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Hancock on

Cassette

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 9
1997

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 9

Wednesday, 1 January 1997

Released in 1997, Volume 9 featured The 13th Of The Series, The Wild Man Of The Woods, The Junk Man and Bill and Father Christmas. The Wild Man Of The Woods had previously been released on the first Pye LP, 'This Is Hancock' in heavily edited form but this was the first release of this show by the BBC.
Hancock (Cassette)
1997

Hancock (Cassette)

Wednesday, 1 January 1997

The final rlease of the Pye recordings of The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham in 1997 takes us full circle with this 'Pulse' release available on both CD and cassette and featuring the artwork from the original album. Both episodes were digitally remastered. The CD cover is illustrated.
June Whitfield At The Beeb
1997

June Whitfield At The Beeb

Wednesday, 1 January 1997

Running for over two hours, this celebration of June Whitfield's career with the BBC includes extracts from a wide range of programmes including The Glums, Beggar My Neighbour, The News Huddlines, Terry & June and, of course, Absolutely Fabulous. There are 2 extracts from Hancock's Half Hour. A 1 min extract from the Blood Donor starting from the beginning to the moment June as the nurse starts 'to take a few particulars and a 2 minute extract from The Succession -Son & Heir starting with Tony asking June where children come in her scheme of things.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 10
1998

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 10

Thursday, 1 January 1998

The final release in this series was issued in 1998. Episodes featured were Agricultural Hancock, The New Secretary, The Insurance Policy and The Election Candidate. By the end of this series 38 radio and 2 television episodes had been made available to the public to purchase. The advent of the CD at about this time and BBC experimental releases to see whether radio shows on CD would be commercially viable led, eventually, to the release of every single radio episode on CD. A far cry from the 60's and 70s when very little was available! However, further cassette releases were still to be made.
The Best Of The 50's
1999

The Best Of The 50's

Friday, 1 January 1999

Released in 1999, this 4-cassette release featured 8 complete radio shows from the 1950s. The release was part of a series featuring shows from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Only available on cassette, the shows featured were Take It From Here, Rays A Laugh, Educating Archie, Life With The Lyons, The Al Read Show, The Goon Show (The Mysterious Punch Up The Conker), The Clitheroe Kid (Clitheroe and The Hound Dog) and Hancock's Half Hour (A Sunday Afternoon At Home). A boxed set of all of the cassettes from this series (50's, 60's, 70's and 80's) was released under number 0563 55220-4
Hancock's Happy Christmas
1999

Hancock's Happy Christmas

Friday, 1 January 1999

Released on cassette in 1999, this release featured four complete episodes previously available as part of the BBC Radio Collection cassette releases. The release includes 4 Christmas episodes as follows: The Christmas Club, Hancock's Happy Christmas, Bill and Father Christmas and The Diary. This cassette was the last to be issued featuring complete radio half hours, as the recent 'Very Best of Episodes' releases are only available on CD. A CD version of this cassette was released in 2001.
Hancock: A Celebration
1999

Hancock: A Celebration

Friday, 1 January 1999

Only available on cassette, this release from 1999 featured the best of Hancock's Half Hour. Side1 was the complete first radio show: The First Night Party and side 2 featured extracts from radio half hours (The Diary, Almost A Gentleman, The Wild Man Of The Woods, The Publicity Photograph, Hancock's Car and A Sunday Afternoon At Home). Side 3 featured extracts from television half hours (The Knighthood, Twelve Angry Men, The Cold, The Missing Page, The Emigrant, The Ladies Man, The Bowmans, The Radio Ham and The Blood Donor). Side 4 was the complete final television episode The Succession Son and Heir.
Best of BBC Comedy Vol 1
1999

Best of BBC Comedy Vol 1

Wednesday, 1 September 1999

Features Volume 1 of the cassette release of the Best of BBC Comedy of the 50’s through to the 90’s. Only available on cassette, the Hancock’s Half Hour episode is A Sunday Afternoon At Home.
Best of BBC Comedy Vol 2 978
1999

