518:
A notable feature of the show was its catchphrases. The character of Ivy (played by Ted Ray) would show her devotion to Mrs
Hoskins (Bob Pearson) by saying "you're a lovely woman, Mrs Hoskins!" The latter would remark in turn: "It was agony, Ivy!" This catchphrase was included in
550:. From June 1949 to June 1950, when the first series ended, it went out on Tuesdays. It was then usually broadcast on Thursdays until the end of series 6 in April 1954. The sixth series was the last to be broadcast on the Home Service.
534:
In addition, there was the adenoidal "If you haven't been to
Manchester, you haven't lived" from Tommy Trotter (Graham Stark). Another feature was the glamour girl who would do anything, but "Not until after six-o'clock!"
332:
was a domestic comedy. However, it started off as an
American-style three-'spot' show with songs and music. In some sketches, Ray worked for the Cannon Enquiry Agency, later joining the
343:. From the third series, the show was dominated by scenes featuring Ted and Kitty. She left the show to appear in an unsuccessful spin-off in 1955, but returned the following year.
487:", which prefaced the opening title song, named after the show and written by Ray. "You Are My Sunshine" closed the show until 1951. Music for the first three series came from
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from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the
British public" and "one of the major hits of post-war radio comedy".
294:
Ted Ray's alter ego in variety had been Nedlo, the Gypsy
Violinist. Originally named Charles Olden, by 1949 he was appearing as Ted Ray (named after
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In the first two series, songs came from an act known to listeners as the Beaux and the Belles, who were actually The
Keynotes under another name.
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was a half-hour programme which ran from April 1949 until
January 1961. It started on 4 April 1949, being broadcast on Mondays at 7.30pm on the
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provided another musical interlude, their signature tune being "We bring you melodies from out of the sky, my brother and I". In series 3,
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Mrs
Hoskins would mention "young Dr Hardcastle", to which Ivy would reply, "He's loo-vely, Mrs Hoskins, he's loo... ooo... vely!"
557:. The next series moved to Fridays. This continued until the eleventh and final series, with the show ending on 13 January 1961.
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In 1990, a BBC Radio
Collection double cassette of the series was released, featuring four episodes from 1949 and 1950.
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Bob
Pearson also played a little girl called Jennifer who, when asked her name, would reply: "Jen-ni-fer!"
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Over the course of the show's history, 361 episodes were broadcast, including three specials.
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Since 2010, archive episodes have been repeated on BBC Radio 7 and its successor,
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For the seventh series, beginning in October 1956, it was broadcast on the
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Radio comedy 1938-1968: a guide to 30 years of wonderful wireless
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Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment
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299:
683:"BBC Radio 4 Extra – How Tickled Am I?, Series 2, Ted Ray"
495:. For series 4 and 5, music was by Paul Fenoulhet and the
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The Beaux and the Belles (aka The Keynotes) (series 1-2)
995:"BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh, From 6/12/1949"
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825:Krutnik, Frank; Neale, Steve (19 October 2006).
879:Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1949).
278:was a British comedy series starring comedian
175:Charles Hart and Bernard Botting (series 7-11)
855:Terry Nation: The Man Who Invented the Daleks
595:Radio Broadcasting: A History of the Airwaves
312:. Other names considered for the series were
8:
510:and The Kingsmen appeared to provide music.
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882:Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series
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16:British radio comedy series (1949–1961)
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1020:"BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh"
899:The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
522:The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
302:producer George Inns. The show was
828:Popular Film and Television Comedy
14:
852:Turner, Alwyn W. (1 April 2013).
928:Fisher, John (1 November 2013).
858:. Quarto Publishing Group USA.
619:Barfe, Louis (1 January 2013).
1098:BBC Light Programme programmes
970:"Ray's A Laugh - Light Sitcom"
896:Knowles, Elizabeth M. (1999).
744:Street, Seán (4 August 2009).
