OBIT: Actor and comic Spike Milligan (1918-2002)

Subject: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 05:55 AM

Actor and comic Spike Milligan has died at his home in Sussex, his agent has said. He was 83 years old. One of Britain's most respected performers, he was known to millions as one of the founding members of The Goons.

Together with Peter Sellers, Michael Bentine and Harry Secombe, the quartet helped redefine comedy programmes for a generation.

He was also a respected comic author.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: mooman
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:02 AM

This is a sad loss. One of the all time greats and a personal favourite. May he rest in peace.

mooman

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Fiolar
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:20 AM

Oh Lord - so the last of the Great Comedians has gone to join the rest of the Goon Family. A recent post asked who was next in regard to the Chuck Jones obit. Here's the answer. Spike - we have indeed lost a friend today.Have a great time with Neddie, Bluebottle and the rest.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,harvey andrews
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:29 AM

Now, that does hurt.It really feels like the end of an era.An irreplaceable imagination that gave light to my adolescent darkness and to many like me. Now the Pythons move to the top of life's ladder.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: cobber
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:31 AM

He told us he was sick Thanks Spike for nearly fifty years of fun and laughter

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GMT
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:58 AM

This is really bad news. RIP Spike.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:58 AM

Oh dear. It's as if a bright light has gone out.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: alanabit
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:08 AM

For me he ranked alongside Peter Cook as one of the finest and most original comic talents of the post war era. He had a range of comic imagination that was unique. Quite irreplaceable.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:11 AM

I'm glad I learnt about that on the Mudcat just now. So the Goons are reunited at last. (Was ever an episode set in heaven?) And the heart of the Goons was Spike.

Here's a link to the Goon Show Preservation Society (Royal Patron Prince Charles/Eccles) - and here is the "cast list" for the main characters Spike played, taken from there:

Eccles, "the original goon," a voice combining Disney's Goofy character; Edgar Bergen's Mortimer Snerd; and Clifton Finnegan, the super-stupid regular customer at Duffy's Tavern. Jokes about his stupidity are a staple of the show, with Eccles himself cheerfully joining in. His character serves both grown-up parts and as the playmate of Bluebottle.

Miss Minnie Bannister, spinster, a sexy senior citizen who plays the saxophone and regularly breaks out in song or dance. She lives in sin with Henry Crun, but whenever Major Bloodnok comes on the scene it's made clear that they were lovers in the past. (Milligan got the quaver in her voice by pinching his neck and wobbling it about as he spoke her lines.)

Count Moriarty, French scrag and lackey to Grytpype-Thynne, who usually introduces him and attributes to him some outlandish title or record that he holds ("Has played the male lead in over 50 postcards"). Delightfully wretched in his poverty and degradation.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:16 AM

And I hope he read this story in the paper before he died - An iguana too far. I think he'd have loved it. It reads like a Goon Show, come to life. I find that very encouraging.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:33 AM

Besides being a comedian, he wrote some fine poems including some war poetry that ranks with the greats.
Keith.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: John J
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:36 AM

How very sad.

The world has lost a wonderful entertainer, and it will be a sadder place for this great loss.

:-(

JJ

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Michael in Swansea
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:38 AM

Sad loss
RIP Spike

Mike

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:52 AM

When Spike's old pal Harry Secombe was very ill (in fact just before he died). Spike sent him a message saying 'I hope you die before me otherwise you'll come and sing at my funeral'. One of the best a true comic genius.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Trevor
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 07:55 AM

Sad, sad, sad.

'Caw', said the crow.

'Balls' said the Milligan.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:02 AM

Spike was really just before my time, so I haven't heard very much of him. What I have heard was absolutely brilliant. I need to hear more of the Goon Show.

This is a sad day, he was a real innovator.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: greg stephens
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:06 AM

Oh dear, you read a bit of news like that and you realise how much the man meant to your life. Well, to echo what has already been said, they are all together again. What a brilliant contribution they all mad to making the world a better place to live in. (I'll leave "they all mad" as it came out... my typing made a better comment than I could think of)

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: sophocleese
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:07 AM

I'm glad I live in a world where Spike Milligan has been. A marvelous comic, we're still enjoying his humour years later.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,milliganophile
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:11 AM

Altogether now YINTONG YINTONG YINTONG YINTONG

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:18 AM

In my last post I used the term "cast list". Just as I was about to submit the post I read it, and what I had written was "cats lust". Spike lives!

