HANCOCK's HALF HOUR COLLECTIBLES Notes To
HANCOCK’S HALF HOUR COLLECTIBLES Notes to accompany Volume 2 All photographs copyright (C) BBC The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society is delighted to have given its support to the production of this new and unique series concerning the lost or rare work of, and related to, Tony Hancock, one of our greatest comedians. Tony Hancock,1951 The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society (THAS) Since its inception in 1976, the THAS and its many allies have been at the forefront of efforts to find, preserve and promote the works of Tony Hancock. As detailed in the previous volume of this series, this toil has, over the decades, yielded innumerable discoveries of work by Hancock that was previously believed to have been lost. The result is that the THAS now has the most extensive archive of Hancock’s stage, radio, television, and film work in the world. In addition, we have myriad recorded items related to his career, such as interviews and documentaries featuring Hancock, his colleagues and friends. Each offers valuable insights into his life and work. It is this extensive collection, combined principally with that of Ted Kendall, the noted sound engineer and media researcher, and the contents of the BBC Sound Archives, that have enabled the publication of Hancock’s Half Hour Collectibles. It is natural for modern audiences to question why broadcast material is missing from the period in which Hancock was ascendant from the late 40s until 1968. As many readers may know, this issue has, in fact, affected the legacy of numerous performers, programmes and broadcasts; and this phenomenon is by no means limited to the BBC, the United Kingdom, or indeed, the period during which Hancock was active.
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