navy lark series 10 booklet

8/20/2019 Navy Lark Series 10 Booklet

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THE NAVY LARK, SERIES TEN

OCTOBER 1968 – FEBRUARY 1969

EPISODES ONE TO EIGHTEEN + BONUS ITEMS

‘After an extended world-wide cruise, HMS Troutbridge returns today to Portsmouth harbour

having, we hope, purged her contempt for the many misdeeds for which she was responsible last

autumn. Perhaps wisely, she has been in ‘hiding’ hoping that others have drawn the wrath of the

Navy Board in the interval – and several have. Quote from the Daily Mail of August 22, 1968 –

Headline: ‘ The Navy Lark – or how the gunners missed the target by two miles and hit Nellie picking cockle.’ Story begins: ‘Fragments of a shell fired by the frigate R… hits Mrs N… M… as

she gathered cockles on the beach at Cape Wrath …’

‘Besides, the customary entrance of HMS Troutbridge into Portsmouth harbour can hardly

be described as ‘merging qui etly with the fleet’. You can hear the bangs i n Newton Abbott.

Nevertheless Troutbridge will do its best to survive in a hostile world for the next three months –

come what may.’

With these words in the Radio Times, producer Alastair Scott Johnston introduced the

tenth series of The Navy Lark as the accident prone crew of the senior service’s dodgiest

frigate sailed back onto the airwaves in October 1968. But exactly when the long-running

naval sitcom – now aired on BBC Radio 2, the new incarnation of the Corporation’s Light

Programme – would return had been somewhat vague at the start of the year. One of the

main issues about scheduling a further series of The Navy Lark was the availability of one of

the show’s three stars: Jon Pertwee. In July 1967, it had been announced that Jon would betravelling to the USA to take part in a Broadway version of his West End hit There’s a Girl in My

Soup that autumn; the show opened at the Shubert Theatre in late September.

Meanwhile, the third run of the spin-off series The Embassy Lark (which had been taped

from October 1967) aired on Radio 2 on Wednesday evenings for fifteen weeks from 6 March;

the seventh show featuring the guest appearance of Sub-Lt Phillips aired on 16 April. In the

meantime, at the end of March, Leslie Phillips began a pre-West End tour of the comedy The

Man Most Likely To … which he would also act as producer and director of.

Although Jon Pertwee was enjoying strong reviews for There’s a Girl in My Soup during

the spring of 1968, in mid-May he announced that he was quitting the show to return to

London. He had been offered a major role in another new production, Blandings Castle, an

adaptation of the work s of PG Wodehouse, which was to open at the Lyric on Wednesday 28

August.

The Embassy Lark concluded its run on Wednesday 11 June by which time Alistair Scott

Johnston was producing the Radio 2 entertainment round-up Galaxy . Meanwhile The Man

Most Likely To … opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on Thursday 4 July. Blandings

Castle had been on tour since the end of July and when it opened at the Lyric at the end

of August it was renamed Oh Clarence! Stephen Murray’s skills as a dramatic actor had also

been much in demand, appearing on stage in productions of The Prisoner and InadmissibleEvidence as well as editions of ABC’s prestigious Armchair Theatre.

Despite the fact that Jon Pertwee was now available (and would also be shooting the

Children’s Film Foundation item Up in the Air in the autumn), there would still be one case

of ‘man overboard’ when the series returned. This was Ronnie Barker, whose talents had

been much in demand over the previous decade and who was now receiving far more

television exposure, largely as a result of the BBC1 sketch show The Frost Report which had

been broadcast in 1966 and 1967. In the spring of 1968, he had starred in his own comedic

anthology The Ronnie Barker Playhouse for Rediffusion. For the autumn, there was a major

ITV franchise reshuffle pending. A major new station was London Weekend Television run

by a consortium that included David Frost. Frost aimed to host three live shows across the

weekend, with the third of these – Frost on Sunday – being of a comedic nature akin to The

Frost Report and again featuring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett. As such, Ronnie Barker

would not be available for the traditional Sunday evening recordings of The Navy Lark since

he would be busy on the far higher-profile LWT show. In his place, it was planned that Lawrie

Wyman himself would now feature more regularly in the series; he had made uncredited

appearances as far back as 1962, usually playing members of t he Cornish Tiddy family.

The rest of the cast were available. Richard Caldicot had spent some time reprising his role

of solicitor John Faversham in the American sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, having first played

the character in some British-based episodes in the summer of 1967. Since July, Heather

Chasen had been appearing as Caroline Kerr in the BBC1 soap opera The Newcomers, a role

which she would continue through to July 1969 (and indeed be involved with a witchcraft


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storyline in the lead-up to Halloween 1968). Michael Bates had been working on film and

television projects since Loot closed in August 1967; these included Hammerhead and a

number of TV plays. More recently, he had been working with Alastair Scott Johnston on the

Radio 2 series The Dave Allen Show which aired from Tuesday 8 October. Tenniel Evans had

been similarly in demand on television, and would indeed be joining Heather in her witchcraft

storyline in The Newcomers during October.

Since The Embassy Lark , the series’ creator and writer Lawrie Wyman had been scripting

another Radio 2 sitcom entitled So I’ll Tell You, a seven-part series which revived an earlier Light

Programme title and starred David Kossoff as private enterprise businessman Matthew Soames.

This debuted on Monday 9 September.

By the start of October, the recordings for the next thirteen programmes at the Paris Theatreon Lower Regent Street were confirmed; these would take place on Sundays from 6 October

to 22 December and then – after a Christmas break – conclude on 5 January 1969. However,

this final New Year date was subsequently cancelled and it was decided that the four th session

on 27 October would see a double recording at both 8.30pm as usual and then at 9.15pm.

No options for an extension of the run were made, and it was left to Radio 2 to schedule the

broadcasts at a later date. Concurrent with the series, Alastair was also producing Ivor Novello

musicals for Radio 4 to broadcast from November.