Just dug out a record of Tales of Old Dartmoor. Played it for nostalgia's sake. Found myself laughing out loud.

Here is a RealAudio version of part of the Ying Tong Song - and

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Murph10566
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:19 AM

Spike wrote the amazing, zany (and still Hilarious) "PUCKOON" - my first, but certainly not last, exposure to his comic genius... A well-deserved respectful salute to a genuinely funny gentleman...

M.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:22 AM

I think those clickies just fell in the water. Here are their cardboard, but perfectly formed, replicas:

The Ying Tong Song - words only

And here they are singing it

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,Den at work
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:26 AM

After Harry died I had been dreading this day. There was never anyone quite like him and I'm sure there never will. Den

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:39 AM

Chuck Jones and Spike Milligan in the same week. jesus. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:52 AM

It was a privilege to share the planet with that man. We will miss him badly, but his work lives on. Indeed, the real world contines to imitate his prophetic fantasies with uncanny accuracy. Just close your eyes and imagine - Tony Blair as Neddie Seagoon ("At last - I am in control of the ship of state ... or the stout of shape ...or the shop of stews ... or something like that.") Peter Mandelson as Bluebottle ("Oh no, my Capitain, you have deaded me ...again!") John Prescott as Eccles ("Of course I know what time it is ...I've got it written on a piece of paper.") Geoffrey Robinson as Major Bloodnok ("It's all lies, I tell you - that money was a birthday present from Mrs Roberta Maxwell of 42 Balls Pond Road.") Ian Duncan-Smith as Grytte-Pype Thynne ("All right Neddie, just keep making a twit of yourself until the public gets bored with you. Then my friends and I will launch a swift coup d'etat, and sell off Britain's remaining assets to a merry band of multinational speculators, while vigorously waving the union jack and singing Rule Britannia".) Neil and Christine Hamilton as Henry Crun and Minnie Bannnister ("You can't get the brown envelopes any more, Min.") And so on ...

Thanks for all the laughs, Spike.

Wassail!

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,Keith A of Hertford at work
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 08:56 AM

Spike also wrote this

It was January 1944, Italy-a small group of Gunners had come forward to a small decimated wood outside the village of Lauro...We were to dig gun positions for our battery to occupy for the forthcoming attack across the Garigliano river...I could here digging-nearby-and thought it was a similar operation to ours...but the digging I could here was a much grmmer affair. It was The London Scottish burying their dead-suddenly to the sound of the rain, a lone piper struck up 'Over The Sea To Skye', the words of the song came to mind 'Carry the boy whose born to be king'-it was a haunting experience. Then ten days later...came a midnight disaster-a German gun found our range and a direct hit on Sergeant Wilson's gun position-the camouflage net caught fire-the charges started to explode-all were killed or burnt to death but two. Next day we buried them-we had no piper-just the sound of the guns around us-and I felt moved to write what was in fact my first poem.

THE SOLDIERS AT LAURO
(spike milligan)

Young are our dead
Like babies they lie
The wombs they blest once
Not healed dry
And yet- too soon
Into each space
A cold earth falls
On colder face.
Quite still they lie
These fresh cut reeds
Clutched in earth
Like winter seeds
But they will not bloom
When called by spring
To burst with leaf
And blossoming
They sleep on
In silent dust
As crosses rot
And helmets rust.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Les from Hull
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 09:05 AM

I've never gone in for having heroes. Except Spike. Thanks for everything you said and did and wrote and recorded, Spike.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 09:24 AM

So sad. 83 is still too young!

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Morticia
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 09:34 AM

I am so thrilled I got to meet him, he was a lovely man and a very kind one....going to miss you very much, Spike.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Pied Piper
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 09:40 AM

I remember seing Spike in a TV documentery in Australia.He was at an aborigenal rock painting site.The pictures showed ships painted at the time the first Europians arrived.All over this important document were modern grafitti,and Spike was angered and saddend at such ignoance.I was deeply moved and inpresed. Thank you RIP

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 09:53 AM

Bravo Spike! You and your British Friends kept me from childhood insanity! To be surrounded by a world that seemed to make no sense at all, could be very scary and isolating......and then to hear:

"I'm walking backwards for Christmas...."

Knowing that the Goons, and Leadbelly had survived (and almost flourished) in the mainstream world, let me know it COULD be done!

No tears from me, just smiles, and thank yous.

