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Farewell to a Genius
Sorry to intrude, but news has just come through of Spike's death.
Goodbye, Spike.
Sad news indeed :-(
Spike is to be profiled on Heroes of Comedy on Channel 4 this Saturday
anyway.
A fitting tribute.
Steve
Man thats a bastard. First John Lee from Feeder, then
John Thaw then Spike Milligan!
Last time I spoke to Spike I asked
"Excuse me Spike can I shake your hand?"
to which he replied
"Why whats wrong with yours?"
Much Respect & Love to you Spike
Gareth
Very very sad to hear of Spike's death this morning.
Jon
He has been a source of light and inspiration to me since I discovered
Puckoon thirty-odd years ago. No light today, however, for there is a
Looney eclipse. His new work-in-progress will be the Heaven According to
Spike Milligan. Or a wry laugh echoing through eternity.
Goodbye, soldier.
Alan
I have loved Spike all my life - Dip the Puppy was my favourite book
as a child - and this is the day I always somehow hoped would
never dawn, though of course it had to...
A world without Spike is simply unthinkable.
MJ
Comedy has lost a great man.... may he continue to make people laugh
in heaven!
My deepest sympathy and thoughts to all his family.
Many thanks
Amanda x
goodbye.................:(
A truly depressing day. We've lost an original genius and somewhere
has gained one. At least the Go-ons can now be re-united.
Bye Spike, you will me missed more than you can imagine.
Farewell to a Genius
You will be sadly Missed Spike
From
Gigglybitz
A sad day indeed.I shall play my Goon Shows at half mast and read my books through as crack in eccles' head. He still makes me laugh..........
I'm sure we all feel a great sadness at the loss of a man who has
always given us happiness, smiles and laughs and I would like to extend
deepest sympathy to his family and relatives at this time.
Thanks for all the fun, Spike.
William O'Brien
Spike may be gone but he leaves so much for even long time Spike fans to
discover . I find new bits, insights and hilarities every time I listen or
read any of his work. If anybody read 'The Life and Death of Peter Sellers'
Peter was reported to have said that he wanted to reform The Goons so they
could all laugh again. This was shortly before his death. I'd like to think
that now that they are indeed re-united, they might cook up something
cosmically hilarious for us down here on this sad little rock. Perhaps a rash
of people inexplicably walking backwards for Christmas , or perhaps just a rash
breaks out among the general populace that makes us all laugh with Lurgi!
EEEEEEEEEYukabee, Yukabee!!!
Goodnight Spike, thanks for leaving the light on...
(And the seat down folks!)
I just wanted to say:-
I send strength to Shelagh and Spike's children, I pray that Spike's
demons have ceased to chase him and I wish him the peace that has
alluded him throughout most of his life. This planet has lost one of
it's best friends. May we have the strength and courage to fight for
it as he did.
Amelia
OMG!!!!!!!
This is terrible!!
One of my idols for 15 years and my fav poem below!!
NEVER be forgotton....
:(
Bye spike!
I think boxsets of every Goon show ever made and aired
and of Q should be released or re-released of already
done so in the past from the beeb now in Spikes memory.
Spike Writes
From Sydney Morning Herald
28 February 2002
Spike on Spike
The following is an obituary Spike Milligan wrote for himself in July
1990 for the Sunday Correspondent newspaper. It was reprinted in
today's Evening Standard.
"At last a journalistic enterprise, the ultimate ego trip. Write your
own obituary! Well, I've actually seen mine, by seducing an office
girl from the Brisbane Courier-Mail. It went like this: Spike
Milligan
was born Terence Alan Milligan on the 1 April, 1918, in a hospital in
Ahmednagar, India. When he grew up he wrote the Goon Show and died.
Well, I was educated first at the Convent of Jesus and Mary where I
consistently passed top of the class. While I was there the nuns had
16 immaculate conceptions.
To Rangoon (the Rangoon Show folks) and the Brothers de Salle -
despite the earthquake of 1929, I passed all exams with honours,
especially English lit. I then wrote the Goon Show and died.
In 1933, I returned to England where I learnt to sing like Bing
Crosby. In 1936, won silver cup crooning at Lady Florence Institute
Deptford. Act of heroism - 1937, on ferry crossing to Falmouth,
friend
Jim Cherry fell off and was rescued by me; Falmouth Chronicle carried
the story thus: CROONY CONTEST WINNER SAVES FALLING CHERRY. Wrote
Goon
Show and died.
