ATV TV Series 1
The first series for ITV was entitled 'Jack Hylton Presents The Tony Hancock Show'. Broadcast between April and June 1956, the show was written by Eric Sykes, with Larry Stephens co-writing episodes one and two. The entire series exists on 35mm telerecordings and these films are held by the British Film Institute (BFI). The entire series has been released on DVD.
Cast comprises Tony Hancock, June Whitfield (episodes one to five), Clive Dunn, John Vere and the Teenagers. The show was in sketch format and the details below contain the titles of the individual sketches.
First broadcast April 27, 1956
(with Dick Emery, Pamela Deeming and guitarist Emil Bibobi)
Sketch names: Opening Party / Coffee Bar / A Street Car Names Desire / Spanish Dance
First broadcast May 4, 1956
(with Dick Emery, Bernard Livesey, Jimmy White and Roy Bartley)
Sketch names: Massage / Library / Armand and Michaela Denis / Balinese Dancing
First broadcast May 11, 1956
(with the Barney Galbraith Singers)
Sketch names: Audition / Agent’s Office / Theatrical Costumier / Dressing Room . Musical Comedy
First broadcast May 18, 1956
(with Ronan O’Casey, Valerie Frazer, Cyril Renison, Lizabeth Cassay and Eric Sykes)
Sketch names: Office / Courtroom / Nightclub (Chez Hancock)
First broadcast May 25, 1956
(with Robert Arden, Sam Kydd, Dorothy Blythe and Neale Warrington)
Sketch names: Albert Hall, Embankment, Gun Law, Conjurer, Calypso Dancing
First broadcast June 1, 1956
(with Hattie Jacques, Ray Browne, Neale Warrington and Valentine Dyall. June Whitfield does not appear in this episode)
Sketch names: Auctioneer / ‘Death Of A Duchess’