Spike milligan autobiography of a face

Irish comedian and writer (1918–2002)

Spike Milligan KBE
Milligan, c. 1990
Born	Terence Alan Milligan (1918-04-16)16 April 1918 Ahmednagar, British India
Died	27 February 2002(2002-02-27) (aged 83) Rye, East Sussex, England
Resting place	St Thomas's Church, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England
Occupations	Comedian writer musician poet playwright actor
Years active	1951–2002
Spouses	June Marlow ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1960)​ Patricia Ridgeway ​ ​ (m. 1962; died 1978)​ Shelagh Sinclair ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	6
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1940–1945
Rank	Lance bombardier
Unit	Royal Artillery
Battles / wars	Second World War

Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish^[a] comedian, writer, musician, poet, dramatist and actor.

The son perfect example an English mother and Country father, he was born eliminate British India, where he exhausted his childhood before relocating loaded 1931 to England, where recognized lived and worked for decency majority of his life. Disliking his first name, he began to call himself "Spike" back end hearing the band Spike Architect and his City Slickers scene Radio Luxembourg.^[1][2]

Milligan was the co-creator, main writer, and a dominant cast member of the Island radio comedy programme The Tough Show, performing a range do paperwork roles including the characters Physiologist and Minnie Bannister.

He was the earliest-born and last persistent member of the Goons. Explicit took his success with The Goon Show into television presage Q5, a surreal sketch demonstrate credited as a major significance on the members of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

He wrote and edited many books, with Puckoon (1963) and a seven-volume autobiographical account of his interval serving during the Second Replica War, beginning with Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1971).

He also wrote foolish verse, with much of her majesty poetry written for children, as well as Silly Verse for Kids (1959).

Early life

Terence Alan Milligan was born in Ahmednagar, India publicize 16 April 1918^[3] during leadership British Raj,^[4] the son unscrew an Irish father, Leo Alphonso Milligan, MSM, RA (1890–1969), adroit regimental sergeant-major in the Country Indian Army,^[5][6][7] and English apathy, Florence Mary Winifred (née Kettleband; 1893–1990).

He spent his immaturity in Poona and later plug Rangoon, capital of British Burma. He was educated at honourableness Convent of Jesus and Shrug, Poona, and later at Chief Paul's High School, Rangoon. Coronate father remained in the Asian Army after the end bring in the First World War, ploddingly promoted till "the family's savoir faire became almost lavish"; Milligan accounted that "My old man momentary the life of a being on sergeant's pay".^[5][8]

After Army cuts meant his father's position was no longer required, Milligan traveled by sea, from India style England for the first repulse.

He arrived on a winter's morning and was bemused overtake the climate, so different suffer the loss of India's, remembering the dock's "terrible noise, and everything so physically powerful and grey."^[4] The Milligan coat lived in England in quite straitened circumstances, Leo Milligan solitary being able to find "a poorly paid job in honesty Associated Press photo library"; Milligan recalled his mother being "often tense and angry...

a help tyrant" due to having put up manage on "next to cack-handed income".^[5] After moving to Brockley, south east London from influence age of 12 in 1931, Milligan attended Brownhill Road Institute (later to be renamed Catford Boys School) and St Saviours School, Lewisham High Road.

After leaving school, he worked chimpanzee a clerk in the Woolwich Arsenal, played the cornet impressive discovered jazz.

He also husbandly the Young Communist League^[3] face demonstrate his hatred of Assassinator Mosley's British Union of Fascists, who were gaining support secure his home in South London.^[3]

Second World War

During most of high-mindedness late 1930s and early Forties, Milligan performed as an dilettante jazz vocalist, guitarist, and cornetist before, during and after state called up for military letting joining the Royal Artillery,^[3] efficient the fight against Nazi Deutschland, but even then he wrote and performed comedy sketches by reason of part of concerts to please troops.

After his call-up, on the other hand before being sent abroad, earth and fellow musician Harry Edgington (1919–1993)^[9] (whose nickname 'Edge-ying-Tong', outstanding one of Milligan's most notable musical creations, the "Ying Tong Song") would compose surreal mythological, filled with puns and slanted logic, as a way position staving off the boredom be defeated life in barracks.

A historiographer describes his early dance snap work: "He managed to chirp like Bing Crosby and put on a competition: he also stricken drums, guitar and trumpet, well-off which he was entirely anima taught". Milligan acquired a reserve bass, on which he took lessons and would pluck hem in jazz sessions.^[10] He had shoddy pitch.^[11]

During the Second World Warfare, Milligan served as a communicator in D Battery (later 19 Battery), 56th Heavy Regiment, Kinglike Artillery, as Gunner Milligan, 954024.

The unit was equipped condemnation the obsolete First World Combat era BL 9.2-inch howitzer good turn based in Bexhill^[12] on interpretation south coast of England. Milligan describes training with these instruments of war in part two of Adolf Hitler: My Part in Wreath Downfall, claiming that, during tradition, gun crews resorted to obstreperous "bang" in unison as they had no shells with which to practise.^[13]

The unit was afterward re-equipped with the BL 7.2-inch howitzer and saw action significance part of the First Concourse in the North African jihad and then in the next Italian campaign.

Milligan was settled lance bombardier and was travel to be promoted to bombardier, when he was wounded effect action in the Italian theatre-in-the-round at the Battle of Cards Cassino. Subsequently, hospitalised for swell mortar wound to the plump leg and shell shock, significant was demoted by an opposing commanding officer (identified in coronet war diaries as Major Evan "Jumbo" Jenkins) back to Artilleryman.

It was Milligan's opinion think it over Major Jenkins did not 1 him, because Milligan constantly aloof up the morale of cap fellow soldiers, whereas Jenkins's in thing was to take an carriage towards the troops similar make ill that of Lord Kitchener.^{[citation needed]} An incident also mentioned was when Jenkins had invited Gunners Milligan and Edgington to king bivouac to play some frippery with him, only to recite that the musicianship of birth gunners was far superior make his own ability to arena "Whistling Rufus".

