The classic BBC radio sitcom

The Navy Lark: Volume 34

Four vintage episodes from the classic seafaring sitcom, including the original pilot episode and the final regular episode 
 
Operation Fag End (‘Working Their Passage’) 5 April 1959 
New head honcho Commander Povey is heading to the island to inspect the crew – just as Pertwee’s consignment of 50,000 smuggled cigarettes is about to arrive… 
 
The Bugged and Burgled Beer (‘Bugging’) 1 October 1967 
Pertwee has a purchasing problem: the two cases of beer he sold to his customers have ended up in Povey’s custody. Can a bugging device help him recover his haul? 
 
Number One’s Anniversary (‘Biff Boff Boffing Their Way Through’) 11 July 1971 
With his first wedding anniversary approaching, Mr Murray is in a bad mood – and Captain Povey is in trouble after switching the photos of two applicants for his wife’s advertisement for an au pair. 
 
Captain Wilberforce Pertwee (‘Having a History Lesson’)18 January 1976 
After Pertwee’s ingenious defence gets Phillips acquitted at a court martial, he recounts how he got his inventiveness from his wily Great-Great-Grandfather Wilberforce Pertwee. 
 
Starring Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips, Richard Caldicot, Stephen Murray and Tenniel Evans, with Dennis Price, Ronnie Barker, Michael Bates, Heather Chasen, Pamela Buck, Norma Ronald and April Walker. 
 
Produced by Alastair Scott-Johnston 
A BBC Studios production

The 34th volume in the long running classic comedy show scripted by Lawrie Wynman, and starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, and Stephen Murray.

In 1958, writer Laurie Wyman announced that he wanted to build a series around talented comic actor Jon Pertwee. Having secured Pertwee as the lead, he looked for other main characters and is quoted in the Radio Times as saying 'I felt we needed an idiot, and there was no one better at playing idiots than Leslie Phillips - so we got him.' 
 
The first episode of the series went out on 29 March 1959 and, from the start, the light-hearted and affectionate spoof on the Senior Service won many fans - some of the highest order! On the occasion of the show's 21st anniversary, for example, the crew were asked by WRNS to put on a special performance. They duly obliged, and in the audience that night at the Royal Festival Hall was Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother. Sir Charles Lambe, who was the first Sea Lord at the time, had also visited the studio during rehearsal. 
 
The crew of HMS Troutbridge were a motley bunch: Jon Pertwee, who actually served in the Navy during the Second World War, played the conniving Petty Officer and was established as a household favourite by the series. Leslie Phillips was the vague chinless wonder Sub-Lieutenant. His parrot cry of 'left hand down a bit' has passed into A Dictionary of Catch Phrases, whose author Eric Partridge writes 'within two years, it was a standard piece of Navalese'. The young Ronnie Barker (long before attaining fame as a television comedy actor) also appeared in the series, playing two parts: (Un)Able Seaman Fatso Johnson and Lieutenant-Commander Stanton. 
 
The Navy Lark gripped the nation for the best part of twenty years. Its signature tune, composed by Tommy Reilly and James Moody, was the jaunty Trade Wind Hornpipe and did much to contribute to the popularity of the series. The key to the show's popularity, though, was its irreverent but essentially gentle humour and, most of all, the many-voiced talents of its stars. As Leslie Phillips remarked in 1987, 'I caused more damage to Naval property than the Navy had done in two world wars'. The final episode was broadcast on 18 January 1976. However, the crew all jumped on board one last time for a Jubilee Special on 16 July 1977.

The Navy Lark: Volume 33

Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray star in four more classic episodes of the much-loved nautical comedy 
 
Hijacked! (‘Working Their Passage’) 13 October 1961 
Mr Merrivale of Naval Expenditure decides to split up the troublesome crew of HMS Troutbridge, but a plan to remove the ship while they are away on leave goes somewhat awry… 
 
Admiral Troutbridge (‘Working Their Passage’) 20 October 1961 
At a nosh-up for the late Admiral’s 220th birthday, Pertwee has a historical tale to tell, and relates the true story of the events of 1797. 
 
The Smugglers Return (‘Dredging Their Way Through’) 27 October 1968 
When HMS Troutbridge accidentally knocks a customs officer into the dock, the crew must rescue him from one side while hastily dumping their smuggled contraband over the other… 
 
Commander Trotter Takes Charge (‘Instructing Their New CO In The Ways Of ’) 3 November 1968 
With Commander Bell away on compassionate leave, the crew are allocated a new CO – Commander Trotter, who hasn’t been to sea in years. 
 
