For the first time, on any Web site, you can see all seven Radio Times issues that featured Hancock on the cover (Oh! and a couple of TV Times...)
Railway Cuttings (and I'm very excited about this) is the first Web site, in the whole wide world, to bring you this information, in detail and with pictures. Indeed, the first time 99.9% of us have ever even seen one, let alone seven, and all featured in one place! Many thx to Geoff for helping me to complete this new collection. I hope you all get as much enjoyment out of this new section of The Cuttings as I did while putting it together

Radio Times
West of England Edition - Vol. 125 : No 1618
12th November 1954
For week 14 - 20 November 1954 - Price: Threepence

Here is the first Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover - and by far the rarest and hardest to find!

A RING FROM TONY
That persistent suitor Anthony Hancock gives Moira Lister a glimpse of the promised ring. Whether she gets it or not will appear in the course of 'Hancock's Half-Hour' in the Light Programme on Tuesday.

This RT advertises the start of the second Hancock's Half-Hour radio show of the first series, with: The Diamond Ring - making this copy (almost) as old as the inception of Hancock's Half Hour itself

 

Midland Edition - Vol. 137 : No 1778
Radio Times
For week 8 - 14 December 1957 - Price: Threepence
6th December 1957

Here is the second Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

TONY HANCOCK
Tony Hancock takes a short cut to fame and fortune when this week he makes a determined assault on those newspaper competition prizes - Monday: Television.

This RT advertises the continuing TV series three of Hancock's Half-Hour, with: How to Win Money and Influence People

Radio Times
Scottish Edition - Vol. 138 : No 1787
7th February 1958
For week 9 - 15 February 1958 - Price: Threepence

Here is the third Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

TONY HANCOCK IN
'The Government Inspector' Gogol's comedy presented in Television World Theatre on Sunday.

This RT advertises Tony Hancock's starring role in the forthcoming play: Gogol's - The Government Inspector

If you've not seen this production of the play, starring Hancock in a straight role, then I suggest you borrow a recording from the T.H.A.S. video library. It makes very interesting viewing, and received good reviews at the time. I enjoyed it very much - highly recommended

 

Midland Edition - Vol. 144 : No 1871
Radio Times
For week 20 - 26 September 1959 - Price: Fourpence
18th September 1959

Here is the fourth Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

BACK FROM HIS 'HOLS'
Tony Hancock has been on holiday with his low-life friend Sid James. Owing to an oversight on Sid's part, they return to chaos at East Cheam - Friday Television.

This RT advertises the start of Hancock's Half-Hour TV series five, with: The Economy Drive

Radio Times
Midlands and East Anglia Edition - Vol. 146 : No 1894
26th February 1960
For week 28 Feb - 5 March 1960 - Price: Fourpence

Here is the fifth Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

HANCOCK'S BACK
Anthony Aloysius Hancock is face to face again with Sidney James - Television: Friday.

This is a classic cover and probably the best remembered and most loved of the seven (as with the 1985 issue). Hancock is seen holding a Radio Times with Sid on the cover. Just in case some of you were thinking this was a previous / earlier (real issue) of a Radio Times issue, it's not. It carries the same date as the main RT and is in fact a mock-up.

This RT advertises the start of Hancock's Half-Hour TV series six, with: The Cold

 

 

No region specified (probably London and South East) - Vol. 151 : No 1958
Radio Times
For week 20 - 26 May 1961 - Price: 6p
18th May 1961

Here is the sixth Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

HANCOCK
Friday: Television.

This cover design looks very familiar. I had always wondered where the inspiration for the design on the inlays of all the BBC video releases of Hancock's Half Hour had come from. Now I know. It came from this RTs cover design, from the early 60s.

This RT advertises the start of the completely new series of Hancock - without Sid James

Radio Times
London Edition
18th April 1985
For week 20 - 26 April 1985 - Price: 30p

Here is the final and seventh Radio Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

HANCOCK
...launches a new season of 'Omnibus' at its new time, 10.15 on Friday, BBC1. Inside: Bill Kerr remembers the golden years.

