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Hancock on
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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