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Ray's a Laugh

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Ray's a Laugh
GenreSitcom, variety show
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Language(s)English
Home station
SyndicatesBBC Radio 4 Extra
StarringTed Ray
Kitty Bluett
Patricia Hayes
Peter Sellers
Kenneth Connor
Bob and Alf Pearson
Written byRonnie Hanbury (series 1)
Eddie Maguire (series 1-5)
Ted Ray (series 1-6)
George Wadmore (series 1-7)
Sid Colin (series 6-7)
Talbot Rothwell (series 7)
Charles Hart and Bernard Botting (series 8-12)
Original release4 April 1949 (1949-04-04) –
13 January 1961 (1961-01-13)
No. of episodes383 (including specials)

Ray's a Laugh was a British comedy series starring comedian Ted Ray which ran on BBC Radio from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the British public"[1] and "one of the major hits of post-war radio comedy".[2]

Background

Ted Ray's alter ego in variety had been Nedlo, the Gypsy Violinist.[3] However, Ray's a Laugh did not include Nedlo's name, nor that of Charlie Olden, which was Ray's real name. Olden was, by 1949, appearing as Ted Ray (named after the golfer),[4] and this was how he billed himself for his radio series, which was devised by BBC producer George Inns.[5][3] The show was BBC Radio's replacement for It's That Man Again.[6]

Format

For most of the show's run, Ray's a Laugh was a domestic comedy. However, it started off as an American-style three-'spot' show with songs and music.[7] In some sketches, Ray worked for the Cannon Enquiry Agency, later joining the Daily Bugle as a reporter.[8]

Ray's wife was played by Kitty Bluett. 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.[9]

Cast

Regular cast members were:[5][8]

Music

Ray's signature tune was "You Are My Sunshine", which prefaced the opening title song, named after the show and written by Ray.[10] "You Are My Sunshine" closed the show until 1951.[6] Music for the first three series came from Stanley Black and the BBC Dance Orchestra. For series 4 and 5, music was by Paul Fenoulhet and the BBC Variety Orchestra.[8]

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.[5] Bob and Alf Pearson provided another musical interlude, their signature tune being "We bring you melodies from out of the sky, my brother and I".[3] In series 3, John Hanson and The Kingsmen appeared to provide music.[8]

Catchphrases

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 The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.[11]

Mrs Hoskins would mention "young Dr Hardcastle", to which Ivy would reply, "He's loo-vely, Mrs Hoskins, he's loo... ooo... vely!"[8][12]

Bob Pearson also played a little girl called Jennifer who, when asked her name, would reply: "Jen-ni-fer!"[3][12]

In addition, there was the adenoidal "If you haven't been to Manchester, you haven't lived" from Tommy Trotter (Graham Stark).[3][12] Another feature was the glamour girl who would do anything, but "Not until after six-o'clock!"[3]

Broadcast

Ray's a Laugh 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 BBC Home Service.[5][8] From June 1949 to June 1950, when the first series ended, it went out on Tuesdays. It was then broadcast on Thursdays until the end of series 5 in April 1954, excluding specials.[5][13]

Series 6 was retitled Ted Ray Time, and broadcast on Mondays from October 1954 to April 1955. For the seventh series, which began in October 1955, the name reverted to Ray's a Laugh. It was transmitted on Thursdays, and was the last series to be broadcast on the Home Service.[5]

For series 8, beginning in October 1956, the show continued to be aired on Thursdays, but moved to the Light Programme. From the ninth series in October 1957 until the programme ended on 13 January 1961, it was broadcast on Fridays.[5]

Over the course of the show's history, there were 12 series and 383 episodes.[14]

Since 2010, archive episodes have been repeated on BBC Radio 7 and its successor Radio 4 Extra.[15][16]

Home media releases

In 1990, a BBC Radio Collection double cassette of the series was released, featuring four episodes from 1949 and 1950.[5]

References

  1. ^ Bathgate, Gordon (23 November 2020). Radio Broadcasting: A History of the Airwaves. Pen and Sword History. ISBN 978-1-5267-6941-1.
  2. ^ Barfe, Louis (1 January 2013). Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment. Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-84887-757-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Ray's a Laugh". Radio Days. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  4. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra – How Tickled Am I?, Series 2, Ted Ray". BBC.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "PERFORMERS: TED RAY". Laughterlog.com. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  6. ^ a b Street, Seán (4 August 2009). The A to Z of British Radio. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7013-0.
  7. ^ Krutnik, Frank; Neale, Steve (19 October 2006). Popular Film and Television Comedy. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-94686-0.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Foster, Andy; Furst, Steve (1996). Radio comedy 1938-1968: a guide to 30 years of wonderful wireless. London: Virgin. ISBN 978-0-86369-960-3.
  9. ^ Turner, Alwyn W. (1 April 2013). Terry Nation: The Man Who Invented the Daleks. Quarto Publishing Group USA. ISBN 978-1-84513-687-1.
  10. ^ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1949). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. p. 504.
  11. ^ Knowles, Elizabeth M. (1999). The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-860173-9.
  12. ^ a b c Fisher, John (1 November 2013). Funny Way to Be a Hero. Preface. ISBN 978-1-84809-313-3.
  13. ^ "Ray's A Laugh, 1949". 3 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Ray's A Laugh - Light Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  15. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh, From 6/12/1949". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  16. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Ray's a Laugh". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
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