Make 'Em Laugh

Famous Comedians and their Worlds

by Eric Midwinter

This book covers the period from the 1920s to the 1970s and twelve comedians who have given the author most pleasure over the years. They are: Billy Bennett, George Formby, Will Hay, Robb Wilton, Jimmy James, Max Miller, Tony Hancock, Frankie Howerd, Morecambe and Wise, Les Dawson and Ken Dodd. Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs.

Brown boards / Gold inscribed spine

Indefinite Articles (Culled from his Newspaper Writings) & Scunthorpe

by Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan has written novels, poems, children's stories, TV shows and countless letters. Most of these have appeared in book form. In response to an overwhelming demand for more material for the avid Milligan reader, we present a collection of the articles he has written for various newspapers and periodicals. Newspapers and periodicals is a phrase much beloved by W.H. Smith & Son, and we include it in the hope that they will place an order for a million copies, which will qualify them for the Hobbs /Joseph Bookseller of the Year Award. The inclusion of Scunthorpe is, quite simply, an inclusion of Scunthorpe, and should be taken in that spirit. Obviously you have to read the book to understand fully the irrelevance of its appearance...

Black boards / Gold inscribed spine

Laughter In The Air

An Informal History of British Radio Comedy

by Barry Took

'That very funny man calls his Laughter In The Air an informal history of radio comedy. It is a perceptive and informed history with a generous helping of scripts' Daily Mail

'All recorded here with wry affection and a lightness of touch which leaves one feeling surprised that so much ground has been covered in so little time. Very funny indeed' Kenneth Williams, Punch

'A careful and loving assessment' Sheridan Morley, The Times

For a brief synopsis of this book go here

Within Whicker's World

by Alan Whicker

We have travelled the world for 25 years with Alan Whicker - the man who actually has been everywhere. His familiar voice and style have shown us life in the palaces of Palm Beach and Rajasthan, the slums of Rio and Bombay. At his side we've come to know villains and nuns, to meet matadors and witchdoctors, to be entertained by Princes and Presidents, to observe the brave and the bizarre . . . So why should everyone feel they can confide in him? What made Paul Getty, the Duchess of Alba and Papa Doc throw open their palaces? Why did Robin Douglas-Home weep, Olga Deterding get involved, Peter Sellers foresee a death, Tony Hancock end on the cutting-room floor? Come to that, what happened in the Orgy Room at Plato's Retreat when the lights went on?

Silver Grey boards / Gold inscribed spine

'No More Curried Eggs For Me'

A concoction of classic comedy sketches compiled

by Roger Wilmut

'No More Curried Eggs For Me' is a gorgeous collection of the best-known comic sketches of recent years, made famous on film, television, radio and record - and now all together in book form. Here is the Parrot Sketch from Monty Python, Alan Bennett and his Norwich telegram, Rowan Atkinson's school roll-call, Basil Fawlty 'not mentioning the war', Groucho and Chico not signing a contract, Hancock only just giving blood, Steptoe and Son in their very first programme, the Goons at full throttle. . .and many more.
'No More Curried Eggs For Me' has been cooked up by Roger Wilmut, whose past concoctions include The Goon Show Companion, Tony Hancock 'Artiste' and From Fringe to Flying Circus.

Two script excerpts from the The Blood Donor are included in this book

Pictorial laminated boards / No dust jacket

'No More Curried Eggs For Me'

A concoction of classic comedy sketches compiled

by Roger Wilmut

'No More Curried Eggs For Me' is a gorgeous collection of the best-known comic sketches of recent years, made famous on film, television, radio and record - and now all together in book form. Here is the Parrot Sketch from Monty Python, Alan Bennett and his Norwich telegram, Rowan Atkinson's school roll-call, Basil Fawlty 'not mentioning the war', Groucho and Chico not signing a contract, Hancock only just giving blood, Steptoe and Son in their very first programme, the Goons at full throttle. . .and many more.
'No More Curried Eggs For Me' has been cooked up by Roger Wilmut, whose past concoctions include The Goon Show Companion, Tony Hancock 'Artiste' and From Fringe to Flying Circus.

Two script excerpts from the The Blood Donor are included in this book

A Jobbing Actor

An Autobiography

by John Le Mesurier

A JOBBING ACTOR is Le Mesurier's own account of those years - of his life before he became an actor, and of his relationships with co-stars and with his former wives June Melville and Hattie Jacques and with his wife Joan.

Blue boards / Gold inscribed spine

for a foretaste of Chapter One

As well as there being a Paperback publication of this book, here, there was also another Hardback, a Lythway book (with pictorial laminated boards, no dust jacket) published in 1984 by Chivers Press, which can be seen here. This is a Large Print edition and the rarest of the three publications

Son Of 'Curried Eggs'

A second helping of classic comedy sketches compiled

by Roger Wilmut

This is the second helping of some of the best-known comic sketches of recent years, made famous on film, television, radio and record - and now gathered together in book form, to place alongside the first collection entitled, for no very good reason, 'No More Curried Eggs For Me'. This new volume includes Alan Bennett's sermon, Eric Idle's wifeswapping song, Dud and Pete debating the common cold, Joyce Grenfell inspiring her nursery school, Peter Cook inventing the wheel, Ron Glum sticking a sixpence up his nose, Arthur Dent hitch-hiking through galactic space and Jonathan Miller losing his trousers, as well as complete scripts of The Goon Show, Hancock's Half Hour and Yes Minister.

The complete script from Hancock's Car is included in this book

Pictorial laminated boards / No dust jacket