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Hancock on

Cassette

Classic Hancock (Cassette)
1990

Classic Hancock (Cassette)

Monday, 1 January 1990

Released on both vinyl and cassette by Precision Records in 1990, this release featured the Pye studio re-makes of The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham.
Golden Hour of Tony Hancock (Cassette)
1990

Golden Hour of Tony Hancock (Cassette)

Monday, 1 January 1990

Released in 1990, this was not a reissue of the 1974 Pye LP of the same name but was a reissue of the 1961 Pye LP Hancock, a massive 17 years since the previous version of the release. Containing the Pye remakes of The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham, this latest version was released on both cassette and CD and was the first appearance of The Blood Donor and Radio Ham on CD.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 4
1990

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 4

Monday, 1 January 1990

Released in 1990, Volume 4 was the last release to feature the episodes without incidental music. The music was added in 1992 and the cover was redesigned in 2000. This releases featured The Diary, the Old School Reunion, Hancock In The Police and The East Cheam Drama Festival.
Something Happened On The Way To Heaven / I Wish It Would Rain Down (Cassette)
1990

Something Happened On The Way To Heaven / I Wish It Would Rain Down (Cassette)

Monday, 1 January 1990

This release from 1990 by Phil Collins does not feature Tony or a tribute to Tony in the music. Rather, Phil Collins, a self-confessed Hancock fan, chose to use a black and white photo of Tony as the centrepiece of the front cover.

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 5
1992

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 5

Wednesday, 1 January 1992

Released in 1992, this release features Cyrano de Hancock, The Threatening Letters, Visiting Day and The Impressionist. Re-issued in 2000 with new artwork.

Laughing Stock
1994

Laughing Stock

Saturday, 1 January 1994

Released in 1994, this single cassette of the Pye recordings of The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham was released in a double cassette sized box with a plastic inlay to keep the cassette in in place. This release was only available on cassette.
Tony Hancock & Friends
1994

Tony Hancock & Friends

Saturday, 1 January 1994

This cassette release on the Marble Arch and Castle Communications label features sketches from Benny Hill, Spike Milligan, Frankie Howerd, Tommy Cooper, Max Miller and June Whitfield. The Tony Hancock contribution was the complete The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham episodes. This is the cassette version of the CD 'The Laughing Box', which, interestingly, does not feature the Marble Arch Label.
The Word of Tony Hancock
1994

The Word of Tony Hancock

Saturday, 1 January 1994

Released in 1994, this cassette only release was the last cassette version of The Missing Page and The Reunion Party to be released and featured the same photo as the previous The World of Tony Hancock releases. The Deca recordings of The Missing Page and The Reunion Party enjoyed a well-deserved re-mastered CD appearance in 2007. The CD release of It's Hancock features the original artwork from the first CD release.
The Clown Jewels
1995

The Clown Jewels

Sunday, 1 January 1995

Hosted by Radio 2 presenter Ken Bruce, this 1995 release was an introduction to material available from the BBC Radio Collection. Featuring 14 tracks, more modern material included Blackadder, Yes Prime Minister and Fawlty Towers, whilst from the archive came Round The Horne, The Navy Lark and The Goon Show. Tony Hancock started the cassette with a 4 minute extract from Sids Mystery Tours starting from Tony reading the coach tour adverts in the paper.
The Comedians Guide To Health
1995

The Comedians Guide To Health

Sunday, 1 January 1995

This release features a wide range of extracts, all on the subject of health. Contributions are from Jo Brand, Rowan Atkinson, Michael Bentine and Groucho Marx. The Tony Hancock contribution is a slightly edited version of The Blood Donor, although the booklet states that the track is :The Radio Ham!
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 7
1995

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 7

Sunday, 1 January 1995

The seventh release in this excellent series featured four more complete episodes from the BBC archives. These were Hancock's Happy Christmas, The Emigrant, Hancock's School and Hancock's Car. Originally released in 1995, in common with the rest of the series, a new cover was produced for the 2000 release, as illustrated.
Johnners at The Beeb (Cassette)
1995

Johnners at The Beeb (Cassette)

Sunday, 1 January 1995

This double cassette / triple CD release runs for nearly three hours and is a celebration of the broadcasting legacy of Brian Johnston. Commentating for The Test Match Special or the boat race, reporting for In Town Tonight or presenting Down Your Way, playing games on Twenty Questions or Trivia Test Match and describing Royal events like the Coronation or the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, all are included here. All of the extracts were selected by Brian's son Barry. This involved some detective work to uncover the full range of broadcasts that Brian made. So why is this release in a listing of releases featuring Hancock? Because in January 1955, Brian Johnston appeared as the commentator in the Hancock's Half Hour Series 1 Episode 'The Monte Carlo Rally'. This release features 2 ¬Ω minutes from this show featuring Brian's commentary. The sleeve notes state that Barry found the extract from Hancock's Half Hour on a cassette in a shoebox at the back of Brian's wardrobe!
The Very Best Of Comedy (Cassette)
1995

