1962: SPIKE MILLIGAN is OUT OF THIS WORLD | Monitor | Classic Interview | BBC Archive

Huw Wheldon, the host of Monitor - the BBC's flagship arts programme - is joined in the studio by Spike Milligan, doubtless hoping to conduct a suitably lofty discussion about Milligan's evolution from performing madcap radio comedy to writing novels and even a play with John Antrobus.
After a reasonably sensible start it doesn't take long for this classic interview to take off, as the great Goon veers giddily, thrillingly off-topic - much to the amusement of the production team on the studio floor - and the dismay of the hapless Mr Wheldon.
WARNING: This clip features some unorthodox chair use.
Originally broadcast 11 March, 1962.
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[@tarnopol]

Whoever came up with “WARNING: This clip features some unorthodox chair use.” in the description needs to be given a raise immediately.

[@philsdt3572]

It's a word bandied about too cheaply on times but in Spike's case it's entirely justified - He really was a genius.

[@tarnopol]

Absolutely right-on both counts!

[@markbumford8076]

Dear Spike, a comedy genius like no other. The world of comedy drew slightly colder when Spike passed and forever missed but never forgotten

[@morpheus2573]

All hail, The Grandfather of modern absurdist comedy, without which would not have followed Monty Python, The Young Ones, Black Adder, Faulty Towers, Black Books… as well as a huge number of comedians and related works till now.

[@thewkovacs316]

the goons influenced all sketch comedy from the mid-20th century on

[@morpheus2573]

@@thewkovacs316 True story. Unfortunately you can’t get the wood any more, you know.

[@newsles2]

This is absolutely superb. Just when we thought it might actually be a conventional interview, off he goes, figuratively and almost literally, into Space. I mean, what did they think was going to happen?

[@blxtothis]

Another of my childhood heroes from the 50s, those Sunday’s with an array of comedies from the BBC Radio with the Goon Show being the high point we’re a regular family lunch ritual.

[@GrrumpDaddo56]

What a treasure that man was

[@vipertwenty249]

I remember Huw Weldon. he was a good interviewer of his time and I should imagine he'd probably never encountered anyone like Spike before! I'd say he coped quite well. Great to see Spike in his heyday rather than just remember him in his old age - to me he was always young even in an older body, and this is how I really remember him. I wonder if Robin Williams ever watched Spike - they had something in common I think.

[@RikkyTang]

Just... glorious!

[@petergedd9330]

When I'm down I start to remember Spike and start to think like he would, it really is a panacea. Thank You Spike for just being you.

[@LurkingCrassZero]

An enlightened being for sure.

[@Dantianblue]

Wonderful. The chair use alone is worth it, but Milligan is alive with creative imagination.

[@MotionGallery01]

What an absolute legend! Amazing interview that had me lolling all over the place. Thanks for posting!

[@tortysoft]

Superb! What a bloke. Hugh did well too though. Remarkable that the producer decided to show the crew - bravo there as well.

[@tommcconville677]

Spike was the British equivalent of Sid Caesar, both the finest comedic improvisational it's in the whole of comedy.

[@matthewfarmer6830]

spike like us lol that's a movie from 1985, this is the Spike we all know. thanks for sharing.👍👍😎

[@thehowlingterror]

Bless

[@RatelHBadger]

Puckoon as a novel is fairly straightforward. Irish govt draws an arbitrary boundary line between Independent and Union Ireland, not realizing it goes right up the high street of a small village. (Puckoon). Chaos ensues and villagers require international passports to cross the street etc. All of the interactions with "the author" by Milligan. The character, absolutely destroy the 4th wall and live squarely in the self-referential world.

[@lexo30]

Classic Milligan: avert searching questions by improvising a five-minute skit about a space mission. The phrase they failed to catch that describes him was “jazz musician”. He may not have played music as much as he did comedy, but at heart he was a brilliant improviser.

[@vantheman1238]

Milligan was a genius

[@MrMann0123]

Adhd is amazing

[@peterbird8599]

spike a comic genius gone are the days when comedy was funny unlike today

[@kingy002]

That is just utter nonsense. Spike was superb, but there are hundreds of comedians writing outstanding material today, and all this nostalgia nonsense is just that, nonsense!

[@tarnopol]

@@kingy002 I pine for the good old days when no one went on and on about nostalgia.

[@kingy002]

@@tarnopol You wit you.

[@stueyapstuey4235]

aah - the BBC, a Welshmun speakin' Ingleesh to an ex-Oirish guy frum Yindiua... so enzightful

[@raycarter4030]

why is that interviewer sitting on the arm of the chair??

[@michaelcullen5308]

He was pining for the fjords.

[@gmf121266]

@@michaelcullen5308 (Milligan voice) He was pining for preparation H, mate.

[@tommcconville677]

improvisationalists, correcting error.