Hancock’s Half Hour Volume Three

Distributor: Roadshow Home Entertainment

Certificate: G | region 4
Extras: No
cast
Tony Hancock, Sid James,

By the time of the fifth season of Hancock’s Half Hour, every episode of which is included in this majestic new two disc disc Roadshow collection, the show was a phenomenon, Tony Hancock had managed with consumate ease to translate the success of his radio show to the new fangled small screen and become one of the biggest names in showbiz.

At this stage still working with his trusted writers Alan Galton and Ray Simpson (who would go on to create another iconic sitcom in the shape of Steptoe and Son) and still with his masterly right hand man Sid James (although it wouldn’t be too much longer before an increasingly paranoid Hanock had convinced himself that Sid was out to steal all the glory and eventually of course he would even feel he didn’t need his writers and if he had been able to stay off the booze he may well have been right but his sad decline, ending with his death in an Australian hotel room in 1968 was his ultimate ending).

This though is simply hilarious classic TV and given that its almost fifty years old still fresh as a daisy. There are some real gems and acknowledged classics in this two disc set too including the brilliant 12 Angry Men which sees Tony and Sid on a jury which gave us the classic and impassioned line does Magna Carta mean nothing to you, did she die in vain, The Big Night which sees Sid and Tony out on the prowl and The Two Murderers where Tony becomes convinced Sid is out to murder him for his life savings.

Brilliant and not to be missed.