The Navy Lark (Series)

The Navy Lark was a radio sit-com about life aboard a British Royal Navy frigate named HMS Troutbridge, (a pun on HMS Troubridge, an actual Royal Navy destroyer) based in HMNB Portsmouth, though in series 1 and 2 the ship and crew were stationed offshore at an unnamed location known simply as "The Island." In series 2 this island was revealed to be owned by Lt Cdr Stanton. The series was transmitted on the BBC Light Programme and subsequently BBC Radio 2. It was produced by Alastair Scott Johnston. Laurie Wyman conceived the idea and wrote the scripts (with George Evans from quite early on, but who was not name checked until the 12th Series onwards). For most of its run, it starred Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips and Stephen Murray.

Plot

Programmes were self-contained, although there was continuity within the series, and sometimes a reference to a previous episode might be made. A normal episode consisted of Sub Lieutenant Phillips, scheming Chief Petty Officer Pertwee and bemused Lt. Murray trying to get out of trouble they created for themselves without their direct superior, Commander (later Captain) "Thunderguts" Povey finding out. Scenes frequently featured a string of eccentric characters, often played by Ronnie Barker or Jon Pertwee

Republic of Potarneyland

The Republic of Potarneyland, a country situated somewhere on the Indian subcontinent, is featured in several episodes. Over the course of the series, it is revealed that Potarneyland had recently been granted independence from Great Britain, and had joined NATO because the Potanis considered it to be a "free gift scheme". During Series 3 of The Navy Lark, a Potarneyland frigate, the Poppadom, appears in several episodes manned by various Potani officers voiced by Michael Bates and Ronnie Barker.

Cast

• Dennis Price – Lieutenant Price ("Number One") (Series 1)
• Leslie Phillips – Sub Lieutenant Phillips
• Jon Pertwee – Chief Petty Officer Pertwee / Commander Weatherby / Vice-Admiral 'Burbly' Burwasher / The Master
• Stephen Murray – Lt/Lt Commander Murray ("Number One")
• Richard Caldicot – Commander/Captain Povey
• Ronnie Barker – Able Seaman 'Fatso' Johnson / Lt Commander Stanton / Commander Bell / Lieutenant Queeg
• Heather Chasen – Mrs. Ramona Povey / WREN Chasen / Lady Toddhunter-Brown
• Tenniel Evans – Able Seaman (later Leading Seaman) 'Taffy' Goldstein / Admiral Ffont-Bittocks / Sir Willoughby Toddhunter-Brown
• Michael Bates – Able Seaman Ginger / Lt. Bates / Rear Admiral Ironbridge / Padre / Captain Ignatius Aloysius Atchison
• Judy Cornwell – WREN Cornwell (Series 4 onwards)
• Laurie Wyman – Inspector Burt Tiddy / various

Production

The series used accents and characterised voices to supplement the humour, as well as a good deal of innuendo.

The show's theme tune was a traditional hornpipe called St Ninian's Isle. The programme also featured musical breaks with a main harmonica theme by Tommy Reilly and several enduring catchphrases, most notably from Sub Lieutenant Phillips: "Corrrrr", "Ooh, nasty...", "Oh lumme!", and "Left hand down a bit". "Ev'rybody down!" was a phrase of CPO Pertwee's, necessitated by a string of incomprehensible navigation orders by Phillips, and followed by a sound effect of the ship crashing. Also, whenever Pertwee had some menial job to be done, Able Seaman Johnson was always first in line to do it, inevitably against his will: "You're rotten, you are!". The telephone response from Naval Intelligence (Ronnie Barker), was always an extremely gormless and dimwitted delivery of "'Ello, Intelligence 'ere" or "This is intelligence speakinTemplate:'".

Other recurring verbal features were the invented words "humgrummits" and "floggle-toggle" which served to cover all manner of unspecified objects ranging from foodstuffs to naval equipment.

