ITV Sitcom Educating Archie took the somewhat dubious talents of ventriloquist Peter Brough and his dummy Archie Andrews out of his hugely popular BBC radio setting (there had been an Educating Archie radio series since 1948) and put him in the real world.
Archie was a little wooden schoolboy and most plots were based around his mischief making capabilities. Rather than just being a dummy sitting on Brough’s knee this TV version made ample use of special effects and Archie could move. The TV Times of the week of the show’s premiere (21 Sep 1958) had a two page feature on the show and how co-writer Ronald Chesney was, surprisingly, the one responsible for coming up with the technology to make Archie in his home workshop.
Archie is seen here standing up. Something he couldn’t manage to do on the radio!
Other regulars on the series included housekeeper Mrs Twissle (Irene Handl) and Mr Monty (Dick Emery).
Comic legend Marty Feldman was one of the key writers on the series.
Cast: Peter Brough; Irene Handl; Dick Emery; Freddie Sales; Sheena Marshe; Ray Barrett; Peter Stanwick
Writer:(mostly) Marty Feldman also with Ronald Wolfe & Ronald Chesney, Barry Pevan / Directors: Christopher Hodson, Bill Turner, Pat Baker
UK / ITV – Associated-Rediffusion / 27×30 minute episodes / 26 September 1958 – 25 December 1959