann Lancaster, Sam Kydd, Mario Fabrizi, Michael Balfour, Tom Clegg, Paddy Edwards, Annabelle Lee, Ivor Raymonde Joanna Douglas, Beatrice Ormonde, Laura Thurlow, Patricia Shakesby, James Bulloch and Leonard Kingston)
Hancock is really looking forward to a big night out with Sid and two girls. But his preparations turn to disaster when his shirt is ruined at the launderette and his barber doesn’t have a steady hand with his razor! What will the girls think?
First broadcast November 13, 1959
(with William Kendall, Ralph Nossek, Mark Singleton, Robert Dorning, James Bulloch, Hugh Lloyd, Alec Bregonzi, Ivor Raymonde, John Vyvyan, Una Trimming, Rosamund Lesley, Anne Marryott, Anne Reid, Bernice Swanson, Harold Kasket, Bob Marshall, Leonard Graham and Glyn Idris Jones)
Hancock is on the verge of ruin because his shares have plummeted in value. He attends a shareholder meeting but falls asleep and dreams of Sid, who once again twists him!
First broadcast November 20, 1959
(with Annabelle Lee, Paddy Edwards, Lynne Cole, David Lander, Brian Worth, John Vyvyan, Ronnie Brody, Patrick Milner, Herbert Nelson, Astor Sklair, Pat O’Meara, Lionel Wheeler and Tom McCall)
Sid is struggling to find work for Hancock and the latest roles he has secured involve Hancock standing in national dress outside Indian restaurants. Hancock decides to try new locations and goes to Spain where he is unsuccessful as as a night-club comic. Penniless and unable to return home, Sid manages to find a new job for Hancock. The question is: how successful will he be as a bullfighter?
First broadcast November 27, 1959
(with Robert Dorning, Hugh Lloyd, Sidney Vivian, Laurie Webb, Richard Statman, John Vyvyan, Alec Bregonzi, Lionel Wheeler, Patrick Milner, Herbert Nelson, Philip Carr, Tom Clegg, James Clifton, Edward Willis, Ryan Jelfe and David Bell)
Hancock only needs one more draw to secure the top payout on the football pools. As the match is a local one with a late kick-off, Hancock and Sid go along to cheer on each team equally!