Educating Archie

1 9 5 8 – 1 9 5 9 (UK)
27 x 30 minute episodes

The ventriloquist Peter Brough introduced a new, walking Archie Andrews dummy when Educating Archie was moved from radio (where it had been a fixture since 1950, drawing in an audience of over 15 million listeners) to television. Dick Emery was one of the regular cast.

The manic-eyed Archie, elegantly clad in a broad-striped blazer, always haughtily called his mentor “Brough” as if he were some menial functionary in a stately home.

Archie was always stronger than his manipulator, indeed part of his charm was the appeal of the stroppy dummy to the anarchist child in everyone.

By the 1960s the appeal of Archie had run its course and Brough went back to the family clothing business which he had first entered when he was 16.

Peter Brough died in 1999 after a short illness, aged 83.

Archie Andrews
Peter Brough
Dick Emery
Freddie Sales
Ray Barrett