Spike was a client of the bank I worked at in the late 1970's and there a very famous story we had amongst staff regarding him. and which I overheard to a large degree. He phoned in one day to get the balance on his account. The Daily Mail at the time were doing one of their big campaigns on how easy it was to get info out of the banks, so my lady colleague asked 'Can you identify yourself?'. He replied 'Hang on', the phone was put down but my colleague heard footsteps going away from the phone and a couple of minutes later footsteps approaching. 'Yes, I've looked in a mirror and I am DEFINITELY Spike Milligan!!' It couldn't be anyone else, really 😂😂🤣🤣
Truly a beautiful spirit, troubled moment's of despair and darkness blown to pieces by such a mind a naturally hilarious bonkers genius and every single person who ever lived ever and I do mean ever absolutely loved and LOVE Spike.
I have followed Spike all my life and read all his war memoirs. I always wondered what 'Toni' looked like? The girl he met in Italy and clearly fell deeply in love with. I dont understand him not marrying her. I listen to his memoirs on Audio book s now and he reads his own stories and breaks out laughing at times at his own life. In 'Goodbye Soldier' at the end when he leaves Italy - you can hear the sadness in his voice at leaving Toni behind.The greatest comedian we ever had in the UK! Sadly missed. NO ONE can equal his quick wit and comedic genius!👍👏👏👏👏👏
I found this utterly fascinating. In the books he describes them growing apart, when he left her he was gigging with the band, sleeping around, doing gig work in showbiz, and when he met her again in Italy there's a heartbreaking account of an awkward day together where it feels like she has grown out of him. She asks him what his plans in life are, and how he would make the money to marry (especially given her classy background), and seems both unsurprised and nonplussed when he can't name a "grown up" plan. She sees him as unstable, without a secure future, and doesn't like the influence of showbiz life on him, smoking and drinking and so on. He puts his hand on hers in a cafe an tells her he loves her, and she laughs it off, saying 'you only think you love me'. He focuses on the money aspect of it but ... yeah. The exchange they have in this is REALLY weird. I think she still loves him, and he seems genuinely thrown for a loop. She seems bitter, the display of asking for a tear is clearly planned, probably a reference to some sad conversation we will never know about, and throws him utterly off guard. In the awkwardly brief second she is given she (probably having read his memoirs) only mentions that he loved many women ... perhaps what she was thinking at the cafe all those years ago.
Thank you for posting this. The story Spike told in his war memoirs of the time he and Toni spent on Capri is one of the most beautiful pieces he ever wrote. According to several biographies I've read, at the end of the show, Spike said to Toni 'lets run away together', to which she replied 'darling, we're too old'. She was the one true love of his life, and the one that got away, as his mother dissuaded him from marrying her, something he never really forgave her for. But I believe he did visit Toni and her daughter in Paris a couple of times before he died.
.from what I heard ........at the time, they sneaked her in & got her on a plane home before his wife could have a word, which woulda been ironic cause Spike cheated on his last wife before she died with Sheila amongst others. Spike also phoned his wife with Barry convincing her he was in oz when he was in london on the pull. Barry admits though not here "He made my career , but what a ratbag!"
This is so touching. The books are my absolute favourites and he never seemed happier than that time in Capri. It was nice to actually get a glimpse of Toni in real life.
Listening to the Goodbye Soldier audiobook Spike sounded so old and tired at the outset but you could hear the memories reviving him as he read. Broke, and reaffirmed, my heart.
spike Milligan was one of the great comedy genius/giants of the post war era. but as the 1990s came. i kind of wished that tv companies left in Peace. I just felt uncomfortable that he had to wheeled out on tv when he was becoming more frail
I must have seen this on first airing , but having recently re read his war memoirs I now see how important Toni’s appearance must have been that day, wonderful.
What a wonderful man. I remember him when i was a child. They just don’t make comedians like Spike and Eric Sykes now. Its all smutty and swear words. RIP Spike. You are missed. Xx
One of the funniest things I ever read of Milligan was, when he wrote to the Met police about someones dog who kept shitting outside his home. In one letter he had wrote "To the Met police. re: Milligan v Dog shit."