Starring Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray, with Ronnie Barker, Richard Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans, Michael Bates and Judy Cornwall.

Four episodes of the classic BBC comedy available in volume form.

The Navy Lark is the second longest-running comedy in British radio history (the topical Friday night show, Week Ending, which ran from 1970 to 1998, is currently the longest). In 1958, writer Laurie Wyman announced that he wanted to build a series around talented comic actor Jon Pertwee. Having secured Pertwee as the lead, he looked for other main characters and is quoted in the Radio Times as saying 'I felt we needed an idiot, and there was no one better at playing idiots than Leslie Phillips - so we got him.' The first episode of the series went out on 29 March 1959 and, from the start, the light-hearted and affectionate spoof on the Senior Service won many fans - some of the highest order! On the occasion of the show's 21st anniversary, for example, the crew were asked by WRNS to put on a special performance. They duly obliged, and in the audience that night at the Royal Festival Hall was Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother. Sir Charles Lambe, who was the first Sea Lord at the time, had also visited the studio during rehearsal. The crew of HMS Troutbridge were a motley bunch: Jon Pertwee, who actually served in the Navy during the Second World War, played the conniving Petty Officer and was established as a household favourite by the series. Leslie Phillips was the vague chinless wonder Sub-Lieutenant. His parrot cry of 'left hand down a bit' has passed into A Dictionary of Catch Phrases, whose author Eric Partridge writes 'within two years, it was a standard piece of Navalese'. The young Ronnie Barker (long before attaining fame as a television comedy actor) also appeared in the series, playing two parts: (Un)Able Seaman Fatso Johnson and Lieutenant-Commander Stanton. The Navy Lark gripped the nation for the best part of twenty years. Its signature tune, composed by Tommy Reilly and James Moody, was the jaunty Trade Wind Hornpipe and did much to contribute to the popularity of the series. The key to the show's popularity, though, was its irreverent but essentially gentle humour and, most of all, the many-voiced talents of its stars. As Leslie Phillips remarked in 1987, 'I caused more damage to Naval property than the Navy had done in two world wars'. The final episode was broadcast on 18 January 1976. However, the crew all jumped on board one last time for a Jubilee Special on 16 July 1977.

The Navy Lark: Volume 32

Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray star in four more episodes of the popular nautical comedy 
 
Frenchmen in J.41 (‘Having a Bit of Trouble with the French’) 13 August 1967 
Troutbridge returns from trials to find a French frigate docked in their berth – to Pertwee's great concern... 
 
The Police Drop In (‘Tangling with the Law’) 20 August 1967 
Povey is told to co-operate with the law over a theft from a local museum – but the Troutbridge crew get nervous when a police helicopter drops in. 
 
The Bumble Spit Lighthouse Affair (‘Cavorting About’) 23 April 1972 
Troutbridge has an unfortunate collision with the Bumble Spit Light Vessel, and Murray is feeling tetchy because Rita is away. 
 
The Tonipouhaha Treasure (‘Digging Themselves Stupid’) 30 April 1972 
An MOD decision that Troutbridge should ‘show the flag’ in the South Seas leads the Master to head to Tonipouhaha in search of buried treasure… 
 
These classic BBC radio episodes also feature Ronnie Barker, Richard Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans, Michael Bates and Elizabeth Morgan.

Four more episodes of the classic BBC comedy starring John Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray

The classic BBC Radio sitcom

The Navy Lark: Series 15

Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray star in the complete Series 15 of the fondly remembered nautical radio sitcom. All eleven episodes of this, the final full series from 1976, are included, alongside the 1977 Jubilee special and other bonus items. Duration: 7 hours approx.

Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray star in the complete Series 15.

Four classic radio comedy episodes

The Navy Lark Volume 31: Horrible Horace

Four episodes of the classic BBC radio comedy series, starring Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray. 
 
