EDelahanty
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British comedy in the second half of the 20th century was influenced by a group called The Goon Show. It was led by Spike Milligan and also included Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers, who gained international fame in the Pink Panther series, as well as Dr. Strangelove. Milligan later wrote a seven part memoir of his days in WW2 with such titles as "Mussolini: His Part in my Downfall." As Wikipedia tells it:
Milligan and Harry Secombe became friends while serving in the Royal Artillery during World War II. Famously, Milligan first encountered Secombe after Gunner Milligan's artillery unit accidentally allowed a large howitzer to roll off a cliff - under which Secombe was sitting in a small wireless truck:
"Suddenly there was a terrible noise as some monstrous object fell from the sky quite close to us. There was considerable confusion, and in the middle of it all the flap of the truck was pushed open and a young, helmeted idiot asked:
'Anybody see a gun?'
It was Milligan." Secombe's answer to that question was:
"What colour was it?"
Spike met Peter Sellers after the war at the Hackney Empire, where Secombe was performing, and the three became close friends.
When Secombe died, Milligan said: I'm glad he died first because I didn't want him singing at my funeral. Of course, when Milligan passed away, a recording of Secombe singing was played at the service. Milligan's tombstone contained an epitaph he had composed: "I told you I was ill." However, it was in Irish, as the church refused to allow the English version.
Milligan and Harry Secombe became friends while serving in the Royal Artillery during World War II. Famously, Milligan first encountered Secombe after Gunner Milligan's artillery unit accidentally allowed a large howitzer to roll off a cliff - under which Secombe was sitting in a small wireless truck:
"Suddenly there was a terrible noise as some monstrous object fell from the sky quite close to us. There was considerable confusion, and in the middle of it all the flap of the truck was pushed open and a young, helmeted idiot asked:
'Anybody see a gun?'
It was Milligan." Secombe's answer to that question was:
"What colour was it?"
Spike met Peter Sellers after the war at the Hackney Empire, where Secombe was performing, and the three became close friends.
When Secombe died, Milligan said: I'm glad he died first because I didn't want him singing at my funeral. Of course, when Milligan passed away, a recording of Secombe singing was played at the service. Milligan's tombstone contained an epitaph he had composed: "I told you I was ill." However, it was in Irish, as the church refused to allow the English version.
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