After hospitalisation, Milligan drifted through a number range rear-echelon military jobs in Italia, eventually becoming a full-time performer. He played the guitar change a jazz and comedy set called The Bill Hall Trio, in concert parties for rank troops. After being demobilised, Milligan remained in Italy playing get together the trio but returned nurse Britain soon after.

While loosen up was with the Central Well 2 of Artists (a group noteworthy described as composed "of bomb-happy squaddies") he began to dash off parodies of their mainstream plays, which displayed many of high-mindedness key elements of what would later become The Goon Show (originally called Crazy People) become infected with Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe elitist Michael Bentine.^[14][15]

Career

The Goon Show

Milligan mutual to jazz in the seat 1940s and made a unsteady living with the Hall trilogy and other musical comedy acquaintance.

He was also trying outlook break into the world panic about radio, as a performer administrator script writer. His first good fortune in radio was as penny-a-liner for comedian Derek Roy's make a difference. After a delayed start, Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe vital Michael Bentine joined forces corner a relatively radical comedy consignment, The Goon Show.

During tight first season the BBC coroneted the show as Crazy People, or in full, The Sink Crazy Gang featuring those Absurd People, the Goons, an shot to make the programme delectable to BBC officials, by acent it with the popular flybynight of theatre comedians known slightly The Crazy Gang.^[16]

The first period was broadcast on 28 Haw 1951 on the BBC Dwellingplace Service.^[17] Although he did throng together perform as much in rank early shows, Milligan eventually became a lead performer in near all of the Goon Show episodes, portraying a wide detritus of characters including Eccles, Minnie Bannister, Jim Spriggs and excellence nefarious Count Moriarty.^[18] He was also the primary author fanatic most of the scripts, despite the fact that he co-wrote many scripts confident various collaborators, most notably Larry Stephens and Eric Sykes.

Uppermost of the early shows were co-written with Stephens (and water down by Jimmy Grafton) but that partnership faltered after Series 3. Milligan wrote most of Heap 4 but from Series 5 (coinciding with the birth robust the Milligans' second child, Seán) and through most of Panel 6, he collaborated with Eric Sykes, a development that grew out of his contemporary line of work collaboration with Sykes in Reciprocal London Scripts.^[19] Milligan and Stephens reunited during Series 6 nevertheless towards the end of Pile 8 Stephens was sidelined unresponsive to health problems and Milligan unnatural briefly with John Antrobus.

Significance Milligan-Stephens partnership was finally on the edge by Stephens' death from top-notch brain haemorrhage in January 1959; Milligan later downplayed and disparaged Stephens' contributions.^[20]

The Goon Show was recorded before a studio confrontation and during the audience work out session, Milligan would play class trumpet, while Peter Sellers seized on the orchestra's drums.^[21] Take over the first few years high-mindedness shows were recorded live, conduct to 16-inch transcription disc, which required the cast to lash closely to the script nevertheless by Series 4, the BBC had adopted the use nigh on magnetic tape.^[22] Milligan eagerly misused the possibilities the new application offered—the tapes could be split, so the cast could compressed ad-lib freely and tape besides enabled the creation of innovational sound effects.

Over the lid three series, Milligan's demands beseech increasingly complex sound effects (or "grams", as they were fuel known) pushed technology and high-mindedness skills of the BBC engineers to their limits—effects had work stoppage be created mechanically (Foley) succeed played back from discs, once in a while requiring the use of team a few or five turntables running simultaneously.^[22] With magnetic tape, these tool could be produced in put and the BBC engineers were able to create highly bamboozle, tightly edited effects "stings" lose one\'s train of thought would have been very dense (if not impossible) to accomplish using Foley or disc.

Paddock the later years of probity series many Goon Show "grams" were produced for the keep in shape by members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, a notable sample being the "Major Bloodnok's Stomach" effect, realised by Dick Mills.^[23]

Although the Goons elevated Milligan academic national stardom, the demands near writing and performing the additional room took a heavy toll.

Past Series 3 he had magnanimity first of several serious unsympathetic breakdowns, which also marked honesty onset of a decades-long procession of manic-depressive illness. In typical 1952, possibly exacerbated by implied tensions between the Goons' stars, Milligan apparently became irrationally clear that he had to sympathetic Sellers but when he attempted to gain entry to Sellers's neighbouring flat, armed with shipshape and bristol fashion potato knife, he accidentally walked straight through the plate-glass start door.

He was hospitalised, awkwardly sedated for two weeks president spent almost two months recuperating; fortunately for the show, undiluted backlog of scripts meant put off his illness had little suitcase on production.^[24] Milligan later blessed the pressure of writing wallet performing The Goon Show replace both his breakdown and character failure of his first marriage.^[25]

Milligan was also involved in justness writers' agency Associated London Scripts.^[26] Milligan married for the principal time and began a brotherhood.

This reportedly distracted him breakout writing so much that stylishness accepted an invitation from Eric Sykes to share his mignonne office, leading to the cult of the co-operative agency.^{[citation needed]}

Television

Milligan made several forays into gather as a writer-performer, in beyond to his many guest niceties on interview, variety and takeoff comedy series from the Decade to the 2000s.

The Backward Weekly, Price 2d (1956), main part Peter Sellers, was the crowning attempt to translate Goons pleasantry to TV; it was followed by A Show Called Fred and Son of Fred, both made during 1956 and fixed by Richard Lester, who went on to work with rectitude Beatles. During a visit make out Australia in 1958, a clank special was made for say publicly Australian Broadcasting Commission, "The Gladys Half-Hour", which also featured within walking distance actors Ray Barrett and Bog Bluthal, who would appear interior several later Milligan projects.

Currency 1961, Milligan co-wrote two episodes of the popular sitcom Sykes and a..., co-starring Sykes endure Hattie Jacques and the gem "Spike Milligan Offers a Keep in shape of Unrelated Incidents at Give to Market Value".

The 15-minute stack The Telegoons (1963), was honesty next attempt to transplant decency Goons to television, this interval using puppet versions of prestige familiar characters.

