Some of the many records either dedicated, featuring or other (small) connection to the lad himself. Unfortunately most, if not all, have now been discontinued. You can still find them about, second-hand, if you look hard enough. So keep those minces peeled!

Published between 1963 & 85
The rare and collectable collection. This is a varied mixture of long players that feature a BBCtv interview, a couple of complete film soundtracks and a rather unusual dedication (IMHO), to the lad himself, courtesy of a guy called James Gaskin. There are several other LPs that could be added to this collection, but, as I've said before - on many an occasion - across these pages, I'm still in the process of trying to track down copies. As soon as I come across one, you can be sure it'll be added here...
 
Face to Face - with John Freeman
PYE (PICCADILLY)
First published 1963
FTF 38500 - Mono
See the Single that features the Theme tune from the BBCtv series - Face to Face

For the sleeve notes, on the back cover of this LP, click here

Face to Face was a TV show in which John Freeman, former editor of The New Statesman and later to become British Ambassador to the USA, asked straight forward and often probing questions to, usually, intellectually heavyweight personalities of the day. Hancock was as surprised as anybody when he was asked if he would like to participate in the show. After some deliberation Hancock agreed and the resulting examination of Hancock's troubled personality was so stark that the BBC had their doubts about whether or not it should be aired at all; indeed, Freeman was forced to write a letter to the Daily Telegraph following the broadcast to counter the public criticism his interview style had received...

Side 1

Tony Hancock

Side 2

Stirling Moss

This is the very rare LP release of the above mentioned Face to Face TV interview. John Freeman's fascinating interviews with Tony Hancock and Stirling Moss are featured on this long player. Both of which are slightly edited versions of the original BBCtv broadcasts, shown originally way back in February 1961.

For the sleeve notes, on the back cover of this LP, click here

 

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines - Ron Goodwin  
The complete film soundtrack  
First published 1965
Stateside / EMI
See the Single featuring this films main soundtrack - Those Magnificent Men...
SL 10136 - Mono

The musical score for Those Magnificent Men, composed and conducted by Ron Goodwin, evokes the exuberant mood of the men and their times. The plot is about the first air race between London and Paris in 1910 and this music spins along at a rollicking pace, sparkling with style and contagious with melody.

Side One
1. Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines
2. Arizona
3. The Great Air-Race
(Or Last One in Paris is a Monkey’s Uncles)
4. The Dance Of The Intrepid Airmen!
(Or 55 Years Before the Beatles)
5. A Most Serious Talk
6. Meanwhile, Back At The Airfield
(Or Yes, But Will it Fly?)

 

Side Two
1. The Darlings Of 1910
2. Arizona
(Reprise)
3. The Flying Frenchman
(Or Pierre Sure Get Around!)
4. Ah, So - Mein Herr!
5. The Railroad Song
(Or How Did This Ever Get in an Airplane Movie?)
6. The Incredible Time Of 25 Hours And 11 Minutes
(Or They’ll Never Break This Record!)

Download this films main soundtrack by clicking here: Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, conducted by Ron Goodwin

For the sleeve notes, on the back cover of this LP, click here

The Wrong Box - John Barry
The complete film soundtrack
Mainstream Records
First published 1966
56088 - Mono
See a compilation LP featuring this films main soundtrack - John Barry Conducts...

For the sleeve notes, on the back cover of this LP, click here

John Barry composed and conducted the music for THE WRONG BOX. With this score Mr. Barry has once again proven himself to be one of the most outstanding film composers. His previous successes include Séance On A Wet Afternoon, The Knack, King Rat and the Ipcress File.
Composing for films is no easy task. It takes a musician with a unique talent and a true understanding of what his music is to convey. John Barry has this talent. Listen as Mainstream Records bring you another memorable motion picture sound track.

Main title
Montage of the deaths
Yes, who is that?
Strangler
Responsible for bringing us together
God save us / pedantic, boring, old
Morris visits Dr. Pratt

Morris hides as he sees handcart
Tontine box is put on the hearse
Only a bird in a gilded cage
(Von Tilzer)
Michael & Julia on hearse
Hackett funeral and fight
Bournemouth strangler

This LP is also available in Stereo on Mainstream S / 6088 (for those that may be interested), and is even rarer then the one shown (left). Consequently it is also very expensive, if you can find a copy - so don't expect to see it any time soon on The Cuttings. At least, not until I win the pools or the lottery...

Download this films soundtrack (Main title) by clicking here: The Wrong Box, by John Barry

 

Hancock Beyond The Grave - James Gaskin
Homburg Productions / Castellon Enterprises Ltd
First published 1985
HOM 1 - Stereo

Side 1 / A

Hancock's Heavenly "Half Hour"

Side 2 / B

Hancock's Hellish "Half Hour"

Hancock Beyond The Grave is a tribute to the comic-genius of the much-loved Tony Hancock and all those who worked with and for him. This fantasy tale is a pastiche of the character who became compulsive entertainment for the British in the Fifties and Sixties and whose art and technique have rarely been equalled.

