Whack-O! BBC Sit Com - Frank Muir, Dennis Norden

Category: Full Cast, Humor, Radio Productions
Language: English
Keywords: BBC Full Cast Radio 4 Sit Com

Written by Frank Muir, Dennis Norden
Read by Jimmy Edwards, June Whitfield, Roy Dotrice, Roger Shepherd, Arthur Howard, full cast
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 128 Kbps
Dramatization

Whack-O!
Selected Episodes from the Classic BBC Radio Comedy
By: Frank Muir, Dennis Norden
Narrated by: Jimmy Edwards, June Whitfield, Roy Dotrice, Roger Shepherd, Arthur Howard, full cast
Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
Radio/TV Program
Release date: 18-04-2024
Language: English
Publisher: BBC Audio

Jimmy Edwards stars as the irascible Headmaster in this vintage BBC Radio comedy series set in a boys’ public school

Starting life on BBC TV, Whack-O! transferred to radio in 1961 and ran for three series on the Light Programme until 1963. Not all of the radio episodes survive, but many from Series 1 and the entirety of Series 2 were recovered by a BBC archivist from a listener’s tapes in 2012, and have since been broadcast on Radio 4 Extra.

Collected here are those rediscovered episodes, featuring scholastic scheming and academic anarchy at Chiselbury School. An old-established seat of learning for the ‘sons of gentlefolk’, Chiselbury is presided over by whack-happy Headmaster Professor James Edwards, who runs rings around his fellow masters and never misses a trick when it comes to exploiting the pupils and their parents.

In this catalogue of comic mishaps, the Professor attempts to close down a rival school; hatches a plan to win a cash prize in a popularity contest; goes up before the magistrate accused of excessive use of the cane and endeavours to impress a visiting dignitary from Moscow. And his guile is put to the test when he makes a reckless wager; comes up with a catchy publicity gimmick to attract more pupils and faces a staffing crisis when a teacher has the temerity to leave…

Co-starring June Whitfield as Matron and Roddy Maude-Roxby as Aubrey Potter, this farcical, fun-filled sitcom also features special guest appearances from Eamonn Andrews and Vera Lynn.

NB: Due to the age and nature of these recordings, the sound quality may vary.

Some episodes contain dated attitudes and language

Written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden
Adapted for radio by David Climie
Produced by Edward Taylor