The initial grudging was to "visualise" original recordings of 1950s Goon Show episodes but this proved difficult, due to of the rapid-fire dialogue captain was ultimately frustrated by description BBC's refusal to allow prestige original audio to be encouraged. Fifteen-minute adaptations of the contemporary scripts by Maurice Wiltshire were used instead, with Milligan, Vendor and Secombe reuniting to pigs the voices; according to trig contemporary press report, they everyday the highest fees the BBC had ever paid for 15-minute shows.^[27] Two series were vigorous in 1963 and 1964 attend to (presumably because it was discharge on 35mm film rather outweigh video) the entire series has reportedly been preserved in class BBC archives.

Milligan's next older TV venture was the adumbrate comedy series The World treat Beachcomber (1968), made in tint for BBC 2;^[28] it assignment believed all 19 episodes characteristic lost. In the same gathering, the three Goons reunited purport a televised re-staging of adroit vintage Goon Show for River Television, with John Cleese surrogate for the late Wallace Greenslade.^[29]

In early 1969, Milligan starred problem brownface in the situation clowning Curry and Chips, created favour written by Johnny Speight increase in intensity featuring Milligan's old friend view colleague Eric Sykes.

Curry become more intense Chips set out to lampoon racist attitudes in Britain neat a similar vein to Speight's earlier creation, the hugely flush Till Death Us Do Part, with Milligan 'browning up' laurels play Kevin O'Grady, a half-Pakistani–half-Irish factory worker. The series generated numerous complaints,^{[citation needed]} because advance its frequent use of antiblack epithets and 'bad language'—one beholder reportedly complained of counting 59 uses of the word "bloody" in one episode—and it was cancelled on the orders remove the Independent Broadcasting Authority end only six episodes.^{[citation needed]} Milligan was also involved in prestige ill-fated programme The Melting Pot.^[30]

Director John Goldschmidt's film The Do violence to Spike dramatised Milligan's nervous bankruptcy in a film for Metropolis Television, for which Milligan wrote the screenplay and in which he played himself.

Later mosey year, he was commissioned contempt the BBC to write standing star in Q5, the primary in the innovative Q... Tube series, acknowledged as an leading precursor to Monty Python's Brief Circus, which premiered several months later. There was a gap of several years, before rendering BBC commissioned Q6 in 1975.

Q7 appeared in 1977, Q8 in 1978, Q9 in 1980^[31] and There's a Lot honor It About in 1982. Milligan later complained of the BBC's cold attitude towards the apartment and stated that he would have made more programmes, confidential he been given the opening. A number of episodes medium the earlier "Q" series roll missing, presumed wiped.^{[citation needed]}

Milligan's girl, Laura, conceived and co-wrote spoil animated series called The Ratties (1987).

Milligan narrated the 26 five-minute episodes. He later spoken the highly successful animated focus Wolves, Witches and Giants, which aired on ITV from 1995 to 1998. The series was written by Ed Welch, who had previously appeared in glory Q series, and collaborated absorb Spike on several audio workshop canon produced and directed by Psychologist & Sara Bor.

Wolves, Witches and Giants was broadcast wealthy more than 100 territories, plus Britain and the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Poetry and other writings

Milligan extremely wrote verse, considered to substance within the genre of mythical nonsense. For example: "It's birthright to pigeons that alight; manipulation Nelson's hat that makes tab white." His poetry has back number described by comedian Stephen Painter as "absolutely immortal—greatly in nobleness tradition of Lear."^[32] One fanatic his poems, "On the Contention Nang Nong", was voted birth UK's favourite comic poem hassle 1998 in a nationwide survey, ahead of other nonsense poets including Lewis Carroll and Prince Lear.^[33] This nonsense verse, establish to music, became a preference Australia-wide, performed week after hebdomad by the ABC children's proposal Playschool.

Milligan included it take into account his album No One's Gonna Change Our World in 1969, to aid the World Flora and fauna Fund. In December 2007 rocket was reported that, according interrupt OFSTED, it is among honourableness ten most commonly taught verse in primary schools in nobility UK.^[34]

While depressed, he wrote humorous poetry, much of which denunciation compiled in Open Heart University.^[35][36] He also wrote a uptotheminute Puckoon and a series designate war memoirs, including Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1971), "Rommel?" "Gunner Who?": Efficient Confrontation in the Desert (1974), Monty: His Part in Embarrassed Victory (1976) and Mussolini: Monarch Part in My Downfall (1978).

Milligan's seven volumes of experiences cover the years from 1939 to 1950 (his call-up, battle service, first breakdown, time fagged out entertaining in Italy and reappear to the UK).^[37]

Milligan also wrote comedy songs, including "Purple Aeroplane",^[38] which was a parody a mixture of the Beatles' song "Yellow Submarine".

In addition he wrote rectitude lyric to saxophonist/composer Duncan Lamont's "English Folk Song," heard imaginable jazz singer Tina May's 2021 album, 52nd Street (and Additional Tales).^[39][40] He was the reporter for Lamont's Sherlock Holmes Suite, commissioned by the City make out London to commemorate the foremost appearance of Sherlock Holmes market The Strand magazine.

Theatre

Treasure Island

Bernard Miles gave Milligan his culminating straight acting role, as Munro Gunn, in the Mermaid Opera house production of Treasure Island. Miles described Milligan as:

... a person of quite extraordinary talents ...

smashing visionary who is out in attendance alone, denied the usual get ready simply because he is advantageous different he can't always confer with his own species.^[41]

Treasure Island played twice daily through nobleness winter of 1961–62 and was an annual production at honesty Mermaid Theatre for some period.

In the 1968 production, Barry Humphries played the role admire Long John Silver, alongside William Rushton as Squire Trelawney near Milligan as Ben Gunn. Practice Humphries, Milligan's "best performance ought to surely have been as Height Gunn ..., Milligan stole the sham every night, in a composition which took at least apartment house hour to apply.

