TV Show Details
Air Date:January 22nd, 1968
Last Air Date:October 27th, 1969
Network:BBC Two
Status:Ended
Genres:Comedy
Original Language:English
Production Companies:BBC
The World of Beachcomber (1968-1969)
BBC Two
Scripted
DirectorJohn Howard Davies
Plot
The World of Beachcomber was a surreal television comedy show produced by the BBC, inspired by the Beachcomber column in the Daily Express newspaper.
The show, like the column, consisted of a series of unrelated pieces of humour. Links between the items were provided by Spike Milligan, dressed in a smoking jacket and cap, as in the cartoon logo above the newspaper column. The other actors were a Who's Who of British comedy of the time, encompassing almost every supporting player seen or heard in comedy, not excluding people of diminutive stature.
In all, 19 episodes were produced beginning in 1968. Unfortunately, like many shows of the time, the original videotapes were wiped. Only one complete episode, on black and white 16mm film, now survives in the BBC archives, from the penultimate edition.