239:
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195:Leslie Bridgmont (series 7-11)
1:
1093:1961 radio programme endings
328:For most of the show's run,
1103:BBC Home Service programmes
1088:1949 radio programme debuts
1083:BBC Radio comedy programmes
1063:The lost BBC: Ray’s a Laugh
902:. Oxford University Press.
747:The A to Z of British Radio
429:Patricia Gilbert (series 4)
351:Regular cast members were:
160:George Wadmore (series 3-6)
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483:Ray's signature tune was "
245:361 (including 3 specials)
154:Eddie Maguire (series 1-4)
1048:BBC Radio 4 Extra website
598:. Pen and Sword History.
339:Ray's wife was played by
151:Ronnie Hanbury (series 1)
189:George Inns (series 1-5)
468:Elsie Palmer (series 7)
420:The Kingsmen (series 3)
411:Charles Leno (series 3)
192:Roy Speer (series 1, 6)
1058:British Classic Comedy
931:Funny Way to Be a Hero
956:"Ray's A Laugh, 1949"
716:"PERFORMERS: TED RAY"
497:BBC Variety Orchestra
1053:British Comedy Guide
974:British Comedy Guide
804:. pp. 109–118.
157:Ted Ray (series 1-5)
958:. 3 September 2015.
750:. Scarecrow Press.
571:Home media releases
504:Bob and Alf Pearson
493:BBC Dance Orchestra
485:You Are My Sunshine
391:Bob and Alf Pearson
309:It's That Man Again
306:'s replacement for
80:BBC Light Programme
26:
625:. Atlantic Books.
387:(series 1-2, 4, 7)
363:(series 1-5, 7-11)
941:978-1-84809-313-3
909:978-0-19-860173-9
865:978-1-84513-687-1
838:978-1-134-94686-0
811:978-0-86369-960-3
757:978-0-8108-7013-0
632:978-1-84887-757-3
605:978-1-5267-6941-1
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52:Country of origin
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1042:External links
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514:Catchphrases
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435:(series 4-5)
424:Graham Stark
399:(series 1-2)
393:(series 1-2)
375:(series 1-5)
369:(series 1-6)
361:Kitty Bluett
350:
341:Kitty Bluett
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206:4 April 1949
111:Kitty Bluett
68:Home station
44:Running time
38:variety show
18:
934:. Preface.
508:John Hanson
474:(series 11)
415:John Hanson
406:Jack Watson
334:Daily Bugle
318:Hip-Hoo-Ray
263:/programmes
242:of episodes
183:Produced by
60:Language(s)
1077:Categories
1068:Radio Days
1029:18 January
1004:18 January
979:22 January
800:. London:
726:18 January
667:19 January
662:Radio Days
579:References
472:Pat Coombs
459:(series 6)
453:(series 6)
447:(series 6)
445:Diane Hart
426:(series 3)
417:(series 3)
408:(series 3)
296:the golfer
290:Background
220:1961-01-13
210:1949-04-04
172:(series 6)
166:(series 6)
145:Written by
89:Syndicates
47:30 minutes
21:Radio show
539:Broadcast
385:Fred Yule
304:BBC Radio
284:BBC Radio
265:/b00snjlj
231:of series
164:Sid Colin
116:Fred Yule
796:(1996).
491:and the
99:Starring
356:Ted Ray
280:Ted Ray
250:Website
218: (
214: –
208: (
106:Ted Ray
63:English
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906:
862:
835:
808:
802:Virgin
754:
629:
602:
324:Format
34:Sitcom
479:Music
30:Genre
1031:2024
1006:2024
981:2024
936:ISBN
904:ISBN
860:ISBN
833:ISBN
806:ISBN
752:ISBN
728:2024
669:2024
627:ISBN
600:ISBN
347:Cast
316:and
257:.bbc
1024:BBC
999:BBC
687:BBC
300:BBC
261:.uk
259:.co
255:www
240:No.
229:No.
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234:11
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