Spike Milligan interviewed by Russel Harty 1974

[45soulvinyl]

An absolute genius was our Spike

[chap666ish]

Milligan being Milligan at his best. RIP. Much missed.



[nathanpontier]

i know someone who actually punched Spike Milligan in the face. true story!

[unclemort1960]

@nathanpontier i know spike could at times could be infuriating but why did that happen

[Fagottron]

Spike is a legend. =D

[TheKenfig]

"There's a crisis in HERE !, there's no paper !" ; Spike an irrepalceable one off without whom the world is a much more miserable place. Same goes for Vivian Stanshall and Peter Cook

[MrBrownie145]

you wonder why bamericans dont understand british humor!



[sirtinycreep]

The late great Russell Harty. Died far too young.

[splinterbyrd]

for some unfathomable reason, the BBC won't rerun any of Spike's 'Q' series

[seonidh]

@splinterbyrd its seen as un pc with pakistani daleks

[splinterbyrd]

@seonidh ye but wot about all his other prgrammes?

[seonidh]

@splinterbyrd shit sticks he goes against the flow and they wont touch him like a barge pole. You'll have Shami Chakrabarti and her ilk scream intollerence and play the race card.

[splinterbyrd]

@seonidh Spike was no racist; his was a gentle humour. Unlike Monty Python and just about all alternative comedy who came afterwards, neither Spike nor the Goons ever EVER offended anyone. Im no racist either, but I agree- I can sure understand why some peple are!

[seonidh]

@splinterbyrd I agree Spike was no racist, there are even over sensitive irish americans on yt angry at his "Irish olympics sketch" and Spikes father was Irish and he had an Irish passport. Its crazy in this day and age where people think they are irish with 150 year worn link to the nearest ancestor and they have multiple ancestors from other countries who play the racist card to a man who was an irish citizen and his father was from there. prime example of pc idiots getting offended.

[Aussiemarco]

@splinterbyrd I bet its because remember what happened when they reached 'Q8'!!! The series was filled with un-PC Arab jokes.

[ETSUBobias]

on spikes grave he had "i told you i was ill" wrote on it

[splinterbyrd]

@ETSUBobias Yes it's true Spike wanted to have the words 'I told them I was ill' on his gravestone, but the local Anglican bishop would not allow it.

Given that God's son was a carpenter and got sacrificed by being nailed to two bits of wood, I firmly believe God has a sense of humour. I wish bishops did too.

[17MissKt]

spike is a genius!!! x

[ghostfaced1]

Classic, bloody classic! why cant we have comics like this now?

[Quadrant14]

I am an Aussie and only Brits and certain countries , ex Empire ones have any idea how good this stuff is, so sad it took a War, as many of the great Brit comedians were "found" during and after the War, I am afraid the Yanks have no idea of real comedy

Spike is a genius of gigantic proportions, I am so sad all the Goons are now passed on I have all Milligan books and near all the Goon Shows Broadcast, thank you Spike, Peter, and Charlie Drake, Wisdom, Monty Python,

an Aussie convict bastard

[bigpurplewarrior]

@Quadrant14

Thank you Sir, I as a pure Brit couldn't have put it better.

[Quadrant14]

I am an Aussie and only Brits and certain countries , ex Empire ones have any idea how good this stuff is, so sad it took a War, as many of the great Brit comedians were "found" during and after the War, I am afraid the Yanks have no idea of real comedy

Spike is a genius of gigantic proportions, I am so sad all the Goons are now passed on. I have all Milligan books and near all the Goon Shows Broadcast, thank you Spike, Peter, and Charlie Drake, Wisdom, Monty Python,

an Aussie convict bastard

[adamtzsch]

God bless you, Spike.

[transcap]

that was the days when the guests were the stars , great interveiwers that let them speak . not the overpayed crap today ! . only interested in themselves .

[louislungbubble]

i stood next to mr milligan at singapore airport back in 1974 when we were flying back from u.k to australia..i was 13 at the time......what a legend!........marty

[cupomash]

Sad these two are no longer with us. Look at Russel Harty's reaction to Spike Milligan's joke you can tell he is really enjoying the moment and having a great time. Unlike today the stars are so worried about there credibility on screen and always act and never show there true selves. This was an era where you could mention the word “ Hitler“ and talk about it - why not it's history after all. Now if you so much as look like your going to mention the same word they nearly have kittens.

[tachuman]

What a wonderfully funny man Spike was!

[goonshowTV]

Check out my new Goon show channel. It features a rare TV version of the Ying Tong song sung by the goon show gang.Simply click on my link.

[sirtinycreep]

Spike looks a bit like the deceased footballer George Best just before he died.

