Web Page No 2606

10th August 2019

The Navy Lark

1st Picture. Leslie Phillips and Heather Chasen recording the Navy Lark

 2nd Picture. Ronnie Barker and Tenniel Evans as ‘Fatso’ Johnson and ‘Taffy’ Goldstein

 3^rd Picture. The entire crew

4^th Picture. Poster for the disastrous film version of the programme

For 15 series Tommy Reilly's playing of the Trade Wind Hornpipe on the harmonica heralded 30 minutes of naval mayhem in and around Portsmouth aboard the fictional frigate HMS Troutbridge.

 'The Navy Lark' was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme. Created by Lawrie Wyman listeners entered a world of comradeship, wheeling and dealing, innocence, and incompetence. The humour drew on relationships. The characters muddled through life in a carefree way. HMS Troutbridge was crewed by incompetent men and the regular cast of 9 would voice up to 22 different parts for a single show which ultimately totalled 560 characters in the show’s run.

Alastair Scott Johnston, the producer, secured the go ahead for The Navy Lark in early 1959. Original proposals for a `services` inspired show included 'The Air Force Lark'  and `The Army Lark`. However, as Alastair had served in the Army, Lawrie Wyman, the script writer, had a brief spell in the Air Force they choose the Navy because it was reasoned that the sailor could be forgiven every shortcoming because he would have spent long periods at sea.

The original cast included Michael Denison, Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Thora Hird and it was intended to introduce big names from time to time.

By the time the show went to air Dennis Price, Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee were variously described as the 'stars' by the BBC announcer in the programme's introduction and end credits. This was a pre-requisite of the show so avoiding the idea that it was a single person’s show with a supporting cast. The cast name order rotated each week.

In the first season Dennis Price played `Number 1`, Troutbridge's senior officer whilst CPO Pertwee, believed HM stores were there for his benefit rather than the Navy’s. Unfortunately, the lure of Hollywood and a film career meant that Dennis Price left after the first season. Stephen Murray then joined the cast as `Number 1` in October 1959 and was to remain resident aboard Troutbridge for the next 17 years.

Leslie Phillips' contribution was invaluable. Sub Lt. Phillips displayed a sense of innocence, naivety and an incompetence together with navigational mayhem. He personified ineffectiveness. He was vain and oblivious to what others thought of him. His exploits gave us various memorable phrases none more so than "left hand down a bit".

Jon Pertwee’s ability to mimic frequently drew upon real characters he had encountered. It is interesting to note that in real life his cousin was a crew member of HMS Troubridge which became the fictional HMS Troutbridge.

Richard Caldicot played the harassed Commander (later Captain) Henry Povey. Heather Chasen was THE female actor of the show. Already an established radio and stage performer, it fell on her to voice every female character in the show for many years until Judy Cornwell joined the cast. Tenniel Evans never missed a broadcast as the old soak Sir Willerby Todhunter-Brown he would stumble through speeches without any appreciation of lucidity. Tenniel’s best-known character was that of Able Seaman (later Leading Seaman) Goldstein, constantly radioing messages to the bridge and reminiscing about Wales.  Michael Bates delivered a wide range of characters but his memorable creations include the ship's padre and the persistently sneezing Captain Acheson. A struggling young actor Ronnie Barker successfully transferred from the theatre to a `minor` Navy Lark role. Listeners were impressed at his ability to create voices and personalities. Everyone who listened was entertained by Lt. Cdr. Stanton’s incompetence as a senior officer with a passion for fishing. But, for many his best comic inventions were those of Troutbridge’s hopeless Chief Engineer Lt. Queeg and the sardonic MOD official who would telephone Troutbridge and say in a very lewd and inappropriate voice " Intelligence speaking" His most famous role was that of AB ‘Fatso’ Johnston.

Such was the success of the programme a film version was commissioned as soon as  series 1 came off air. The only cast member to transfer from radio was Leslie Phillips and the film was not a success.  The Navy Lark was the last radio series to transfer to the silver screen.

ITV made a television version of the show featuring Richard Caldicot and Frank Thornton which ran for 26 shows in 1964. The entire series which was filmed at sea with studio work at Pinewood all episodes have  been but rumours abound of the existence of one show survives somewhere.

The whole radio cast were called back to Troutbridge on July 16 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, and a final Troutbridge reunion with a reduced cast was broadcast on Boxing Day in 1992.

The Navy Lark has left us with over 120 hours of radio fun continues to deliver as much joy now as it did 53 years ago.  Two Christmas episodes were recorded especially for the Antarctic scientific survey teams in 1962 and 1965 but were never broadcast in the UK.

Peter

gsseditor@gmail.com

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Maureen Writes:

Why were our geography lessons so boring? Todays blog was very interesting, as you say Rockall is known to all who listened to the shipping forecasts, but never knew any of its history.  Great job, Thanks

News and Views:

On this day 10^th August 1960 -1965

On 10/08/1960 the number one single was Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd & the Pirates and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Rawhide (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 10/08/1961 the number one single was You Don't Know - Helen Shapiro and the number one album was Black & White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels. The top rated TV show was Top Secret (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Ipswich were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.The big news story of the day was Britain applies to join EEC.

On 10/08/1962 the number one single was I Remember You - Frank Ifield and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 10/08/1963 the number one single was Sweets For My Sweet - Searchers and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 10/08/1964 the number one single was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 10/08/1965 the number one single was Help - The Beatles and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Riviera Police (AR) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.