The first new edition of The Navy Lark picked up where the ninth series had left off as HMS

Troutbridge returned from the commission which it had been despatched on. Picking up on the

counter-culture hippy movement which had blossomed since 1967’s ‘Summer of Love’, Heather

made reference to the “flower people”. The script also included a rare appearance from the

character of quacking electrical officer Lt Bates. Presenter Michael de Morgan, who had been

a BBC radio announcer since 1959, stepped into the role of the series’ announcer, taking over

from Ronald Fletcher. In fact, the new series was rapidly scheduled by Radio 2 as a replacement for the long running

panel game Does the Team Think? (on which Leslie Phillips had appeared on Sunday 8 September)

which ended its run at the start of October. HMS Troutbridge would set sail again at its usual time

of 2pm on Sundays from 13 October running between Family Favourites and a new series of

another perennial sitcom, The Clitheroe Kid . There would also be a repeat the following evening

(again replacing Does the Team Think? ) at 8.45pm on the combined Radio 1 and Radio 2 service

which merged at this point in the evening to transmit on both long wave and medium wave.

The Radio Times promoted the new run of naval disasters with an article penned by

Alastair Scott Johnston in its edition of Thursday 10 October. This text was accompanied by

an illustration by Jack Dunkley of CPO Pertwee attempting to lasso Captain Povey, and so

draw attention to the programme billing which promised ‘A chronicle of events aboard H MS

Troutbridge’. The programme listing would also promote The Man Most Likely To … and Oh

Clarence! in the coming weeks. The opening show netted an audience of only two and a half

million – barely half what it had been at the end of the previous series. In terms of quality

it was given a Reaction Index score of 63 which was above average for radio sitcoms and

considered to be a good rating.

The second episode of the run (recorded on Sunday 13 October) saw the welcome return

of the Padre – a popular character of Michael Bates’ – and the first of several characters toreplace the roles left absent by the departure of Ronnie Barker. Since the eighth series, a

popular trio of characters had been Michael Bates’ hay-fever suffering Captain Atcheson, Jon

Pertwee’s veteran character of Lt-Commander Wetherby (who dated back t o the 1940s show

Waterlogged Spa) and Ronnie Barker’s blunt Northern Commander Hardcastle. Hardcastle was

now replaced by the near identical Captain Ormanroyd, played by Lawrie Wyman.

On Monday 14 October, there were further changes to the planned recording schedule.

The taping for the following weekend now became a double session while that for 27

October reverted to a single show at 8.30pm. The recording for Sunday 3 November was now

cancelled and so two shows would be taped the following week.

The third show saw the effective replacement for Ronnie Barker’s AB ‘Fatso’ Johnson

introduced in the form of AB Tiddy – a substitution made on various previous occasions since

the sixth series. Joining the cast as AB Simpson was Nigel Graham, a writer, presenter and

radio actor whose credits included numerous plays and serials (including the Paul Temple

adventures) and who had worked with Alastair Scott Johnston on his 1967 Sexton Blake series. This edition had Sub-Lt Phillips referring to Police 5, a crime-stopping programme

made by ATV since 1962. For the recording of the fourth show, another new character was

introduced. Commander Bell – Troutbridge’s continually unlucky captain since the fifth series

– had also been rendered unavailable due to the departure of Ronnie Barker. Bell was now

confirmed as being in Scunthorpe on compassionate leave, and his replacement sent from

Whitehall was Commander Trotter played by Alan Reeve-Jones, a former writer of musicals

and light entertainment shows. Trotter’s handicap was that he had not been to sea in years


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and suffered from terrible seasickness whenever Troutbridge actually left Portsmouth dock.

Another switch to the recordings was made when, three days before taping, the Sunday

27 October session was cancelled and the fifth show deferred to Sunday 3 November.

Around now, Tenniel Evans started work o n Big Breadwinner Hog, a controversial new crime

series made by Granada television.

The fourth show, aired on Sunday 3 November, netted a reaction index of 64 which was

considered to be ver y solid. That evening, the fifth show was taped with Nigel Graham

returning – this time as Leading Seaman Harper – and also introduced another ‘funny voice’

character from the versatile Jon Pertwee. This was Vice Admiral Buttenshaw, a very vague

senior officer who had a habit of talking to himself and mumbling when he got to vital parts

of the instructions he had to impart to his underlings.

AB Tiddy was back in Johnson mode for the sixth and seventh episodes, taped on Sunday

10, with Trotter also reappearing in the second of the two episodes. Tiddy was generally

stationed in the W/T room and Lawrie Wyman was soon developing new catchphrases such

as ‘Good art’noon’ and ‘Just as you say sir. You know about these things’. The seventh episode

was actually a semi-topical script concerning the independence of a fictional former British

colony called South Kawowa (inhabited by a fictional population akin to the Potarneylanders

presented frequently in the show’s early years but phased out at the request of BBC

Transcription Services as being unacceptable for overseas listeners). In November 1965, the

leading statesmen of Rhodesia has issued a declaration of independence which the British

government failed to recognise and led to a number of summit meetings between British

Prime Minister Harold Wilson and Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith. The latest of these

during October 1968 had been aboard HMS Fearless. In addition to Tiddy’s reference to

Harold Wilson – who famously smoked a pipe as an appeal to the image of t he ‘working man’

– there were comments on the fact that a two tier First and Second Class postage systemhad been introduced in mid-September (with 5d for a first class letter). In a cross-over

reference to The Embassy Lark , Mr Phillips indicated that – like Sir Jeremy Crighton-Buller –

he too was a devotee of television’s Bodgie the Badger.

A BBC Audience Research Report on the first episode of the new series was prepared on

Tuesday 12 November, summarising the views of 638 members of the Listening Panel. ‘For

most of the sample, HMS Troutbridge and her company were very welcome back; it was hoped

that Sub Lieutenant Phillips woul d never quite succeed in sinking her,’ stated the report, noting

that of the sample audience ‘just over half were quite jubilant ... as light-hearted, ludicrous, and

thoroughly laughable as ever; in spite of the predictability – or rather inevitably – of everything

that happened, perhaps because of it, the crew’s antics were consistently hilarious.’ One in three

of the panel ‘felt the episode was not qui te as funny as it might have been’ and there was a

feeling that the show was settling into a formula (‘but a pleasing one’ ). Other listeners who

had not enjoyed the show felt it was ‘old and tired’ but even those who did not like the script

had admired the performances o f the cast. ‘It was a pity, some remarked, that Ronnie Barker

was absent; they hoped he would put in an appearance later’ summarised the report in which

the production was generally declared to be ‘smooth, slick and fast moving’.

