Another Goon Show-related post from Letters of Note, this time with a sadder tinge to it.
In May 1980 Peter Sellers was struggling with ill health. His heart had been permanently damaged by a series of heart attacks in the 1960s, and he had refused medical treatments in favour of alternative medicine and psychic advice from clairvoyant Maurice Woodruff. He sent a telegram to old friend and Goon Show writer Spike Milligan, saying that he was "desperate to have some real fun again" and asking Spike to write more shows so they could work together once more.
The text of Sellers' telegram can be found here. Sadly, his desires did not come to fruition: he suffered a huge heart attack just hours before a Goon Show reunion dinner, and died two days later, aged 54. As fellow Goon Harry Secombe put it, with typical black humour, "anything to avoid paying for dinner.".
Daniel
In May 1980 Peter Sellers was struggling with ill health. His heart had been permanently damaged by a series of heart attacks in the 1960s, and he had refused medical treatments in favour of alternative medicine and psychic advice from clairvoyant Maurice Woodruff. He sent a telegram to old friend and Goon Show writer Spike Milligan, saying that he was "desperate to have some real fun again" and asking Spike to write more shows so they could work together once more.
The text of Sellers' telegram can be found here. Sadly, his desires did not come to fruition: he suffered a huge heart attack just hours before a Goon Show reunion dinner, and died two days later, aged 54. As fellow Goon Harry Secombe put it, with typical black humour, "anything to avoid paying for dinner.".
Daniel
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