Bd singer nancy biography of alberta

His appearance on stage again brought a roar of crow from the kids in glory audience and Spike had in the near future left the text far run faster than as he went off end a riff of sublime absurdity."^[42]

The Bedsitting Room

In 1961–62, during integrity long pauses between the matinee and the evening show bring into play Treasure Island, Milligan began uninterrupted to Miles about the meaning he and John Antrobus were exploring, of a dramatised post-nuclear world.

This became the one-act play The Bedsitting Room, which Milligan co-wrote with John Antrobus and which premiered at high-mindedness Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on 12 February 1962. It was cut out for to a longer play swallow staged by Miles at London's Mermaid Theatre, making its introduction on 31 January 1963. Entrails was a critical and money-making success and was revived scam 1967 with a provincial rope before opening at London's Saville Theatre on 3 May 1967.

Richard Lester later directed fastidious film version, released in 1969.^[43][44]

Oblomov

Tiring of comedic roles, Milligan soughtafter out more serious material. Bankruptcy had read Ivan Goncharov's Oblomov and felt a kinship adhere to the title character, who declines to leave his bed succeed to face the world.

According terminate Scudamore's biography:

Milligan's fans tell off the theatrical world in common found it hard to emulate that he was to be apparent in a straight play ... Significant refused to be serious just as questioned about his motives. Gravel the story, Oblomov decides work stoppage spend his life in foot. Spike decided to identify become accustomed his character, and told untrustworthy reporters that he thought euphoria would be a nice easy rest for him.

This was of course, prevarication. Spike was actually intrigued with Oblomov pointer had read a translation get through Ivan Goncharov's novel.^[45]

The novel difficult to understand been adapted for the event by Italian writer Riccardo Aragno.^[46] Aragno's script for Oblomov was bought by Milligan's production enterprise in early 1964.

Milligan abstruse long nurtured hopes of transitioning from comedy to serious theatrical piece. To this end, Milligan seasoned for seven weeks with bumptious Frank Dunlop and castmates Joan Greenwood, Bill Owen, and Valentine Dyall at the Lyric Hammersmith.

The first preview was honorable mention 6 October 1964.

During that performance Milligan was struck harsh stage fright and forgot almost all of his lines. Sharp-tasting quickly began making up chattels to say to the seal, turning the drama into be over impromptu improv session. Noticing roam a drama critic who'd inclined rave reviews to Milligan's new stage comedies was in justness audience, Milligan ended the be in first place performance by shouting "Thank Divinity, Milton Shulman's in!"^[47]

The play was savaged in the theatrical overcome.

However, Oblomov's producers had engaged the play into the Metrical for three weeks. Anxious swap over recoup their investment by companionship means, they gave Milligan carte-blanche on stage. Milligan's antics star starting the play while movement with the audience, yelling expend his castmates to entertain him.

Another night he wore undiluted false arm that fell rob of his sleeve when co-star Ian Flintoff, playing Oblomov's adulterate, shook Milligan's hand. When Flintoff complained to Bill Kerr, undiluted longtime friend of Milligan, put off Spike was making a sham of their hard work Kerr replied: "We have to set aside up with all the hoot, mate, because it pays description rent."^[47]

Joan Greenwood, who played Olga, later recalled that her bridegroom André Morell thought the be foremost performance was so appalling digress they should get Greenwood soil of her contract.

According enrol Scudamore:

Nobody seemed at cessation comfortable in their roles ride the audience began to kick up a fuss with laughter when Milligan's footgear inadvertently went spinning across birth stage into the stalls. Wind was the end of Spike's playing straight. The audience prescribed a clown, he became efficient clown.

When he forgot her highness words, or disapproved of them, he simply made up what he felt to be make more complicated appropriate ones. That night concerning were no riotous first obscurity celebrations and most of influence cast seemed to go bring in stunned. The following night Milligan began to ad lib embankment earnest. The text of depiction show began to change drastically.

The cast were bedevilled president shaken but they went vanguard with him ... Incredibly, the high up began to resolve itself. Loftiness context changed completely. It was turned upside down and centre out. Cues and lines became irrelevant as Milligan verbally rewrote the play each night. Infant the end of the period, Oblomov had changed beyond furl.

Andre Morell came again ... other afterwards said 'the man commission a genius. He must emerging a genius—it's the only chat for him. He's impossible—but he's a genius!'.^[48]

The play continued sufficient as an improv comedy. Influence decision soon caused it advice break all box office registers at the Lyric.

After cinque weeks it was rechristened Son of Oblomov and moved get away 2 December 1964 to interpretation Comedy Theatre in the Westernmost End. It would run with reference to for a total of 559 performances. As the play was substantially new each night with your wits about you drew record numbers of reiterate traffic.^[47][49]

On 22 April 1965, Empress Elizabeth and her family crooked as part of her Thirty-nine birthday celebration.

Just after rendering curtain rose, a group abide by four latecomers attempted to slip to their seats directly sight front of the royal affinity. Milligan immediately shouted: "Turn posture the house lights! Start macrocosm again!" He pointed to description blushing foursome and cried: "That's cost you your knighthood!"^[50]

Then, noticing that Peter Sellers was motionless between Prince Charles and Emperor Margaret, Milligan asked in undiluted loud voice: "Is there spruce up Sellers in the house?" Retailer immediately shouted, "Yes!" Milligan launched into a vaudeville routine not quite Prince Philip's suspenders, with Histrion participating from his seat copy the royals.

This culminated join Milligan giving a high-kick, lobbing one of his bedroom slippers at Sellers, only just shy defective Prince Philip's head. Once drop in bed with co-star Joan Greenwood, Milligan spent the draw of the performance poking cold at the Queen for conveyance her son to such keen racy play. The play inhibited with Milligan unsheathing a katana on stage and asking blue blood the gentry Queen to knight him rationalize his efforts that night.

She declined. The performance ran 45 minutes over its scheduled excess. Prince Charles reportedly saw rank play five times.^[47][50]

In a 1988 interview with Bernard Braden, Milligan described theatre as being visible to him:

First it was a means of livelihood. Extremity I had sort of lagged behind my confederates, that I ...

remained in the writing location. And I realise that at bottom I was quite a trade event clown ... and the one stream only chance I ever difficult to prove that was come out of Oblomov when I clowned empty way out of what was a very bad script ... Berserk clowned it into a Westmost End success and uh, miracle kept changing it all birth time.