[skint0n0minted]

funniest and craziest man who ever lived!

[YoungGazar]

Spike is the king of comedy

[ninodelbayble]

hilarious clip...

[MsBabster]

my son whos now 28 is called spike!..he cannot understand why.....q

[buttsyrc8]

Q is a bit of a legend!

Available probably but incorrect.

[buttsyrc8]

What a great name to give him!

Tell him why as being named after a legend is not bad.

Give him the War Diaries to read sure he will love them!

[SethHesio]

@MsBabster Nicely done!

[zahadaq]

A Genius.

[redchampions123]

i'm so glad i was born in a country of the goons, python, morcambe & wise, cooper, fawlty towers and the young ones to name a few, we are a crazy bunch of bastards us brits.

[thepissflap]

damn right.

theres only us lot can laugh while getting bombed to fuck and shot at..

spike is a legend.

[buttsyrc8]

Agreed.

I saw the doc last night about two of our boys called Wounded.

An English para and a Belfast trooper with horrid injurys.

Both said that it is OK cos maybe it saved some of our comrades.

Although one guy was killed in the effort to save them.

All should give them a thought!

[buttsyrc8]

Do any of you have the Cooper sketch when he hits the stage in complete dark - can only hear him walking into things?

[KAILEINGOD]

@redchampions123 Don't forget Ronnie Barker and more recently Jeremy Clarkson

[Feisty1967]

@redchampions123 I like you!

[ReverendSyn]

@redchampions123 Yeah, you Brits rule. At least with comedies and Science Fiction. Can't top Red Dwarf and Are you Being Served?

Your food still sucks though. ;)

[noenozou]

@redchampions123 Totally agree!Humour at it's best, we're the only nation to laugh at our selves with pride

[GAREMPOTS]

@redchampions123 ye billy conolly stan laurel ,keneth williams , freddie star all complete bonkers

[Greengiant223]

@redchampions123 Yeah except that he was an Irish citizen, after you Brits wouldn't have him. and he spent the rest of his life renouncing any British connection and embracing his Irish heritage. So don't get too carried away...

[Ubered]

I'm a Yank but LOVE British humor, it doesn't get any better.....

[Breeslave]

@redchampions123 I feel an honorary Brit because most of my sense of humor comes from the Goons Peter Sellers and Peter Cook along with Stephen Fry and Rowan Atkinson and Monty Python. My Grandfather tells me my comedy I write is all british.

[gomdrop]

@redchampions123 Milligan was Irish 

[buttsyrc8]

Think you have to give Harty a chance.

Spike must have been quite scary to meet.

Fantastic stuff!

[sybamunki]

he was scary. I went to a book signing he did and tried talking to him and he was pretty curt!

[ciarannn]

i wouldn't take it personally, he used to get pretty depressed at times, didn't he?

[bumcakes]

wasnt he bi polar? Or is that just something my generation has began to assume about everybody and anybody who has abit of personality these days?

[1960unclemort]

@bumcakes he did his best work when suffering from manic depression .

[bumcakes]

@1960unclemort I'm not disputing that lol. Most creativity comes from darkness. I was just wondering if he was Bi Polar or not. I'm not sure if I made that up...

[1960unclemort]

@bumcakes i dont think it was called bi polar then

[bumcakes]

@1960unclemort I see!! I keep forgetting that Bi Polar is a relatively new term, really.

[wahaya2]

@bumcakes Careful - bipolarity is a nasty disorder and is utterly genuine. And in this case, yes, Spike was the definition of a tortured genius. Seems to be the way really, particularly with comedy. I can think of only a few of the truly great comedians who did not either have something deeply traumatic happen to them or struggle emotionally. Sad really that so many men who spread such happiness are themselves so sad.

[7855waldo]

Not one forced gag.

Excellent.

[sonlight13]

Genius - genius - genius! The Goons still make me sick with laughter.

[skint0n0minted]

by farthe funniest man who ever lived

[dymond9999]

Agree mate, A comedy legend,

Why even if he farted he would have millions rolling in the aisles.

[skint0n0minted]

haha definately, he was a genius.

everything about him was great from the way he dressed to his beard and voice

[Comedytube66]

A Genius!!

[babylemonade40]

hillarious! my hero, the funniest man ever! in my opinion anyway, he may not be to everyones taste but he certainly is to mine!

[buttsyrc8]

I love that man !

Please read his war diaries - hilarious and heartbreaking.

Are all also available as audio books read by Spike.

Great stories such as his affair with the prima ballerina in Rome!

[babylemonade40]

I have them all, and his 'according to' books. i agree they are heartbreaking but have given me so many hours of laughter xxxxxx

[billtheconk]

I think the host's laughter is real and just nervous, because you simply didn't SAY that on the BBC in 1974.