Yet again, the recording schedule was amended. On Wednesday 13 November, the

recording planned for Sunday 1 December was dropped and instead two programmes

would be recorded at the Paris on Sunday 8. When the sixth show aired on Sunday 17

November, the ratings increased to almost 3.5 million. By the time the ninth show was

recorded, it had become usual for Michael de Morgan to engage in banter with the regular

cast members at the start of the programme.

The tenth and eleventh shows were taped on Sunday 8 December, and the first of these

was a sequel to the seventh edition of the run. South Kawowa was now independent

and Harold Wilson – played by Alan Reeve-Jones – now featured in par liamentary scenes

which also featured reference to Barbara Castle, who had become the Secretary of State

for Employment and Productivity in April 1968. The twelfth show, recorded on Sunday 15

December, saw a guest appearance from Stephen Murray’s actress daughter Amanda in the

role of Mandy; Amanda had previously appeared in a few editions of The Navy Lark since the

show’s sixth series. The thirteenth edition, taped on Sunday 22, then saw a rare appearance

from AB Ginger, one of Michael Bates’ characters from the ear liest days of the series.

By now the series had been extended by a further five weeks. When recording resumedon Sunday 5 January 1969, Heather Chasen was suffering badly from a cold but struggled

on during the show. A double taping on Sunday 12 January opened with another topical

episode which featured not only Prime Minister Harold Wilson, but also his wife Mary (played

by Elizabeth Morgan whom Alastair Scott Johnston had worked with on the 1964 series One

Man’s Meat and more recently on Follow the Stars and The Dave Allen Show earlier that year).

As well as comments about Wilson’s trademark pipe and mackintosh, there were further

references to the Rhodesian negotiations which had taken place in the Mediterranean

aboard HMS Tiger in 1966 and also off Gibraltar on HMS Fearless a few months earlier;


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Chancellor of the Exchequer Roy Jenkins was also alluded to. WREN Chasen also made

reference to Sir John Wilder, the ruthless business tycoon anti-hero of the ATV drama series

The Power Game which had just retu rned for a third series. The second show o f the evening

– which also featured Elizabeth Morgan – saw Jon Pertwee reviving another character

from his long radio career; the dockyard policeman Constable Barker was recognisably his

West Country postman character from the 1940s sitcom Waterlogged Spa, complete with

his original catchphrase (‘What’s it matter what you do as long as you tears ‘em up’ ). During

rehearsals that day, Tenniel Evans commented on the news that Patrick Troughton was

leaving the BBC1 science-fiction series Doctor Who in June and suggested that maybe

Jon Pertwee should consider himself for the role, prompting the comedy actor to make a

tentative approach via his agent … The seventeenth episode, recorded on Sunday 19, saw another new character for Lawrie

Wyman; this was Dumbo, the character from the Intelligence arm of the Navy previously

played by Ronnie Barker. The series then concluded with taping of the eighteenth edition

on Sunday 26 January. Some time later, an Audience Research Report on this final escapade

for the Troutbridge team – broadcast on Sunday 9 February – was assembled to summarise

the comments of 665 radio p anel members. The brick smuggling incident attained a good

Reaction Index of 64 with the report noting that the programme was ‘well up to the standard

of hilarity expected from a series that had “never lost its appeal”’. ‘Once again an excellent script

with plenty of laughs’ was one comment and some felt t hat this edition was ‘one of the best

yet’ coming from a series which had ‘a new lease of life’. It was felt that the addition of the

new characters during the run had given ‘a much needed boost’. A third of the sample still

disliked the show’s ‘daft humour’ , and they offered a noticeable feeling that this was ‘one of

the less amusing episodes’ with a small group claiming that The Navy Lark was ‘showing signsof wear’. Although some listeners reported missing some familiar characters (presumably

those played by Ronnie Barker), the series was st ill generally well liked; ‘ Jon Pertwee and

Leslie Phillips make the show, but everyone is so good it i s hardly fair that anyone should take

the laurels’. By the end of the run, the series had amassed a stronger audience of almost four

million listeners.

Oh Clarence! came to a close at the start of February 1969 while The Navy Lark was

replaced on Radio 2 by re-runs of the classic 1950s sitcom Hancock’s Half Hour in tribute to

Tony Hancock who had committed suicide in June 1968. On Thursday 6 March 1969, Con

Mahoney – the Head of Light Entertainment (Sound) – wrote to the Acting Controller of

Radio 4 to say that he hoped the most recent run of The Navy Lark could perhaps have a

series of delayed repeats at 12.27pm on Sundays. Later in the month, HMS Troubridge – the

sister ship and inspiration of the sitcom’s much beloved vessel – arrived in London for a

farewell three day visit prior to heading for the breaker’s yard at Chatham. Launched in

September 1942, the vessel had been home to a crew who had become good friends with

the cast and production team of The Navy Lark over the last decade, and the show’s stars

were invited to attend the farewell party between Monday 24 and Wednesday 26 March.

Ronnie Barker, Jon Pertwee and Leslie Phillips (who had just started work on the comedy film

Some Will, Some Won’t ) donned naval costumes for a final lark around the twin four inch gunsof HMS Troubridge at London’s Tower Pier on Wednesday 26.

Charles Maxwell, the Chief Producer (Light Entertainment) at Radio 4, confirmed on Friday

11 April that the channel would take nine repeats from the recent series on Saturdays at

1.15pm from 5 July to 30 August. In May, Jon Pertwee opened in a tour of My Dear Gilbert ,

and soon entered another major phase of his career when – at the end of the month – he

was contracted to take over as the star of Doctor Who. He also joined up with Leslie Phillips

on Sunday 25 May to form a Navy Lark team on a new BBC1 quiz show Give Me Your Word ;

this ‘game of words and wit’ was hosted by J ohn Junkin and the duo’s opponents were

George Cole and Muriel Pavlow from the long-running radio sitcom A Life of Bliss .

The first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, eleventh, sixteenth, thirteenth and eighth episodes of

the tenth series of The Navy Lark were selected for the Saturday lunchtime repeats on Radio

4 through to the end of August. During this period, Give Me Your Word was screened on BBC1

at 6.20pm on Wednesday 23 July, Tenniel Evans took part in a p ilot for a new BBC1 seriescalled Special Project Air … and another new radio Lark hit the airwaves in the form of The Big

Business Lark: ‘A chronicle of life i n and around the higher echelons of British United Plastics Ltd.’

