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Much Binding in the Marsh

Date	#	Ser

Specials, 1944/45

25 Dec 1944	A	Sp1
21 Jul 1945	B	Sp2
25 Dec 1945	C	Sp3

Series 1, 1947, 38 shows plus August Bank Holiday special, BBC Light Programme
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Marilyn Williams, Vivian Chatterton, Maurice Denham, Dick Griffin Augmented Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black Script by Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne Produced by Leslie Bridgmont

2 Jan 1947	1	A1
9 Jan 1947	2	A2
16 Jan 1947	3	A3
23 Jan 1947	4	A4
30 Jan 1947	5	A5
6 Feb 1947	6	A6
13 Feb 1947	7	A7
20 Feb 1947	8	A8
27 Feb 1947	9	A9
6 Mar 1947	10	A10
13 Mar 1947	11	A11
20 Mar 1947	12	A12
27 Mar 1947	13	A13	Ladies and gentlemen, we’re running what’s called “very tight” today
3 Apr 1947	14	A14
10 Apr 1947	15	A15
17 Apr 1947	16	A16
24 Apr 1947	17	A17
1 May 1947	18	A18
8 May 1947	19	A19
15 May 1947	20	A20	Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid I have somewhat of a shock for you
22 May 1947	21	A21	Well, as I said to Charlie Farnzbarnz on the night of the table tennis semi-finals
29 May 1947	22	A22
5 Jun 1947	23	A23
12 Jun 1947	24	A24
19 Jun 1947	25	A25
26 Jun 1947	26	A26
3 Jul 1947	27	A27
10 Jul 1947	28	A28
17 Jul 1947	29	A29
24 Jul 1947	30	A30
31 Jul 1947	31	A31
4 Aug 1947	32	special
7 Aug 1947	33	A32
14 Aug 1947	34	A33
21 Aug 1947	35	A34
28 Aug 1947	36	A35
4 Sep 1947	37	A36
11 Sep 1947	38	A37
18 Sep 1947	39	A38

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Series 2, 1947/48, 30 shows plus Easter special, BBC Light Programme
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Gwen Catley, Helen Hill (when GC was indisposed), Maurice Denham, Barbara Valerie The [Augmented] Dance Orchestra, conducted by Stanley Black Announcer Philip Slessor Script by Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne Produced by Leslie Bridgmont

26 Nov 1947	40	B1
3 Dec 1947	41	B2	Some people may think it a bit boring to be an announcer
10 Dec 1947	42	B3
17 Dec 1947	43	B4
24 Dec 1947	44	B5
31 Dec 1947	45	B6
7 Jan 1948	46	B7
14 Jan 1948	47	B8	Hello. Be as quick as you can please, I've just got to announce a programme
21 Jan 1948	48	B9	You know, announcing some programmes is a bit of a bore
28 Jan 1948	49	B10	I was in the House of Commons the other day
4 Feb 1948	50	B11	I had the priviledge the other day of meeting Mlle Fifi Lovesbonbon(?)
11 Feb 1948	51	B12	You know, Mr Murdoch told me that when they broadcast the Quartet from Rigoletto
18 Feb 1948	52	B13
25 Feb 1948	53	B14	Well I'm afraid I can't stay very long tonight
3 Mar 1948	54	B15	Every week when I come here, I wonder whether or not I shall have to
10 Mar 1948	55	B16
17 Mar 1948	56	B17
24 Mar 1948	57	B18	You know, right in the middle of a debate the other day
29 Mar 1948	58	special
31 Mar 1948	59	B19
7 Apr 1948	60	B20
14 Apr 1948	61	B21
21 Apr 1948	62	B22
28 Apr 1948	63	B23
5 May 1948	64	B24
12 May 1948	65	B25
19 May 1948	66	B26
26 May 1948	67	B27
2 Jun 1948	68	B28
9 Jun 1948	69	B29
16 Jun 1948	70	B30

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Series 3, 1948/49, 43 shows plus 1949 Christmas Special, BBC Light Programme
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Maurice Denham, Maureen Riscoe (some), Helen Hill (some), Gwen Catley (some), Barbara Valerie (some), The Dance Orchestra conducted by Stanley Black Script by Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne Produced by Leslie Bridgmont

21 Sep 1948	71	C1	At last the moment for which I've waited so long has arrived
28 Sep 1948	72	C2
5 Oct 1948	73	C3
12 Oct 1948	74	C4
19 Oct 1948	75	C5
26 Oct 1948	76	C6
2 Nov 1948	77	C7	Well, after my debut as a real member of the cast last week
9 Nov 1948	78	C8
16 Nov 1948	79	C9
23 Nov 1948	80	C10	Well I must say that the way I'm being treated in this show
30 Nov 1948	81	C11
7 Dec 1948	82	C12
14 Dec 1948	83	C13
21 Dec 1948	84	C14
28 Dec 1948	85	C15	Well, ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is over and the new year is upon us
4 Jan 1949	86	C16
11 Jan 1949	87	C17
18 Jan 1949	88	C18
25 Jan 1949	89	C19
1 Feb 1949	90	C20	Telephonist: Frank Filliabut's(?) supervisor. Can I help you?
8 Feb 1949	91	C21	Well ladies and gentlemen, I wasn't too happy about my opening remarks last week.
15 Feb 1949	92	C22
22 Feb 1949	93	C23
1 Mar 1949	94	C24
8 Mar 1949	95	C25
15 Mar 1949	96	C26
22 Mar 1949	97	C27
29 Mar 1949	98	C28
5 Apr 1949	99	C29
12 Apr 1949	100	C30
19 Apr 1949	101	C31
26 Apr 1949	102	C32
3 May 1949	103	C33
10 May 1949	104	C34
17 May 1949	105	C35
24 May 1949	106	C36
31 May 1949	107	C37
7 Jun 1949	108	C38
14 Jun 1949	109	C39
21 Jun 1949	110	C40
28 Jun 1949	111	C41
5 Jul 1949	112	C42
12 Jul 1949	113	C43
25 Dec 1949	114	special

