Ned's Atomic Dustbin

From The Goon Show Depository

"Ned's Atomic Dustbin"
The Goon Show episode
Episode: no.Series: 9
Episode: 10
Written bySpike Milligan
AnnouncerWallace Greenslade
Produced byJohn Browell
Music
Recording
Number
TLO 74315
First broadcast5 January 1959 (1959-01-05)
Running time34:12
Guest appearance
John Snagge (pre-recorded)
Episode Order
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"The Battle of Spion Kop"
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"Who is Pink Oboe?"
The Goon Show series 9
List of episodes

Ned's Atomic Dustbin is an episode from The Goon Show. It is the tenth show in the ninth series. Prior to show being recorded Harry had gone down with a bad cold but soldiered through the recording without it being too obvious. The subject matter of the show was based on the hydrogen bomb tests being carried out in the Pacific up to September 1958.

The show offered references to bandleader Billy Cotton and his long-running Light Programme show (Wakey Wakey) plus a newly created sound effect called 'Bloodnok's Stomach' conjured up by Dick Mills and Jimmy Burnett of the newly formed BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This time John Snagge was able to pre-record the special announcement in Spike's script.

Three pre-recording sessions took place at three locations:

  • Wednesday 31 December 1958, 4.15pm. Aeolian Hall Studio 2 (C/DLO 73929)
  • Thursday 1 January 1959, 3pm, The Paris (DLO 76212)
  • Sunday 4 January 1959, 4pm, The Camden Theatre (DLO 70190/A)

The recording for transmission was created at 8pm on Sunday 4 January 1959, at The Camden Theatre, Camden Town, London (TLO 72138).

The first Home Service broadcast was the next day at 8.30pm on Monday 5 January 1959, its ratings were 1.1 million.

The show was repeated at 9.31pm, Wednesday 7 January 1959, on the Light Programme to 2.3 million listeners.

Transcription Service Synopsis

If listeners would like to know. what really happens in the BBC when a word of rather dubious meaning is submitted to the authorities for clearance, then don't miss the first five minutes of this programme. But for good value, there is a plot as well! The Russians, cunning as always, try to discover the secrets of Ned's Atomic Dustbin. But, in spite of Comrade Bluebottle, it is eventually put into orbit on the Niagara Falls.

Music

Technical

Originally recorded on TLO 74315 (15 ips ¼" tape recorded at Broadcasting House).[1]

References

  1. ^ Kendall, Ted (2015). The Goon Show Compendium Vol 10 (Booklet 2). BBC Worldwide. p. 13. ISBN 9781785290312.