[Lynsey38025Part2]

The laughter from the host seems false somehow!

[Rafabenitez01]

Not really funny though was it ? Hartys fit of laughter is an embarassment . Plenty of praise from the establishment , but nobody wanted to watch 'Q' did they ...

[dancingdiplodocus]

bend over and receive it up the arse bitch.

i bet you are a miserable middle aged woman with no outlet for your ambitions, no stamp on the world

receive thy fucking!!!!!!!!!

[buttsyrc8]

Very Nice

Listen to the War Diaries as are so kin funny you will not believe it - but are also heartbreaking as well.

[Mattew1999]

Read his books. "My part...." Brilliant

[buttsyrc8]

Agreed are great - not sure if you meant Read his books or you have read them!

I Have read most of them but really enjoyed the audiobooks as are read by Spike.Seems they are not easy to buy now.

[slappedcheek]

nice to see and hear him coherent.....rip spike........u crazy fucker..........shine on you crazy diamond

[Bridgejones08]

he's brilliant, has he just come back from fishing?

[ninodelbayble]

that is just hilarious........

[thechriswheelie]

Wherever Spike was from, he was, and should be, an inspiration to us ALL. Genius and madman. Brilliant.

[buttsyrc8]

Maria Antoinetta Pontani - was the understudy to the prima ballerina at the Royal Opera Company in Rome!

Just listening to it again now.

[MrSirMrSirMr]

Is Spike putting on an accent here? It doesn't sound like him.

[znotty]

He`s Australian,from Woy Woy on the Central Coast of NSW.

[MrSirMrSirMr]

He'a actually British-Irish. What I really meant, though, was that his voice sounds a lot different here to other times I've heard him talk. He sounds more like Eric Sykes here.

[znotty]

He`s Australian,from Woy Woy on the Central Coast of NSW.

[MrSirMrSirMr]

You said that already! He lived there for a while, but is actually from an Irish family, born in India and spent most of his life and career in England. If you don't believe me, look up any biog.

[MrSirMrSirMr]

From Wiki: After their retirement, Milligan's parents and his younger brother Desmond moved to Australia. His mother lived the rest of her long life in the coastal village of Woy Woy on the New South Wales Central Coast, just north of Sydney; as a result, Milligan became a regular visitor to Australia

[asonofleemarvin]

I think he was actually born in india, family moved to england when he was very young, then his parents and brother got up and left for australia (woy woy) and spike stayed behind - spike later joined his family to live mostly in australia - until strenghthening his ties in later years with his daughters and family in england.

[jackcoltman]

He was born in India at the end of the Raj. His dad was Irish. He lived mainly in England and Australia.

[theestever]

Yes, yes, yes - I'd highly recommend his war diaries. They're funny (obviously), moving, well written and offer a valuable first hand account of what life was like being Spike Milligan in the 1940's. The guy was a genius and a great musician too. I'd probably wanna hug him if I'd ever met him, just for all the time in my life that I've wasted laughing and marveling at his wonderous mind. :)

[buttsyrc8]

The War Diaries are hilarious but also at some times tragic!

Goodbye Soldier if I have the right one - the affair with the Italian ballerina is a charming thing to listen to.

Is HEARTBREAKING AND NOT SO FUNNY!

[theestever]

I agree, it's strange how war can open up so much in the life of a soldier, from one extreme to another.

I think Spike and the ballerina (I forget her name) were a perfect couple - I get the idea they were so much at ease with each other. As I was reading that part of the book I imagined them growing old together.

[buttsyrc8]

Only seem to remember her name was Toni.

Cannot remember much.

We need to read it again!

[theestever]

Oh yeah, Toni. It's the most recent one I've read but my memory is full of more holes than a swiss cheese on a firing range. I need to re-read all them - great books.

[walkdru]

try and read pucktoon its hillarious very rare. i love british comady. lol

[Notanotherspambot]

I've bought two of his books, I'm reading the Mussolini one then "Where have all the bullets gone?" So far I love his writing ^_^

[Lkyda]

Oh his book was funny , the main character speaks to the "author" looking down at his legs, says "Ay mate these are a bit skinny"

Author replies " Dont worry they'll develop with the plot".

[leolodreamland]

i remember what a twat russel harty was. no wonder grace jones smacked him...

[derailer88]

reading "Mussolini, his part in my downfall" at the moment...half of the references to popular actors, musicians etc go over my head...but i still burst out laughing on every page...the memoirs really are a must-read

[tezlloyd]

real funny he was..

[buttsyrc8]

The whole War Diaries are available -read by Spike!