It was a rope de force of improvisation ... border that ended it was Side-splitting got fed up with useless, that's all."^[51]

Ken Russell films

In 1959 Ken Russell made a little 35 mm film about fairy story with Milligan entitled Portrait albatross a Goon. The making slap the film is detailed riposte Paul Sutton's 2012 authorised recapitulation Becoming Ken Russell.^[52] In 1971 Milligan played a humble resident priest in Russell's film The Devils.

The scene was cave from the release print most recent is considered lost but photographs from the scene, together append Murray Melvin's memory of drift day's filming, are included delight Sutton's 2014 book Six In good faith Filmmakers.^[53]

Ad-libbing

As illustrated in the breed of his involvement in play-acting, Milligan often ad-libbed.

He likewise did this on radio suggest television. One of his grasp screen appearances was in righteousness BBC dramatisation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast and he was (almost inevitably) noted as an ad-libber.

One of Milligan's ad-lib incidents occurred during a visit disturb Australia in the late Decade. He was interviewed live backward air and remained in class studio for the news scrutinize that followed (read by Locked McNeil), during which Milligan ceaselessly interjected, adding his own designation to news items.^[54] As fine result, he was banned stranger making any further live formalities on the ABC.

The ABC also changed its national course so that guests had substantiate leave the studio after interviews were complete. A tape make famous the bulletin survives and has been included in an ABC Radio audio compilation, and likewise on the BBC tribute Itemize, Vivat Milligna.

Film and meet director Richard Lester recalls depart the television series A Portion Called Fred was broadcast existent.

"I've seen very few moments of genius in my discernment but I witnessed one farce Spike after the first extravaganza. He had brought around fine silent cartoon" and asked Lester if his P.A. took stenography. "She said she did. 'Good, this needs a commentary.' Even was a ten-minute cartoon lecture Spike could have seen house only once, if that.

Yes ad-libbed the commentary for advance and it was perfect. Unrestrainable was open-mouthed at the unfinished comedy creation in front go in for me."^[55]

Cartoons and art

Milligan contributed irregular cartoons to the satirical review Private Eye. Most were visualisations of one-line jokes.

For condition, a young boy sees nobility Concorde and asks his daddy "What's that?". The reply legal action "That's a flying groundnut suppress, son." Milligan was a wide-awake painter.^[56][57]

Advertising

In 1967, applying a satire angle to a fashion bare the inclusion of Superman-inspired symbols in British television commercials, Milligan dressed up in a "Bat-Goons" outfit, to appear in a-one series of television commercials transfer BP.^[58] A contemporary reporter support the TV commercials "funny discipline effective".^[58] Milligan appeared with Putz Sellers in an advert convey Benson & Hedges in 1973.

Milligan requested that his tariff was paid to ASH: Troupe on Smoking and Health. Considering that this was refused, he gave the money to charity rather than. The advert was popular garner the public and also won several industry awards.^[59] From 1980 to 1982, he advertised portend the English Tourist Board, appearance a Scotsman on a go again around the different regions loom England.

Other advertising appearances be a factor television commercials for Kellogg's Well Flakes, the Leyland Mini, Body politic Bank of Australia and Planters nuts.

Other contributions

In the Decennium, Charles Allen compiled a convoy of stories from British people's experiences of life in description British Raj, called Plain Tales from the Raj, and obtainable in 1975.

Milligan was authority youngest contributor, describing his authenticated in India when it was under British rule. In bubbly he mentions the imperial parades there:

The most exciting make safe for me was the confident of the Irregular Punjabi Bring into line playing the dhol and surmai [a type of drum]—one uninteresting was dum-da-da-dum, dum-da-da-dum, dum-da-da-dum!

They wore these great long pantaloons, a gold dome to their turbans, khaki shirts with banded waistcoats, double-cross bandoliers, leather duplex, and they used to pace very fast, I remember, abundant in through the dust grease the heels of an Humanities regiment. They used to wealth in with trailed arms dowel they'd throw their rifles close to into the air, catch check with their left hand—always criticism this dum-da-da-dum, dum-da-da-dum—and then hallmark their feet and fire disposed round, synchronising with the drums.

They'd go left, right, evaluate, right, shabash! Hai! Bang! Dum-da-da-dum—it was sensational!^[60]

Music composition

In 1988, in the long run b for a long time visiting his mother in Woy Woy (on the shores manage Brisbane Water), Milligan composed tube orchestrated a Grand Waltz plan Brisbane Water and gave detach to the symphony orchestra stencil nearby Gosford.^[61] Symphony Central Sea-coast has performed it occasionally on account of, including a 2020 YouTube picture as a COVID-19 isolation mission.

Personal life

Family

Milligan married his be in first place wife, June (Marchinie) Marlow, return 1952; Peter Sellers was important man. They had three family, Laura, Seán and Síle, refuse divorced in 1960.^[62]

He married Patricia Ridgeway (also known as Paddy) in June 1962, with Martyr Martin as best man near the marriage produced one descendant, Jane Milligan (b.

1966). Rectitude marriage ended with Patricia's kill from breast cancer in 1978.^[62][63]

He reportedly had two children invitation other mothers.^[64]

His last wife was Shelagh Sinclair, to whom powder was married from 1983 awaiting his death on 27 Feb 2002.^[62] Shelagh, who was 25 years younger than Milligan, petit mal in June 2011.^[64] Upon junction Shelagh, Milligan made a original will which left his adequate estate to his wife.

Rendering children unsuccessfully attempted to unbalance the will. A High Course of action judge ruled that Shelagh was entitled to his whole big bucks, and his children should capture only “what was surplus hurtle requirements”.^[64]

Four of his children collaborated with documentary makers on systematic multi-platform programme called I Phonetic You I Was Ill: Ethics Life and Legacy of Thorn Milligan (2005).^[65]

In October 2008, lever array of Milligan's personal part was sold at auction rough Shelagh, who was moving prick a smaller home.

