Audiobooks Narrated by Ted Ray

The Betty Witherspoon Show: Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The complete series of the vintage BBC Radio variety show Radio legends Kenneth Williams (Beyond Our Ken, Hancock’s Half Hour) and Ted Ray (Ray’s a Laugh) join forces for this quickfire mix of characters, songs and sketches, first broadcast on Radio 2 in 1974. Accompanied by Quote… Unquote’s Nigel Rees and veteran actress/comedian Miriam Margolyes, they cross their comedy swords and trade playful repartee. In these ten episodes, recorded in front of a live audience at the Paris Theatre, Ted Ray demonstrates his virtuosity on the violin; documentary feature ‘Witherspoon’s World’ explores topics including medicine, the arts, Europe and the younger generation; and Inspector Spewles of Scotland Yard’s Intelligence Unit gets flirty, sweetie, with a public information bulletin that’s full of honeyed words. Plus, the ‘Theatre of the Air’ troupe make merry at the court of Henry VIII, take a rollicking trip through Rasputin’s Russia and give us their comic take on classic literature: from A Tale of Two Cities to Wuthering Heights, Anthony and Cleopatra and Romeo and Juliet. There’s also a host of groan-inducing gags and humorous tunes, including ‘The Type of Horrible Cockney Song that Killed the Music Hall’ and ‘Why Don’t They Write Songs About Runcorn?’ None of the shows were kept by the BBC archive, but thanks to the ‘Treasure Hunt’ campaign, they were all recovered, and are collected here for you to enjoy once more. Happy days! NB: Contains dated humour and language that reflect the era in which these programmes were recorded, which some listeners may find offensive. Due to the age and off-air nature of the recordings, the quality may vary. Production credits Starring Ted Ray and Kenneth Williams With Miriam Margolyes and Nigel Rees Written by Michael Wale and Joe Steeples With additional material by Derek Farmer, Ray Lowrie, Fred Metcalfe, David Renwick, Keith Williams, Chris Miller, Peter Spence, Chris Allen, David McKellar, Tom Magee Englefield, David Nobbs and Peter Vincent Music by Neil Innes Produced by Simon Brett First broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 20 April-22 June 1974 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Joe Steeples, Michael Wale (Author), Kenneth Williams, Miriam Margolyes, Nigel Rees, Ted Ray (Narrator)

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Calling All Forces: The vintage BBC variety show

A bumper collection of classic selected episodes and extracts from vintage variety show Calling All Forces Broadcasting on the BBC Light Programme from December 1950 until July 1952, 'Calling All Forces' was the biggest show of its day, attracting the biggest names of the time. Written by a young Bob Monkhouse and Denis Goodwin, it became a showcase for aspiring young comedians including Peter Sellers, Tony Hancock, Jimmy Edwards, Cyril Fletcher, Benny Hill, Kenneth Horne, Bill Kerr and Bob Monkhouse himself. Brilliantly hosted by comedian Ted Ray, the show features a mix of stand up comedy, music and sketches guest-starring well-known TV and film actors of the day. Peter Sellers tries out some early Goons characters, Tony Hancock steps in to co-host with Charlie Chester in the days before Hancock's Half Hour, and Bob Monkhouse steps on stage to perform some of his own material at the age of just 23. Sit back and enjoy musical hits from The Stargazers, songs performed by the 'Forces Sweetheart' Carole Carr, and amazing feats of recollection from 'The Memory Man' Leslie Welch as he answers sports questions sent in by British Forces stationed overseas. This rare collection offers a slice of post-war history, a window into pop culture in the British military forces of the time, and a fascinating look back at the early careers of our comedy greats. This uproarious compilation also includes two bonus episodes of Fletcher's Fare, plus two episodes of The Forces Show - the successor to Calling All Forces, also written by Bob Monkhouse and Denis Goodwin. Written by Bob Monkhouse and Denis Goodwin Linking material written by Martin Gibbons and read by Roy McMillan With thanks to the Estate of Bob Monkhouse, to the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society, and to Kaleidoscope for providing these audio recordings. Please note: due to the age of these recordings, the sound quality may vary. The humour in this programme reflects the era in which it was broadcast and may not reflect current attitudes. © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bob Monkhouse, Denis Goodwin (Author), Bob Monkhouse, Cyril Fletcher, Full Cast, Kenneth Horne, Leslie Welch, Peter Sellers, Ted Ray, Tony Hancock (Narrator)

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