Reception

The series made household names of Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee and Richard Caldicot, but Ronnie Barker's versatile contributions were only recognised after he had become better known through television comedy. Michael Bates later appeared on television as Blamire in Last of the Summer Wine and as Rangi Ram in It Ain't Half Hot Mum. Judy Cornwell was later to appear in the short series Moody and Pegg, but became best known when she was cast as Daisy, one of Hyacinth Bucket's sisters in Keeping Up Appearances. Dennis Price returned for a guest appearance in the fourth series episode A Hole Lieutenant

Repeats can regularly be heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

Sequels and adaptations

There were several radio sequels, including The Embassy Lark and The Big Business Lark. The TV Lark was intended to be a replacement for The Navy Lark starting with what would have been the series' fifth season. This situation came about due to the head of light entertainment believing that "forces" based humour had had its day and television was the next "big thing" so Lawrie was told to create a show with the same cast in an independent TV station situation. Alastair Scott Johnston and Lawrie Wyman tried to stop this folly but were overruled, hence the arrival of The TV Lark. The entire cast had been drummed out of the service (as the announcer puts it) and hired by Troutbridge TV Ltd. Janet Brown joined the cast due to the absence of Heather Chasen for this season. However, mainly due to public pressure, the production team of Alastair Scott Johnston and Lawrie Wyman managed to revert the show back to nautical capers, even though episode ten of The TV Lark revealed that CPO Pertwee had arranged to flog almost the entirety of HMS Troutbridge. Storylines in The TV Lark nudged back to Naval origins across the ten shows until they were finally reunited with Troutbridge and acceptable storylines once more. 10 episodes were made but unfortunately Episode 9 is lost. The nine surviving episodes are available on YouTube.

In 1959 a film version was made, written by Laurie Wyman and Sid Colin and directed by Gordon Parry. It starred Cecil Parker, Ronald Shiner, Elvi Hale, Leslie Phillips and Nicholas Phipps.

Wyman co-wrote with three other writers a television sitcom HMS Paradise (Associated-Rediffusion, 1964-5) set in a naval shore establishment in which Caldicot played Captain Turvey, but only one series was made. The entire series has been wiped, but a rumour exists that one episode still exists.

The show was condensed from 30 to 27 minutes by Transcription services, then the discs were then exported around the world except for South Africa. As Springbok Radio was a commercial station the BBC refused to allow the station to re-broadcast the British shows so the station acquired the scripts from Lawrie and edited them to around twenty five minutes, to accommodate the commercial breaks. The revised show was recorded by them in front of a live audience. All the UK associations were kept for the Durban audiences which must have been incomprehensible on occasions. Excerpts of these broadcasts can be heard on the Springbok celebration site and occasionally Pumamouse.

