Author:Lawrie Wyman,George Evans,Leslie Phillips,Jon Pertwee,Ronnie Barker,Stephen Murray,Tenniel Evans,Full Cast
The Navy Lark, one of radio’s longest-running laughter-makers, kept the nation on the crest of a wave from 1959 to 1977. All at sea in the Senior Service were conniving Chief Petty Officer Jon Pertwee, silly-ass Sub-Lieutenant Leslie Phillips, and the constantly bemused Stephen Murray as ‘Number One’. Tenniel Evans was making mischief as Leading Seaman Taffy Goldstein. Jump on deck and join them once more in this special collection featuring Ronnie Barker as Engineer Queeg, a man always out of his depth. In these classic capers, Leslie buys a bicycle, Troutbridge sails to France carrying the Prime Minister’s advisor, Goldstein schemes to get the CPO’s job, and the ship suffers a mysterious mechanical breakdown when Pertwee decides its next mission is doomed. The episodes are: ‘Taking Some Liberties’ (11 July 1965); ‘The PM Papa’ (13 November 1966); ‘Getting Rid of Pertwee’ (20 November 1966) and ‘Off to Sea at Last’ (27 November 1966).
Torrential psychological biography ... a savage but satiating account
—— Daily MailA fascinating, tragic and instructive story, vividly told
—— Sunday TelegraphAn absolute revelation, the book grips from the first page to the last and is packed with the kind of facts and anecdotes that make one drool. Brilliant
—— Film ReviewIt is a mad book - but then the subject is a madman. I love Lewis's passion ... I recommend it
—— Sunday TimesReinventing the genre as well as reassessing its subject with formidable intelligence, this book is a remarkable achievement
—— Literary ReviewLewis is a great critic of great performances ... this book represents perhaps the most searching life of a non-classical actor ever written
—— New Statesman