Programme notes, episode synopses and cast

biographies researched and written by Andrew Pixley

The Navy Lark Appreciation Society can be contacted at:

The Navy Lark Appreciation Society, Honeysuckle Cottages,

Little Street, Yoxford, Suffolk IP17 3JQ

Web address: www.navylark.org.uk


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EPISODE THREE: The Smugglers ReturnBroadcast 27 October 1968 (recorded 20 October 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman, Nigel Graham

Returning to port from France, Troutbridge collides with a customs officer and has to take him on

board. This means that all the contraband being carried by the crew has to be quickly disposed of

… which in turn leads AB Simpson to realise that Portsmouth harbour mouth must be crammed

with dumped smuggle …

EPISODE FOUR: Commander Trotter Takes ChargeBroadcast 3 November 1968 (recorded 20 October 1968)

With Alan Reeve-Jones

Commander Bell has not been seen for some time, and although Pertwee believes he has been

kidnapped by spies, Murray explains that he is in Scunthorpe on compassionate leave. Whitehall

assigns HMS Troutbridge a new captain, Commander Trotter … who is afraid of going to sea!

EPISODE FIVE: The Anti-Submarine MissileBroadcast 10 November 1968 (recorded 3 November 1968)

With Nigel Graham

Povey is looking forward to his holiday in Broadstairs when the Admiral cancels his leave because

of a top secret mission from Whitehall. HMS Troutbridge is to be fitted with an anti-submarine mis-

sile launcher which is to be supervised on sea trials by Leading Seaman Harper, who tells the crew

not to touch the weapon …

EPISODE SIX: Sub-Conductor PhillipsBroadcast 17 November 1968 (recorded 10 November 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman, Nigel Graham

Povey orders Sub-Lt Phillips to get a new uniform because his current one is falling apart – but

Leslie’s piggy bank is empty. Luckily Pertwee is able to suggest that Leslie visits Uncle Ebenezer’s

War Surplus Emporium … where a bus conductor’s uniform has been suitably altered.

THE NAVY LARK

SERIES TEN

OCTOBER 1968 – FEBRUARY 1969Episodes written by Lawrie Wyman

Incidental music for the series was by Tommy Reilly and James Moody

Announcer: Michael de Morgan

Produced by Alastair Scott Johnston

Regular cast unless indicated: Stephen Murray, Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee with Richard

Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans and Michael Bates.

Note: none of the episodes were originally given titles. The ones here have been adopted foreasy reference and are in line with previous commercial releases.

Due to the age and, in some cases, the off- air source of these recordings, the sound quality may at times vary.

EPISODE ONE: Troutbridge Electrifies PortsmouthBroadcast 13 October 1968 (recorded 6 October 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman

Captain Povey has been delighted that HMS Troutbridge has been away for months, but now that

she is returning he receives a deputation from the dockyard electricians who are concerned about

having to work on the vessel … and a more destructive than usual return to port by Mr Phillips

results in a refusal to connect the unfortunate frigate to its power supply …

EPISODE TWO: The Redundancy DriveBroadcast 20 October 1968 (recorded 13 October 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman

The Ministry of Defence announces a cut-back on seafaring personnel and since Lt Murray is

over the age limit, Povey sees this as his chance to get rid of him and his crew. Pertwee – who

has already got Murray’s possessions packed – suddenly realises the implications, and Murray

goes to appeal before the board headed by the Admiral.

E P I S O D E

S Y

N O P S E S


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EPISODE SEVEN: The South Kawowan SummitBroadcast 24 November 1968 (recorded 10 November 1968)

With Alan Reeve-Jones, Lawrie Wyman

The independence of South Kawowan is debated in parliament, resulting in Sir Willoughby Tod-

hunter Brown of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office being sent out to talk to Kawowan Prime

Minister Mr Golfball aboard the aircraft carried HMS Vulture. And the only frigate available for this

mission is HMS Troutbridge …

EPISODE EIGHT: Pertwee’s Enlistment ExpiresBroadcast 1 December 1968 (recorded 17 November 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman

Pertwee is deeply suspicious when summoned to Captain Povey’s office early in the morning; he

has forgotten to re-enlist in the senior service and so will be leaving for Civvy Street on Monday. It

seems that the only way to avoid the unwanted discharge would require him to have his release

refused in the interests of security …

EPISODE NINE: Captain Povey Takes OverBroadcast 8 December 1968 (recorded 24 November 1968)


The Admiral and Flags visit Captain Povey and tell him that he will be going to sea again in com-

mand of a frigate in a NATO exercise. And that frigate will be HMS Troutbridge. Pertwee wants to

get off the vessel if Povey is on the bridge – as wise move as the Captain has no idea of how to

command a vessel!

EPISODE TEN: Sir Willoughby Goes To KawowaBroadcast 15 December 1968 (recorded 8 December 1968)


Povey and WREN Chasen are summoned to see the Admiral and discover that HMS Troutbridge is

to take Sir Willoughby out to Kawowa where he will become the next British governor of the South

Sea island. However, Pertwee believes they are bound for the Antarctic …

EPISODE ELEVEN: The Padre’s Birthday Broadcast 22 December 1968 (recorded 8 December 1968)

Lt Murray calls a ward room meeting about an impending anniversary: next Thursday is the Pa-

dre’s birthday. And nobody knows what to get him as a present. Captain Povey suggests getting

the ship’s spiritual adviser a new pipe … just the first in a series of gifts the Padre already has or

does not need.

EPISODE TWELVE: The Portsmouth KioskBroadcast 29 December 1968 (recorded 15 December 1968)

With Amanda Murray

Lt Murray is amazed when Sub-Lt Phillips – a non-smoker – starts carrying all manner of differ-

ent brands of cigarettes, plus chocolates and sweets. And he needs to sell them quickly to raise

money so that he can again visit the tobacconist’s kiosk where a new girl is working …

EPISODE THIRTEEN: The Radio BeaconBroadcast 5 January 1969 (recorded 22 December 1968)

With Lawrie Wyman

Povey receives a complaint from Mr Bellchamber of the Gosport and Havant Lawn Tennis Club;

once more his nets have been stolen for the purposes of fishing. And when Uncle Ebenezer’s

trawler snags an unexploded mine in his stolen nets, it is up to HMS Troutbridge to assist …

EPISODE FOURTEEN: Mr Phillips’ Wrong UniformBroadcast 12 January 1969 (recorded 5 January 1969)