Episode guide

1st Series Spring 1959

• 1. A-01 Mar 29 59 The Missing Jeep

  2. A-02 Apr 5 59 Operation Fag End (pilot episode)

  3. A-03 Apr 12 59 Number One's Chair

  4. A-04 Apr 19 59 The Fairground Lights

  5. A-05 Apr 26 59 The Comfort Fund

  6. A-06 May 3 59 Stuck up the Inlet

  7. A-07 May 10 59 The Admiral's Party

  8. A-08 May 17 59 The Hank of Heather

  9. A-09 May 24 59 The Multiple Mine

  10. A-10 May 31 59 The Gun Mechanism Test

  11. A-11 Jun 7 59 The Whittlesea Bay Yacht Regatta

  12. A-12 Jun 14 59 The Psychology Test

  13. A-13 Jun 21 59 A Watch on the Initiative

  14. A-14 Jun 28 59 An Exercise in Filming

  15. A-15 Jul 5 59 The Smuggling Spy

  16. A-16 Jul 12 59 The Whittlesea Carnival and Fête

2nd Series Autumn 1959

• 17. 2-01 Oct 16 59 New at the Helm

  18. 2-02 Oct 23 59 Fatso's Box Brownie

  19. 2-03 Oct 30 59 Bring Back the Barge

  20. 2-04 Nov 6 59 The Mock Action

  21. 2-05 Nov 13 59 Going Dutch

  22. 2-06 Nov 20 59 The Figurehead

  23. 2-07 Nov 27 59 Gunboat To Gumba

  24. 2-08 Dec 4 59 Johnson Finds Treasure

  25. 2-09 Dec 11 59 The Charter Trip to Antarctica

  26. 2-10 Dec 18 59 Cementing Relations

  27. 2-11 Dec 25 59 Strike up the Band

  28. 2-12 Jan 1 60 The Route March

  29. 2-13 Jan 8 60 A Trip up the Thames

  30. 2-14 Jan 15 60 Radar Talk Down System

  31. 2-15 Jan 22 60 A Crisp Romance

  32. 2-16 Jan 29 60 The Lighthouse Lark

  33. 2-17 Feb 5 60 Pertwee Posted to Portsmouth

  34. 2-18 Feb 12 60 Johnson's Diet

  35. 2-19 Feb 19 60 Tug Of War

  36. 2-20 Feb 26 60 Return To Potarneyland

  37. 2-21 Mar 4 60 The Cross Country Run

  38. 2-22 Mar 11 60 The Morning After

  39. 2-23 Mar 18 60 The Admiral's Present

  40. 2-24 Mar 25 60 Secret Mission to Calais

  41. 2-25 Apr 1 60 Mr Murray Goes Sick

  42. 2-26 Apr 8 60 The Portarneyland Fishing Limit

3rd Series 1960

• 44. 3-01 Nov 2 60 In Portsmouth for a Re-Fit

  Nov 5 60 Wrens Reunion at the Royal Festival Hall

  45. 3-02 Nov 9 60 Refitting Ebeneezer Pertwee

  46. 3-03 Nov 16 60 Sea Trials of the Poppadom

  47. 3-04 Nov 23 60 Mutiny Aboard Troutbridge

  48. 3-05 Nov 30 60 The Explosive Biscuits

  49. 3-06 Dec 7 60 Sir Willoughby Takes Over The Island

  50. 3-07 Dec 14 60 Mount Rumpus Atoll

  51. 3-08 Dec 21 60 Mr Murray's Houseboat

  52. 3-09 Dec 28 60 Johnson's Birthday

  53. 3-10 Jan 4 61 Povey's Unexpected Leave

  54. 3-11 Jan 11 61 Families' Day

  55. 3-12 Jan 18 61 Falmouth Ghost Ship

  56. 3-13 Jan 25 61 Onabushkan Flu

  57. 3-14 Feb 1 61 The Efficiency Expert

  58. 3-15 Feb 8 61 The Floggle Grummit Missile

  59. 3-16 Feb 15 61 The Hitch Hiking Counterfeiter

  60. 3-17 Feb 22 61 Commodore Goldstein

  61. 3-18 Mar 1 61 Mr Phillips Has Navigation Tuition

  62. 3-19 Mar 8 61 CPO Pertwee and the Laundry

  63. 3-20 Mar 15 61 The Surprise Wedding

4th Series 1961

• 64. 4-01 Sep 15 61 Returning from Leave

  65. 4-02 Sep 22 61 Captain Povey's Spy

  66. 4-03 Sep 29 61 The Secret Of Nessie's Youth

  67. 4-04 Oct 6 61 The Northampton Hunt Ball

  68. 4-05 Oct 13 61 Hijacked

  69. 4-06 Oct 20 61 Admiral Troutbridge

  70. 4-07 Oct 27 61 Relatives and Reservations

  71. 4-08 Nov 3 61 Humgrummits on the High Seas

  72. 4-09 Nov 10 61 Are Captain and Mrs Povey Married?

  73. 4-10 Nov 17 61 Cine Cameras at Sea

  74. 4-11 Nov 24 61 The Citizen Adjustment Course

  75. 4-12 Dec 1 61 A Hole Lieutenant

  76. 4-13 Dec 8 61 Spy Catching in Casablanca

  77. 4-14 Dec 15 61 Mount Pot Erupts

  78. 4-15 Dec 22 61 Captain Povey's Shop

  79. 4-16 Dec 29 61 Leading Seaman Goldstein's Party

  80. 4-17 Jan 5 62 The Invitation

  81. 4-18 Jan 12 62 The Cornish Exercise

  82. 4-19 Jan 19 62 A Strange Hobby

  83. 4-20 Jan 26 62 Mr Phillips Get Engaged

  84. 4-21 Feb 2 62 The Sinking of the Bubble Car

  85. 4-22 Feb 9 62 Long John Pertwee

  86. 4-23 Feb 16 62 The Admiral's Accident Report

  87. 4-24 Feb 23 62 Over the Sea to Rosyth

  88. 4-25 Mar 2 62 The Return of Sir Frederick Flatley

  89. 4-26 Mar 9 62 The Ship's Concert

Christmas special 1962

• 90. S-01 unaired Calling The Antarctic -0Not broadcast in the UK.