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Series 4, 1950, 27 shows, BBC Light Programme
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Maurice Denham, Diana Morrison, Barbara Lee Dance Orchestra conducted by Stanley Black Script by Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne Produced by Leslie Bridgmont

22 Mar 1950	115	D1
29 Mar 1950	116	D2
5 Apr 1950	117	D3
12 Apr 1950	118	D4
19 Apr 1950	119	D5
26 Apr 1950	120	D6
3 May 1950	121	D7
10 May 1950	122	D8	Now this is Philip Slessor warning you beware. For the 8th time this season, Much Binding takes the air
17 May 1950	123	D9	Now this is Franklin Engleman, I'm warning you beware. For the 9th time this season Much Binding takes the air
24 May 1950	124	D10	Now this is Philip Slessor, and less I could not care. (All: Slessor!) For the 10th time this season Much Binding takes the air
31 May 1950	125	D11
7 Jun 1950	126	D12
14 Jun 1950	127	D13
21 Jun 1950	128	D14
28 Jun 1950	129	D15
5 Jul 1950	130	D16
12 Jul 1950	131	D17
19 Jul 1950	132	D18
26 Jul 1950	133	D19
2 Aug 1950	134	D20
9 Aug 1950	135	D21
16 Aug 1950	136	D22
23 Aug 1950	137	D23
30 Aug 1950	138	D24
6 Sep 1950	139	D25
13 Sep 1950	140	D26
20 Sep 1950	141	D27

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Series 5, 1950/51, 34 shows, Radio Luxembourg
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Maurice Denham, Diana Morrison The Skyrockets [E1,E2] The Squadronaires [E3-E34] with Patricia Hughes [E3-E18], Barbara Leigh [E19-E34] Compere: Bob Danvers-Walker Produced by Towers of London Sponsored by Mars and Aspro

5 Nov 1950	142	E1
12 Nov 1950	143	E2
19 Nov 1950	144	E3
26 Nov 1950	145	E4
3 Dec 1950	146	E5	Well once again we find ourselves involved in Much Bindery
10 Dec 1950	147	E6	Well now, this week we find the boys in what is known as a ferment.
17 Dec 1950	148	E7	Y'know, the Much Binding in the Marsh Club reminds me of a very funny story
24 Dec 1950	149	E8	Now recently the Much Binding in the Marsh boys were thinking of doing a play
31 Dec 1950	150	E9
7 Jan 1951	151	E10	So here we are again - the same old crew in the same old dither
14 Jan 1951	152	E11	It is with deep regret, not unmixed with a little relief,
21 Jan 1951	153	E12
28 Jan 1951	154	E13
4 Feb 1951	155	E14
11 Feb 1951	156	E15
18 Feb 1951	157	E16
25 Feb 1951	158	E17	Now most animals can sleep through the winter months
4 Mar 1951	159	E18	Well, we didn't get very far with the programme last week
11 Mar 1951	160	E19
18 Mar 1951	161	E20
25 Mar 1951	162	E21
1 Apr 1951	163	E22
8 Apr 1951	164	E23
15 Apr 1951	165	E24
22 Apr 1951	166	E25
29 Apr 1951	167	E26
6 May 1951	168	E27
13 May 1951	169	E28
20 May 1951	170	E29
27 May 1951	171	E30
3 Jun 1951	172	E31
10 Jun 1951	173	E32
17 Jun 1951	174	E33
24 Jun 1951	175	E34


Transmission dates from J David Garnett, Turkishdiver Enterprises, 6 Mar 2002, but any transcribing errors are down to me! Another log, published by ORCA, gives the dates of the Luxembourg shows as one week earlier — from 30 October 1950 to 17 Jun 1951.
Following the Luxembourg series, the show returned to the BBC, with the new title Over to You. 28 shows were broadcast on the Light Programme between 30 Sep 1951 and 14 Apr 1952. It was back again for the first of 35 more shows on 21 July 1953, this time on the Home Service, with the title Much Binding. The run ended in March 1954. [Thanks again to J David Garnett for the dates.] I'm a bit doubtful about the dates for series 4. The British Comedy web site says the series started on 15 March, but D10 had been positively identified as being from 24 May. It's possible that the series started on 15 Mar, but that they missed a week during the first couple of months. J David Garnett has written: “This show can also be traced back further to Merry Go Round which was a Forces radio show that alternated Army, Air Force and Navy editions each week. MBITM was the Air Force edition, the Army edition went on to become Stand Easy and the Navy edition became Waterlogged Spa.” Links: www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/radio/mbitm.htm www.andmas.co.uk/radio/light.htm www.britishcomedy.org.uk/comedy/mb.htm Maurice Denham, RIP. A regular in the show throughout its run, Maurice Denham died on 24 July 2002, aged 92. Guardian obituary: www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4468958,00.html
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table produced by T2T

Last updated on 22 October 2005 at 15:31