Forty-five years after his untimely death, Arthur Haynes' long-overlooked contribution to British comedy is acknowledged with this release, presenting thirteen episodes from the 1960 run of The Arthur Haynes Show - the earliest editions known to survive.
Running for numerous series between 1957 and 1966, this ITC show presented a lively mix of sketches, most scripted by Johnny Speight (Till Death Us Do Part), with musical entertainment and special guests, making Arthur Haynes the most popular comedian in Britain and one of television's first 'star' comics.
The son of a Fulham baker who had appeared alongside Charlie Chester in the frontline concert party Stars in Battledress during service with the Royal Engineers, Haynes' exuberant performances won him the Variety Club ITV Personality award of 1961, and he appeared on that year s Royal Variety Performance. The pairing of Speight's scripts, which often drew on familiar class antagonism, and Haynes' robust working-class delivery was inspired. The shows also featured one of their most famous characters - a belligerent, heavily decorated tramp fond of recounting tales of patriotic bravery whilst being 'up to me neck in muck and bullets', usually found railing against condescending figures played by Nicholas Parsons, and occasionally joined by fellow down-and-outs (Patricia Hayes and Dermot Kelly).
