Tommy Handley
31 records in the collection· mostly on Piccadilly, Columbia, Regal
Tommy Handley was a British comedian who became one of the country’s biggest radio stars during the Second World War as the central figure in the BBC programme "ITMA". Before that success he had worked extensively in music hall, revue and early broadcasting, and his records preserve the rapid-fire verbal humour that later made him a national wartime favourite.
This introduction was written by AI from what is known of the artist. Ask us if you want to know more about a particular record.
Records by Tommy Handley
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- ABubble & Squeak
- B(L Long)Have you any Money
Tommy Handley, the British comedian and future star of the radio show ITMA, performing comic sketches on Curry's, a scarce British label.AI summary
Curry's 177 Comic
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- ACasabianca
- BI kiss your Hand Madame
Tommy Handley, the British comedian best known for his radio work, on Broadcast 349 with 'Casabianca' and 'I kiss your Hand Madame'.AI summary
Broadcast 349 Personalities (Prs)
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- ACome in, Mr Cummins
- BThe Empire Party
Tommy Handley, the British radio comedian and star of *ITMA*, recording 'Come In, Mr Cummins' and 'The Empire Party' for Piccadilly 556, likely 1930s–40s.AI summary
Piccadilly 556 Comic
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- ACoom pretty one
- BSilly Girl
Tommy Handley, the British radio comedian famous for the show 'ITMA,' recorded 'Coom pretty one' and 'Silly Girl' for Decca F3982. These are comedy or novelty items from the late 1930s.AI summary
Decca F3982 Comic
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- AForty seven ginger headed Sailors
- BBananas are coming back again
Tommy Handley, the radio comedian best known for the RAF comedy show ITMA, recorded 'Forty seven ginger headed Sailors' and 'Bananas are coming back again' for Piccadilly 140, likely late 1930s or 1940s.AI summary
Piccadilly 140 Comic
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- AGardening
- B(2 sides)
Tommy Handley, the Liverpool comic who became a major British radio and film star, recorded 'Gardening' for Winner, a cheap British label, catalogue 4869. Handley was best known for the wartime radio comedy *ITMA*, but recorded comedy 78s in the pre-war era.AI summary
Winner 4869 Comic
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- AGive me a Slice of Roly Poly
- BI wish she'd come along now
Tommy Handley, the famous British radio comedian, performing comedy songs 'Give Me a Slice of Roly Poly' and 'I Wish She'd Come Along Now' on Piccadilly.AI summary
Piccadilly 182 Music Hall
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- AGive yourself a Pat on the Back
- BMaggie's Cold
Tommy Handley, one of Britain's most famous radio comedians, recorded these two comedy numbers on Piccadilly 477, likely early 1930s. Handley was the star of the hugely popular BBC radio show 'ITMA'.AI summary
Piccadilly 477 Comic
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- AHunting big Game
- BBridge for Beginners
Tommy Handley, the British comedian and star of the radio show *ITMA*, recording comic sketches 'Hunting big Game' and 'Bridge for Beginners' on Columbia DB265.AI summary
Columbia DB265 Comic
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- AIt's that Man again
- BTomsky the great Counter Spy
Tommy Handley, the celebrated British comedian, in 'It's that Man again' and 'Tomsky the great Counter Spy' on Columbia FB2303. Handley was a major radio star whose catchphrase 'It's that man again' gave the show ITMA its name.AI summary
Columbia FB2303 Personalities (Prs)
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- AItma 5th Series part 1
- Bpart 2
BBC 30270/2 Personalities (Prs)
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- ALino is Linoleum
- BMisery Farm
Tommy Handley on Piccadilly 222, performing 'Lino is Linoleum' and 'Misery Farm', comic monologues. Handley was a celebrated British radio comedian and variety performer.AI summary
Piccadilly 222 Personalities (Prs)
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- AOrigin of Boxing Day
- Bpart 2
Tommy Handley, the British comedian and star of the ITMA radio show, recorded 'Origin of Boxing Day' for Columbia in the late 1940s, part 1 and 2. Handley was a household name in wartime Britain, and his recordings capture his comedy material from the period.AI summary
Columbia DB267 Comic
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- APut it out
- BFuel saving
Tommy Handley was Britain's most popular radio comedian of the 1930s–40s, best known for the ITMA variety show; this United label release captures him performing topical comic sketches.AI summary
United Comic
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- APut Your Worries Through The Mangle