The TV Lark 1963

• T01.Opening Night

  T02.Advertising Drive

  T03.The Party Political Broadcast

  T04.Back to Portsmouth

  T05.Serial Programming

  T06.The African Incident

  T07.Yours, or MINE!!!

  T08.The Portarneyland Election

  T09.

  T10.Back in the Navy

5th Series spring 1963

• 91. 5-01 Apr 5 63 First Day out of Dock

  92. 5-02 Apr 12 63 (100th edition)

  93. 5-03 Apr 19 63 A Deliberate Bashing

  94. 5-04 Apr 26 63 Whittlesea Regatta

  95. 5-05 May 3 63 HMS Troutbridge Gets a Rocket

  96. 5-06 May 10 63 The Ghost Ship

6th Series autumn 1963

• 97. 6-01 Sep 27 63 Wren Chasen Returns

  98. 6-02 Oct 4 63 On the Carpet

  99. 6-03 Oct 11 63 The Bungalese Spies

  100. 6-04 Oct 18 63 Troutbridge's Party

  101. 6-05 Oct 25 63 Rescuing Admirals

  102. 6-06 Nov 1 63 Demise of the Depth Charges

  103. 6-07 Nov 8 63 The Struggle for Promotion

  104. 6-08 Nov 15 63 Fred Computables

  105. 6-09 Nov 22 63 Stormy Weather

  106. 6-10 Nov 29 63 Chasing the Kepeac

  107. 6-11 Dec 6 63 The Submerged Island

  108. 6-12 Dec 13 63 The Sicilian Secret Agent

  109. 6-13 Dec 20 63 German's Troutbridge

  110. 6-14 Dec 27 63 Confirming Povey's Rank

  111. 6-15 Jan 3 64 The Calais Dock Strike

  112. 6-16 Jan 10 64 Johnson's Memoirs

  113. 6-17 Jan 17 64 The Emperor of Tratvia

  114. 6-18 Jan 24 64 Open Day

  115. 6-19 Jan 31 64 Stuck on a Sandbank

7th Series 1965

• 116. 7-01 Jul 11 65 Back in the Muck Again

  117. 7-02 Jul 18 65 Smugglers in the Solent

  118. 7-03 Jul 25 65 Mr Murray Is Victimised

  119. 7-04 Aug 1 65 The Poveys Move House

  120. 7-05 Aug 8 65 Captain Povey Reports Sick

  121. 7-06 Aug 15 65 Admiral Pertwee's Fleet

  122. 7-07 Aug 22 65 Let Loose with a Chopper

  123. 7-08 Aug 29 65 Making a Right Pig's Breakfast

  124. 7-09 Sep 5 65 The Mysterious Pudding Mine

  125. 7-10 Sep 12 65 The Hovercraft Training Course

  126. 7-11 Sep 19 65 Sabotaged Floggle-Toggle Box

  127. 7-12 Sep 26 65 The Portarneyland Training Exercise

  128. 7-13 Oct 3 65 Going on Leave to Croydon

Christmas Special 1965

• 129. S-02 unaired Not broadcast in UK.

8th Series 1966

• 130. 8-01 Sep 4 66 Searching for Their Ship (a.k.a. Where is Troutbridge?)

  131. 8-02 Sep 11 66 Float a Peddle Fiddle

  132. 8-03 Sep 18 66 Gumming Up the Works (a.k.a. A Sticky Business)

  133. 8-04 Sep 25 66 Buoys Will Be Buoys

  134. 8-05 Oct 2 66 Steamship Day

  135. 8-06 Oct 9 66 Farewell to HMS Varsity

  136. 8-07 Oct 16 66 Blowing Themselves Up (a.k.a. The Army Lark)

  137. 8-08 Oct 23 66 Buying Tickets (a.k.a. Just the Ticket)

  138. 8-09 Oct 30 66 Mr Phillips Promotion

  139. 8-10 Nov 6 66 Pertwee and the Tratvian Beer

  140. 8-11 Nov 13 66 The PM Papa

  141. 8-12 Nov 20 66 Getting Rid of Pertwee

  142. 8-13 Nov 27 66 Off to Sea at Last

9th Series 1967

• 143. 9-01 Jul 2 67 Back from the Antarctic

  144. 9-02 Jul 9 67 Fishing in Troubled Waters (a.k.a. Fishers off the Faroes)

  145. 9-03 Jul 16 67 Cleaning Up (a.k.a. A Filthy Ferryboat)

  146. 9-04 Jul 23 67 Doing a Disastrical (a.k.a. Jigsaws and Jemmies)

  147. 9-05 Jul 30 67 The Naval Review

  148. 9-06 Aug 6 67 Going Caravaning (a.k.a. The Curious Caravan Case)

  149. 9-07 Aug 13 67 Having a Bit of Trouble with the French (a.k.a. Frenchmen in J.41)

  150. 9-08 Aug 20 67 Tangling with the Law (a.k.a. The Police Drop In)

  151. 9-09 Aug 27 67 Mr Murray's Endurance Course

  152. 9-10 Sep 3 67 Women in the Wardroom

  153. 9-11 Sep 10 67 Troutbridge's Silver Jubilee

  155. 9-12 Sep 17 67 Computerising (a.k.a. CECIL the Navigation Computer)

  156. 9-13 Sep 24 67 A Russian Rendezvous

  157. 9-14 Oct 1 67 The Bugged and Burgled Beer

  158. 9-15 Oct 8 67 Picking up the Poppadom

  159. 9-16 Oct 15 67 Cuthbert Joins the Navy

  150. 9-17 Oct 22 67 The Flying Machine

  160. 9-18 Oct 29 67 Sub Lt. Philips at Dartmouth

  161. 9-19 Nov 5 67 Frying Up

  162. 9-20 Nov 12 67 Troutbridge in Quarantine

10th Series 1968

• 163. 10-01 Oct 13 68 Lighting Up (a.k.a. Troutbridge Electrifies Portsmouth)

  164. 10-02 Oct 20 68 The Redundancy Drive

  165. 10-03 Oct 27 68 The Smugglers Return

  166. 10-04 Nov 3 68 Captain Trotter Takes Charge

  167. 10-05 Nov 10 68 The Anti-Submarine Missile

  168. 10-06 Nov 17 68 Accredited (a.k.a. Sub-Conductor Phillips)

  169. 10-07 Nov 24 68 The South Kawowan Summit

  170. 10-08 Dec 1 68 Pertwee's Enlistment Expires

  171. 10-09 Dec 8 68 Capt. Povey Takes Over

  172. 10-10 Dec 15 68 Sir Willoughby Goes to Kawowa

  173. 10-11 Dec 22 68 The Padre's Birthday

  174. 10-12 Dec 29 68 The Portsmouth Kiosk

  175. 10-13 Jan 5 69 The Radio Beacon

  176. 10-14 Jan 12 69 The Wrong Uniform

  177. 10-15 Jan 19 69 Harold Wilson Reviews the Fleet

  178. 10-16 Jan 26 69 Relief of the Weather Ship

  179. 10-17 Feb 2 69 Bunging Up (a.k.a. The Mickey Mouse Toothbrush)

  180. 10-18 Feb 9 69 The Brick Smugglers

11th Series 1969

• 181. 11-01 Dec 28 69 The Squatters

  182. 11-02 Jan 4 70 Admiral Hunting (a.k.a. What is the S.S.E.?)

  183. 11-03 Jan 11 70 The Promotion Ladder

  184. 11-04 Jan 18 70 Stranded

  185. 11-05 Jan 25 70 StarrSir Willoughby's Party

  186. 11-06 Feb 1 70 Fleet Initiative Test

  187. 11-07 Feb 8 70 C.P.O. Pertwee's Long Service Medal

  188. 11-08 Feb 15 70 The Phenomenal Pertwee Tug

  189. 11-09 Feb 22 70 The Security Clampdown

  190. 11-10 Mar 1 70 The Anniversary and the Washing

  191. 11-11 Mar 8 70 The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge

  192. 11-12 Mar 15 70 Getting Spliced (a.k.a. Number One Gets Married)