The exchange he has with Toni in this is REALLY fascinating ... and very weird. I think she still loves him, and he seems genuinely thrown for a loop. She seems bitter, the display of asking for a tear is clearly planned, probably a reference to some sad conversation we will never know about, and throws him utterly off guard. In the awkwardly brief second she is given she (probably having read his memoirs) only mentions that he loved many women ... perhaps what she was thinking at the cafe all those years ago (as described in the book) when on his first return to Italy he takes her hand to say he loves her, desperate to know she still feels the same, when it's clear she doesn't. She laughs it off and says he only thinks he loves her. She seems to have grown out of him, and it's heartbreaking.
Mastermind of the Goons loved his work my late pommie mate bill lived in woy woy who was very good friends with his brother Desmond!!!the backward walk over the bridge is dedicated to Spike each year 😂😅😅
at 17:50 his daughter Laura Milligan..i used to sit next to her at 'Bishop Douglass' Secondary modern school, East Finchley, N. London.aged 11-12. then. haven't seen her since 1967 as i left the school about then to move north..this was a wow to see her again and can remember her and identify with her looks today which is not too different from the young girl of '67.
He's up there now hopefully with Ronnie barker having a fab time. They left him a bit late giving a lifetime achievement . Such a fun guy enjoying making people laugh all his life. Calling our now king a w***er but he was the only person who could with out being strung up..
One of the best tiyl shows, there are many . Spike stopped in Hongkong on his way to Australia in Autumn 1966. The English channel was RTHK and we were all set up for a few episodes of laughter with yours truly. It didn't happen. All cancelled at the v v last minute. Spike just couldn't do it. That's my enduring thought. He wasn't funny all the time.
Always thought ‘Spike’ a strange man after hearing on ‘The Goon Show’, as never really understood those strange voices as rather silly. I liked his performances on two shows of ‘Til Death Us Do Part’, here ‘Spike’ looked elderly, he died in 2002, was interested in his career and guests, was all unknown to me until now.
Spike was a client of the bank I worked at in the late 1970's and there a very famous story we had amongst staff regarding him. and which I overheard to a large degree. He phoned in one day to get the balance on his account. The Daily Mail at the time were doing one of their big campaigns on how easy it was to get info out of the banks, so my lady colleague asked 'Can you identify yourself?'. He replied 'Hang on', the phone was put down but my colleague heard footsteps going away from the phone and a couple of minutes later footsteps approaching. 'Yes, I've looked in a mirror and I am DEFINITELY Spike Milligan!!' It couldn't be anyone else, really 😂😂🤣🤣
Oh what a wonderful anecdote of this truly remarkable great man as daft as a brush and as bright as anything ❤
Oh I wish we still had such talent in this crazy world to cheer us up. Bless you Splke.
His Army CO was a right character
@@mcfcguvnorsWas that Major Chaterjack?
Spike was a comedy genius, always fondly remembered.
A talent we will never see again 🥺
what age is his wife looks like his daughter
@@ritadonnelly8820 Good girl Rita. Jealousy will get you nowhere. Your old man isn't half as rich and bores for Scotland.
I'm looking at him now
This has made my day watching dear Spike.
What a great man - wasn't it special to see him with Eric? Love Love Love
Truly a beautiful spirit, troubled moment's of despair and darkness blown to pieces by such a mind a naturally hilarious bonkers genius and every single person who ever lived ever and I do mean ever absolutely loved and LOVE Spike.
God bless you Spike, a true genius.
Iv read all of his war books . . . Bless him and all of his genoration
Tough gig for old Michael Aspel this one 😂
He certainly had his work cut out didn't he❓
The wig story was totally worth the cuts & edits & his Army CO what a character he was
One of the greats along with Ken Dodd, Tommy cooper and Eric Morecambe.
