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Saturday Drama

Peter Brough - His Master's Voice

Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 Extra

By James Maw and Tim Sullivan. Rob Brydon is ventriloquist Peter Brough and his doll Archie Andrews in a new play that tells the true story behind one of the most successful radio shows of all time. With Fenella Woolgar as Peggy Brough.

The 1950s BBC Radio show Educating Archie - with 16 million listeners - catapulted the ventriloquist Peter Brough from suburban obscurity to the heights of high society. The Royal Family were fans. His show introduced the world to Eric Sykes (writer), Tony Hancock (Archie's Tutor), Max Bygraves (another tutor) and Julie Andrews (Archie's girlfriend).

After eight years on radio, Educating Archie transferred to television. And yet, one day in 1961, Peter Brough locked the dummy in a suitcase and left him on the top of a wardrobe for forty years until, six years after the ventriloquist's death, Archie Andrews was put up for auction.

His Master's Voice tells the true story of what went wrong in the world of Archie Andrews and Peter Brough.

Written by James Maw and Tim Sullivan

Director and Producer: Jeremy Mortimer
A Cast Iron Radio production for BBC Radio 4. Show less

Contributors

Peter Brough:
Rob Brydon
Archie Andrews:
Rob Brydon
Peggy Brough:
Fenella Woolgar
Arthur Brough:
Michael Bertenshaw
Christopher Brough:
Thomas Williams-Boyle
Romey Brough:
Eliza Harrison-Dine
Hattie Jacques:
Stephanie Racine
William Haley:
James Lailey
Max Bygraves:
Ewan Bailey
Cloakroom Girl:
Harriet Collings
Writer:
James Maw

Genres

About this data

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