Then I learnt the trumpet. Won Melody Maker contest silver medal at
Lewisham Town Hall, presented by Benny Carter. Benny Carter was my
hero; after the operation he became my heroine.
Now I was 19, held together by pimples, Brylcreem and Durex. My first
sexual encounters of a thud kind - I fell off. She lost hers, I lost
mine, snap! Wrote Goon Show and died.
Then came the war: North Africa, promoted in the field (they wouldn't
let me indoors). Mentioned in dispatches: nothing positive, just
mentioned. Heard playing with Army jazz band by L/13 Div K Carter
(later producer of the Benny Hill Show), put in concert party.
Invasion of Italy - blown up at Monte Cassino - came down again
unaided. Demoted as "unstable", spotted by gay colonel: was his
chauffeur. He said if he could hold mine he'd promote me; after one
stripe he found one bigger who soon became sergeant.
I and my trumpet were posted; breaking out of the parcel found I was
in the Central Pool of Artists, Naples - a depot of bomb-happy
squaddies. Wrote Goon Show and died. Secombe there. He's seen Naples
but didn't die; there was too much him. He was doing an act of
shaving
and singing - yes, shaving and singing. He knew what he was doing -
there was no Shaving and Singing Regiment in the country.
The Bill Hall Trip who, well, I was a good rhythm guitarist like
Django's brother. Seated one day at the guitar, I was weary and ill
at
ease. And fingers wandered idly over the ivory keys ... (bang, there
goes another elephant).
I was joined by a jazz violinist, then a jazz bassist; we became the
hit of the Central Mediterranean Forces, nabbed by Gracie to appear
on
VE night concert, Argentine Theatre, Rome - we are the hit of the
show; we escape, before she can sing Sing As We Go. Wrote Goon Show
and died.
The war ends, we seek fame in the UK - failure. I go solo; that is,
I'm out of work on my own, meet up again with Secombe, then Bentine,
then Sellers, then ... Dorita Trent! Forget the others, no, I must
write a show for them, yes. Between doing Dorita, I wrote the Goon
Show and died.
I had long been aware of the state of the environment, so with Jean
Scott formed the Finchley Society, saved building from a witless
Finchley council.
TV had arrived, Sellers asked me to do a script for TV. I wrote A
Show
Called Fred, the very first Producers and Directors Award. Divorced,
for doing it to Dorita, now I went into oblivion. I marched with
Bertrand Russell on the anti-nuclear 100 Committee (looks like we're
winning), I joined all environmental groups; whenever I got the
chance, I preached the disaster of over-population. Wrote Goon Show
and died.
No work in England; Australia - radio and TV; out there saved an
unrecorded Aborigine cave, carvings and paintings of the extinct
Dharug tribe. I found and saved the convict-cut stone cottage of
major
early Australian poet Henry Kendall (now a museum). I could have gone
on, stopped there and waited for the knighthood, but no. Instead,
they
relieved me of my British passport and I was obliged to become Irish
with the title of Mister.
Writing poetry for my children, eldest Laura said: "Why don't you
make
a book, Daddy?" I did. Success. Wrote Goon Show and died. Feel I have
shaken off the working class curse. Feel good!
Supporting the salvage of SS Great Britain and HMS Warrior. Saved old
gas lamps of Constitution Hill. Started two-year restoration of Elfin
Oak, Kensington Gardens. I yearn for a good film part, Bernard Miles
renews my flagging spirits by giving me role as Ben Gunn in Treasure
Island. Success, but nothing comes of it. I write Puckoon,
bestseller.
I then wrote the Goon Show and died.
Under direction of idiots at MGM I make three "comedy" films. I had
no
say in the writing or direction and it showed.
Back to Oz to do a second radio series. Got a telegram from Sellers
saying short film I wrote and directed, Running, Jumping and Standing
Still, has won awards!
I'm cast in a boring Russian drama, Oblomov. First night disaster. I
ad lib the play to success. It breaks all box-office records for the
Comedy Theatre; everybody comes - Olivier, Barbra Streisand, the
Royal
Family.
Finally BBC2 allows me to do a series of TV shows I call Q. The style
was pounced on by all the up-and-coming comics, Python among them.
Clubs: Ronnie Scott's. Hobbies: writing Goon Shows and dying."
I'll second that. As a cartoonist/humorist myself, I
especially felt a loss when I heard the news.
