Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
13 used & new from £30.00
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series One: November 1954 - February 1955)
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series One: November 1954 - February 1955) [Audiobook] (Audio CD)

by Ray Galton (Author), Alan Simpson (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
RRP: £44.03
Price: £41.84 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.19 (5%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 14? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
11 new from £33.70 2 used from £30.00
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 20 used & new from £0.01
Paperback (New Ed) 26 used & new from £0.01
Audio CD (Audiobook) £34.25 £23.98 11 used & new from £20.97
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) 11 used & new from £1.50
Unknown Binding 43 used & new from £0.01

Frequently Bought Together

Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series One: November 1954 - February 1955) + Hancock's Half Hour, the Lost Episodes (Radio Collection) + Hancock's Happy Christmas: Four Original BBC Radio Episodes (BBC Radio Collection)
Price For All Three: £57.83

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Hancock's Half Hour, the Lost Episodes (Radio Collection)

Hancock's Half Hour, the Lost Episodes (Radio Collection)

by Ray Galton & Alan Simpson
4.3 out of 5 stars (3)  £8.99
Hancock's Half Hour: The Very Best Episodes: v. 1 (Radio Collection)

Hancock's Half Hour: The Very Best Episodes: v. 1 (Radio Collection)

by Alan Simpson
4.4 out of 5 stars (5)  £7.49
The Tony Hancock BBC Collection (8 Disc Box Set) [DVD]

The Tony Hancock BBC Collection (8 Disc Box Set) [DVD]

DVD ~ Tony Hancock
4.1 out of 5 stars (26)  £24.98
Hancock's Happy Christmas: Four Original BBC Radio Episodes (BBC Radio Collection)

Hancock's Happy Christmas: Four Original BBC Radio Episodes (BBC Radio Collection)

by Ray Galton
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  £7.00
Hancock's Half Hour, the Very Best Episodes: v. 2 (Radio Collection)

Hancock's Half Hour, the Very Best Episodes: v. 2 (Radio Collection)

by Ray Galton
£8.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Audio CD
  • Publisher: BBC Audiobooks Ltd (1 Oct 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0563477547
  • ISBN-13: 978-0563477549
  • Product Dimensions: 13 x 12.8 x 3.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 284,495 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #10 in  Books > Audio CDs > Comedy > Hancock

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Collectors Series
   www.Ask.com    Find the Best Results for Collectors Series. 
Edition Collectors
   quitecheap.co.uk    get what you want & save money: Edition Collectors up to 50% off! 
1954 - The Ideal Gift
   www.CurioQuest.com    20 Original Hits from 1954 on CD An hour of nostalgic footage on DVD 
  
 

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
When Ray Galton and Alan Simpson created Hancock's Half Hour--their first big hit before Steptoe and Son--they needed a supporting cast, and their choices were inspired. Sid James became the quintessential shifty crook, Bill Kerr played Tony Hancock's best friend while Moira Lister became his girlfriend, and as Kenneth Williams intoned a variety of authority-voices--police, magistrates, etc.--another comic star was born. Out of the 16 original programmes from the period under review, the BBC managed to lose six--culpable carelessness--but among the extant 10 there are outright gems, some of which will be unfamiliar even to fans, and many of which would today be banned as hopelessly un-PC. Viz Hancock's cheery greeting: "Morning Charlie. Working? Oh, of course you don't need to, with 28 children!" Or his observation--of some sluggish British workmen building a house--that he's glad they've been provided with shovels complete with arm-rests. Asked for his own address, he replies "I've just moved. They pulled down my house to build a slum". Relayed cold, such comments may not even raise a smile: Hancock's magic was all in the telling, and in the momentum he built up, as in his Monte Carlo rally programme, in which signposts were turned round and bridges blown up. One of the nicest sketches evolves out of him being left to do the housework like Cinderella, while everyone else troops off to the ball. When he died, a victim of depression, in Australia in 1968, Britain lost something irreplaceable: this five-CD set, with its accompanying booklet, makes a splendid memento. The next batch of releases is eagerly awaited. --Betty Tadman

Product Description
Features 10 half-hour shows from Series 1 of Tony Hancock.

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
(3)
(3)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series One: November 1954 - February 1955)
49% buy the item featured on this page:
Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series One: November 1954 - February 1955) 4.5 out of 5 stars (31)
£41.84
The Tony Hancock BBC Collection (8 Disc Box Set) [DVD]
17% buy
The Tony Hancock BBC Collection (8 Disc Box Set) [DVD] 4.1 out of 5 stars (26)
£24.98
Hancock's Half Hour: The Very Best Episodes: v. 1 (Radio Collection)
15% buy
Hancock's Half Hour: The Very Best Episodes: v. 1 (Radio Collection) 4.4 out of 5 stars (5)
£7.49
Hancock's Half Hour, the Very Best Episodes: v. 2 (Radio Collection)
11% buy
Hancock's Half Hour, the Very Best Episodes: v. 2 (Radio Collection)
£8.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (21)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars H-H-Hilarious., 2 Dec 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Hancock's Half Hour: Collector's Edition (Series Three) (Audio CD)
The latest instalment of BBC's excavation of the archives to unearth the gems of their classic comedy wardrobe brings us Hancock's Half Hour Series 3. Eight of the original 20 broadcasts from the third series have survived, lavishly packaged over 4 cd's including brief synopses for all the shows transmitted originally between the 1955 and 1956 season and notes from the writers Galton and Simpson.

