From the Stupidlyhappier website

Back in the mid seventies, the first 'proper' job I had after leaving college, was with a music/theatrical agency in London. I was very much the office junior and and was allocated whatever task bobbled along, on any given day.

Often, I would be sent out on tour with visiting bands, as a kind of 'stand in' tour manager, when they didn't have the need for someone older or more experienced.

Thus, I found myself on tour with Spike Milligan.

At the time, his 'fame' was going through a very low trough and this was a series of appearances at colleges and universities. Some nights, the crowd wouldn't even make three figures. My job was to set up the PA, make sure Spike got there (no easy task), and get the fee from the 'social secretary' of the venue (also no easy task).

Spike was a manic depressive. He spent time in nursing homes and hospitals but the anguish, and it was anguish, never left his soul. He could be irascible, difficult, maddening. He could be the kindest, most caring and generous man too. On that tour, he drove me to the point of resignation, but I adored him.

After the tour, we wrote to each other from time to time. He sent me Christmas cards. He would moan endlessly sometimes about some trivial incident at the BBC. He would also make me laugh and laugh and laugh.

I just looked out a 'souvenir' I kept from those touring days. It was a rudimentary 'security pass' we had for that tour. It was a cardboard rectangle with my name on the front, and stating that it was a 'backstage pass'. On the back of the card, at the end of the tour, Spike (I discovered) had written this:
"A young man who went out to dinner
Came back looking leaner and thinner
There's no need to be baffled
The dinner was raffled
....And somebody else was the winner"
Below it he scrawled:
"take care fellow Terence!"


Spike Milligan died this morning.

Posted by Terry at February 27, 2002 12:01 PM

I have no idea who that guy is, but that is a beautiful piece of writing.

Posted by Juliet

Juliet - Spike Milligan was a comedy genius. He was an integral part (indeed the scriptwriter) of The Goon Show. Without whom you'd never had had Monty Python... without whom... etc etc.

Thanks Terry for that.

Very sad.

Gina,x

Posted by Gina

In many ways he was before my time, but wasn't he in 'Life of Brian'?

Posted by Sarah

Someone very special has gone. As has been said in many other places, the word genius is often overused- but not in this case."What are we going to do now?..."

Posted by Mel

I just wanted to leave a note to say that you summed the man up so well there.

Posted by Sheila

Even though I have been thinking for an hour, I still cannot seem to find the words...

All I know is that one the greatest has gone, and the world will be a sadder place

Posted by Karen

Without him and his fellow Goons we'd never have had the likes of Monty Python, Not the None'O'Clock News, Ben Elton....They were pioneers in British comedy.

I remember reading his book Adolf Hitler:My Part in His Downfall and I always held him in the highest esteem after that.

I'm genuinely saddened.

RIP

Posted by Daisy

It's always sad when the world loses someone like Spike.

On the positive side he did lead a long life and left us much to laugh about. We are fortunate to live in a time when we have the luxury of recordings of his work. So his contributions to the world need never be forgotten, can be enjoyed time after time, and will likely be "discovered" by each succeeding generation.

Spike lives on in his own work and in his inspiration to generations of comedians.

Posted by Goldilocks