The Morning After (‘Working Their Passage’) 11 March 1960 After a particularly boisterous party, the crew are feeling poorly – and matters are not helped when Commander Povey orders them onto choppy waters in search of a buoy… 
 
The Admiral’s Present (‘Working Their Passage’) 18 March 1960 The officers are invited to a party to celebrate the Admiral’s 50th anniversary in the Senior Service – but a mix-up with his present is just the start of their misadventures… 
 
Horrible Horace (‘Confounding the Ungodly’) 28 December 1975 When Sea Cadet Horace Wellington-Gore is assigned to Troutbridge to finish his training, Pertwee soon realises that disasters follow in Horace’s wake. But Pertwee will regret getting on the wrong side of the slippery sea cadet. 
 
Officers and Gents’ Lib (‘Burning their Bras’) 4 January 1976 The Troutbridge men are feeling cheesed off with the female gender, and decide to form the Troutbridge Officers’ and Gentlemen’s Liberation Movement – but their declaration of male supremacy does not last long. 
 
These hilarious BBC radio episodes also feature Ronnie Barker, Richard Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans, Michael Bates and April Walker.Duration: 2 hours approx.

Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray star in four episodes of the classic BBC radio comedy series

Collected Series 14

The Navy Lark

All thirteen episodes from Series 14 of the classic BBC radio nautical comedy – plus a bonus show, Jon Pertwee's Sketchbook. 
 
This much-loved classic comedy series stars Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray in 13 episodes of mirth and mayhem, first broadcast in 1973. This CD set includes the episodes The Montezula Revolution, The Island Swordfish, Bunged in the Rattle, Kangaroo Polka, The Digital Isles Go Unstable, Egbert Hitches a Ride, Povey – An Admiral at Last, The Bergholm Horse Trials, Captain Povey's Wig, The Brain Pill, Operation Showcase, CPO Pertwee – Yachtmonger and The Talpinium Shell. In addition, there's a bonus programme, Jon Pertwee's Sketchbook, featuring favourite comedy clips chosen by Jon Pertwee. 
 
Also included is a PDF booklet containing a detailed history of the development of this series of The Navy Lark, cast biographies, and a series episode guide. 
 
Featuring Richard Caldicot, Heather Chasen, Tenniel Evans and Michael Bates, it's all aboard for more entertaining escapades with the Troutbridge crew.Duration: 7 hours approx.

All 13 episodes of the 14th series of the classic nautical BBC radio comedy series, plus bonus features.

Lawrie Wyman

Leslie Phillips

Jon Pertwee

Stephen Murray

Ronnie Barker

Full Cast

A 60th anniversary celebration of the much-loved nautical comedy, featuring seventeen classic episodes plus bonus material 
 On 29 March 1959, The Navy Lark sailed the airwaves for the very first time. Starring Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Stephen Murray, with regular appearances from Ronnie Barker and Heather Chasen, it soon became a radio favourite, and ran for 18 years – one of the longest-running radio sitcoms. 
 
 This 60th anniversary collection comprises seventeen hilarious episodes – one from every series of the show, plus the pilot episode and the special Jubilee edition. We start with Operation Fag End (5 April 1959), The Hank of Heather (17 May 1959), The Lighthouse Lark (29 January 1960), A Deliberate Bashing (19 April 1963), When Sub Lt Phillips Was at Dartmouth (29 October 1967) and The Jubilee Navy Lark (16 July 1977). The other eleven episodes included are: Commodore Goldstein (22 February 1961), The Northampton Hunt Ball (6 October 1961), Chasing the Kepeac (29 November 1963), Let Loose with a Chopper (22 August 1965), Mr Phillips’ Promotion (30 October 1966), The Redundancy Drive (20 October 1968), The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge (8 March 1970), Impressions For Survival (23 May 1971), Friday the 13th (11 Jun 1972), Povey – An Admiral at Last (9 September 1973) and NANA (16 November 1975). 
 
 Bonus items include a mini-episode from The Light Entertainment Show and two episodes from spin-off series The Embassy Lark: National Grumpshnog Week (Series 1, 12 April 1966) and Sub-Lt Phillips Drops In (Series 3, 16 April 1968). Plus, there’s a discussion from Bob Holness Presents: Farewell to the Paris, which sees Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee reminiscing about the making of The Navy Lark. As well as a 'lost' episode from season 2 of The Navy Lark; Return to Potarneyland, first broadcast on 26th February 1960. 
 
 So step aboard HMS Troutbridge for laughs ahoy! 
 
Produced by Alastair Scott-Johnston 
A BBC Studios production

Lawrie Wyman

The Navy Lark: 60th Anniversary Special Edition

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