BBC TV Series 4

First Broadcast December 26, 1958

(with Laurie Webb, Ivor Raymonde, John Vyvyan, Mario Fabrizi, Arthur Mullard, John Vere, Manville Tarrant, Anthony Shirvell, Alec Bregonzi, Louis Adam, Pat Coombs, Herbert Nelson, Pat O’Meara, Rufus Cruickshank, George Crowther and Richard Statman)

Sid has persuaded Hancock to make a dramatic film which the BBC has agreed to broadcast. But Hancock is worried; after all, when shooting started Sid’s production company didn’t even have a movie camera!

First broadcast January 2, 1959

(with Mario Fabrizi, John Vyvyan, Harry Drew, George Crowther, Arthur Mullard, James Bulloch, Con Courtney, Claude Bonser, Anthony Shirvell, Rolf Harris, Evelyn Lund, Len David, Andrew Faulds, Warren Mitchell, Richard Statman. Philip Carr and Tony Hancock as his grandfather and Sid James as his grandfather)

Hancock discovers that his extremely rich grandfather is very ill in hospital in Australia. Sid, expecting a large bequest, hurries to Australia masquerading as Hancock.. but the old man has no money left. Meanwhile, back in the UK, Sid’s grandfather falls dangerously  ill in prison….

A poor quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast January 9, 1959

(with Hugh Lloyd, John Vyvyan, John Vere, Rose Howlett, Claude Bonser, Evelyn Lund, Sidney Vivian, Patricia Hayes, Robert Dorning, Margaret Flint, Mario Fabrizi, Anne Marryott, Ivor Raymonde Leslie Smith and Anthony Shirvell)

Hancock doesn’t know what to do: his television set has broken down. He sets off on a quest to find a working TV and joins a family who are so focused on their TV that they don’t notice that  they have additional guests!

First broadcast January 16, 1959

(with Barbara Archer, Mario Fabrizi, Roger Avon, Anne Marryott, John Le Mesurier, Annabelle Lee, Elizabeth Fraser, Pamela Manson, Alec Brgonzi and Ivor Raymonde)

After a particularly unsuccessful date, Hancock’s puts his lack of success with the girls down to his nose. After refusing to come out from his home, Sid arranges for a friend who had had plastic surgery to visit Hancock. Hancock has the surgery so success with the ladies is now guaranteed….or is it?

First broadcast January 23, 1959

(with Louise Howard, Mario Fabrizi, Alan Simpson, Ray Galton, Robert Dorning, Alec Bregonzi, Ivor Raymonde, Rolf Harris, Arthur Mullard, George Crowther, Con Courtney, John Vere, Bert Simms, Evelyn Lund, Harry Drew, Guy Mills, James Bulloch, Ben Bowers, Louis Adam, Patrick Milner, Herbert Nelson, Stanley Seagal, Stanley Ayres, Frank Littlewood, Anna Churcher and Ann Jay)

Hancock has been in a production of The Desert Song but when it closes prematurely he and Sid escape with only their costumes. Dressed as an Indian Maharajah, Hancock is mistaken for a genuine visiting Maharajah and ends up addressing a meeting but has to flee again.

A reasonable quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast January 30, 1959

(with Dennis Chinnery, John Le Mesurier, Alec Bregonzi, JohnVyvyan, Laurie Webb, Hugh Lloyd, Arthur Mullard, Phyllis Norwood and Anne Marryott)

Hancock has been watching the last episode of the horror serial Quatermass & The Pit and is now in a very nervous state. When he discovers an unknown object in his garden, Sid thinks it’s an unexploded bomb and calls in the Bomb Squad but Hancock is convinced its an extraterrestial craft.

A good quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast February 6, 1959

(with  John Vere, Harry Lane, Michael Stainton, James Bulloch, Marla Landi, Elizabeth Gott, Jeanette Edwards, Betty Lloyd-Davies, Frederick Schiller and John Vyvyan)

Hancock hires a domestic help but she turns out to be an Italian beauty. An immediate rivalry develops between Hancock and Sid for her attentions with Hancock ending up doing all the housework… but then her family arrives.

A good quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast February 13, 1959

(with Terence Alexander, Vivienne Martin, Cardew Robinson, Cameron Hall, John Vere, Phillip Carr, Alec Bregonzi, Mario Fabrizi, Ivor Raymonde, Arthur Mullard, Edith Stevenson, Elizabeth Fraser, Frank Littlewood, Michael Greenwood, Lionel Wheeler, John Vyvyan, Louis Adam, Patrick Milner, Phillip Howard, James Bulloch and  Evelyn Lund)

Hancock meets a girl at an upper class party. He believes that she has money and Sid tells her that Hancock has money so a marriage is rapidly arranged. But all is not as it seems!

A poor quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast February 20, 1959

(with John Vere, Robert Dorning, James Bulloch, Frank Littlewood, Harry Lane, Charles Julian, Bert Simms, Roger Avon, John Vyvyan, Mario Fabrizi, Arthur Mullard, George Crowther, Herbert Nelson, Richard Statman, John Blyth, Alan Simpson, Patrick Milner, Ann Smith, Phillipa Steward, Joe Robinson and Con Courtney)

The local council decide not to hold a Miss East Cheam contest because of the low standard of entrants the previous year. So they decide to hold a Mr East Cheam contest instead. Hancock and Sid enter and both expect to win!

A poor quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast March 6, 1959

(with Roger Avon, James Bulloch, Campbell Singer, Harry Locke, Nancy Roberts, Gordon Philpott, Alec Bregonzi, Pamela Manson, Arthur Mullard and John Vyvyan)

Hancock agrees to attend an identity parade at the local police station. But when he is mistakenly picked out by three witnesses he decides to prove his innocence by recreating the crime!

A reasonable quality audio recording of this episode survives.

First broadcast March 13, 1959

(with John Vere, Reginald Beckwith, Hugh Lloyd, Robert Dorning, Arthur Mullard, Laurie Webb, Mario Fabrizi, Graham Leaman, John Vyvyan, Gwenda Ewen, Mary Fletcher, Joyce Hemson, Margerie Mason, Sonia Peters, Edwin Morton, Albert Grant, James Langley, John Caesar, Norman Taylor, Robert Pitt, Bill Matthews, Victor Charrington and Anthony Jennett)

The tree in Hancock’s garden is threatened with felling because it is a danger to passing buses and also to make way for a lamp-post.  He is incensed and organises a protest march to Downing Street to try to save it!

First broadcast March 20, 1959

(with Richard Wattis, Robert Dorning, Mario Fabrizi, Lynne Cole, Ivor Raymonde, Andrew Faulds, John Vyvyan, Jack Leonard and James Bulloch)

Hancock is determined to receive a knighthood and decides that Shakespearean theatre is the only answer. Surely a stint at Stratford interpreting Shakespeare as Long John Silver will be all that’s required?

First broadcast March 27, 1959

(with John Le Mesurier, Mary Hinton, Alec Bregonzi, Hugh Lloyd, Nancy Roberts, Charles Julian, Evelyn Lund, Gordon Philpott, Patricia Hayes, James Bulloch, Con Courtney, and John Vyvyan)

The TV series is finally over so Hancock and Sid need to get jobs. They take on the role as servants dressed as an elderly couple.  But when they take it turns to be the woman suspicions are aroused!