I was introduced to Spike over 15 years back thru "Adolf Hitler ..." and my
dad almost threw me out of the house for falling off the bed laughing. After
I introduced him to Spike a few weeks later, he got the similar treatment
from my mom.
I was always reminded of this when I read & (re-re-re...-read) about Spike &
the girls on a boat off the coast of Algiers where they spot a manta ray
skimming over the surface at a fantastic speed. Says Spike "His old woman
must be after him".
He will but will he let others up there rest in peace?
In the spirit of Puckoon, in which fraudalent holy fire is nixed after a cat
pees on the matches, I hereby attempt to attain damp squibdom. What
saddens me about the outpouring of elegies here and in the media is that
what has triggered the plaudits is Spike's death. Input to this group has
been conspicuous by its absence in the last few months, now we (me included)
all emerge from the woodwork in a veritable flood of mailings.
The best way we can honour his genius is to carry on discussing it in the
future. As W.H.Auden said, on the occasion of Yeats' death, "the words of
a dead man are modified in the guts of the living." By discussing his work,
we can help Spike's spirit stay alive. To appropriate and modify the words
reputedly on King Arthur's tomb: "Hic iacet Spike, rex quondam, rexque
futurus."
Alan
Hi there:
I am new to this Yahoo group and, sadly, I only found out about it
after Spike's passing. I first heard the Goon Shows on NJ radio
station WFMU on a friend's radio show. Needless to say, I was hooked
and later sought out the LP's for my own collection. I even featured
Goons on my own radio show in the late 80's. Spike was an original
brilliant thinker and it was such a joy to read his books and poetry.
I hope that future generations will somehow learn about Spike and the
Goons.
Hope everyone is holding up ok with this.
Best wishes,
Krys O.
I think that translates as "Here's Spike's jacket, what a wreck, what a
wreck for the two of us."
Seriously though, I echo Alan's sentiments. Alt.fan.goons is always bursting
with comments, serious, witty and stupid. This group is mainly moribund. How
about beginning with favourite Spike sayings?
Here's one: anyone can get to be 42 but only a bus can get to be 42A
Roger the Saurus
We often use the expression _end of an era_; but with Spike's death, that
pretty much leaves Des O'Connor & the composing maniac Sir Malcolm Arnold as
the last survivors of a group of entertainers who created their own no rules
generation in the radical chaos of the Great Depression & WWII... everyone
else is gone. The Goons. Eric & Ernie. Henry. Frankie. Benny. Dick, Eric &
Terry-T. While the old firm of British comedy seems be in the good hands of
young exponents like Izzard, Fry, Elton, Enfield, Ross, etmanyceteras, the
Milligan era was historically & hysterically a breed apart. I'll miss Spike
(& his generation) a lot.
Very parenthetically to Spike himself, there's a certain beautiful irony in
Des being the last survivor of this group; because i remember all of those
jokes Eric Morcombe told about the supposed appalling musicality & physical
indestructibility of O'Connor's recordings. They tried to smash them against
walls; broke hammers in an attempt to crush; gong fued a stack of them
(breaking the table holding up the records but leaving the records
intact)... just about everything you could possibly do with a single prop.
It was great; & yet their indestructible jokes have almost come true in real
life. If there is an afterlife, the ghosts of Eric & Ernie are no doubt
laughing fit to burst.
What a sad event. I have a letter that I received from Spike when I wrote
him a fan letter - circa 1974. he signed it Love, Light and Peace.
That's what I wish for him now.
He embarrassed me many times in public as I read his books.
I soon learnt that a Spike Milligan book must be read in private,
so your laughter does not alarm people sitting next to you on the
bus.
He gave me a view on war that no history book could ever
provide.
He made me smile with his pure whimsy and silliness, and
laugh from the depths of my belly with his wit and charm.
I knew this day would come, but I was still shocked to hear that
Spike had died. How could this wonderful man no longer be
with us?
I am sure that Spike, Peter and Harry and really kicking up a
storm in heaven.
God bless you Mr Milligan for making all our lives a happier
place.
I will miss you.
Amy xxx
And a big "hear hear" to that. Personally, I'd greatly like to see
the Q series' again. The snippets which appeared on the BBC's tribute
prog on the night Spike departed really whetted my appetite - I've
only got to *glimpse* Spike and Bob Todd together on screen to
dissolve helplessly into laughter. I think most people would agree
that the BBC woefully under-used Spike's work on Q - and though it
may be regarded as cynical, if they now repeat some of it, it would
at least be welcomed by many. Hopefully, C4 will carry more on their
Heroes of Comedy profile tomorrow night.
