A Life of Bliss

A BBC Radio 4 Vintage Comedy

By: Godfrey Harrison

Narrated by: George Cole, full cast, Diana Churchill, Colin Gordon, Petula Clark, Percy Edwards

George Cole stars in the classic BBC Radio sitcom about a bashful, bumbling bachelor.

First broadcast in 1953, A Life of Bliss ran for six series and 118 episodes on radio, concluding in 1969 when a TV series was made. Sadly, most are missing from the BBC archive (including the first seven, starring David Tomlinson) - but 19 were rescued and rebroadcast by BBC Radio 4 Extra, and are included here.

They chronicle the misadventures of shy, absent-minded bachelor David Bliss, who goes through life with his head in the clouds and his mind in a fog. His friends and family agree that it's high time he settled down, but it's hard to find the right girl - though he's sure she'll come along sooner or later. Perhaps pretty Penny Gay will fit the bill - or Maxine, or Zoe....

In the meantime, he's happy to live the single life, though he does keep finding himself in awkward situations. Fortunately, his sister, Anne, and brother-in-law, Tony, are around to provide support and encouragement - and he can always rely on his best friend, faithful canine companion Psyche.

Created by Godfrey Harrison, who went on to write TV scripts for Tony Hancock, this delightfully light comedy stars George Cole as Bliss, with Diana Churchill as Anne, Colin Gordon as Tony and Percy Edwards as Psyche the Dog. Among the guest stars are Petula Clark, Desmond Carrington and Donald Sinden.

Production credits:

Written by Godfrey Harrison.

Announcer: Kenneth Kendall.

BBC Variety Orchestra conducted by Paul Fenhoulet.

Produced by Leslie Bridgmont.

First broadcast on the BBC Home Service on the following dates:

'Finding a Girlfriend' - 20th October 1954

'Office Secrets' - 13th August 1957

'Maxine' - 20th August 1957

'The Flat' - 27th August 1957

'Penny Gay's Return' - 3rd September 1957

'Two Dozen Red Roses' - 31st December 1958

'A Spy in the Camp' - 7th January 1959

'A Woman Scorned' - 21st January 1959

'An Expert In Confusion' - 28th January 1959

'A Slave of Fashion' - 4th February 1959

'A Moving Story' - 11th February 1959

'United They Stay '- 18th February 1959

'Oh Brother' - 25th February 1959

'Battle of the Sexes' - 4th March 1959

'The Anniversary' - 11th March 1959

'Man at Bay' - 18th March 1959

'Mixed Feelings' - 25th March 1959

'Dangerous Company' - 1st April 1959

'Pleasure as Usual' - 8th April 1959

Cast:

David Bliss - George Cole

Anne Fellows - Diana Churchill

Tony Fellows - Colin Gordon

Psyche the Dog - Percy Edwards

Penny Gay - Petula Clark

Mrs Bliss - Gladys Young

Mr Bliss - Ernest Jay/Carleton Hobbs

Mr Hood - Barry K. Barnes

Maxine Avery - Sarah Lawson

Zoe Hunter - Sheila Sweet

Marcia Hammond - Gwen Cherrell

Phil Bender - Donald Sinden

With Terence Alexander, Maxine Audley, Desmond Carrington, Belle Chrystall, Felix Felton, Gladys Henson, Nan Kenway, Rolf Lefebvre, Sheila Manahan, Hugh Manning, William Mervyn, Rosemary Miller, Ella Milne, Elsa Palmer, Judith Stott, Eleanor Summerfield, Frederick Treves, Ruth Trouncer, Una Venning, Tony Vickers, Virginia Winter.

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