When the sixties really swang

Comedy writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais do remember the swinging decade – and meeting its most thrilling performers

Dick Clement In 1960, towards the end of my two years' National Service in the RAF, I applied for a job at the BBC. I had no idea what I could or couldn't do, but it felt as if I'd be swimming in the right pond. I got offered a trainee position as 'studio manager' and accepted. I reported this to a bunch of fellow officers and said glibly, 'From what I hear, I'll have to drop my trousers if I want to get on.' A visiting Wing Commander frowned. 'I hope you're joking. I happen to find that kind of thing entirely disgusting.' I was right about one thing (not dropping my trousers): it was the right pond. 'Studio manager' sounded dull, but I liked my colleagues, male and…

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The Oldie (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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