News: All Day Spike Milligan Celebration

Sky To Broadcast Lost Spike Milligan Footage

The British Film Institute on London's South Bank is to devote a whole day to the work of comedy legend Spike Milligan, marking a century since his birth.

The day, May Bank Holiday, May 7, will feature three different sections. Firstly there will be The Goon Show Years including The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Film, directed by Richard Lester. Secondly there will be a feature film Postman’s Knock and his lesser known post-Goons TV work. And finally there will be a look at Milligan the poet and comedian, including a screening of his film The Great McGonagall, which also starred Peter Sellers.

Terence ‘Spike’ Milligan was born in India and found fame firstly on the radio with the Goon Show, and later on TV and as a writer of poetry and prose. Milligan’s brand of absurdist comedy was an influence on the work of Monty Python, Eddie Izzard, Reeves and Mortimer and many more. Milligan’s outrageous, madcap vision brilliantly enlivened the post-war years and laid the foundations for a new, bolder take on established comedic tropes.

Tickets go on sale on April 10 at 11.30am here, where there is also a full listing for the day. Joint tickets are available with all three Spike Milligan programmes £24, concs £18 (Members pay £3 less). Please note: the joint ticket offer is only available over the phone by calling 020 7928 32332 or in person at BFI Southbank.

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