Best of BBC Comedy Vol 2 978

Wednesday, 1 September 1999

Features Volume 1 of the cassette release of the Best of BBC Comedy of the 50’s through to the 90’s. Only available on Cassette, the Hancock’s Half Hour episode is Hancock In The Police.
The Best of The 50's Volume 2
2000

The Best of The 50's Volume 2

Saturday, 1 January 2000

Released in 2000, this 4-cassette release featured a further 8 complete radio shows from the 1950s. The release was part of a second series featuring shows from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Only available on cassette, the shows featured were Take It From Here, Rays A Laugh, Educating Archie, Life With The Lyons, The Al Read Show, The Goon Show, The Clitheroe Kid and Hancock's Half Hour (Hancock in The Police). A boxed set of all of the cassettes from this second series (50's, 60's 70's and 80's) was released under number 05347764-4.
Hancock's Half Hour Vol 1 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Vol 1 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

Following on from the success of the BBC record / cassette releases of many programmes (including the 5 records above), the BBC Radio Collection was born. . Volume 1 featured The Poetry Society, Sid's Mystery Tours, The Americans Hit Town and The Unexploded Bomb. It represented a re-release of the first 2 volumes of the previous record collection. First editions did not feature incidental music, which was added in 1992. New artwork was created in 2000; both versions are illustrated here.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 2 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 2 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

Volume 2 was also released in 1988 and featured The Scandal Magazine, The Last of The McHancocks, The Sleepless Night and Fred's Pie Stall. This volume represented a re-release of volumes 3 and 4 from the previous record collection. Similarly to Volume 1, the 1988 release did not feature incidental music, which was added in 1992. New artwork was created in 2000; both versions are illustrated here.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 3 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 3 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

This volume was released in 1989 and featured Hancock's War, The Christmas Club Handout, The Lift and Twelve Angry Men. This volume represented a re-release of volume 5 from the previous record collection and also a re-release of the 1976 LP entitled Hancock. The Lift and Twelve Angry Men were the only TV shows to be released in this series. In common with the first 2 volumes, there was no incidental music on the 1988 release, which was added in 1992. New artwork was created in 2000. The original 1988 (with and without signature tune versions) plus the 2000 covers are illustrated.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 4 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 4 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

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.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 5 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 5 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

Released in 1992, this release features Cyrano de Hancock, The Threatening Letters, Visiting Day and The Impressionist. Re-issued in 2000 with new artwork.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 6 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 6 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

Released in 1994, this release features Almost a Gentleman, Sunday Afternoon At Home, Childhood Sweetheart and The Elopement. This was the first BBC release to feature a full episode that had previously been available on an earlier Pye release, albeit in edited form.
Hancock's Half Hour Volume 8 (2000 Reissue)
2000

Hancock's Half Hour Volume 8 (2000 Reissue)

Saturday, 1 January 2000

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.
BBC Radio Collection – BBC Radio 4 Comedy Classics
2000s

BBC Radio Collection – BBC Radio 4 Comedy Classics

Saturday, 1 January 2000

This collection featured 3 double cassette albums comprising Hancock’s Half Hour Vol 1, Beyond Our Ken Vol 1 and I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again Vol 1. The Hancock’s Half Hour episodes were The American’s Hit Town, The Unexploded Bomb, The Poetry Society and Sid’s Mystery Tours.
BBC Radio Collection 2 Double Cassette Packs
2000s

BBC Radio Collection 2 Double Cassette Packs

Saturday, 1 January 2000

This cassette pack featured the 2 double cassette packs Hancock’s Hlaf Hour volumes 3 and 4 which featured the episodes Hancock’s War, The Christmas Club, The Lift, Twelve Angry Men, The Diary, The Old School Reunion, Hancock In The Police and The East Cheam Drama Festival.
BBC Radio Collection Christmas Gift Pack
2000s

BBC Radio Collection Christmas Gift Pack

Saturday, 1 January 2000

This double cassette pack featured the double cassettes Hancock’s Half Hour volumes 1 and 2 which featured the episodes The American’s Hit Town, The Unexploded Bomb, The Poetry Society, Sid’s Mystery Tours, The Scandal Magazine, Last of The McHancock;s,, The Sleepless Night and Fred’s Pie Stall.
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