Well worth getting!

[BlueonGoldZ]

I've read Rommel? Gunner Who? and that by far is the funniest one I've read. Haven't read any of his other wors yet but I'm still young so I have some time.

[dibstick123]

Wonderful man! A must read is his first novel "Puckoon" it's the funniest book I've read (and I read a lot)

[chickpee]

Good stuff reading. I liked it.

[buttsyrc8]

That is a great comment - I hope you do read a lot!

Spike is my hero- but you need to read the classics before some idiot gives them away!

Start with Jane Eyre!

If you do not think it is stunning-I will be shocked.

PS Iam not a big gay!

[carntspell]

I`m yet to read a funnier one. The only ones that compare to it are also written by him. "The width of the shoulder suggested a rugby player. The broken nose confirmed it. Which goes to show you how wrong you can be as he never played the game in his life." Ridiculous.

[HEV29]

The war books are brilliant, as are the books of his poems. Spike is a great mind with a love of ideas, and a good man - a great example of a man trying to be the best person he can possibly be, but with human frailties also. Check out the books by his agent Norma Farnes which give an idea of what he was like to work with (a frickin' nightmare...)

[haldenver]

great fun to see anything with SM in it. His enjoyment at the joke is almost external - there is no act,just a total outpouring of ideas and images.

[moggiemorgan]

lol never seen much of spikes before, he's class! lol chears for the vid

[Opullal]

I would've loved to see Spike live.

Oblomov must've had people dying from laughter.

[recneps2001]

O saw (Son of) Oblomov on the London stage in the 60s. The original was a serious Russian tragedy about a bed-ridden man, but it didn't take with audiences until Spike started sending it up. It became a long-running stand-up comedy with surrealist moments. Like Spike inviting the gallery to come down to the stalls, then asking the stalls why they were laughing, since they'd be up in the gallery. See also The Bed-Sitting Room.

[Opullal]

I'm incredibly jealous.

I would've loved to see Spike but I'm only 16.

[stately1967]

the church wouldn't allow it to be in english but I believe on s m headstone it says "I told you I was ill" in gaelic

[loontheklown1]

genius

[bunglezip]

Yes,a diamond mind

[egapnala65]

Replying to Elbethere by the way.

[elbethere]

Thanks.

[bagohammers49]

Treasure Island according to himself is better than the originigal, I'd say. The Robin Hood parody's pretty fuuny aswell.

[elbethere]

I've looked everywhere and can only find his works for sale online. Every store I visit says they're out of print. It's a shame he has yet to catch on here in the states.

[unclemort1960]

best books i have ever read -5 times

[egapnala65]

I am both interested and sad to hear that. Woody Allen cited him as a major influence as well."He's crazy but I love him."

The flipside was that he was plagued with depression for much of his life and resented being expected to make people laugh all the time. RIP Spike.

[tiddles4x4]

Sadly it was the druges they gave him during the war after he got blown up!!!!

[tiddles4x4]

Try and get the war books. There are 7 books in total.

[buttsyrc8]

I have all the War Diaries and read by Spike.

They are now a little tricky to find.

Give an address and will be happy to send a DVD.

c/o as know that giving an address is dodgy!

[ukpugsy]

Spike what a true diamond mind

[rokamalb]

Genius!

[TommyMac71]

Agree totally. The epitaph on his headstone is written in Irish (Gaeilge) and says, 'Duirt me go raibh me tinn' (I told you I was ill).

[nirmalsuki]

He doesn't give us time to laugh. I don't know how a guy does that. He's funnier than is humanly possible. One night of stand-up with a comedian like this, and there'd be a bunch of people in hospital exhausted from all the laughing.

[quattro610]

hahahah ditto.. on spike gravestone is insribed these words

I told you i was ill.

[doylie45]

Little Britain, Two pints of lager, Ricky gervaise...MY ARSE! True comedy here boys, fill your boots.

[eugene8047]

you have hit the head on the nail

[ruachWind]

Simply The greatest Comedian. Ever. Spike I love YOU.

[pwright0]

Oi mate, did it work or do you feel as though you've been ripped off?

[fredpim11]

stop that kind of message or you'll died imediately poor jerk

[minniebannister]

oh god that is funny

[mistaben2k]

Absolute Genius..

[MongosGoat]

ROTFL...hehe

[nik1705]

*lmfao* Spike RIP, a true legend of comedy, muchly missed

[malcstag]

Spike RIP, you are still the best

[goaliegal31]

I have read the first four of his war memoirs and he's just as funny in them

[Flickerfly]

Eeeeeeheeheee!! What a treat!

[Toolpusher]

LOL!