James Gaskin

The soundtrack for Hancock Beyond The Grave may be added in due course, space permitting. So watch this space...

For the sleeve notes, on the back cover of this LP, click here

Sleeve notes for Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines - (SL 10136)

Brevity has long been regarded as the soul of wit. That, however, was before the advent of Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines - or How I Flew From London To Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes. This is not only the wordiest title on record, but the film happens to be the wittiest, wildest, wackiest comedy of aeroes that ever whizzed down skyline drive. Not only extravagant, but extravagantly hilarious.
Those Magnificent Men, etc., etc., etc. is a saga of the pioneer airmen, those intrepid aeronauts who launched the space age at the dazzling speed of 35 miles an hour. It's the story of a gallant era, before computers, when the law of gravity was defied in the spirit of levity ... when carefree blokes of all nations got their kicks flying crates held together by gumpaper and lifted (sometimes) by the most whimsical of engines ... when every take-off was high drama and every landing a miracle ... and when every goggle-eyed boy got girl to become his co-pilot!
The musical score for Those Magnificent Men, composed and conducted by Ron Goodwin, evokes the exuberant mood of the men and their times. The plot is about the first air race between London and Paris in 1910 and this music spins along at a rollicking pace, sparkling with style and contagious with melody.
This soundtrack album is also notable for its droll blend of dialogue, music and titles especially The Flying Frenchman, or: Pierre Sure Gets Around! and Meanwhile, Back At The Airfield, or: Yes, But Will It Fly? These are clever touches on a brilliant canvas, or: how to make the most of a great production!

HERM SCHOENFELD
Music Editor of VARIETY

Sleeve notes for The Wrong Box - (56088)

Producer-Director Bryan Forbes has assembled topline comedy talent for Columbia Pictures THE WRONG BOX, a riotous mystery comedy filmed in Eastmancolor.
It has been greeted by such reviews as this one by The New York Times... so fantastic and explosive that it virtually pops right out of the screen! A crazy, merry tale ... somewhere between black humor and elegant, uninhibited camp! The best of the clowning is Peter Sellers!
THE WRONG BOX stars John Mills, Sir Ralph Richardson, Michael Caine, the Beyond the Fringe comedy team of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and Nanette Newman, Tony Hancock and Peter Sellers in cameo starring roles.
Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove (authors of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum) co-produced and wrote the screenplay for THE WRONG BOX which is based on a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne. Set in Victorian London it is a story of two elderly brothers, Masterman and John Finsbury, one of whom will win a sizeable inheritance upon the death of the other. So begins a hilarious adventure of murder and bodies in THE WRONG BOX.
John Barry composed and conducted the music for THE WRONG BOX. With this score Mr. Barry has once again proven himself to be one of the most outstanding film composers. His previous successes include Seance On A Wet Afternoon, The Knack, King Rat and the Ipcress File.
Composing for films is no easy task. It takes a musician with a unique talent and a true understanding of what his music is to convey. John Barry has this talent. Listen as Mainstream Records bring you another memorable motion picture sound track.

Sleeve notes for Hancock Beyond The Grave - (HOM 1)

   '. . . so there I was lolling around in limbo doodling on my death certificate trying to change the date when I decided it was about time you lot over there heard from me again. So I applied for a seance - or celestial osmosis as they prefer to call it. I told ‘em I wanted someone erudite like Bamber Gascoigne but they got the wires crossed and I found myself chatting to this Gaskin geezer.

   Stone Me! What a let down. A right poltroon he turned out to be. Not the full shilling if you get my drift. Well, I knew he was a bit of a drip when he accepted the reverse charges. I mean, from this distance.
   Anyway this down-at-heel hack has dutifully scribbled down my experiences over here, to flog off to you lot over there . . .'

James Gaskin

Side: 1 - HOM 1 / A
Side: 2 - HOM 1 / B
Hancock's Heavenly "Half Hour"
Hancock's Hellish "Half Hour"

Tony Hancock: James Gaskin

Mrs. Cravatte: Grazyna Grubczak

St. Peter: Maxton G. Beesley

 

Tony Hancock: James Gaskin

Bill: Maxton G. Beesley

The Devil: Maxton G. Beesley
Hancock arrives in Heaven to find his fame has gone before him and God wants to see his act... but, thanks to Sid, things are not what they seem.
In his daring quest to re-light a fiery furnace Hancock gets lost, bumps into The Devil and discovers the truth behind Sid's most devious con-trick...

Railway Cuttings is the first Web site to contain this information, in detail, with pictures and an accompanying sound file - of a whole track - for your listening pleasure (server space permitting), selected from a couple of the above LPs. The most comprehensive collection of Hancock related records anywhere on the Web, so far!
Watch this space! More material will be added as soon as I acquire it, so pop back occasionally. You never know, there might be something new the next time you visit...

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

This long player is very difficult to find. If you do find a copy relatively easily, then you were lucky!

This long player is as rare as they come. Indeed, it's like gold dust. I'd almost defy you to find a copy!

 

Use your browsers button to go back