Selected Episodes from Series 4-7 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The Men from the Ministry: More Episodes from the Early Years

35 episodes from Series 4-7 of the hugely popular Civil Service sitcom 
 
The original ‘Yes Minister’, The Men from the Ministry was a radio comedy phenomenon, running for 15 years and 13 series between 1962 and 1977, with a final fourteenth series broadcast internationally in 1980. 
 
In this second volume, featuring 35 specially chosen episodes from Series 4-7, bumbling bowler-hatted bureaucrats Deryck Lennox-Brown and Richard Lamb (aka ‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’) cause confusion in the corridors of power as they attempt to tackle the many and varied challenges of the General Assistance Department. Whether they’re hitting the buffers over a London tube station, getting inconvenienced by public toilets, baring it all for the sake of a new motorway route or scaling new heights for Sir Gregory’s poster campaign, they’re sure to get into hot water... 
 
Deryck Guyler stars as Number One and Richard Murdoch as Number Two, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin, Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin and John Laurie as Mr Dougal. Guest stars include Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Patricia Hayes, Clive Dunn, Jo Manning Wilson and Bill Pertwee. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. Please note, the Series 4 episodes ‘Out of this World’ and ‘Muddlers in Law’ are missing a couple of seconds at 19:51 and 06:38 respectively. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
Pianist: Dennis Gomm (Series 4, Episode 4) 
The Legend of The Men From The Ministry sung by Graeme Garden (Series 4, Episode 8) 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Mr Dougal – John Laurie 
Other parts played by John Graham 
With guest stars including: David Nettheim, Clive Dunn, Jack Watson, Ronnie Stevens, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa, Antony Viccars, Douglas Hankin, David Healy, Joan Sanderson, Carol Allen, Graham Stark, Colin Gordon, Gordon Clyde, Jo Manning Wilson, Patricia Hayes, John Curle, John Cole and Bill Pertwee 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2, 18 Feb – 5 May 1968 (series 4), on BBC World Service, 15 Feb – 22 Mar 1969 (series 5), 1 Feb – 29 Mar 1970 (series 6) and on BBC Radio 4, 1 Sep – 29 Sep 1970 (series 6), 29 Jul – 23 Sep 1971 (series 7). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Selected Episodes from Series 8-10 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The Men from the Ministry: The Later Years

33 episodes from Series 8-10 of the much-loved Civil Service sitcom, plus the 1971 Special 
 
For fifteen years between 1962 and 1977, The Men from the Ministry kept audiences laughing over the course of 13 series, plus a fourteenth series recorded for overseas in 1980. 
 
This third volume features the complete Series 8 and 9, eleven episodes from Series 10 and the 1971 special ‘Gone to Pot’. We pay another visit to the General Assistance Department, where eager executives Deryck Lennox-Brown and Richard Lamb (‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’) are flummoxed once more by the challenges that come their way. From getting embroiled in dodgy doings in the West Country to botching a trade agreement with the Italians, battling unwelcome furry visitors and causing confusion in a moral crusade, the disorganised duo can’t help but throw a spanner in the works of Government... 
 
Deryck Guyler and Richard Murdoch star as Lennox-Brown and Lamb, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin, Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin, and guest stars including Garard Green, Joan Sanderson, Clive Dunn, Patricia Hayes and Dilys Laye. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Other parts played by the cast and John Graham 
With guest stars including: Garard Green, Sheila Wilcox, John Cole, Joan Sanderson, Patricia Hayes, Alexandra Dane, Clive Dunn, Hilary Pritchard, Patricia Hayes, Dilys Laye, Mandy Cuthbert and Gillie Graham 
 
First broadcast on Radio 4 29 Nov 1971 (Special), 11 Jul–29 Aug 1972 (series 8), 6 Mar–29 May 1973 (series 9), 17 Jun-9 Sep 1974 (series 10). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Complete Series 11-14 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The Men from the Ministry: The Final Episodes

The complete Series 11-14 of the long-running Civil Service sitcom 
 
The hugely popular precursor to ‘Yes Minister’, The Men from the Ministry had the nation in stitches for 13 series between 1962 and 1977. In 1980, a fourteenth series, comprising remakes of episodes from Series 1-4, was made by the BBC Transcription Service and aired abroad. Some of these remakes are the only surviving versions of their stories, as recordings of series 1-4 have been lost to time. 
 
