The Silly American again, with another Question - Who was Spike Milligan?

[renomarvinm]

Who was Spike Milligan??  I mean, honestly, there I was, meandering through the used book store in downtown Eugene, where I encountered a book titled "Spike Milligan - Mussolini His Part in My Downfall."

Foolishly, I picked it up and, even more foolishly, opened it to page 33, where I read about him being terribly ill in Italy during World War Two, and the text read (Quote) "For my part, I kept falling into a delirious sleep, where I told General Montgomery to sing "God Bless America" with his trousers down..." (End Quote.)

I am STILL laughing!  This one was a genius!  How, oh how, did I ever miss this one???

[geo1pat1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Milligan

[geographically*challenged]

Spike_Milligan was a GREAT comedian.

He was in  The GOON Show.

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=the+goon+show+download&revid=1295113079&sa=X&ei=5SZ-Ue6rDsWV0AW4vYG...

[cee-dee]

Take yer pick:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPHOiZ6Pl3I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wom1OzwzLw

[upthecreekyetagain]

The epitaph on his gravestone, (written by himself), says, "I told you I was ill"  :^O

[electric*mayhem*band]

He actually wanted to be buried upside-down in a fridge, but his family rescinded his request. :^O

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Through every nook and every cranny,
The wind blew in on poor old Granny,
Around her knees, into each ear,
(And up nose as well, I fear).

All through the night the wind grew worse,
It nearly made the vicar curse,
The top had fallen off the steeple,
Just missing him (and other people).

It blew on man, it blew on beast,
It blew on nun, it blew on priest,
It blew the wig off Auntie Fanny,
But most of all, it blew on Granny !

(Spike Milligan - Poet Laureate).

[cee-dee]

Maveric Prowles
Had Rumbling Bowles
That thundered in the night.
It shook the bedrooms all around
And gave the folks a fright.
The doctor called;
He was appalled
When through his stethoscope
He heard the sound of a baying hound,
And the acrid smell of smoke.
Was there a cure?
'The higher the fewer'
The learned doctor said,
Then turned poor Maveric inside out
And stood him on his head.
'Just as I though
You've been and caught
An Asiatic flu -
You musn't go near dogs I fear
Unless they come near you.'
Poor Maveric cried.
He went cross-eyed,
His legs went green and blue.
The doctor hit him with a club
And charged him one and two.
And so my friend
This is the end,
A warning to the few:
Stay clear of doctors to the end
Or they'll get rid of you.

[hightara]

what a character .......... brilliant in off the cuff stuff.

up there with the men........who did

the life of brian  et all....... monty pythons genre

[lhasa.two]

There aren't enough superlatives to describe Spike, just brilliant.

As a youngster in the 50's I grew up listening to the Goons on the Radio, usually eating boiled eggs and soldiers...

The cast was usually:- 

Peter Sellers

Harry Secombe

Michael Bentine ( in the early days with his jumping flea circus...)

and Eric Sykes

Reno, just go on to youtube and also watch some of his sketches, interviews and tributes as well as checking out Tim's link for the shows.

I can guarantee you won't stop laughing :^O

[polyhedric]

The cast was usually:- 

Peter Sellers

Harry Secombe

Michael Bentine ( in the early days with his jumping flea circus...)

and Eric Sykes

[polyhedric]

Ooops posted to soon

Eric Sykes was never in the Goons - it was Spike Milligan

Or. as in the Last Goon Show of All from 1979, "Mr Spike Milligna, the well-known typing error"

[renomarvinm]

:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O

Somehow, I have stumbled into comic genius!  The problem with the Atlantic Ocean is that we over here don't see much on the other side of it.  That's our own problem and, very sadly, our own loss!  How, oh how, did I ever miss this one????

Thank you, everybody. Thank you!   This was much more than I anticipated!!!!

[geographically*challenged]

Hope you've laughed yourself mad as we in UK are after seeing and listening to that GREAT man who was hilarious:)

[gone-angling10]

The Late  king of comedy.

[lhasa.two]

Ooops posted to soon

Eric Sykes was never in the Goons - it was Spike Milligan

Or. as in the Last Goon Show of All from 1979, "Mr Spike Milligna, the well-known typing error"

He co-wrote many of the scripts with Spike including the last one, but you're right he didn't perform in the Goons. 

I was thinking of him in The Plank...  another brilliant comedian and writer of that group. 😄

[polyhedric]

Ah, "The Plank" what a brilliantly timed piece of comedy that is.

I have a VHS tape of it that I will get round to transferring to DVD some day.

[bookhunter2007]

Harry Secombe

When he died, Spike Milligan's response was priceless: "I'm glad he died before me, because I didn't want him to sing at my funeral"

[kiss*my*pixel]

Round the Horn - also hilarious!

Spike Milligan was a very complex person, raconteur, hilarious and funny, sad and tragic, brilliant mind, genius, manic depressive. Wanted to be and tried to be a good Dad and husband (failed at the second as he was unfaithful numerous times and broke hearts).

My Dad's favourite comedian of all time (same era). I notice some greetings cards on the shelves at the mo - funny :^O

[mitzigirl_123]

On the count of three ... SING!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrWureyryhQ

:^O

[brrps]

UN-PC but put pakistani dalek into youtube!