With Lawrie Wyman

HMS Troutbridge returns to port but has to be diverted to a different dock, and the change of

“parking space” results in Mr Phillips falling in the drink. With his current uniform soaked and his

other at the dry cleaners, the race is on to get the hapless navigation officer presentable for the

Admirals’ inspection …


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BIOGRAPHIES

Lawrie WymanRather than serve in the Royal Navy, Lawrie Wyman was actually a lance-corporal

in the Army. After the war, he started writing comedy for radio and television with

shows like Happy Go Lucky and The Lighter Side. Teaming up with Len Fincham, he

wrote for Morecambe and Wise, and Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warriss. Concurrent with

The Navy Lark he wrote So I’ll Tell You and The Motor Way, and he transferred The Navy

Lark to TV as HMS Paradise. On radio he also wrote The Embassy Lark, The Big Business

Lark and Just the Job, the latter with his new co-writer, George Evans, with whom he

collaborated on scripts for Bless This House, Love Thy Neighbour and Carry On Dick.

Stephen Murray Stephen Murray was born in Lincolnshire in September 1912, and he made

his professional acting debut in Much Ado About Nothing in Stratford in

1933. After working at Birmingham Rep, Westminster Theatre and at

the Old Vic, Stephen was commissioned as an Army officer during the

war. After 1945, Murray returned to the theatre and focused initially on

directing, touring Europe with his controversial interpretation of King

Lear . On stage, Stephen appeared in On the Rocks, School for Scandal and

Six Characters in Search of an Author , although his favourite performance wasas George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in Edinburgh in 1965. On television,

he starred in plays such as Thunder Rock and Marriage Lines. Stephen died in April

1983 at the age of 70.

Jon Pertwee The son of playwright Roland Pertwee, Jon was born John Devon R oland

Pertwee in Chelsea in July 1919. A keen performer, he trained at RADA in

the 1930s and was soon in demand on stage for his versatile character

work. After wartime Naval service, Jon entered radio by accident where

his vocal talents made him a star in The Waterlogged Spa and

Up the Pole amongst others. His film career included movies like

Murder at the Windmill, Will Any Gentleman? and several of the Carry

On... films while on television he was best known as the third Doctor

Who, scarecrow Worzel Gummidge and as the host of Whodunnit?

A showman all his life, Jon died in New York in May 1996.

Leslie PhillipsDespite his famous well-bred ladies’ man persona, Leslie Phillips was born

in the working class environs of Tottenham in April 1924. A child actor at

the Italia Conti School, he made his debut in Peter Pan at the Palladium.

Picking up his cultured tones from officers in the Durham Light Infantry,

Leslie appeared in comedy movies including The Smallest Show on Earth,

early Carry On films and taking over the Doctor series. On television,

he starred in Our Man at St Marks and Casanova ‘73 while his film work

includes Out of Africa and Empire of the Sun. Awarded an OBE in 1998, he

recently achieved acclaim with his one-man show On the Whole Life’s BeenPretty Good.


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Richard CaldicotBorn October 1908 in London, Richard Caldicot enjoyed a long acting career,

often playing irritable authority figures. In demand in both comic and

serious roles, his movies included The Million Pound Note, Room at the Top

and The VIPs, while on television he was seen in If the Crown Fits, Moody in

..., Steptoe and Son, Pet Pals, The Beverly Hillbillies, Vanity Fair, Coronation

Street, Fawlty Towers, Minder, Bergerac, Lord Peter Wimsey and Casualty. He

was the only cast member of The Navy Lark to appear in the short-lived

television version, HMS Paradise, and on radio he also featured in The

Motorway Men. Working to the end of his life, Richard died in October 1995.

Heather ChasenBorn July 1927 in Singapore, Heather Chasen and her mother escaped on

the last ship to leave before the Japanese occupation. Training at

RADA, she did a lot of stage work including a tour with Frankie

Howerd in Hotel Paradiso, appearing with Dame Sybil Thorndyke in

Call Me Jackie and receiving a Tony nomination as the New York lead

of A Severed He ad . On television she appeared as Caroline Kerr in The

Newcomers and as Valerie Pollard in Crossroads. On stage, she has

enjoyed seasons at Chichester, done open-air Shakespeare at Regent’s

Park and appeared in The Mountain Women at the Royal Court.

Michael BatesBorn in December 1920 in Jhansi in what was British India, Michael Bates was

versed in many languages and dialects which made him much in demand

as a character actor. Entering films in the 1940s he appeared in I’m All Right

Jack, Bedazzled, Oh! What a Lovely War, A Clockwork Orangeand No Sex Please

– We’re British amongst others. On television, his first starring sitcom was

Turnbull’s Finest Half-Hour, followed rapidly by the role of Cyril Blamire in Last

of the Summer Wine. Diagnosed with cancer in 1975, Michael continued to

work, appearing as Rangi Ran in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum through to his death in

January 1978.

Tenniel EvansBorn in May 1926 in Nairobi, Welshman Tenniel Evans spent his

childhood in Kenya before settling in England. His great uncle was the

illustrator Sir John Tenniel and his great-great aunt was Marian Evans

(George Eliot). On television, he appeared in series such as The Plane

Makers, Budgie, War and Peace, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Yes

Minister, The Citadel, Inspector Morse, Casualty and Heartbeat, as well as

featuring regularly in Shine on Harvey Moon, The Two of Us and One by

One. Tenniel also performed on stage across England in ever ything from

Shakespeare to modern drama. Before his death in June 2009, Tenniel spent

his later years as a clergyman, writing an autobiography about his childhoodcalled Don’t Walk in the Long Grass.


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THE EMBASSY LARK, SERIES THREE

MARCH – JUNE 1968

EPISODES ONE TO FIFTEEN

‘I am glad to report that our Ambassador to the Kingdom of Tratvia, Sir Jeremy Crighton-

Buller, and his First Secretary, Mr Pettigrew, are still holding their own in their battle to survive

to pensionable age in the Diplomatic Service. But it’s not easy. The British Foreign Office

expects the earth and will pay nothing for it. King Hildebrande of Tratvia expects the earth andwill do nothing unless he gets it.

‘Our Embassy staff are left, therefore, with little but their native wit and a well-developed

flair for improvisation with which to climb out of the muck. But they do it, again and again –

fifteen times to be precise in the next few months.’

