AllMovie

Having skyrocketed to fame with the BBC radio series Hancock's Half Hour, 32-year-old British comedian Tony Hancock was rewarded with this weekly TV variety series, packaged for Associated Redifussion by Jack Hylton Productions. Originally, Hancock had wanted to employ the talents of his radio writers Galton and Simpson, but their BBC contract precluded this, so most of the early episodes were penned by series regular Eric Sykes (later a TV headliner in his own right). By the time the 12th and final episode was aired, Galton and Simpson had signed on to the project, as had such expert supporting comics as Dick Emery, Clive Dunn, June Whitfield, and future Carry On stalwart Hattie Jacques. Debuting April 27, 1956, The Tony Hancock Show was last seen on January 25, 1957, at which point Hancock returned to the BBC.