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Post by Alan Hayes on Jan 9, 2019 23:00:55 GMT 12
Not an 'actor' as such, but a voice heard regularly in the Dad's Army radio series, as the announcer in each week's programme.
As I've been looking into Dad's Army-related Desert Island Discs programmes this week, I thought it was worth adding a link for John Snagge's programme from 31st August 1959.
All that survives today is a brief extract regarding Snagge's commentaries for the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race, running to around 2 minutes.
Of course the programme predates Dad's Army by nine years, but I thought it would be of sufficient interest to add here.
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Post by Andy Howells on Jan 10, 2019 7:57:09 GMT 12
Absolutely!
For many years when Dad's Army wasn't repeated on TV and the radio versions were more prominent I became used to hearing Mr Snagge's tones at the beginning of each episode. I actually like his opening moments and always feel they set the tone for the radio series perfectly.
I have an LP released for the BBC's 50th anniversary in 1972 with lots of vintage BBC Clips and he features quite prominently.
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Post by Alan Hayes on Jan 10, 2019 8:13:13 GMT 12
Indeed, and as with many of those involved in Dad's Army, he'd had a long and distinguished career and his Dad's Army involvement came relatively late in life.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 10, 2019 21:43:13 GMT 12
Here is one of John Snagge's most important and famous broadcasts, when he was the first person to officially announce that Operation Overlord had begun. archive.org/details/BBCRadio4June61944JohnSnaggeDDayHasCome1Of course the German radio was broadcasting it from hours before and the US radio networks were all over it listening and repeating German broadcasts, not really believing it till Snagge made the official announcement. One of the most fascinating pieces of radio history I have ever listened to is the 24 hours of broadcast on D Day from both CBS and NBC in the USA. They start off interrupting regular programming with rumours, and eventually it becomes confirmed and they are going live all over the place like the cable news networks do these days. Amazing history. You can download and listen to them here archive.org/details/NBCCompleteBroadcastDDayarchive.org/details/CBD440606CBSDDayCBS |
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Post by JM2461 on Jan 11, 2019 20:41:32 GMT 12
He [John Snagge] also appears in the Hancock's Half Hour episode, The East Cheam Centenary, commentating from Tony and Sid's window, after they conned the BBC out of 3000 Guineas for the "rights" to cover a phony street parade, the genuine one having gone up a different street.   |
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Post by Alan Hayes on Jan 11, 2019 20:51:07 GMT 12
Good point. Despite being a Hancock fan, I'd completely forgotten that.  |
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Post by Col on Feb 20, 2019 11:04:07 GMT 12
BBC red cross 'guess the sound' competition featuring John Snagge. John Snagge |
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Post by Col on Feb 20, 2019 11:16:33 GMT 12
Footage of the Goons v Cambridge University in a Tiddleywinks tournament. John is seen reading. Link - Goons v Cambridge
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Post by Col on Feb 20, 2019 11:29:44 GMT 12
The Lord Taverner's ball this time and John presenting the Duke of Edinburgh with a cricket bat. Link - Lord Taverner's ball |
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Post by pault1963 on Feb 20, 2019 21:15:48 GMT 12
John Snagge got a mention from Julian and Sandy in Round the Horne - "Bona Gift Boutique".
Mr Horne is looking for a gift for their announcer Douglas Smith...
Mr Horne: I don't think they're allowed any personal possessions in the rooms or anything sharp. Just a wash handstand and a mother of pearl throat spray with a picture of John Snagge on it.
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Post by prospero on Jun 4, 2019 5:52:42 GMT 12
I was watching the film "Reach for the Sky" recently (for the umpteenth time) and was struck by something deadly.... As all the pilots are sitting about waiting to scramble, they have the wireless on. And that announcement comes over the airwaves. "This is the news and this is John Snagge reading it....."  |
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Post by jonboy on Jun 5, 2019 4:40:13 GMT 12
John was the head BBC radio announcer during the war and after he was a champion of The Goon Show, giving Spike Milligan much needed support when the BBC said it was too zany for the British public, I did read that most of his contributions to Dad's Army radio shows were pre-recorded.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 5, 2019 10:25:15 GMT 12
75 Years Ago Tomorrow
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Post by Alan Hayes on Jun 6, 2019 9:59:45 GMT 12
It was such a nice touch that the voice heard each week in the radio Dad's Army had such a strong connection to the BBC coverage of the war.
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