I have followed Spike all my life and read all his war memoirs. I always wondered what 'Toni' looked like? The girl he met in Italy and clearly fell deeply in love with. I dont understand him not marrying her. I listen to his memoirs on Audio book s now and he reads his own stories and breaks out laughing at times at his own life. In 'Goodbye Soldier' at the end when he leaves Italy - you can hear the sadness in his voice at leaving Toni behind.The greatest comedian we ever had in the UK! Sadly missed. NO ONE can equal his quick wit and comedic genius!👍👏👏👏👏👏
I found this utterly fascinating. In the books he describes them growing apart, when he left her he was gigging with the band, sleeping around, doing gig work in showbiz, and when he met her again in Italy there's a heartbreaking account of an awkward day together where it feels like she has grown out of him. She asks him what his plans in life are, and how he would make the money to marry (especially given her classy background), and seems both unsurprised and nonplussed when he can't name a "grown up" plan. She sees him as unstable, without a secure future, and doesn't like the influence of showbiz life on him, smoking and drinking and so on. He puts his hand on hers in a cafe an tells her he loves her, and she laughs it off, saying 'you only think you love me'. He focuses on the money aspect of it but ... yeah. The exchange they have in this is REALLY weird. I think she still loves him, and he seems genuinely thrown for a loop. She seems bitter, the display of asking for a tear is clearly planned, probably a reference to some sad conversation we will never know about, and throws him utterly off guard. In the awkwardly brief second she is given she (probably having read his memoirs) only mentions that he loved many women ... perhaps what she was thinking at the cafe all those years ago.
This made me laugh & Cry at the same time
Getting J Paul getty on a TV show is the equivalent of interviewing someone live on Mars!
Absolutely agree. My jaw actually dropped. Shows you just how widely loved and respected Spike was
Thank you for posting this. The story Spike told in his war memoirs of the time he and Toni spent on Capri is one of the most beautiful pieces he ever wrote. According to several biographies I've read, at the end of the show, Spike said to Toni 'lets run away together', to which she replied 'darling, we're too old'. She was the one true love of his life, and the one that got away, as his mother dissuaded him from marrying her, something he never really forgave her for. But I believe he did visit Toni and her daughter in Paris a couple of times before he died.
.from what I heard ........at the time, they sneaked her in & got her on a plane home before his wife could have a word, which woulda been ironic cause Spike cheated on his last wife before she died with Sheila amongst others. Spike also phoned his wife with Barry convincing her he was in oz when he was in london on the pull. Barry admits though not here "He made my career , but what a ratbag!"
This is so touching. The books are my absolute favourites and he never seemed happier than that time in Capri.
It was nice to actually get a glimpse of Toni in real life.
@@grantd165 You're absolutely right. I don't think Spike was happier than when he was with Toni on Capri.
Always wondered what happened to Toni, and what their life together would have been like if they'd married.
Listening to the Goodbye Soldier audiobook Spike sounded so old and tired at the outset but you could hear the memories reviving him as he read. Broke, and reaffirmed, my heart.
They is only one word for Spike genuins
Genius.
@@quietman18They is geniums
Absolutely wonderful
spike Milligan was one of the great comedy genius/giants of the post war era. but as the 1990s came. i kind of wished that tv companies left in Peace. I just felt uncomfortable that he had to wheeled out on tv when he was becoming more frail
You just know sincerity and beauty effected him deeply
Spike, despite being frail, was still as sprightly and witty as ever!
He was still the same funny fella that he was all those years ago.
Awwwww how wonderful
England has worldbest comedians. Thank goodness for that. Bravo
Jimmy Saville was one of your best.
Brilliant. Even Michael Aspel nearly cracked up laughing at one point
I must have seen this on first airing , but having recently re read his war memoirs I now see how important Toni’s appearance must have been that day, wonderful.
I agree it must have been .
What a wonderful man. I remember him when i was a child. They just don’t make comedians like Spike and Eric Sykes now. Its all smutty and swear words. RIP Spike. You are missed. Xx
He gave up drinking for 5 minutes and he's been drunk ever since🤣🤣🤣
Oh the joy when he met his old comorades
I wasent sure he remembered half these people lol. God bless spike.
He weren’t half shocked when the ballerina turned up
@jaybaxter4830 Wasnt it, lol. I believe he had always kept in touch an often visited over the years
Genius. Some of his TV stuff was terrible tbh, but he would try anything and turned out some pure gold.