"What are we going to do now ?"
"What are we going to do now ?"
"What are we going to do now ?"
"What are we going to do now ?"
"What are we going to do now ?"
(repeat, ad lib and fade....) ;-)
Wasn't it nice to see some actual clips from Q5 on the tribute
show - none of the existing Q compilations (Q Milligan or the two
BBC videos) have included so much as a millisecond of Q5,
despite the fact that it's the really important one. Otherwise it was
an odd compilation - they kept showing the start of sketches and
then stopping halfway through.
Isn't it annoying also how all the BBC bosses have been saying all
these nice things about Spike - if you really thought he was so
great, why did you refuse to employ him for 20 years??
A great sadness has desended on the world, but we must
remember those who are still here - Eric Sykes, Ivor Cutler,
Norman Wisdom, Bob Hope...
Bye bye Spike.
MJ
Personally, I only looked for this group once Spike had gone, I needed to share my grief for his loss. Up until then, I found it hard to 'discuss' Spike with other people because my love of his works was related to his dark demons, his serious poetry and the sometimes incredible sadness that rang through a lot of his 'humorous' works. Depression found me in my teens. All the corridors were dark, but Spike led me down them by the hand and I was never alone in my pain again.
I salute the courage he displayed for his convictions, the battles he undertook which only exasperated his pain. His talent was immeasurable. If you aren't familiar with his serious work, please take time to look at some. He felt very passionately that his serious poetry was overlooked and disparaged and yet his soul was laid bare in them. How cruel then, to overlook somebody's soul. I don't want to be all doom and gloom because he probably thinks that it's highly amusing that the media have just 'found' him again. I particularly liked the cartoon in the UK Daily Express, with God greeting him, autograph book in hand saying "Spike! I've always wanted to meet you!" As Spike would say - "Love, Light & Peace"
Amelia
I don't know about alt.fan.goons, but I think we're
all in morning for out beloved Spike. I know I am.
Although I'm not sure that's how Spike would have
viewed the situation himself. I think there's been
some really nice tributes paid to Spike, including on
here.
how about this one:
I thought I'd begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare,
but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any
of mine.
Susan
I don`t know if this will reach you but.
The scene heaven
Standing there are 3 figures suddenly a forth appears
- one of the first 3 steps forward it is Peter Sellers
he looks at the forth man and says "You took your
bloody time"
The forth man Spike milligan for it is he looks at the
large man in the group who opens his mouth in an
operatic fashion Spike cut`s him off saying "if your
going to sing i`m going to the other place"
Goodbye Spike the world is a sader place without you
Stephen Barlow
A little magic has gone from the world today
Hi there all, still depressed about it... very sad! I've got to agree
with Amelia that his serious poetry is fantastic, used to have it up on
my walls 20-25 years ago... Wish that I'd passed on my appreciation to
him many years ago but somehow thought that he wouldn't want to be
bothered... I still recite some of it to my family and friends.
It's actually quite amazing to me that I never really listened to the
goons being a bit younger but now having heard a bit I understand where
some of my family's behaviour comes from. Interesting!
Seriously folks, check out Open Heart University if you get a chance,
it is great!
And to the Milligan family I pass on my sympathies, a light has gone
out for me...
"... no one can be this hurt
and not bleed..."
love, light and peace
Dirk
slightly surreal story that Spike heard on one of his many visits
down under and used to delight in the re-telling has stuck in my
memory for some reason. It goes thus :
An Aussie bushman was exploring in the outback with his dog when he
became hopelessly lost. After wandering for several days, eventually
things came to such a pass that he had no choice but to kill and eat
his dog in order to survive. As he sat by the fire licking his
fingers after his meal, he forlornly picked a morsel from his plate.
Holding it up, he looked mournfully at he scrap of food and sighed
deeply, as a tear came to his eye. "Rover would've loved that
bone...." he said sadly.
I was introduced to the wonders of Spike at a young age...Growing up in New Zealand there was no tv in the mornings, but on sunday mornings the radio stations all had childrens shows....this is where I first heard "Bad Jelly the Witch" It quickly became my favourite story...and I am currently getting hold of a copy of it for my own children!! Peace Love and Happiness
Tracey
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