The Missing Boa Constrictor
| "The Missing Boa Constrictor" | |
|---|---|
| The Goon Show episode | |
| Episode: no. | Series: 7 Episode: 24 |
| Written by | |
| Announcer | Wallace Greenslade |
| Produced by | Pat Dixon |
| Music |
|
| Recording Number | TLO 24999 |
| First broadcast | 21 March 1957 |
| Running time | 30:12 |
The Missing Boa Constrictor is an episode from The Goon Show. It is the twenty-fourth show in the seventh series.
A pre-recording session took place Sunday 17 March 1957, 5pm. at The Camden Theatre, Camden Town, London (DLO 27105). The recording for transmission was created later that same Sunday, also at The Camden, at 9pm (TLO TLO 24999).
The first Home Service broadcast was the following Thursday at 8.30pm 21 March 1957, its ratings were 1.5 million.
The show was repeated in its usual Light Programme spot on Monday 8pm, 25 March 1957, to 3.8 million listeners.
Transcription Service Synopsis
It is rather difficult to see quite how a boa constrictor fits into this story, since it is all about the building of a new inner ring road for the City of Birmingham. Nevertheless, the snake has coiled itself in and out of the plot. Perhaps the simplest thing to do would be to listen to the programme!
Music
- The BBC Radio Orchestra was conducted by Wally Stott
- Max Geldray plays Boo-Dah (Billy Strayhorn)
- The Ray Ellington Quartet plays The Water Melon Song (Bill Eustrom)
Technical
Originally recorded on TLO 24999 (15 ips ¼" tape recorded at Broadcasting House). The TLO 24999 master tape no longer exists, and the version of the show included on The Goon Show Compendium Vol 6 was compiled from the TGS disc, the POTG master tape and a domestic recording of the original transmission.[1]
Show Notes
The Missing Boa Constrictor drew upon two topical news items. The first one being that there had been a stormy reaction to the start of work on Birmingham's inner ring road scheme on Friday 8 March. Secondly, a six foot boa constrictor called Bertie had escaped from a pet shop in London on Wednesday 13 March 1957.
References
- ^ Kendall, Ted (2012). The Goon Show Compendium Vol 6 (Booklet 2). BBC Worldwide. p. 13. ISBN 978-1408-468548.