- BThere's a Good Time Coming
Columbia DB375
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- ASizzle of the Sausage
- BWe're living at the Cloisters
Tommy Handley, the celebrated British radio comedian who would become famous as the star of ITMA (It's That Man Again), recorded 'Sizzle of the Sausage' and 'We're living at the Cloisters' for Regal catalogue 9158.AI summary
Regal 9158 Comic
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- AThat's my Weakness now
- BSweet Sars'parilla
Tommy Handley was a celebrated British comedian and radio personality, best known as the star of ITMA, one of Britain's most popular radio comedies of the 1940s. This Piccadilly recording from the early 1930s predates his major fame.AI summary
Piccadilly 132 Comic
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- AThe Day I went
- BThe Day I went
Tommy Handley was one of Britain's most popular radio comedians, best remembered for the wartime series ITMA; this is a test pressing on the Metropole label, the type of one-off disc cut to check a recording ahead of release.AI summary
Metropole TEST Personalities (Prs)
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- AThe Dis-Orderly Room
- Bpart 2
Tommy Handley, the British comedian and star of the ITMA radio show, recorded 'The Dis-Orderly Room' (Parts 1 and 2) for Zonophone; Handley was one of the most popular entertainers of wartime Britain, and his comedy recordings capture the humour and topical references of the 1940s.AI summary
Zonophone 2900 Comic
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- AThe Dis-Orderly Room
- Bpart 2
Tommy Handley, the British comedian famous for the radio show ITMA, recorded 'The Dis-Orderly Room' in two parts for Zonophone; a novelty or comedy piece typical of his stage and recording work in the 1920s–1930s.AI summary
Zonophone 2900 Comic
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- ATommy Handley Calling
Tommy Handley, the British comedian and star of the long-running radio show ITMA, recorded this solo piece for Columbia early in his career. Handley was one of the most celebrated entertainers of the 1940s, but this is an acoustic-era record from the late 1920s or early 1930s.AI summary
Columbia DB9 Personalities (Prs)
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- ATomsky the great counter spy
- BIt's that man again
Tommy Handley, the star of the radio comedy series *It's That Man Again*, in Columbia sides playing his comic character. Handley was hugely popular in wartime Britain and this became one of his catchphrases.AI summary
Columbia FB2303 Personalities (Prs)
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- AUp in Archie's Aeroplane
- BShinaniki da
Tommy Handley was a leading British radio comedian and star of the long-running ITMA show; this Curry's label recording from the early 1930s captures his music-hall and novelty style before his wartime fame.AI summary
Curry's 229 Music Hall
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- AWhat's his Name
- B(2 sides)
Tommy Handley, the ITMA star, recorded 'What's his Name' for Columbia. This is one of his comedy sides from the 1930s or 1940s.AI summary
Columbia 5645 Comic
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- AWhen I met Connie in the Cornfield
- B(G Crowther)Oh Amelia
Tommy Handley, the celebrated British radio comedian, on Piccadilly 325, performing sketches 'When I Met Connie in the Cornfield' and 'Oh Amelia' — early recordings of a star entertainer on a budget label.AI summary
Piccadilly 325 Personalities (Prs)
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- AWhen I met Connie in the cornfield
- BIz Izzy Azzy Wozz
Regal 9365 Personalities (Prs)
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- AWhere do the Jam Jars go
- BOh Arthur
Tommy Handley performing comic monologues on Piccadilly, a British budget label of the 1930s.AI summary
Piccadilly 193 Comic
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- AWho is that Man who looks like Charlie Chaplin
- BNight that we met in a Blackout
Tommy Handley, the British radio comedian and star of the wartime radio show ITMA, on Decca F7246 with comic numbers from the 1940s.AI summary
Decca F7246 Comic
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- AWhy
- BLove wodnerful love
Tommy Handley, the British radio and music-hall comedian, performing 'Why' and 'Love Wonderful Love' on Piccadilly 158.AI summary
Piccadilly 158 Personalities (Prs)
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- AWill Anybody Herre Hava Drink
- BAirman! Airman!
Tommy Handley was a music-hall comedian and the star of the BBC radio show ITMA (It's That Man Again); this Regal recording captures his comic patter and character work from the late 1930s.AI summary
Regal MR76 Music Hall
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- AWireless Oscillations and Aggravations
- B(2 sides)
Broadcast 3133 Personalities (Prs)