Producer Alastair Scott Johnston heralded the return of The Embassy Lark on its new

home of Radio 2 in the pages of the Radio Times alongside a publicity photograph of

Derek Francis as HE Sir Jeremy Crighton-Buller KCMG British Ambassador to Tratvia, Frank

Thornton as his first secretary Henry Pettigrew and Charlotte Mitchell as Lady Daphne

Crighton-Buller – and image taken as part of a publicity session when the series, now in its

third year, had launched in 1966.

The consent for a third series of The Embassy Lark comprising fifteen shows had been

given by Denis Morris, the head of BBC’s Light Programme, in January 1967, as the second

series (which completed taping in December 1966) was starting transmission, and some

months prior to the Light Programme being rechristened Radio 2.

The cast and characters for the third series remained fundamentally the same as for

the first two: Derek Francis was still blustering as the unlucky Sir Jeremy Crighton-Buller,

Frank Thornton aided him as the quick-thinking and girl-fancying first secretary Henry

‘Sexpot’ Pettigrew, Francis de Wolff continued to batter the British Embassy as the sly King

Hildebrande III (‘Gasometer Guts’), Charlotte Mitchell played the dizzy and oblivious Lady

Daphne Crighton-Buller plus the aged switchboard operator Martha, and Michael Spice

took on the roles of embassy aide Mr Harold Simpkins and the neighbouring Russian

Ambassador Ivanoff. But two cast members were not returning: Anthony Sagar (whose

agent failed to negotiate a suitable fee with the BBC) and David Valla (who had joined the

cast of the Light Programme soap The Dales as Barrie Hancock). In their place came Peter

Stephens, an actor with a varied television and radio career. Mr Edward Pomeroy (played

by Anthony Sagar), who had arrived in the second series as the efficient controller of the

Ambassadorial Household straight from 10 Downing Street, was now replaced by Mr

Proudfoot – complete with affected speech patterns – whose previous posting had been

11 Downing Street. Charlotte’s character of Olga, the Palace Secretary with the fractured

English, had proved popular during the second series and so frequently returned in the

new diplomatic incidents.On Wednesday 9 August 1967, it was planned to record a new series of fifteen editions

of The Embassy Lark at the Paris Studios on Lower Regent Street on Sundays from 1

October through to 14 January 1968, apart from Christmas Eve. Rehearsals would take

place from 5pm with the recordings themselves performed before the audience from

8.30pm to 9.15pm. Meanwhile, seven editions of the second series formed a run of

‘delayed repeats’ on the BBC Light Programme appearing at 9pm on Sunday nights from

13 August to 24 September.

Recordings at the Paris commenced on Sunday 1 October and saw Michael de Morgan

taking over from Ronald Fletcher as the show’s announcer for this new run. The first episode

was structured around the arrival of the new ambassadorial household controller Mr

Proudfoot, the regular role taken by Peter Stephens. The fourth recording – on Sunday 22

October – saw the introduction of the new Chinese Ambassador Foo Choo Too (replacing

David Valla’s Wong Hi Wong), and also writer Lawrie Wyman joined the cast to play the smallrole of an electrician and would play other minor characters in the coming weeks.

On Monday 23 Octob er, the remaining recordings were rescheduled to some extent.

The tapings due on Sunday 12 November, Sunday 26 November and Sunday 17 December

were cancelled; instead, an extra recording from 9.15pm to10pm would be scheduled for

the tapings on Sunday 3 and 10 December, with the third cancelled session to be placed

at a later date in the New Year.


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22 23

After a week’s break, when The Embassy Lark resumed recording for its seventh edition

on Sunday 19 November, it was without the imposing presence of Francis de Wolff, but

with a guest appearance from Leslie Phillips in his Navy Lark alter-ego of Sub-Lieutenant

Phillips, a ‘distressed British national’ who needed help and assistance from the British

Embassy following his accidental arrival in Tratvia. The eighth show – taped on Sunday

3 December – was again based around the luckless Sir Jeremy’s membership of the

GNITs – the Grand Nobles of I mperial Tratvia – with all the expense and inconvenience

that this generally incurred. The second of the two shows taped on Sunday 10 December

presented a different format to the usual ambassadorial mishaps and adopted a format

recently employed on The Navy Lark ; this saw Mr Pettigrew explaining to Simpkins how he

had ended up at the embassy in Tratvia and saw Derek Francis playing not Sir Jeremy butother senior figures caught up in the first secretary’s various misdemeanours.

The final recording session scheduled for Sunday 14 January 1968 was turned into a

double session on Wednesday 3 January; the first of the two shows in this last session saw

Francis de Wolff reprising the role of the doc tor which he had played in the earlier series.

All edited ready for transmission, the new episodes were finally scheduled for broadcast

on Wednesday 24 January; The Embassy Lark would run at 8.45pm on the combined

station of Radios 1 and 2 on Tuesdays from 5 March. On Monday 19 February it was

confirmed that the shows would air in their original recording order.

The Embassy Lark was scheduled as a replacement for Does the Team Think? The show’s

return at 8.45pm on Tuesday 5 March was promoted in the Radio Times with a short

report on events in Tratvia from Alastair Scott Johnston. While this opening edition was

promoted with a photo of the British contingent from the 1966 session, a similar shot of

King Hildebrande III emphasised the programme billing of the second show. The thirdedition was carried only on Radio 2 since Radio 1 was carrying coverage of boxing from

8.45pm onwards on Thursday 19 March.

An Audience Research Report for the debut episode was available on Tuesday 2 April,

summarising the comments of 260 members of the BBC’s Listening Panel. The show had

attained a reaction index of 54, which was unexceptional, while the audience size had

been estimated at around half a million, approximately one percent of the population.