This is the last series to feature the object of Hancock's desires Andree Melly, who apears here miraculously 'elisa doolittled'replete with rounded vowels. The 'snide' character of Kenneth Williams now firmly established this series is blessed with some hysterical moments including what at the time must have been a coup for the show, the guest appearance of cricketeers Colin Cowdrey, Godfrey Evans and Frank Tyson.

Splendour at Hancock's egotistical buffoonery as a foolhardy dupe for Sid James'dastardly manipulation and Kenneth Williams range of characters in this acknowledged classic situation comedy.

Easy to see why then that at it's peak this show caused landlords at public houses up and down the country to change their opening times when broadcast on the airwaves.

Featured here are three shows previously included on the cassette collections augmented by five 'new' shows seeing Hancock in all manner of scrapes. Prized moments here are 'The Jewel Robbery'where Hancock decides it's time to change his car and buys a Rolls Royce ("for a man who doesn't like mentioning money I think you've forced yourself admirably") and ends up finding himself unwittingly involved in a car chase. In 'The Pet Dog' Hancock becoming the proud owner of a new puppy "there's only one thing for it Bill, move the car out of the garage....and into the kennel"

On the evidence of this little treasure, Series 4 is eagerly awaited with b-b-baited breathe.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The golden age begins, 13 Nov 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Hancock's Half Hour: Collectors Edition (Series Four: October 1956 - February 1957) (Audio CD)
The true "golden age of Hancock's Half Hour" began during the fourth series. The catalyst was the arrival, in episode five, of Hattie Jacques. From here on, both writing and performing scaled and sustained new heights.
This nine-CD box-set contains the surviving seventeen (of twenty) episodes originally broadcast between October 1956 and February 1957.
Given the high quality of this material, it is not surprising that most of it has been available before. In fact, eleven of the seventeen episodes are contained in the ten-volume audio-cassette series issued between 1988 and 1998. If you already own the cassettes, this package is a rather expensive way of obtaining just six new episodes, only two of which ("The Income Tax Demand" and "Michaelangelo 'Ancock") are truly memorable.
For those not owning the cassettes, however, this set is well worth buying, and an ideal way to start a collection of one of the all-time greats of classic radio comedy.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hancock's Last Half Hour, 18 April 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Hancock's Half Hour: Series 6 (Radio Collection) (Audio CD)
Comedy at it's finest, Hancock passes the finish line with classic shows such as 'The Poetry Society' (my fave) and 'The Smugglers'.

These shows may have been recorded nearly 50 years ago but Tone's consistent and hilarious portrayal of pomposity, arrogance, stupidity, and wonderfully misplaced patriotism are a joy to behold, and gives this collection a timeless quality (unless you think these traits are no longer with us in the 21st century).

With a regular cast of Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, and Bill Kerr, this is ensemble comedy that is as good as Seinfeld, and there can be no higher praise than that.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tony Hancock Fan

I have a lot of Tony Hancock cassettes So it is nice to start collecting hancock on CD. Laughed all the way through even though I had listened to the programmes years ago... Read more
Published 4 months ago by R. D. Russell

5.0 out of 5 stars Hancock's Half Hour - The Collector's Edition - Series 1,2,3 & 5
I was introduced to Hancock by my Grandparents many years ago when I the first heard The Blood Donor, being the most famous (but not in my opinion the best) show - from there on I... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. Mark P. Williams

3.0 out of 5 stars Hancock's Half Hour Foursome
I was disappointed with this, to some degree. Hancock's War, & the Christmas Club, were poor quality episodes. Read more
Published on 21 April 2007 by Callisto

5.0 out of 5 stars First outing for classic scripts
This book was first published in 1974 and was the first appearance of the scripts in print. This was just when the Hancock series were first being recognised as comedy art rather... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2006

3.0 out of 5 stars Great but designed for TV not radio
This is vintage Hancock but be aware that the programmes were designed for TV broadcast and therefore some of the sequences don't work without the visuals, in particular the... Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2004 by Jeffrey Davis

5.0 out of 5 stars hancocks half hour season 4
The Genius of Hancock is bought to life in this boxset as the Hancock team are well into their stide by now. Read more
Published on 23 May 2003 by hancocktowers

5.0 out of 5 stars At last its here!!!
As a big Hancock fan , this is the series box set I have been waiting for. The highlights just were never surpassed "Sunday Afternoon at Home" and "Sleepless Night". Read more
Published on 19 Dec 2002 by Mr. George Johnson

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth having for "The Poetry Society" alone.
This inexpensive cassette contains one of Hancock's funiest radio episodes, "The Poetry Society" it was in fact the very last of the radio programmes that Galton and Simpson wrote... Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2002 by Jeffrey Davis

5.0 out of 5 stars On velvet
By series five, Hancock and the regular team (Sid James, Bill Kerr, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams) were on unbeatable form, as were writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic comedy
After the uncertainty of the first three series, Hancock's Half Hour finally turns into the classic sitcom we all remember. Read more
Published on 16 May 2002

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]

   

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

›Shop The Body Shop

  

Make A Wish

Get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List Make sure you always get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List.

›More info on Wish Lists

  

We've Got Converse

Converse
Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

›Shop Converse

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (75)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (464)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (165)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (81)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates