Peter Sellers on the Air

Richard Henry "Peter" Sellers (1925-1980) was one of the most popular comedy stars of the 1960s and 1970s, portraying unforgetable characters such as Inspector Closeau, Dr. Strangelove and Chance the Gardner, before dying of a heart attack at 54. How many remember that Sellers got his start on radio? Coming from a large family of entertainers, Sellers naturally gravitated toward show business after serving as a corporal in the RAF during World War II. By 1951 he had established himself as a radio star on the BBC appearing in such shows as Ray's a Laugh. In 1951 Sellers joined Spike Milligan "the grandfather of British comedy" and Harry Seacomb to create the Goon Show. This wild comedy ran until 1960 on the BBC and became one of the most influential radio comedies of all time. Influencing the work of later performers such as the Beatles and Monty Python's Flying Circus. Sellers called his days with the Goon Show the "happiest of my life." While appearing on the Goon Show Sellers began to appear in movies, winning the British Academy Award for I'm All Right, Jack in 1959. After that Sellers career focused more on movies and he became an international star. Tonight we have The Goon Show November 16, 1954 The Mystery of the Marie Celeste Solved which features the strange voices and sound effects the Goons were famous for as well as the jazz music of Ray Ellington and his orchestra.