Rick

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 10:06 AM

Poor Spike! "They'll write it on my grave: 'He wrote the Goon Show'!"

I'm sure he has one more joke ... just wait and see.

Steve

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 10:48 AM

I remember Spike saying somewhere once that he was going to be buried in a washing machine 'to confuse archaeologists'. I loved his mixture of wit and irreverence, we can't afford to lose people like that.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,Airto
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:51 PM

I loved his line about Irish tenors..."known and feared the world over".

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: C-flat
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:15 PM

Spike could make me cry with laughter but behind that humour was a sadness at Mankinds inhumanity to it's environment and to itself. His genius masked a sometimes tortured soul and I hope he's in a better place. GOON but not forgotten.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: RolyH
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:24 PM

A great influence on the British sense of humour.Will be sorely missed.RIP Spike

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:37 PM

How to comment, a lost wit. The last Goon of all. Anyone wanting to catch Milligan at his best, either the books, "Puckoon" or "Adolf Hitler, My part in His Downfall". Any videos of his "Q" series The record (probably now a tape & C.D.) "Spike Milligan & Jeremy Taylor 'Live' at Cambridge University"

The last is probably my favourite set of memories of this great Goon.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Ralphie
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 01:40 PM

Bluebottle: Open the door!!
Eccles: How?
Bluebottle: Turn the knob on your side.
(PAUSE)
Eccles:.......I haven't got a knob on my side...

Agree with all of the above...

Ralphie

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 02:48 PM

Oh well.....No more Milligna...

*sigh*

"I wanna go 'oww'...."

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: alanabit
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 02:52 PM

A fact that has not been mentioned to date, is that he was, by his own admission, a manic depressive. For those who have to struggle against mental illness, he was a good example of what can be achieved in the face of adversity. He certainly witnessed events during the war which were stamped indelibly on his memory throughout his life. He didn't complain. He got on with a productive and fulfilling life which gave out far more than he ever got back. Not just a great entertainer, but a damned fine man.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: GUEST,okthen
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 02:58 PM

Now we'll all have to grow up.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 03:03 PM

Oh Hell, I hope not.....*G*

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Dave Swan
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 03:11 PM

Did I read somewhere that he and Paddy Maloney were friends? I think they were introduced my Sellars.

Hoisting one in his direction.

Damn.

Dave

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Les from Hull
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 03:12 PM

I think he was a patron of some mental health society, so he referred to himself as 'Chief Nutcase' or some such. I'm sure someone can provide the actual details.

Yes Paul - you gotta go 'ow', it's the only cure for la grippe, you know.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 03:18 PM

True true.....

Have they found a cure for the Dreaded Spon yet? Other than 'infecting' the poor afflicted with the Even More Dreaded Quodge?

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 04:16 PM

Once more in chorus...

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: Ditchdweller
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 04:24 PM

Bluebottle; And you're not really colourblind are you Eccles?

Eccles; No.

Bluebottle: Goodnight Eccles my dear chap; [Door Slams]

Eccles: Goodnight Redbottle.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 04:46 PM

I've lost the man I love best in the world. I remeber as a child, lying on the floor with my ear pressed against a radio with failing batteries, listening to my all time favourite programme. God is in for a good laugh.
No more will he answer the door in his pyjamas.
God rest your soul Spike, the world is a better place for having had you in it.
Sadly.....Giok

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: nager
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 04:51 PM

I have just heard the news this morning here in Australia and it is very very sad.. Spike was a frequent visitor to the town of Woy Woy, north of Sydney where his mum lived and died a few years ago now. He loved the name Woy Woy... you would be forgiven thinking he had named it himself! Affectionately he lampooned the place and even once declared it a republic. A wing of the local library was named in his honour a few years back. There is a local folk club at Woy Woy (The Troubador)where I will be going tomorrow night. Am brushing up on my Milligan jokes, limericks and stories tonight. Thanks for all the laughs Spike.. you were far and away the best.

Subject: RE: OBIT: Spike Milligan
From: BH
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 06:38 PM

Precursor of all the wonderful off the wall and esoteric comedy to follow---Monty Python case in point.

NPR did a nice piece on him this evening with the head of the Firesign Theat. paying tribute and telling this wonderful story--abbreviated here---he and SM were walking past an undertaking establishment. SM went in and found no one there so he lay down on the counter, crossed his arms on his chest, hit the bell and yelled" shop".

Bill H