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For me the earliest was perhaps Arthur Haines who was before his time. And I can't help but think that the Aussie Crocodile Dundee (Paul Hogan) used the Arthur Haines format to launch his early career into comedy.

What are your recollections on TV's early comedies?

Harry Worth, Norman Wisdom, Billy Bunter.

As far as earliest comedy tv show memories go I vaguely remember watching "The One O'clock Gang" in the early 60's on the black and white tv we had at the time. I was still just a nipper then so probably didn't "get" many of the jokes.
Don't think there were too many day-time shows on tv at that time so the only other tv alternative was watching the test card!
I think just before The One O'clock Gang came on screen the test card played background music like ... 'Charlie is My Darling' and 'Wi' a Hundred Piper's an aw an aw' etc.

Michael - The One o'clock Gang Show on STV was hosted by Larry Marshall with singers Dorothy Paul, Moira Briody, Charlie Sim (sometime comedian) and Jimmy Nairn (Sim's Straight man) - I think Jimmy Nairn is father to Nick Nairn, Chef.

You're right about the music that started STV's daytime shows.

I went to see Dorothy Paul's one woman show in the Gaiety a few years back - great show!

I saw all sorts of famous comedies at an early age; I can have been no more than five when I remember watching Hancock's Half Hour, since it finished in 1961; I liked Sid the best. And I have vague memories of seeing Sergeant Bilko similarly young, though I can't possibly have followed the ingenious plots; on maturer viewing, one of my all-time favourites.

I was so taken with The Rag Trade ( Reg Varney, Miriam Karlin, Sheila Hancock etc ) that I used to go round with a tape measure round my neck, though I remember nothing else about it now. I was also a great fan of Harry Worth's bumbling mishaps, and Hugh and I with Hugh Lloyd and Terry Scott.

And then there were the American imports of the mid-sixties; The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Get Smart ( a spy spoof sending up The Man from Uncle ), and re-runs of I Love Lucy. Great days; they just don't seem to make them like that any more.

Susan

For me it would be 70s comedies spike milligans Q, monty python, love thy neighbour,it ain half hot mum, the goodies,the likely lads and of course fawlty towers.

I Love Lucy and the Honeymooners were my favourites.

Meg wrote:Michael - The One o'clock Gang Show on STV was hosted by Larry Marshall with singers Dorothy Paul, Moira Briody, Charlie Sim (sometime comedian) and Jimmy Nairn (Sim's Straight man) - I think Jimmy Nairn is father to Nick Nairn, Chef.

You're right about the music that started STV's daytime shows.

I went to see Dorothy Paul's one woman show in the Gaiety a few years back - great show!

Didn't Dorothy Paul go on to be one of the main cast in TW3 with David Frost?
JD.

JD,

I think you're thinking of Millicent Martin, a key figure in That Was The Week That Was (for the sake of the younger folk )

Dead right Lawrence.
I was right though, in that they were both women.
JD.

michaelm wrote: I think just before The One O'clock Gang came on screen the test card played background music like ... 'Charlie is My Darling' and 'Wi' a Hundred Piper's an aw an aw' etc.

“Scotlandia”, by Geraldo and his Orchestra!


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Bruce - the music brought it all back to me there - especially at the end.