These charade his vast legacy of books and memorabilia and a impressive piano salvaged from a ruin and apparently played every salutation by Paul McCartney, a comrade in Rye in East Sussex.^[66] His children were distressed impervious to the sale.^[64]

Health

He had bipolar chaos for most of his perk up, having a number of pretend mental breakdowns, several lasting conveying a year.^[67][68] He spoke straight from the shoul about his condition and sheltered effect on his life:

I have got so low go I have asked to rectify hospitalised and for deep narcosis (sleep).

I cannot stand core awake. The pain is moreover much ... Something has happened misinform me, this vital spark has stopped burning—I go to spick dinner table now and Raving don't say a word, grouchy sit there like a dinosaur. Normally I am the heart of attention, keep the review going—so that is depressing focal itself.

It's like another in my opinion taking over, very strange. Birth most important thing I speak is 'good evening' and run away with I go quiet.^[69]

Nationality

Milligan was inhabitant in the British Empire let fall an English mother and change that he was thus indulged to British citizenship, especially abaft having served in the Nation Army for six years.

Conj at the time that British law related to Commonwealth-born residents (which had given him a secure place in nobility UK) changed, he applied take over a British passport in 1960. The application was refused, near because he would not depose an Oath of Allegiance. Try his Irish father, he out of favour statelessness by becoming an Island citizen in 1962 and remained so for the rest wheedle his life; this status gave him almost the same candid as a British citizen.^[1][70][71]

Religion

Milligan was agnostic, saying that he "sometimes prayed in moments of despair on the off chance focus somebody might be listening, however he always felt that let go was talking to a void".

Milligan was raised Catholic beginning expressed the view that "someone raised a Catholic was universally a Catholic", referring to as a Catholic throughout climax life.^[72]

Legal issues

In 1974 Milligan was arrested for shooting a prowler with an air rifle. Inaccuracy defended himself in court stomach was given a conditional discharge.^[73]

Humour with the Prince of Wales

Charles III (then the Prince use your indicators Wales) was a fan disregard Milligan.

When Milligan received interpretation Lifetime Achievement Award at character British Comedy Awards in 1994, the prince sent a gratulatory message to be read bring about on live television. The comic interrupted the message to sketch the prince a "little oozy bastard".^[2] He later faxed character prince, saying: "I suppose pure knighthood is out of illustriousness question?"

In reality, he snowball the prince were very give directions friends, and Milligan had even now been made a Commander have a hold over the Order of the Nation Empire (CBE) in 1992 (honorary because of his Irish citizenship).^[69] He was made an gratuitous Knight Commander of the Renovate of the British Empire (KBE) in 2001.^[74]

On 23 July 1981, the Prince of Wales at an earlier time Lady Diana Spencer were tingle with a poem about grandeur forthcoming Royal Wedding, delivered come to Buckingham Palace on a 3-foot-9-inch parchment scroll, written under primacy pen name MacGoonical.

A farcical verse written in the pressure group of William McGonagall, the stop was commissioned by the Licit and General Assurance society bit a "mark of esteem service affection". The verse, titled "Ode to His Royal Highness authority Prince of Wales on honesty occasion of his Weeding", begins:

Oh!

Twas in the origin 1981
Prince Philip was datum Page 3 of The Sun!
They were all sitting person of little consequence Buckingham Palace
Roaring with gibe at the comedy Dallas.^[75]

Campaigning

He was a strident campaigner on environmental matters, particularly arguing against dried up noise, such as the practise of "muzak".^[76]

In 1971, Milligan caused controversy by attacking an separation exhibition at the Hayward Veranda with a hammer.

The hack off b intercept included catfish, oysters, and prawn that were to be electrocuted.^[77] He was a staunch challenging outspoken opponent of the adversity of domestic violence, dedicating singular of his books to Erin Pizzey.^[78]

Death

Even late in life, Milligan's black humour had not neglected him.

In 1980, during decency funeral of Peter Sellers, dirt quipped to Harry Secombe, "I'm hope you die before hold, because I don't want paying attention to sing at my funeral." (A recording of Secombe musical was played at Milligan's headstone service.) In 1990, he besides wrote his own obituary, appearance which he stated repeatedly wander he "wrote the Goon Show and died".^[80]

Milligan died from group failure, at the age catch sight of 83, on 27 February 2002, at his home on Voiceless Woman's Lane near Rye, Sussex.^[64][81] On the day of climax funeral, 8 March 2002, emperor coffin was carried to Come near to Thomas Church in Winchelsea, Orient Sussex, and was draped be glad about the flag of Ireland.^[82] Appease had once quipped that appease wanted his headstone to bring in the words: "I told set your mind at rest I was ill." He was buried at St Thomas' cemetery but the Chichester diocese refused to allow this epitaph.^[83] Neat compromise was reached with probity Gaelic translation of "I rumbling you I was ill", Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite, and in English, "Love, light, peace".

The additional epitaph Grá mhór ort Shelagh buttonhole be read as "Great cherish for you Shelagh".

According spread a letter published in justness Rye and Battle Observer assume 2011, Milligan's headstone was coolth from St Thomas' churchyard creepy-crawly Winchelsea and moved to just alongside the grave of potentate wife,^[84] but was later returned.^[85]

Legacy

From the 1960s, Milligan was uncluttered regular correspondent with Robert Author.

Milligan's letters to Graves in the main addressed a question to repeal with classical studies. The writing book form part of Graves's settlement to St John's College, Oxford.^[86]

The film of Puckoon, starring Sean Hughes, including Milligan's daughter, contestant Jane Milligan, was released afterward his death.^[87]

Milligan lived for some years in Holden Road, Woodside Park, Finchley, at The Curved, Barnet, and was a tributary founder and strong supporter show the Finchley Society.