Amazing comic genius
One of the funniest things I ever read of Milligan was, when he wrote to the Met police about someones dog who kept shitting outside his home.
In one letter he had wrote "To the Met police. re: Milligan v Dog shit."
The exchange he has with Toni in this is REALLY fascinating ... and very weird. I think she still loves him, and he seems genuinely thrown for a loop. She seems bitter, the display of asking for a tear is clearly planned, probably a reference to some sad conversation we will never know about, and throws him utterly off guard. In the awkwardly brief second she is given she (probably having read his memoirs) only mentions that he loved many women ... perhaps what she was thinking at the cafe all those years ago (as described in the book) when on his first return to Italy he takes her hand to say he loves her, desperate to know she still feels the same, when it's clear she doesn't. She laughs it off and says he only thinks he loves her. She seems to have grown out of him, and it's heartbreaking.
Mastermind of the Goons loved his work my late pommie mate bill lived in woy woy who was very good friends with his brother Desmond!!!the backward walk over the bridge is dedicated to Spike each year 😂😅😅
Hi would you happen to possibly have any of the shows I'm looking for on the about part of my channel mentioned please?
How spike loved his children. Remember him for that. Flawed genius.
12:09 goodness these men are rare
at 17:50 his daughter Laura Milligan..i used to sit next to her at 'Bishop Douglass' Secondary modern school, East Finchley, N. London.aged 11-12. then. haven't seen her since 1967 as i left the school about then to move north..this was a wow to see her again and can remember her and identify with her looks today which is not too different from the young girl of '67.
One wordless glimpse of Sellers in the Goons reunion and nothing about him in the script. Weird.
Genious
So selfless but oh so funny sadly missed
the only thing missing was the legendary Peter Sellers.
Peter was often missing, being more often Bluebottle and a miriad other characters
Spike had a handsome dad.
He had no time for sycophancy and bullshite. Which out Aspell on a sticky wicket from the outset.
Spike was giving the producers in the control room a heart attack…. wrap it up!
It must have been hard for anyone to keep a straight face working with spike
Love Spike.
His brother Desmond looks so much like him
Life was better when Spike was around.
A round what?
@@CONNELL19511216 Yes?
He's up there now hopefully with Ronnie barker having a fab time.
They left him a bit late giving a lifetime achievement .
Such a fun guy enjoying making people laugh all his life.
Calling our now king a w***er but he was the only person who could with out being strung up..
If you read his war memoirs you'll see there's a great movie to be made by someone about the romance between Spike and Toni.
12:45 The guy in the middle looks like a peaky blinder
Bring back this show?
It would lack those characters what you got in these shows. Amazing old people in this, sadly all gone surely now being nearly 30 years ago
A class act
magic
One of the best tiyl shows, there are many .
Spike stopped in Hongkong on his way to Australia in Autumn 1966. The English channel was RTHK and we were all set up for a few episodes of laughter with yours truly.
It didn't happen.
All cancelled at the v v last minute.
Spike just couldn't do it.
That's my enduring thought.
He wasn't funny all the time.
Wow
Spike's world of fantasy.
Always thought ‘Spike’ a strange man after hearing on ‘The Goon Show’, as never really understood those strange voices as rather silly. I liked his performances on two shows of ‘Til Death Us Do Part’, here ‘Spike’ looked elderly, he died in 2002, was interested in his career and guests, was all unknown to me until now.
A good comedian that is about it otherwise spike was too free carrying out affairs
One takes on Spike at one's peril.
No Michael Bentine 🤔
well they did have there issues with each other
Wednesday 15th February 1995
Where's Norma ?
Right there with him, getting off the trian, from 1:14
@@34hedgehog I need to watch it again as I didn't notice her in the studio.
As a Gnu, i wasnt quite true! But then again neither are me
Wit, Charm and Repartee. They dont make em like that anymore.
That air raid shellter get smaller all the time
Deport
This was always one of my very favourite sketches by Spike... th-cam.com/video/Nfz9O_mSY1U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Xa4yI29WkNsRL7cB
He became a rude man sorry but true😢