This RT advertises the BBC Omnibus programme: From East Cheam to Earls Court

If you've not seen this programme either, then I recommend you borrow a recording from the T.H.A.S. video library. It's another great programme and, again, I enjoyed it very much

 
The main reason, I think, this particular front cover became the best remembered and most loved, as it did, is probably because it was used on two issues of the Radio Times, as seen above. I'm not sure if they ran out of ideas or whether they just loved the 1960s issue so much, that they felt the need to do it again. A nice idea though...

London Edition
TV Times
For week 17 - 23 March 1963 - Price: 5d
15th March 1963

A rare issue of a TV Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

Anthony John HANCOCK The Writer Thursday 9.45 p.m.

Also featured in this issue: The Flat Season with John Rickman, Dickie Henderson, June Laverick, Kingsley Amiss, and all the week's TV details including: Fireball XL5, 77 Sunset Strip, Naked City, Torchy, No Hiding Place, Rawhide, Bootise and Snudge, Hancock, Route 66, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Bonanza and The Avengers

As far as I'm aware, there were only two TV Times issues to have featured Tony Hancock on their covers - those being, the ones immediately above and below.

TV Times
Southern Edition
16th June 1966
For week 18 - 24 June 1966 - Price: 6d

Another rare issue of a TV Times that featured Hancock on the cover.

Cover star Tony Hancock is in The Blackpool Show on Sunday - page 8.

This TV Times advertises the start of The Blackpool Show (ABC-TV) series which began its run, of eight shows, on 19th June 1966 (the one listed in this issue of the TV Times), and ended on 7th August 1966. A small article on Hancock is also featured

See below for more info on this series

 

The Blackpool Show: 1966 Series for ABC-TV
From the stage of the ABC Theatre, Blackpool. Tony Hancock as compere, with John Junkin, Peter Gordeno and the dancers, Bob Sharpies and the ABC Television Showband, and guests as shown below. Scripts by John Muir and Eric Geen. Directed by Mark Stuart; an ABC-TV Network Production. Sundays 2205-2305, recorded 2030 the same evening.

A 16mm telerecording of show no. 7 (the only one which still exists) is in the National Film Archive. The T.H.A.S. also have a copy in their video library.

The cast list for the first show broadcast on 19-6-66, and featured in the above TV Times was; Matt Munro, Hope and Keen, Marian Montgomery, Ray Alan with Lord Charles, and Deryck Guyler.

There were many other Radio Times issues that mentioned Hancock in some way or another. Whether it be just as a schedule listing, or as a preview or review of a forthcoming TV or radio show, or indeed with an article about the lad himself. If you include all these issues, of the types just mentioned, then I would estimate we'd be looking at some one-hundred plus issues. I might get around to adding some of these particular Radio Times issues in the near future. Especially those that feature him over at least half a page. Indeed, one such issue is already included here at The Cuttings. You can read this article by Barry Took, 'as he assesses the near-genius of the man and his comedy', by going here: The lad himself - Radio Times article - 1978.
If you're interested in collecting any of the aforementioned Radio Times issues / covers (and they're all very rare), then expect (realistically), to pay anything from £25 to £?00 each. To find them at all and in any condition is very difficult. There's a big collector market for Radio Times'. All major stockists / sellers (not collectors), have sold out of these issues along time ago. You can only really be expected to pick them up from collectors that are selling their collection/s. You may find a stray copy somewhere and get lucky. Much good luck will be needed though. Unfortunately I think we're all going to need it!

These should be easy to find. Indeed you may trip over one. So mind your step!
These can be found, but you may have to look harder, they won't just fall into your lap!

These can be very difficult to find. If you do find a copy easily, then you were probably lucky!

These as rare as they come. Indeed, they're like gold dust. I'd almost defy you to find a copy!

 

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