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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Comedy
    Comedy TV Shows - 1950s TV Shows - 1960s TV Shows - 1970s 2 Mins Read

    Whack-O!

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    1 9 5 6 – 1 9 6 0 (UK)
    1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 2 (UK)
    60 x 30 minute episodes
    3 x short specials

    Fondly remembered and long-running comedy series starring Jimmy Edwards and written by Denis Norden and Frank Muir – who also penned Edward’s long-running radio series, Take It From Here.

    Edwards had been a radio star since the 1940s as Pa Glum, but it was for his role as Professor James Edwards MA (applied for), the corrupt, crafty and cane swishing Head Master of Chiselbury School for which he will always be most famously remembered.

    His bullying tactics were not confined simply to his students. Members of his staff were given a particularly rough ride, especially his right-hand man, weedy science master and Assistant Head Master Mr Oliver Pettigrew, played by Arthur Howard, brother of movie star Leslie.

    Pettigrew was forced to double up as boxing instructor, a model for the art class, relief boilerman and left-hand goalpost in inter-house soccer matches.

    Most episodes bore the legend ‘A Weekly Report’, but the first series of six episodes was subtitled ‘Six Of The Best’.

    During its initial four-year run, Kenneth Cope (Marty Randall in Randall and Hopkirk: Deceased), and Peter Glaze (Crackerjack) appeared regularly.

    The series was revived in 1971 (with the slightly altered title Whacko!) and a cinema version, Bottoms Up, was released in 1960.

    HISTORICAL NOTE
    Jimmy Edwards had been awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) during WWII as a fighter pilot with the RAF. His Dakota was shot down over Arnhem and his injuries were such that half of his face had to be rebuilt, hence the trademark handlebar moustache.

    whack-o_2Prof. James Edwards
    Jimmy Edwards
    Mr Oliver Pettigrew

    Arthur Howard
    Mr F D Price- Whittaker

    Kenneth Cope
    Mr G D St J Dinwiddie

    John Garside
    L B Hackett

    Arthur Bush
    R D Spelthorne

    Tony Sympson
    Mr S A Smallpiece

    Norman Bird
    Matron

    Barbara Archer (1)
    Elisabeth Fraser (2)
    Charlotte Mitchell (3)
    M Aristide Beaumarie

    Victor Baring
    Mr L J Halliforth BSc

    Edwin Apps (1)
    Peter Greene (2)
    R Palmer
    John Lewis
    G Perkins

    Michael Stainton
    Mr R P Trench MA

    Peter Glaze
    Mr Snaith

    Christopher Hodge
    Mr Tuppington

    John Forbes-Robertson
    Mr Cope-Willoughby

    Frank Raymond
    Mr Lumley

    John Stirling
    Mr Forbes
    Keith Smith
    Taplow
    John Hall
    Parker
    David Langford
    Phipps
    Robert O’Leary
    Crombie

    Jimmy Ray
    Phillpot

    Derek Needs
    Potter

    Paul Norman

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