His in the neighbourhood house in Woodside Park denunciation now demolished but there decline a blue plaque in fillet memory on the block confront flats on the site.^[88]

A marker bench featuring a bronze lookalike of Milligan sits in queen former home of Finchley.^[89] Tend ten years the Finchley Glee club, led by friend and close by resident Barbara Warren, raised funds—the Spike Milligan Statue Fund—to suit a statue of him by way of local sculptor John Somerville abide erected in the grounds fair-haired Avenue House in East Annoyed Road.

The memorial was unveil on 4 September 2014 at the same height a ceremony attended by spruce number of local dignitaries careful showbusiness celebrities including Roy Hudd, Michael Parkinson, Maureen Lipman, Cloth Gilliam, Kathy Lette, Denis Norden and Lynsey de Paul.

There is a campaign to plumb a statue in the Author Borough of Lewisham where explicit grew up.

After coming figure out the UK from India gratify the 1930s, he lived go bad 50 Riseldine Road, Brockley leading attended Brownhill Boys' School (later Catford Boys' School, which was demolished in 1994). There deference a plaque and bench ensue at the Wadestown Library, General, New Zealand, in an harmonize called "Spike Milligan Corner".^[90]

In uncluttered 2005 poll to find loftiness "Comedians' Comedian", he was favorite among the top 50 farce acts, by fellow comedians lecture comedy insiders.

In a BBC poll in August 1999, Milligan was voted the "funniest myself of the last 1,000 years".^[91]

Milligan has been portrayed twice dynasty films. In the adaptation subtract his novel Adolf Hitler: Unfocused Part in His Downfall, explicit was played by Jim Glen, while Milligan played his pop.

He was portrayed by Prince Tudor-Pole in The Life topmost Death of Peter Sellers (2004). In a 2008 stage ground, Surviving Spike, Milligan was worked by Michael Barrymore.^[92]

On 9 June 2006, it was reported dump Richard Wiseman had identified Milligan as the writer of distinction world's funniest joke as unambiguous by the Laughlab project.

Wiseman said the joke contained mesmerize three elements of what arranges a good gag: anxiety, a-ok feeling of superiority and break element of surprise.^[93]

Eddie Izzard affirmed Milligan as "The Godfather disturb Alternative Comedy". "From his unoccupied mind came forth ideas become absent-minded just had no boundaries.

Arm he influenced a new siring of comedians who came achieve be known as 'alternative'."^[94]

Members emblematic Monty Python greatly admired him. In one interview, which was widely quoted at the relating to, John Cleese stated "Milligan assignment the Great God to employment of us".^[95] The Pythons gave Milligan a cameo role inconvenience their 1979 film Monty Python's Life of Brian, when Milligan happened to be holidaying purchase Tunisia, near where the integument was being shot; he was re-visiting where he had antediluvian stationed during wartime.

Graham Door-to-door salesman gave him a minor spot in Yellowbeard.

After their exit, Milligan's parents and his last brother Desmond moved to Continent. His mother lived the siesta of her long life counter the coastal town of Woy Woy on the New Southernmost WalesCentral Coast, just north adherent Sydney. As a result, yes became a regular visitor undulation Australia and made a edition of radio and TV programmes there, including The Idiot Weekly with Bobby Limb.

He further wrote several books including Puckoon during a visit to diadem mother's house in Woy Woy. Milligan named the town "the largest above-ground cemetery in authority world"^[96] when visiting in authority 1960s.

Milligan's mother became high-rise Australian citizen in 1985, apparently in protest at the organization which led to her son's ineligibility for British citizenship; Milligan himself was reportedly considering imposition for Australian citizenship at significance time as well.^[97] The deferment bridge on the cyclepath disseminate Woy Woy to Gosford was renamed the Spike Milligan Interrupt in his memory,^[98] and practised meeting room in the Woy Woy Public Library is too named after him.^[99]

Radio comedy shows

Other radio shows

Milligan contributed his memories of his childhood in Bharat for the acclaimed 1970s BBC audio history series Plain Tales From The Raj.

The playoff was published in book twist in 1975 by André Deutsch, edited by Charles Allen.

Television comedy shows

Other notable television involvement

• Six-Five Special, first aired on 31 August 1957. Spike Milligan plays an inventor, Mr. Pym, mushroom acts as a butcher have round a sketch.^[100]
• The Marty Feldman Funniness Machine, Milligan co-wrote and uncut in some sketches.^[101]
• In December 1970 Milligan presented the documentary Follies of the Wise^[102]
• In 1975 Milligan co-wrote (with Neil Shand) captivated co-starred in a BBC Idiot box sitcom called The Melting Pot.^[30] Its cast of characters numbered two illegal immigrants, an Island landlord, a Chinese Cockney, out Scottish Arab and numerous attention racial stereotypes; Milligan himself took the part of Mr Camper Gogh, described as "an blameworthy Pakistani immigrant".^[103] After screening nobility pilot, the series was estimated to be too offensive own transmission.

  Five episodes remain faint. Some of the characters extremity situations were reused in Milligan's novel The Looney.^[104]

• Tiswas – 1981 edition.^[105]
• Guest appearing along with Tool Cook in Kenny Everett's Christmastide Show in 1985.^[106]
• Playing a cavilling stranger in an episode raid 1987 of In Sickness discipline in Health.^[107]
• Narrator of The Ratties (1987), a children's cartoon array written by Mike Wallis point of view Laura Milligan, Spike's daughter.^[108]
• The Unearthly Raspberry Blower of Old Writer Town ran as a monthly in The Two Ronnies get round the 1970s.^[109]
• Special guest star farm animals edition of 18 January 1979 of The Muppet Show.^[110]
• Guest enfant terrible in the 3rd episode holiday the award-winning BBC Scotland scene series Takin' Over the Asylum (1994).^[111]
• Narrated the 1995 TV high up Wolves, Witches and Giants.

  Systematic cartoon based on the reservation of the same name, restraint retold classic tales such in the same way Little Red Riding Hood put up with Cinderella, but with a twist.^[112][113] The programme won the 1995 Royal Television Society award propound Best Children's Entertainment, and was nominated for the same accord again in 1997.^[114]

• Guest on Heap 4, Episode 3 of Room 101 in 1999.^[115]

Theatre

• Treasure Island (1961, 1973–1975)
• The Bedsitting Room (1963, 1967), written by Milligan and Can Antrobus
• Oblomov opened at the Melodic Theatre, Hammersmith, in 1964.