  193. 11-13 Mar 22 70 The Honeymooners Return

  194. 11-14 Mar 29 70 C.P.O. Pertwee and the Lead Half Crowns

  195. 11-15 Apr 5 70 Dartmouth Naval College Has Had a Narrow Escape (a.k.a. Sup-Lt Phillips to Leave for Dartmouth)

  196. 11-16 Apr 12 70 The Mark 31 Radar

12th Series 1971

• 197. 12– 1 May 16 71 The Put-a-Horse-out-to-Graze Fund

  198. 12– 2 May 23 71 Impressions for Survival

  199. 12– 3 May 30 71 The Beard-Growing Race

  200. 12-04 Jun 6 71 The Mysterious Radio Signals

  201. 12-05 Jun 13 71 Operation Recovery

  202. 12-06 Jun 20 71 The Slogan Contest

  203. 12-07 Jun 27 71 Sir Willoughby at Shanghai

  204. 12-08 Jul 4 71 Operation Cowes Barge

  205. 12-09 Jul 11 71 Number One's Anniversary

  206. 12-10 Jul 18 71 The Loch Ness Monster

  207. 12-11 Jul 25 71 The Forbodian Attaché

13th Series 1972

• 208. 13-01 Mar 26 72 The TV Documentary

  209. 13-02 Apr 2 72 The P.O.W. Escape Exercise

  210. 13-03 Apr 9 72 Number One's Married Quarters

  211. 13-04 Apr 16 72 Operating for Profit (a.k.a. The Newhaven-Dieppe Smuggling Run)

  212. 13-05 Apr 23 72 The Bumble Spit Lighthouse Affair

  213. 13-06 Apr 30 72 The Tongipouhaha Treasure

  214. 13– 7 May 7 72 The US Navigator Swap

  215. 13– 8 May 14 72 Son of a Sea Lord

  216. 13– 9 May 21 72 Hypnotising Ramona

  217. 13–10 May 28 72 The Master of Sardinia

  218. 13-11 Jun 4 72 Opportunity Knockers

  219. 13-12 Jun 11 72 Friday the 13th

  220. 13-13 Jun 18 72 The New NAAFI

14th Series 1973

• 221. 14-01 Jul 29 73 The Montezuela Revolution

  222. 14-02 Aug 5 73 The Island Swordfish

  223. 14-03 Aug 12 73 Bunged in the Brig (a.k.a. Bunged in the Rattle)

  224. 14-04 Aug 19 73 Kidnapped Down Under

  225. 14-05 Aug 26 73 The Digital Isles Go Unstable

  226. 14-06 Sep 2 73 Egbert Hitches a Ride

  227. 14-07 Sep 9 73 Povey an Admiral at Last

  228. 14-08 Sep 16 73 The Bergan Horse Trials

  229. 14-09 Sep 23 73 Captain Povey's Wig

  230. 14-10 Sep 30 73 Brain Pill

  231. 14-11 Oct 7 73 Operation Showcase

  232. 14-12 Oct 14 73 Living the High Life (a.k.a. CPO Pertwee Yachtmonger)

  233. 14-13 Oct 21 73 The Talpinium Shell

15th Series 1975

• 234. 15-01 Nov 9 75 Sequel to the Talpinium Shell

  235. 15-02 Nov 16 75 NANA

  236. 15-03 Nov 23 75 Helen, the New Wren

  237. 15-04 Nov 30 75 Relief for Station 150

  238. 15-05 Dec 7 75 Black is Beautiful

  239. 15-06 Dec 14 75 Sidney and the Stamp

  240. 15-07 Dec 21 75 Riding to Victory (a.k.a. Commander Murray Becomes a Showjumper)

  241. 15-08 Dec 28 75 Horrible Horace

  242. 15-09 Jan 4 76 Officer's and Gent's Lib

  243. 15-10 Jan 11 76 The Case of the HGM Mark 5

  244. 15-11 Jan 18 76 Uncle Wilberforce Pertwee

Special 1977

• 245. S -03 Jul 16 77 Queen's Silver Jubilee Edition

External links

• The Navy Lark Appreciation Society
• Navy Lark First Lines
• BBC 7
• Navy Lark Episode Guide
• The Navy Lark
• The Navy Lark at OTR.Network (Old Time Radio) Free - Realplayer required.
• Deep Trouble