BLUEBOTTLE

[Peter Sellers]

Developed from the ‘Ernie Sputmuscle’ character of the early series, the legend is that Bluebottle’s voice was inspired by Ruxton Hayward, a scout leader who Bentine and Sellers met. He often appears as a young schoolboy or a boy scout or soldier, but this doesn’t mean he can’t hold down a responsible job with an insurance company. He never loses his high-pitched voice or childish qualities though. Bluebottle often ‘breaks the fourth wall’, calling for his applause as he enters or telling schoolfriends that he’s on the radio. He’ll read stage directions out loud, he’ll even celebrate not being ‘deaded’ if he gets to the end of a show in one piece.

-------------------------------------------------

ECCLES

[Spike Milligan]

Probably the first character people think about when you mention the Goons, the voice of Mad Dan Eccles was in Spike’s repertoire before the Goons were formed. He’s an amiable simpleton with no cares in the world, perhaps he’s who Spike would have liked to be. On occasion, he’ll find himself being a Field Marshall, or Chancellor of the Exchequer, but not for long. His lack of intelligence is a running joke throughout the show, and it’s a joke he happily takes part in. Also known as Mr T.F. Eccles (TF…? The Famous.)

-------------------------------------------------

MAJOR DENNIS BLOODNOCK

[Peter Sellers]

Bloodnok is an archetypal scoundrel and cad who has retired (or more probably, been cashiered) from the Indian Army. He can be found all over the world, waiting for a victim like Neddie to arrive. More than that, he’s a womaniser, a coward and a thief, and no one’s wallet is safe in his company. His appearances are introduced by his own theme music, often followed by bubbling noises and explosions illustrating his gastric distress.

-------------------------------------------------

NEDDIE SEAGOON

[Harry Secombe]

Played as an exaggerated version of Harry Secombe’s own cheerful personality, Neddie is a gullible idiot, abroad in a world where Bloodnok and Grytpype-Thynne will rob and con him at every opportunity. Placed in a different situation every week, he’s the central character around which the plots revolve.

-------------------------------------------------

HERCULES GRYTPYPE-THYNNE &
COUNT MORIARTY

[Peter Sellers & Spike Milligan]

These two almost always work together and are generally the scheming villains of the piece. In the later series they become impoverished. From once spending their ill-gotten gains in luxury in Paris or on the Riviera, they’re reduced to living in dustbins, sharing underpants and eating fish bones. Grytpype-Thynne (Sellers) has a suave, educated voice, based on the actor George Sanders. Indeed, in the early episodes the character was called Sanders. He has occasionally been respectable, playing, for example, a police inspector or a civil servant, but will always be remembered as a con man. Moriarty (Milligan) is somewhat less sophisticated. He’s described as a French scrag and is generally Grytpype-Thynne’s lackey. Sometimes he’s barely intelligible, but check out 6/26 Scradje for an amazing vocal performance in his voice. He has the shortest catchphrase known to man – “ow”.

-------------------------------------------------

HENRY CRUN & MINNIE BANNISTER

[Peter Sellers & Spike Milligan]

Henry and Minnie are a slow-witted, elderly couple whose relationship varies from episode to episode. They’ve never been married, but are usually found co-habiting. Often, there are extended scenes where they can display their senility and have spectacular arguments.
Henry Albert Sebastopol Queen Victoria Crun (Sellers) gets cast as an inventor or a craftsman or something completely unsuitable, such as head of MI5.
His love interest is Miss Minerva ‘Minnie’ Bannister (Milligan), who still has enough of a twinkle in her eye to play a mean saxophone. She apparently had a past in India, where she was the regimental darling and had a fling with Bloodnok. In one episode, he laments that Minnie was stolen from him by Henry Crun and his display of sensual Caucasian knee dancing.

-------------------------------------------------