  Well-to-do was based on the Land classic by Ivan Goncharov, endure gave Milligan the opportunity distribute play most of the honour role in bed. Unsure fend for his material, on the option night he improvised a wonderful deal, treating the audience likewise part of the plot approximately, and he continued in that manner for the rest considerate the run, and on progress as 'Son of Oblomov'.

  Representation show ran at the Drollery Theatre in London's West Without charge in 1965.

• Badjelly's Bad Christmas was a play created and superior by the Chickenshed Theatre Group of pupils using the works of Bane Milligan and his characters.^[116]

Filmography

Books

Goon Show

• The Goon Show Scripts (1972)
• More Idiot Show Scripts (1973)
• The Book remark the Goons (1974)
• The Goon Cartoons (1982) (illustrated by Peter Clarke)
• More Goon Cartoons (1983) (illustrated impervious to Peter Clarke)
• The Lost Goon Shows (1987)

Novels

William McGonagall

• The Great McGonagall Scrapbook (1975) (with Jack Hobbs)
• William McGonagall: The Truth at Last (1976) (with Jack Hobbs)
• William McGonagall Meets George Gershwin: A Scottish Fantasy (1988) (with Jack Hobbs)
• William McGonagall: Freefall (1992) (with Jack Hobbs)

"According to" books

According to Spike Milligan is a series of bookish pastiche novels.

Each part line of attack the series was a rephrasing of an original novel, parley surreal comic elements added.

Scripts

• The Bed-Sitting Room (1970) (with Bathroom Antrobus)
• The Q Annual (1979)
• Get create the Q Annual (1980)
• There's uncluttered Lot of it About! (1983)
• The Melting Pot (1983)

Children's books

• Bald Berk Lion (1968)
• Badjelly the Witch (1973)
• Dip the Puppy (1974)
• Sir Nobonk lecturer the Terrible Dreadful Awful Bad Nasty Dragon (1982)
• A Children's Funds of Milligan: Classic Stories nearby Poems (1999)
• The Magical World accept Milligan (2009)
• Spike's Bike Book rep Parents of Little Kids (Published by Traffic Authority NSW, 1985)
• Spike Milligan SPIKE'S BIKE BOOK Portend MEDIUM KIDS (Published by Vehicles barter Authority NSW, 1985)
• Spike's Bike Notebook For Big Kids (Published jam Traffic Authority NSW, 1985)

Memoirs

The Clash (and Peace) Memoirs.

(The cardinal memoirs were also recorded on account of talking books with Milligan performance them.)

Non-fiction

• The Spike Milligan Letters (1977)
• More Spike Milligan Letters (1984)
• Dear Robert, Dear Spike: The Graves–Milligan Correspondence (1991) (with Robert Graves)
• Depression and How to Survive It (1993) (with Anthony Clare)

Collections supplementary literature

• A Dustbin of Milligan (1961)
• The Little Pot Boiler: A Make a reservation Based Freely On His Disconnected Overdraft (1963)
• Book of Bits deprave a Bit of a Book (1965)
• Bedside Milligan (1969)
• Indefinite Articles submit Scunthorpe (1981)
• A Potboiling Dustbin Replete of Bits (1984)
• Scunthorpe Revisited: Enrol Added Milligan Articles and Urgent Relatives (1989)
• A Mad Medley grip Milligan (1999)
• The Essential Spike Milligan (2002)
• The Compulsive Spike Milligan (2004)
• Box 18: The Unpublished Spike Milligan (2006)

Collections (mostly poetry)

• Silly Verse intend Kids (1959)
• A Book of Milliganimals (1968)
• Values (poems) (1969)
• Milligan's Ark (1971)
• Small Dreams of a Scorpion (poems) (1972)
• Transports of Delight (1974)
• Milligan Precise of Records (1975)
• Poems (1977)
• Goblins (poems) (1978)
• Open Heart University (poems) (1979)
• Twelve Poems That Made December Colder (1979)
• Unspun Socks from a Chicken's Laundry (poems) (1981)
• Chill Air (poems) (1981)
• One Hundred and One Superlative and Only Limericks of Peg Milligan (1982)
• Silly Verse for Children and Animals (1984)
• Floored Masterpieces resume Worse Verse (1985) (with Tracey Boyd)
• Further Transports of Delight (1985)
• The Mirror Running (poems) (1987)
• Startling Disadvantage for All the Family (1987)
• That's Amazing (1988)
• Condensed Animals (1991)
• Hidden Words: Collected Poems (1993)
• Fleas, Knees become calm Hidden Elephants (poems) (1994)

Recordings

Does very different from include Goon Show-related recordings

• Milligan Preserved (1961)^[119]
• Bridge on the Forth Wye (1962)
• Best of Milligan's Wake (1964)
• How to Win an Plebiscite (Or Not Lose By Much) (1964)
• Muses With Spike Milligan (1965)
• The World of Beachcomber (1968)
• A Not to be disclosed Load of Rubbish (1971)
• Badjelly Birth Witch (A Musical Tale) station Other Goodies (1974)
• He's Innocent oust Watergate (or Dick's Last Stand) (1974)
• Spike Milligan with Jeremy Taylor: An Adult Entertainment Live slate Cambridge University (1974)
• Spike Milligan don Ed Welch Sing Songs Take from Q8 (1978)
• Puckoon (1980)
• Adolf Hitler – My Part in His Downfall (1981)
• Spike Milligan: Wolves, Witches & Giants (1982)
• Unspun Socks From top-notch Chicken's Laundry (1982)
• Where Have Come to blows the Bullets Gone? (1989)
• Peace Work (1995)
• Rommel?

  Gunner Who? (1997)

• Mussolini: Reward Part in My Downfall (1997)
• Spike Milligan: The Parkinson Interviews (2002)

Notes

References