‘Although the script of this programme … appealed very much to just under half the sample,

there was a strong feeling amongst the remainder that this was not as good as the previous

series. Indeed, a quarter of the sample considered it very silly, not at all funny, some describing

it as ‘utter rubbish’, ‘very poor ’ or ‘corny’’ noted the report, with the verdict that the show was

felt to be ‘nowhere near as funny as The Navy Lark’ . ‘A few indicated that the Ambassador

used too many ‘blasts’ for their liking’ reported the report compiler and that the cast

‘had done their best with poor material’ . Of the performances, the view appeared to be

that ‘Derek Francis over-acted in places’ , that the dropped and added aitches from Peter

Stephens’ new character of Mr Proudfoot ‘seemed a bit too extreme’ and that Charlotte

Mitchell’s characters ‘all sounded the same’ . There were other negative comments that the

script was slow and the sound effects overdone. However, there was also a sector of the

audience that very much enjoyed The Embassy Lark . Of the newly arrived Mr Proudfoot,one listener noted: ‘I am sure he will be as much an asset to the show as Pomeroy’ . The guest

character of Queen Augusta, King Hildebrande’s grandmother who arrived from Portugal,

was highlighted and ‘would seem to offer many possibilities’ . There was also praise for

Charlotte Mitchell (‘there can surely be no one l ike Charlotte Mitchell as the delightfully vague

Lady Daphne’ ), Proudfoot and Pettigrew. The report concluded by noting: ‘However, in

spite of the views of these listeners, the fact remains that many of the sample were somewhat

disappointed in this edition of The Embassy Lark.’

The reaction index scores improved as the series continued with 62 for the fourth show

and then 61 for the seventh. The eighth edition was partly promoted in the Radio Times

by a small feature which promoted Radio 2 comedy such as I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again,

Round the Horne and The Men from the Ministry and also included a cartoon of the four

main characters from The Embassy Lark . However, by the ninth edition, the reaction index

had fallen again down to 59.Radios 1 and 2 visited t he British Embassy in Tratvia for the final time when the

ambassadorial household experienced the freezing Tratvian winter on Tuesday 10 June

1968; taking the place of The Embassy Lark the following week was the new series It’s

Mike and Bernie with the Winters brothers. While The Navy Lark enjoyed numerous repeats

as a fondly remembered radio c lassic in the decades since its original transmission, The

Embassy Lark was not so lucky. The series remained off British airwaves for almost 40

years, and next reappeared on the digital channel BBC7; launched in December 2002, a


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major part of BBC7’s schedule comprised archival drama and comedy, and many episodes

of The Navy Lark had featured since its inception. Very few editions of The Embassy Lark

had been retained by the BBC, but a short run of three editions - The Spy (from the first

series), Students’ Exchange (from the second series) and Up the Pole (from the third series)

– appeared on Fridays from 31 March to 13 April 2006, with repeats in June/July 2007

and September 2008. A 1968 edition of the show was also included in an edition of 2’s

Comedy hosted by Ken Dodd and first broadcast on Saturday 29 September 2007, while

similarly another edition appeared in Barry Cryer’s collection of Comedy Greats: The Sixties

on Saturday 27 June 2009 by which time the station had been rebranded BBC Radio 7.

With another change of name to BBC Radio 4 extra, starting on Friday 28 May 2010 there

was a longer run of episodes of suitable broadcast quality, comprising Security , NationalGrumpshnog Week , A Trip to London, The Spy and The Party from the first series, Student’s

Exchange from the second series and then Mr Pettigrew’s Life Story, Up the Pole and Sir

Jeremy Goes on Holiday from the final run.

Conscious that, with Jon Pertwee on stage in the USA, The Navy Lark might have

reached its conclusion, Alastair Scott J ohnston had attempted to visit Tratvia for a fourth

run of The Embassy Lark in late 1968. On Monday 30 December, he had contacted the

Head of Light Entertainment (Radio) and asked if a new series could be commissioned for

the Sunday 2.30pm slot on Radio 2 from July. He then followed this up on Thursday 13

March 1969 to ask Douglas Muggeridge – the newly appointed Controller of Radios 1 and

2 – if he could review three editions of the third series – referred to as ‘Devaluation’, ‘The

Flagpole’ and ‘Archery’ – in the hope that his series would be renewed. However, Douglas

Muggeridge’s reaction was that while his stations wouldn’t be returning to Tratvia, there

was room in the schedules for a new series of Larks with a similar cast and vein of humour. The wheels were set in motion so that, by June 1969, recording could commence on a new

series from the successful partnership of Lawrie Wyman and Alastair Scott Johnston …

THE EMBASSY LARK

SERIES THREE

MARCH – JUNE 1968Episodes written by Lawrie Wyman

Produced by Alastair Scott Johnston

Starring: Derek Francis (HE Sir Jeremy Crighton-Buller KCMG British Ambassador to Tratvia),Frank Thornton (Henry Pettigrew, First Secretary, British Embassy)

Announcer: Michael de Morgan

Note: none of the episodes were originally given titles. The ones here have been adopted foreasy reference.

EPISODE ONE: The King’s HostessBroadcast 5 March 1968 (recorded 1 October 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/

Olga/Queen Augusta), Peter Stephens (Mr Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins).

Sir Jeremy is unhappy to discover that all the furniture in his office has been moved around

and understands that this is the part of “a bit of a change” initiated by a new arrival at the

British Embassy in Tratvia: Mr Proudfoot, the new controller of the ambassadorial house-

hold. And at the same time as Proudfoot arrives, King Hildebrande asks Lady Daphne to

become a hostess at a special reception.

EPISODE TWO: A Question of ConvenienceBroadcast 12 March 1968 (recorded 8 October 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/Olga/

Helga), Peter Stephens (Mr Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Ivanoff/Tratvia Borough Surveyor [Old Man]).

Nursing a hang-over induced by attending too many official but unwanted parties, Sir

Jeremy is less than happy when pneumatic drills start a new project from the Tratvian Bor-

ough Surveyor’s office … and even more unhappy when the name on the building under

construction translates as ‘Gentlemen’ …

E P I S O D E

S Y N O P S E S


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EPISODE THREE: Sir Jeremy Goes on Holiday Broadcast 19 March 1968 (recorded 15 October 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (Lord Frogmore/King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Martha/Lady Daphne

Crighton-Buller), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Hawkins/Policeman).

Pettigrew and Simpkins are agreed that Percy Shuttlethwaite – the chargé d’affaires deputis-

ing for Sir Jeremy while he holidays with his in-laws – will have to go. King Hildebrande is also

strangely keen to have the British ambassador back. Meanwhile, Sir Jeremy is desperate to escape

from the endless topiary forced on him at Lord Frogmore’s estate …

EPISODE FOUR: Up the PoleBroadcast 26 March 1968 (recorded 22 October 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (Milkman/King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Martha/Olga/Lady Daphne

Crighton-Buller), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot/Foo Choo Too), M ichael Spice (Ivanoff/Grimshaw/Simp-

kins), Lawrie Wyman (Electrician).