In this fourth and final volume, comprising all 43 episodes from Series 11-14 of the classic comedy, we take one last ride on the Ministry merry-go-round in the company of bird-brained bureaucrats ‘Number One’ and ‘Number Two’ of the General Assistance Department. As they spread chaos and confusion in the corridors of Whitehall, their manifold misadventures include trying to play Cupid for secretary Mildred, suspecting each other of espionage, plumbing new depths with a naval survey, bungling a British food promotion in New York and blundering through Anglo-Chinese Friendship month... 
 
Deryck Guyler stars as ‘Number One’ and Richard Murdoch as ‘Number Two’, with Norma Ronald as Mildred Murfin and Ronald Baddiley as Sir Gregory Pitkin. Among the guest stars are Pat Coombs, Cass Allen, John Cole, Corinna Marlowe, Hilary Pritchard and Nicolette McKenzie. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Ronald Baddiley 
Other parts played by John Graham 
With guest stars including: Pat Coombs, Cass Allen, John Cole, Corinna Marlowe, Hilary Pritchard and Nicolette McKenzie 
 
First broadcast on Radio 4 26 May-18 Aug 1975 (series 11), 6 Jul-24 Aug 1976 (series 12), 4 Jul-22 Aug 1977 (series 13). Series 14 first recorded 13 Apr-6 May 1980. 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Edward Taylor

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Deryck Guyler

Richard Murdoch

Norma Ronald

Roy Dotrice

Ronald Baddiley

Diana Olsson.

Selected Episodes from Series 1-3 of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy

The original ‘Yes Minister’- 32 episodes of the beloved Civil Service sitcom 
 
Featuring the hilarious exploits of the bumbling bureaucrats of the General Assistance Department, the show starred Wilfrid Hyde-White and later Deryck Guyler as the hapless ‘Number One’, with Richard Murdoch as his hare-brained sidekick ‘Number Two’. Together, they muddled their way through Whitehall, creating chaos with their mix-ups, misunderstandings and mismanagement – to the consternation of their boss, the self-serving Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Gregory Pitkin (Roy Dotrice and Ronald Baddiley). 
 
The fantastically funny radio forerunner to 'Yes Minister', The Men from the Ministry ran for 15 years and 13 series between 1962 and 1977, with a final fourteenth series made in 1980 for transmission abroad. 
 
This volume contains 32 specially selected episodes from Series 1-3, in which – among many other misadventures – the panic-stricken pen pushers bungle in Britain’s space race; get bogged down in a building project; tackle traffic trouble and town planning and come face to face with some little green men… Co-starring as their loyal (but incompetent) secretary Mildred Murfin is Norma Ronald, and taking notes for Wilfrid Hyde-White’s ‘Number One’ is April Adams, played by Diana Olsson. Guest stars include John Laurie, Betty Marsden, Joan Sanderson, June Whitfield, Warren Mitchell, Hugh Paddick and Roger Delgado. 
 
NB: Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast, and due to the age of the source material, the sound quality may vary. Please note, the final minute of Series 3, Episode 10 (‘Getting the Bird’) is missing. 
 
Cast and credits 
Written and produced by Edward Taylor, with contributions from John Graham, Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke 
Theme music: Top Dog by Ivor Slaney 
With thanks to Keith Wickham 
 
‘Number One’ (Roland Hamilton Jones) – Wilfrid Hyde-White (Series 1-2) 
‘Number One’ (Deryck Lennox-Brown) – Deryck Guyler (Series 3) 
‘Number Two’ (Richard Lamb) – Richard Murdoch 
Mildred Murfin – Norma Ronald 
Sir Gregory Pitkin – Roy Dotrice (Series 1-2), Ronald Baddiley (Series 3) 
April Adams – Diana Olsson 
Mr Dougal – John Laurie 
Other parts played by John Graham 
 
With guest stars including: June Whitfield, Patricia Hayes, Edwin Apps, David Graham, Percy Edwards, Betty Marsden, Julian Somers, Joan Sanderson, Rowena Gregory, Frederick Treves, Brian Oulton, Pat Coombs, Fred Yule, Austin Trevor, John Cazabon, Warren Mitchell, David Nettheim, Charlotte Mitchell, Graham Stark, Hugh Paddick, Jack Watson, Brandon Hawkins, Felix Felton, Bruce Beeby, Peter Bartlett, Ronnie Stevens, Gordon Clyde, Clive Dunn, Roger Delgado, Carol Allen, Hugh McDermott, David Healy and David Fallon 
 
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme 30 Oct 1962 – 8 Jan 1963 (series 1), 1 Aug – 17 Oct 1965 (series 2), 25 Dec 1966 – 12 Mar 1967 (series 3). 
 
© 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Men from the Ministry: The Early Years

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