The Very Best Of Comedy (Cassette)

Sunday, 1 January 1995

The CD and cassette release from The Speaking Book Company contains 22 comedy extracts from a wide range of artists and programmes. Including Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson Hugh Laurie and Harry Enfield from recent times and vintage tracks from Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, and Tony Hancock. The Tony Hancock extract was a 2 1/2 minute segment from The Blood Donor starting with the moment he goes in to the Doctor.
Top Gear (Cassette)
1995

Top Gear (Cassette)

Sunday, 1 January 1995

Introduced by Jeremy Clarkson, this double cassette or double CD released in 1995 featured a wide range of comedy performances from the BBC archives all on the subject of motoring. The 37 extracts featured artists from Peter Cook and Al Read through to Ben Elton and Harry Enfield. There was 1 extract from Hancock's Half Hour on tape 1 entitled Buying A Car. This was a 2 minute extract from The New Car (starting from Hancock's visit to Sid's yard). On Tape 2, there were 2 extracts from Hancock's Half Hour entitled Hancock's Warning and The Car Chase. These were a 4 ¬Ω minute extract from Hancock's Car (the section when the Policeman visits and asks Hancock to 'move it'!) and a 5 minute extract from The Jewel Robbery (starting from when Sid throws a brick through the jeweller's window having collected Hancock's new car). This was an excellent release with great commentary from Jeremy Clarkson between the extracts.
Top Gear's Laughing Gear
1995

Top Gear's Laughing Gear

Sunday, 1 January 1995

Issued free with Top Gear Magazine, this release was used to advertise the double cassette and double CD release Top Gear Classic Comedy. The cassette featured 9 tracks including Ben Elton, Peter Cook, Fawlty Towers and One Foot In The Grave. The Hancock extract was entitled buying a car and featured a 1 ¬Ω minute extract from the radio episode The New Car featuring Sid trying to sell Hancock a really ancient car and Andree asking whether you can still get the wicks for the lamps!
Caroline Quentin's Comedy Compilation
1996

Caroline Quentin's Comedy Compilation

Monday, 1 January 1996

This release served as advert for Radio 4 and is believed to have been given away free although it's not clear what with! The release features 12 tracks including a diverse range of comedy from Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy and Knowing Me Knowing You to I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue and Just A Minute. The Hancock extract is part of the Test Pilot sequence from The Diary starting with Hattie as the Air Traffic Controller asking Hancock to 'land immediately and finishing with Kenneth landing on the tail.
Classic Comedy UK Volume 1 (Speaking Volumes Polygram Label)
1996

Classic Comedy UK Volume 1 (Speaking Volumes Polygram Label)

Monday, 1 January 1996

This release from 1996 is a double cassette featuring a wide range of artists including Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Peter Cook, Stanley Holloway and Stanley Baxter. The Tony Hancock section features a 4 minute extract from The Reunion Party (Decca recording) starting at the beginning of the episode and ending at the point Tony leaves the off licence.
Classic Comedy UK Volume 2 (Speaking Volumes Polygram label)
1996

Classic Comedy UK Volume 2 (Speaking Volumes Polygram label)

Monday, 1 January 1996

This release from 1996 is a double cassette featuring a wide range of artists including Marty Feldman, Peter Cook, Stanley Holloway and Sandy Powell. The Tony Hancock section features a 5 minute 40 second extract from The Missing Page (Decca Recording) starting at the beginning of the episode and ending at the point Tony and Sid are thrown out of the library.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 8
1996

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 8

Monday, 1 January 1996

Released in 1996, Volume 8 of this popular series featured another four complete episodes from the archives. As with previous releases, some of the close out music was faded out rather than included in full. A new front cover was released in 2000 and this is also illustrated. Episodes featured were The Bequest, The Conjuror, The Publicity Photograph and The Grappling Game.
1922-1997: 75 Years of the BBC
1997

1922-1997: 75 Years of the BBC

Wednesday, 1 January 1997

Released in 1997 to celebrate 75 years of the BBC, this release, which was also available on CD, traced the history of the BBC with archive recordings from the original first announcement in 1923 through to Spoonface Steinberg from 1997. Very few comedy extracts found their way on to this release but those that did included The Goon Show, Round The Horne, I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again and The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy. The Hancock's Half Hour extract was a 1 ¬Ω minute extract from The Diary, The Test Pilot sequence starting from 'Hancock Calling Control Tower'.
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