A new ambassadorial directive means that British representatives must raise and lower the Union

Jack at their embassy every dawn and dusk … but when Sir Jeremy has an accident with the

Tratvian flag pole and a replacement cannot be obtained via official channels, the diplomats are

forced to source timber locally, and timber is the royal preserve of King Hildebrande …

EPISODE FIVE: The LeakBroadcast 2 April 1968 (recorded 29 October 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Olga/Martha/Lady Daphne Crighton-Bull-

er), Peter Stephens (Foo Choo Too/Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Ivanoff/Simpkins), Lawrie Wyman (Man).

The contents of every buff envelope of directives to ambassadors seem to be known to King

Hildebrande even before they reach Sir Jeremy – even when it related to meaningless orders

about alighting from cars. With another ‘social nosh up’ looming for the hard-up embassy, the

ambassador tries to find the Tratvian bugging devices in his abode …

EPISODE SIX: The China FiguresBroadcast 9 April 1968 (recorded 5 November 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Olga/Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/Mar-

tha), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot/Minister), Michael Spice (Simpkins).

When a visiting minister returns to England and forgets to present King Hildebrande with a gift of

a shepherdess ignoring a goat herd crafted in china, it is up to Sir Jeremy and Pettigrew to deliver

the present. Unfortunately before they can see the ruler, the delicate gift suffers a little accident

and rapid repairs are necessary …

EPISODE SEVEN: Sub Lt Phillips Drops InBroadcast 16 April 1968 (recorded 19 November 1967)

With Leslie Phillips (Sub Lt Phillips), Charlotte Mitchell (Olga/Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller), Peter

Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Fosdyke).

Pettigrew is looking forward to Sir Jeremy leaving the embassy for a golfing weekend with King

Hildebrande, but none of the British ambassadorial staff have bargained in the arrival of a ‘Dis-

tressed British National’ who has ended up in Tratvia while his luggage, money and passport have

flown to Majorca: Sub-Lieutenant Leslie Phillips.

EPISODE EIGHT: The GNIT RegaliaBroadcast 23 April 1968 (recorded 3 December 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/Martha),

Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Ivanoff).

The Grand Nobles of Imperial Tratvia request the presence of Sir Jeremy at the annual donation

ceremony the following week ... and the penalty for non-attendance in full regalia is an ever

increasing donation fee! And when Sir Jeremy is too big to get into his GNIT attire, drastic action

is needed to make him fit …


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EPISODE NINE: The PicnicBroadcast 30 April 1968 (recorded 3 December 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/Martha),

Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins).

Lady Daphne, Sir Jeremy and Pettigrew head out into the royal parks for a picnic, and King Hilde-

brande sees his chance with Senior Diplomat Harold Montgomery Simpkins left in charge back at

the British embassy. The next thing Sir Jeremy knows, paperwork has been signed to provide the

Tratvian monarch with a new Rolls Royce …

EPISODE TEN: The Embassy Party Broadcast 7 May 1968 (recorded 10 December 1967)With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Olga/Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller/Mar-

tha), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Fosdyke).

Simpkins comes to Sir Jeremy for an advance on his wages. As does Lady Daphne for her house-

keeping. And Proudfoot. But the petty cash has already been spent by Sir Jeremy because the

Tratvian cost of living is continually increasing. And when King Hildebrande wants another party

to be held, it is not a good time to discuss devaluation …

EPISODE ELEVEN: Mr Pettigrew’s Life Story Broadcast 14 May 1968 (recorded 10 December 1967)

With Derek Francis (The Professor/Chief at the Foreign Office), Francis de Wolff (Father/Army Sergeant/

Doctor/King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (All the Ladies: Girl/Mrs X/WRA COC), Peter Stephens

(Pierre/Capt Farquharson … and the Common Market), Michael Spice (Simpkins).

Pettigrew recounts to Simpkins exactly how his talents – mainly his incompetence and unfor-

tunate choice of girlfriends – has led him on a convoluted from school through a number of

universities, his father’s firm in the City, a spell as an army cadet, and then through the Foreign

Office to the Tratvian Embassy.

EPISODE TWELVE: The Temporary British Embassy Broadcast 21 May 1968 (recorded 31 December 1967)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande/Builder), Charlotte Mitchell (Martha/Olga), Peter Stephens

(Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Ivanoff).

Sir Jeremy’s desire to proudly display his ‘skin diving’ certificate (swimming a width underwater)

in the same manner as his fellow ambassadors’ accomplishments results in the destruction of the

weak plaster wall which separates his office from that of neighbouring Russian Ambassador, and the

builder called in to effect repairs insists that the British contingent move out while he is at work …

EPISODE THIRTEEN: An Every Day Story Broadcast 28 May 1968 (recorded 7 January 1968)With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande/Postman), Charlotte Mitchell (Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller /

Olga), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Ivanoff/Mellors).

Sir Jeremy is disappointed to learn that his application to join the Tratvian Automobile Associa-

tion has actually resulted in membership to the Tratvian Archery Association by mistake. And

since King Hildebrande has just become the head of the TAA and nominated him to join their

ranks, the ambassador has little option but to take up the bow and arrow provided …

EPISODE FOURTEEN: The Day OffBroadcast 4 June 1968 (recorded 14 January 1968)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande/Doctor/Jacques), Charlotte Mitchell (Martha), Peter Stephens

(Proudfoot/Foo Choo Too), Michael Spice (Simpkins/Ivanoff).

Sir Jeremy misjudges how to deal with the embassy staff’s sloppiness in his dialogues with Mr

Proudfoot, resulting in a work to rule with his employees taking back-dated sick leave. And with

the palace staff down with Tratvian flu, King Hildebrande is looking for some luckless embassy to

stage his next big party …


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EPISODE FIFTEEN: The FreezeBroadcast 11 June 1968 (recorded 14 January 1968)

With Francis de Wolff (King Hildebrande), Charlotte Mitchell (Martha/ Lady Daphne Crighton-Buller /

Olga), Peter Stephens (Proudfoot), Michael Spice (Simpkins).

An icy blast hits Tratvia, and Sir Jeremy uses the last of the hot water as the embassy plumbing

freezes solid. But getting a plumber to resolve the problem is no easy matter, especially when

King Hildebrande has 52 bathrooms of his own …


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